The Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots
The Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots
The Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots
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Elie M
Jdeideh, Lebanon83 contributions
Both places can be visited through Bus.
If you are staying in Yerevan, you should head to Kilikia Bus Station mainly with Bus number 67 or mini-bus 75 a.
From Kilikia, there are mini-buses heading towards Edjmiacin each half an hour. You can stop the mini-bus 2 miles away from the airport cross and pass by the Zvartnots Cathedral.
When you finish you regain the main high way to continue towards Edjmiacin.
Zvartnots is a very beautiful place, well organized and educational. The museum is a must see. (Entrance 1000 AMD, if you want to take pictures you should pay 1000 AMD).
Edjmiacin complex is probably the essential location to get to know Armenian Christians and their history, no entrance fees.
When you finish the bus stop is straight in front of Edjmiacin's Cathedrals walls. The same type of mini-buses will take you back to Kilikia bus station (the trip costs 350+350=700 AMD).
If you are staying in Yerevan, you should head to Kilikia Bus Station mainly with Bus number 67 or mini-bus 75 a.
From Kilikia, there are mini-buses heading towards Edjmiacin each half an hour. You can stop the mini-bus 2 miles away from the airport cross and pass by the Zvartnots Cathedral.
When you finish you regain the main high way to continue towards Edjmiacin.
Zvartnots is a very beautiful place, well organized and educational. The museum is a must see. (Entrance 1000 AMD, if you want to take pictures you should pay 1000 AMD).
Edjmiacin complex is probably the essential location to get to know Armenian Christians and their history, no entrance fees.
When you finish the bus stop is straight in front of Edjmiacin's Cathedrals walls. The same type of mini-buses will take you back to Kilikia bus station (the trip costs 350+350=700 AMD).
Written March 27, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bentley1Seattle
Seattle110 contributions
One can only wonder. The Churches of Echmiatsin in themselves hold awesome historical significance for Christianity, Armenia and the world. Zvartnots can only stand alone in the design, the representation of it's time and the majesty of it's structure. To this Armenia with over 1,700 churches and monestaries holds at every kilometre living history to the Christian faith and it's transistion over the centuries. Visit the Country. UNESCO should make it a "living landscape" outdoor museum to humanity.
Written February 25, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SurreyGirl27
Addlestone, UK1,152 contributions
Oct 2016 • Friends
Zvartnots is a newly excavated byzantine site which has been sympathetically restored in part. Historic value is impossible to rate and it is a site not to be missed to understand the religious beginnings of Armenia. Accessible from Yerevan via public transport.
Complex of buildings and structures with cathedrals and churches and a pagan temple.
Complex of buildings and structures with cathedrals and churches and a pagan temple.
Written October 31, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katrien S
Ghent, Belgium1,943 contributions
Oct 2016 • Couples
Zvartnots was only discovered in the 20th century and is the ruin of a 6th century cathedral that for a while took over from Echmiadzin cathedral, before being ruined in the 10th century and abandoned. Today part of the columns and arches are standing yet again, and on a clear they mount Ararat appears spectacularly in the background. This cathedral was byzantine in architecture and use, in the sense that baptisms were done in the cathedral here, which is not the case elsewhere in Armenia. Also, the cathedral was round and had a double colonnade of arches. There is a small museum on site showing architecturally similar churches, most of which have been demolished or badly damaged as they are located in modern day Turkey. Also some of the mosaic tiles and other decorations and a model of the cathedral are displayed. The cathedral had very nice stone carvings, and some of these can still be seen outside, note particularly the eagles. Some of the columns in too poor a condition to re-erect are laid out two dimensionally next to the ruins. Finally there are some stones of the pagan temple(?) that stood here before the cathedral on display.
Written October 25, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
marqoos_pl
Dublin, Ireland8,296 contributions
Sep 2010
Zvarnots ruin complex is located few km outside of Yerevan, on they way to Echimiadzin. You can see both of them during the same trip. This is UNESCO World Heritage Site and ‘must see’ during your trip to Armenia. There is still quite a lot of stone houses, temples & other building. And the best part is, that Mt. Ararat (unfortunately on the Turkish side of the border) is just behind. Small entrance fee applies and you can receive nice ticket with some information and keep it as souvenir.
