Description of the attraction
The Church of St. Gayane, located in the city of Vagharshapat, is part of the Echmiadzin monastery. It was built in 630-641 by Catholicos Ezr in the very place where the Armenian pagan king Trdat III ordered to torture and kill the abbess of Christian virgins Gayane, who fled from Rome from the emperor Diocletian. Gayane's closest comrade-in-arms was Hripsime. The beautiful Hripsime, refusing to become the wife of Trdat III, as well as Gayane, was killed. The grave of Hripsime is located in the crypt, under the altar of the temple consecrated in her honor and located nearby.
The Church of St. Gayane belongs to the unique Armenian churches of the 7th century, built according to the type of domed basilicas. This is one of the earliest examples of Armenian architecture - a central-domed three-aisled basilica, which at that time was very popular in Armenia. Thanks to the central dome, located on four columns, the church has a cruciform shape.
In 1652, the temple was overhauled, during which the ceiling was changed and the dome was replaced. In 1683, a gallery was added to the western facade of the church. Since that time, a necropolis has been located in the arched portico, where the highest Armenian clergy are buried. The domes of the gallery are crowned with six graceful belfry columns. The exterior of the church is decorated with rich ornamental carvings.
At the entrance from the western side of the Church of St. Gayane you can see the magnificent 17th century murals dedicated to the Birth of Christ that have survived to this day. Next to the altar apse are the relics of Saint Gayane herself.
Since 2000, the Church of St. Gayane has been included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. For the local population, the Church of St. Gayane is a shrine that personifies martyrdom of the Christian faith.
