UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Armenia

Ruins of the Temple of Zvartnots

Zvartnots Temple was a three-storey circular structure built in the 7th century. Its beauty captivated the Byzantine Emperor, Constantine III, who brought the builder with him to Constantinople to build a similar structure. Unfortunately, the builder died along the way. Zvartnots Temple stood for around 300 years. By the 10th century, it was in ruins. It is not certain how it was destroyed. A strong earthquake may have caused its collapse or it may also have been due to continued Arab raids. The Zvartnots Archaelogical Site also includes the Catholicos Palace ruins which together with Etchmiadzin Cathedral became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Etchmiadzin (Echmiatsin) Cathedral

Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as the state religion in 301 AD. Etchmiadzin was built under the reign of King Tiridates III and Saint Gregory the Illuminator who introduced Christianity to Armenia. Etchmiadzin is the main church of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Its architectural plan consisting of a cruciform layout with a central dome has influenced not only ecclesiastical architecture in the region but also those in Eastern and Western Europe.

Altar - Etchmiadzin Church

The Church contains relics of the spear that pierced Jesus Christ (and which were originally kept at Geghard Monastery) as well as fragments believed to be that from Noah's ark.

Geghard Monastery

This monastery is named after the spear of Longinus that pierced the side of Jesus Christ during the Crucifixion. Geghardavank means monastery of the spear. That spear was presumably brought to Armenia by the apostle Jude Thaddeus. It was later transferred to the museum in Etchmiadzin. Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Octagonal Dome

Geghardavank was previously known as Ayrivank which means Monastery of the Cave. It was founded in the 4th century by St. Gregory the Illuminator. The current church was erected in 1215. Prior to that, the monastery complex was built inside a cave. The church is connected with the chapels and tombs dug from the rock.

Khachkar

Khachkars are stone slabs or pillars used in the ancient world as gravestones, commemorative markers or as demarcation, often with carved ornamentation and in Armenia, with a cross representing the crucifixion of Christ. The Armenian Khachkar is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage object.

Garni Temple (UNESCO World Heritage Site Temporary List)

For more information about Garni Temple and Complex, follow this link: https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2025/06/the-history-and-architecture-of-garni.html. Armenia submitted its request to UNESCO to include the Garni Complex to the Temporary List in March 2025.

How to get there from Tbilisi, Georgia: I traveled to Armenia with G7 Euro Travel and Tours. Please check out my post about G7 here: https://www.travelswithcharie.com/p/travel-tips.html

Where to stay: Holiday Inn Express is a ten-minute walk to Republic Square and beside Mashtots Park. It's on Buzand 97/2. It offers free breakfast. Reservations link is ihg.com.

Currency in Armenia : Dram. $1.00 is equivalent to 383.23 dram (exchange rate on June 14, 2025).

Electrical outlet: Type C or F

Stay connected

*****

Images by TravelswithCharie

Brașov was once called Stalin City

White Tower Brașov is a city nestled in the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania. Remnants of its medieval fortifications and bastions are added attractions to this buzzing city. The White Tower along with the Black Tower are two of the remaining watchtowers still visible today. During the Communist period, Brașov was called Orasul Stalin or Stalin City after the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin. Black Church This is such a storied Gothic church which was originally the Catholic Church of St. Mary before it was converted to a Lutheran Church. It was believed to have been affected by fire in 1689 which blackened its exterior walls and roof. But a new 21st century study reveals that this wasn’t the case at all. The only reason for its blackened state according to the study is environmental pollution caused by the industrialization of Brasov in the 19th century. The walls have since been cleaned but there are traces of black spots on the roof. Republicii Street This long pede...

The Gold of Ancestors: Pre-Colonial Philippine Treasures

Openwork basket, Surigao, 10th-13th century What a wonderful surprise this exhibition is! These gold objects, about a thousand of them, add a rich layer to Philippine history. This collection which was found in various sites in the Philippines, date back to the 10th-13th centuries. It demonstrates the well developed culture of pre colonial Philippines which the Spaniard, Antonio Pigafetta, recorded in 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan landed in the islands. A thriving interchange between the Philippines and its Asian neighbors existed prior to the arrival of Magellan as attested by some of these gold accouterments which show for example, images from Hindu mythology. The motifs and curvilinear ornamentation of the openwork basket (shown above) intimate Chinese designs found in their ceramics and textiles. Torso ornament, 10th-13th century Weighing four kilos of gold, this sash is worn across the chest similar to the upavita (sacred thread) style in Hindu culture. This sash w...

The Art of Carlos Botong Francisco - Progress of Medicine in the Philippines

Pre-colonial period Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines) is a group of four large-scale paintings depicting healing practices in the Philippines from pre-colonial times to the modern period. Carlos Botong Francisco was commissioned in 1953 by Dr. Agerico Sison who was then the director of Philippine General Hospital (PGH) together with Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing of the National Museum, Dr. Florentino Herrera, Jr. and Dr. Constantino Manahan. These oil on canvas paintings measure 2.92 meters in height and 2.76 meters in width (9.71 ft x 8.92 ft) and were displayed at the main entrance hall of PGH for over five decades. Owing to its location, the artworks were in a state of "severe deterioration" at the beginning of the 21st century from exposure to heat, humidity, dirt, dust, smoke, insect stains, grime, termites and an oxidized synthetic resin used in an earlier restoration. These canvases were restored three times, the last was...

TravelswithCharie

Search This Blog