Town of Echimiadzin is just few km away. There are few places of interest, especially old churches, but the most important is cathedral. This is the most important place of Armenian Orthodox Church. Build in V century it still stands and amaze visitors. Surrounded by greenery and flowers, praying people and worshipers it is magical place to visit.
Walk around and you could find some khatchkars or carvings. Souvenir shop, toilets and snack-bar is in the complex. Remember, that this is holy place for many people, so proper clothing is required.
Other places worth visit are within few minutes walk and includes St. Hripsime church (VII cent.) and St. Gayane church (again VII cent.) and Shoghakat (XVIII cent.) with unsual for Armenia rococo-style altar. To see all of them and Zvarntoc you will need few hours. You can eat nice lunch in on of the local restaurants in central Echimiadzin.
I agree with previous comment, that all Armenia should be UNESCO designated site.
Town of Echimiadzin is just few km away. There are few places of interest, especially old churches, but the most important is cathedral. This is the most important place of Armenian Orthodox Church. Build in V century it still stands and amaze visitors. Surrounded by greenery and flowers, praying people and worshipers it is magical place to visit.
Walk around and you could find some khatchkars or carvings. Souvenir shop, toilets and snack-bar is in the complex. Remember, that this is holy place for many people, so proper clothing is required.
Other places worth visit are within few minutes walk and includes St. Hripsime church (VII cent.) and St. Gayane church (again VII cent.) and Shoghakat (XVIII cent.) with unsual for Armenia rococo-style altar. To see all of them and Zvarntoc you will need few hours. You can eat nice lunch in on of the local restaurants in central Echimiadzin.
I agree with previous comment, that all Armenia should be UNESCO designated site.
Written May 15, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
white j
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia5,742 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
Built in 4-7th century, they are very important witness to the implantation of Christianity in Armenia. The remaining church is also with hundreds years history. When we arrived there, the church was under restoration. But we still enjoyed much the items exhibited in the museum
Written July 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yoc11
Stockholm, Sweden96 contributions
Nov 2018
Ath the moment of writing, both the cathedral and the cathedral museum are closed until further notice (I could not get any concrete information abut reopening. In this situation Echmiatsin is rather unexciting. If one happens to be driving by, it is definitely worth a little stroll, definitely paying a visit to Surp Gayane church on the compound). There are additional fine old churches in Vagharshapat tow, of which. S Hirpsime, on the highway to Yerevan is definitely the finest.
Written December 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kamran1975
Tehran, Iran380 contributions
Nov 2017 • Couples
After visiting Gehard and Garni, we left the eastern side of Yerevan and went to the west of the city to visit Echmiadzin cathedral.
Although there were scaffoldings which made the view a little bit unsightful, the beauty of this monument was still obvious.
The architecture and artistic interior paintings look familiar to Iranian visitors since they have lots of similarities with ancient churches and mosques in Iran.
The carved picture of Shah Abbas (Persian king in late 16th and early17th century) was really attractive for us and dates back the restoration to the era of persian rule...
Like the other churches and cathedrals, candles, icons and paintings are really attractive and relaxing as well.
Although there were scaffoldings which made the view a little bit unsightful, the beauty of this monument was still obvious.
The architecture and artistic interior paintings look familiar to Iranian visitors since they have lots of similarities with ancient churches and mosques in Iran.
The carved picture of Shah Abbas (Persian king in late 16th and early17th century) was really attractive for us and dates back the restoration to the era of persian rule...
Like the other churches and cathedrals, candles, icons and paintings are really attractive and relaxing as well.
Written June 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
saronic
Zurich, Switzerland28,818 contributions
May 2017 • Solo
In the year 2000 UNESCO declared three churches in Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvarnots as World Heritage Sites. The three churches in Echmiatsin proper have each a separate entry in Tripadvisor, not so Zvarnots, which is about 3km outside Echmiatsin and a unique sight in itself, different from the rest. For me one of the most impressive places I visited in Armenia.
