Footsteps of Christianity
Kings, Queens & Princes
Roman Trail
Nature / Birds Trail
Momik Trail
Star Gazing Through History
Zvartnots
The magnificent cathedral referred to as Zvartnots or St. Grigor by medieval historians, was commissioned by Catholicos Nerses III from Taik region, between the years 643-652.
Zvartnots History
This archeological site has been the focus of worship from pre-Christian times. Excavations also uncovered Urartian temple foundations, a sacrificial altar and a cuneiform stone of king Rusa II celebrating the construction of a surviving canal system connecting to the Hrazdan River.
The Urartian structure was replaced by a Hellenistic temple and a basilica after Christianity was proclaimed the state religion in Armenia in 301. Thereafter it was replaced by a 5th-6th century single-nave basilica (its foundations are south of the cathedral).
The cathedral was built in 643-652, during a time of turmoil. Arabs invaded Armenia in 640, taking the capital at Dvin, and were threatening to take the rest of the country.
Catholicos Yez'r I Parazhnakertsi died in 641. Prince Theodoros Rshtuni, striving to unite the country against competing claims by Arabs and Byzantines, supported the election of Nerses III from Taik region. Educated in Byzantium and having undergone military service there, Nerses became the bishop of Taik prior to the election as Catholicos.
Elected in 641, Nerses (641- 661) was known as "the Builder" for the large number of churches he founded. Commissioning Zvartnots Cathedral as the seat of Catholicos of all Armenians, Nerses III ordered the construction of the pontifical residence, the monastic residence buildings, the auxiliary structures, the walls, a canal connecting to the River Kasagh and gardens.
Zvartnots is a unique structure; at the time it was finished it was one of the tallest structures on earth, topping out at about 45 meters. Instead of domed cruciform or basilica types that had been popular in those centuries, the Zvartnots type was completely unique, a central dome type where the corners and apses became a part of the whole, suggesting a circle.
The massive size and unique construction suggest that the cathedral was a "true engineering marvel", "a cosmic miracle", and a number of legends and reports are connected to the monument. One story relates how, in 652, the Byzantine Emperor Constans II, attending the consecration of the temple, and, so impressed by the structure and scale, hired the master architect to build a similar church in Constantinople. The latter, however, fell ill and died on the way.
Armenian and Arab historians marveled at the beauty of Zvartnots. There are a number of copies in the Near East, and one in the village of Ishkhan (western Armenia), which was the birthplace of Nerses III. Nerses was also referred to as Nerses from Ishkhan for the name of the village he was born in.
0 reviews from our community
Telephone +374 98 994121
Email zvartnots@zvartnots.am
Ticket price Adults: 250 AMD
Children: 100 AMD
Foreigners: 700 AMD
Excursion: 1000 AMD
Excursion with foreign language: 2000 AMD
Working period/season Year round
Working days Tuesday-Sunday
Working hours 10:00-17:00
Zvartnots - The building
Composition of the Cathedral
The Cathedral Decoration
Pontifical Residence
Zvartnots - Fertility Stone
Zvartnots - Storage Jars, Winery
Rusa II cuneiform stone
nearest sites
3.4km Etchmiadzin
Interesting things nearby
Etchmiadzin Armavir Armenia
Happy Town Cafe
Cross of Armenian
Artson B&B
Ethnographic History
Relax Cafe
The Black Sea Silk Road is a Trail of Discovery: Following ancient caravan paths through more than 3000 kilometers of Sea Coast and Mountain Crests, this trail, with more than 170 destinations, will excite your senses while you explore the oldest cultures on earth. Whether its uncovering 10,000 years of history, or the labyrinth of earthlydesires on an ultra-modern cityscape, or climbing, hiking or gliding over flower-encrusted meadows, pristine forests and hidden beaches of golden sand, Discover your New Sensations on the Black Sea Silk Road Corridor.
Partners Sponsors
Implementation of the BSSRC project in Armenia and development of the BSSRC web portal and mobile applications were co-funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Enterprise Development and Market Competitiveness (EDMC) project. The contents of the web portal and mobile applications are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
Login using social accounts