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Echmiadzin

Echmiadzin or Ejmiatsin is the holiest town in Armenia Armenia

Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked [i] mountainous country in the South ... 

 and the headquarters of the katholikos, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church Armenian Apostolic Church

The Armenian Apostolic Church, sometimes called the Armenian Orthodox Church or the Gregorian C... 

. It is located in the Armavir province Armavir (province)

Armavir is a province [i] of Armenia [i] with the capital in Armavir [i] ... 

, about 20 km west from Yerevan Yerevan

Yerevan is the largest city and capital [i] of Armenia [i]. ... 

. The town originated as Vardkesavan in the 4th or 3rd century BC. King Vagharsh  had the name changed to Vagharshapat , which still persists as the official appellation of the town. Several decades later the town became the capital of Armenia Armenia

Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked [i] mountainous country in the South ... 

 and remained the country's most important city until the 4th century 4th century

As a means of recording the passage of time [i], the 4th century was that century [i] which lasted from ... 

 AD. Historically, the focal point of the town is the Etchmiadzin Cathedral.

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Echmiadzin or Ejmiatsin is the holiest town in Armenia Armenia

Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked [i] mountainous country in the South ... 

 and the headquarters of the katholikos, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church Armenian Apostolic Church

The Armenian Apostolic Church, sometimes called the Armenian Orthodox Church or the Gregorian C... 

. It is located in the Armavir province Armavir (province)

Armavir is a province [i] of Armenia [i] with the capital in Armavir [i] ... 

, about 20 km west from Yerevan Yerevan

Yerevan is the largest city and capital [i] of Armenia [i]. ... 

.

The town originated as Vardkesavan in the 4th or 3rd century BC. King Vagharsh  had the name changed to Vagharshapat , which still persists as the official appellation of the town. Several decades later the town became the capital of Armenia Armenia

Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked [i] mountainous country in the South ... 

 and remained the country's most important city until the 4th century 4th century

As a means of recording the passage of time [i], the 4th century was that century [i] which lasted from ... 

 AD.

Historically, the focal point of the town is the Etchmiadzin Cathedral. It was originally built by Saint Gregory the Illuminator Gregory the Illuminator

Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener , the founder and patron saint [i]... 

 as a vaulted basilica Basilica

The Latin [i] word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman [i] public building , ... 

 in 301-303, when Armenia was the only country in the world recognising Christianity as a state religion. According to the 5th-century Armenian annals, St Gregory had a vision of Christ descending from heaven and striking the earth with a golden hammer to show where the cathedral should be built. Hence, the patriarch gave the church and the town the new name of Echmiadzin, which may be translated as "the place where the Only Begotten descended".

In 480, Vahan Mamikonian Mamikonian

Mamikonian or Mamikoneans was a noble family which dominated Armenia [i]n politics between the 4th ... 

, the Roman governor of Armenia, ordered the dilapidated basilica to be replaced with a new cruciform church. In 618, the wooden dome was replaced with a stone one, resting on four massive pillars linked to exterior walls by arcades. This was the church much as it is today. Murals in the interior and extravagant rotundas surmounting the apses appeared in the early 18th century. A three-tier belfry was constructed half a century earlier. The cathedral formerly boasted the largest collection of Armenian medieval manuscripts, but these were lately handed over to the Matenadaran Matenadaran

Mesrop Mashtots' Matenadaran Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Yerevan, Armenia, is one of the richest... 

.

To the immediate west of the cathedral is the Gate of St.Tiridates, leading to the imposing patriarchal palace. To the northeast, with buildings both within and outside the enclosure is the Spiritual Academy. Several khatchkars have been placed to the north of the cathedral.

Apart from the cathedral, the town contains two highly important and very ancient churches. The church of St Gayane, distinguished by its harmonious proportions, was constructed in 630 and underwent enlargement in the 17th century, when the dome was rebuilt and a porch was added. The church of St Hripsime was built in 618 and survives basically unchanged. These two churches, the cathedral and the nearby archaeological site of Zvartnots Zvartnots

Zvartnots is a town located in Armenia [i]n province of Armavir [i], about 10 km west f ... 

 are listed among the UNESCO UNESCO

UNESCO is a specialized agency of the United Nations [i] established in 1945. ... 

 World Heritage Site World Heritage Site

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on ... 

s.

External links



    • - article by the Armenian Enlightment Chronicle