Since I have written about the three Echmiatsin churches in their respective entries, here I will only write about Zvarnots. Getting there one comes to a booth, where one buys a ticket (1000 AMD per person). Then the gate opens and if in a private car one can drive a couple of hundred meters closer, to a parking lot, where there are information boards and also a toilet.
The main sight are the ruins of the once enormous palace church, erected in the Golden Age of Armenian Architecture, the 7th century. About 300 years later the church and all of Zvarnots was destroyed by a strong earthquake. Not being rebuilt, it was soon covered by earth und only excavated in the beginning of the 20th century. Luckily the restoration work was not overdone, so the experience is very satisfying. How the whole monument might have looked before the disaster can be seen in the nearby museum, where there is a model of the several storey high round church.
Now one can admire the fine stonework, especially on the capitals above the columns or on the ground, like the ones with decorative eagles. Besides the main church are much less interesting ruins of Roman Baths, of a Basilica, of a Throne Room, of the Palace of the Katholikos.
The on site museum can be visited with the same entry ticket. Besides photos and informative texts one finds there various fragments: pieces of tiled roofs and of mosaics, a stone with an inscription in Greek, the keystone of the dome, pottery and metal objects.
Since I have written about the three Echmiatsin churches in their respective entries, here I will only write about Zvarnots. Getting there one comes to a booth, where one buys a ticket (1000 AMD per person). Then the gate opens and if in a private car one can drive a couple of hundred meters closer, to a parking lot, where there are information boards and also a toilet.
The main sight are the ruins of the once enormous palace church, erected in the Golden Age of Armenian Architecture, the 7th century. About 300 years later the church and all of Zvarnots was destroyed by a strong earthquake. Not being rebuilt, it was soon covered by earth und only excavated in the beginning of the 20th century. Luckily the restoration work was not overdone, so the experience is very satisfying. How the whole monument might have looked before the disaster can be seen in the nearby museum, where there is a model of the several storey high round church.
Now one can admire the fine stonework, especially on the capitals above the columns or on the ground, like the ones with decorative eagles. Besides the main church are much less interesting ruins of Roman Baths, of a Basilica, of a Throne Room, of the Palace of the Katholikos.
The on site museum can be visited with the same entry ticket. Besides photos and informative texts one finds there various fragments: pieces of tiled roofs and of mosaics, a stone with an inscription in Greek, the keystone of the dome, pottery and metal objects.
Written July 29, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris Y
Pleasant Hill, CA54 contributions
Jun 2017
There are many archaeological sites in Armenia worth seeing. To guide you around you need a good travel guide to help plan your itinerary. I can strongly recommend #Fairyland Hospitality Group. We saw many UNESCO sites, including the churches of Echmiaztsin Zvartnots and Gaghhart. They had a great guide (Sonia) and accompanied us on the trip with the CEO (Artur) and had a doctor too for our group. We were a large group (53 people) and we covered a lot of ground.
Written June 26, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Здравствуйте , скажите, пожалуйста, открыт для собор для посещения, или он в строительных лесах и за забором, как пишут ниже? Проходят ли службы , можно ли попасть в сокровищницу?
Written January 31, 2023
Is it possible to see the Zvartnots ruins outside the entrance before it opens?
(I have an early flight in and wanted to go here & Echmiadzin before heading into town to see other sights...)
Written April 25, 2018
Нина С
Kiev Oblast, Ukraine
Хотелось бы узнать о реставрации собора. Есть фотофиксация, где башенки в восточной части собора отсутствуют. Интересно, в каком году их восстановили.
Written February 11, 2015
Нина С
Kiev Oblast, Ukraine
Хотелось бы узнать о реставрации собора. Есть фотофиксация, где башенки в восточной части собора отсутствуют. Интересно, в каком году их восстановили.
Written February 10, 2015
Здравствуйте! Реставрация собора продолжается до сих пор. Внутри реставрация закончена, а снаружи частично собор закрыт лесами. Также вокруг построен комплекс сооружений религиозного назначения в течение последних пяти лет.
Written February 11, 2015
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