Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots, Armenia

World / Armenia / World Heritage Sites
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Zvartnots Cathedral ruins, Armenia
Author: David Holt (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0)

Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the archaeological remains at Zvartnots are World Heritage Sites in Armenia. They provide a glimpse into the evolution of the architecture of Armenian churches. It is from these medieval churches that the central-domed, cross-hall design of Armenian churches was derived, influencing the architectural style of the region.

The cathedral and churches of Echmiatsin and the archaeological site of Zvartnots were recognised as World Heritage Site, during the 24th session of the World Heritage Committee, which convened from 24 November to 2 December, 2000, in Cairns, Australia. The core zone of the heritage property covers an area of 74.3 hectares.

Photos of Echmiatsin Cathedral

Echmiatsin Cathedral, Armenia
Author: Butcher (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

Echmiadzin Cathedral altar
Author: D-man (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

Echmiadzin Cathedral khachkar
Author: Heretiq (public domain)

Hripsime Church, Echmiadzin, Armenia
Author: Heretiq (public domain)

St Gayane Church, Echmiadzin, Armenia
Author: Alexander Naumov (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5)

Zvartnots Cathedral ruins, Armenia
Author: David Holt (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0)

What to See in Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots

In Echmiatsin

Cathedral of Echmiatsin is a major tourist attraction. It was built in 301 AD by St Gregory the Illuminator, and has been rebuilt and expanded several times in the next 1,700 years. It is the seat of the Catholicos of all Armenians, which is the head of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church. Within a short distance away are two more churches that are worth visiting: St. Hripsime Cathedral and St. Gayane Church.

St. Hripsime Church is another beautiful early Christian church. It was built in the 7th century, with soaring ceilings and spacious interior.

St. Gayane Church was built to honor one of the Christian virgins killed by the Armenian king.

In Zvartnots

Zvartnots Cathedral is the remains of a 7th century Armenian church. It was built by the Catholicos Nerses the Builder, between 641 and 653 AD, when Armenia was under Byzantine control. It is said to have collapsed some time in the 10th century

Location

Echmiatsin, also written Echmiadzin and Etchmiadzin, is the largest city in Armavir Province, central Armenia, and the 4th largest in the country. The population is around 53,000. The tourist sights are accessible on foot within the city, including the Cathedral of Echmiatsin.

Zvartnots is located about 10 km west of Yerevan, and half way to Echmiatsin. Zvartnots Catheral, the main archaeological site, is a 7th-century Armenian church near the Yerevan International Airport.

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N 40 09 33 E 44 17 42
Inscription Year:
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: II, III

Visiting this Site

Echmiatsin is actually quite near Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. You should base your trip in Yerevan, and then make arrangements for visiting the sights in Armenia. There will be more tour packages and options to choose from in Yerevan, according to the amount of time you have in your hands.

Here's a comprehensive list of Hotels in Yerevan with online booking facilities. Booking is provided by HostelBookers, so there is no booking fee involved.

Getting there

Echmiatsin and Zvartnots are to the west of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

Book Hotel Rooms in Armenia and Worldwide

Click here also for a full list of hotels in Armenia or hotels worldwide. If you prefer budget accommodation in hostels, guesthouses or inns, check out hostels worldwide for budget accommodation providers with online booking.

Preparing for your trip

If you are planning a trip anywhere, make sure you compare prices of hotel rooms as provided by different online booking sites. Enter your destination and travel date below to see which site offers the best price, then click to proceed to that site.

Finally, if you're interested in World Heritage Sites like me, here are a few books on World Heritage Sites which you might want to add to your library. They are all available directly from Amazon.