About this experience
By bus, you will head to the heart of Christian Armenia: visit the main monastery, explore the temple of St. Ripsime, and feel the breath of time at the ruins of the "Temple of the Beheading Angels". In the museum, you will see revered relics and rare exhibits. Along the way and in the city itself, you will hear stories about paganism and Christianity in our country, as well as the peculiarities of architecture.
What to expect
From Yerevan, you will travel to the city of Vagharshapat (formerly Etchmiadzin): here is the residence of the Catholicos, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. During the excursion, you will visit:
- The Cathedral of 303 AD (temporarily closed for restoration) - you will hear the legend of its appearance and learn about the history of Christianity in our country. Take a close look at the skillful frescoes and learn details of Armenian church architecture.
- The Museum-Treasury of Etchmiadzin - among numerous exhibits, you will see the holy spear that pierced Christ and the remains of Noah's Ark. You will also admire the skillfully crafted church utensils decorated with precious stones, mother-of-pearl, ivory, and filigree.
- The Church of St. Ripsime (7th century) - erected on the site of a pagan temple. You will hear the story of the martyr after whom the temple is named and learn about other revered saints in Armenia.
- The Ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral, or the "Temple of the Beheading Angels" (7th century) - even the remains of this temple make a vivid impression, and its construction gave rise to a new architectural style. You will uncover which personalities visited this place - and why the structure did not survive to our days.
❗ The Etchmiadzin Cathedral is under restoration, only an external observation is included in the program.
Organizational details
- The Cathedral, unfortunately, is temporarily closed for restoration
- The remaining part of the cost is paid to the guide on the day of the excursion in local currency - 9000 drams per person.
- Your tour will be conducted by one of the guides from our team.
What is included in the price and what is not
- Included: transfer and entrance tickets
- Lunch is paid separately
