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The Masterpieces Of Armenian Architecture Tour

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Must Visit City
Kotaky Province
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The Masterpieces of Armenian Architecture Day 1: Arrival Day 2: Garni / Geghard Garni Temple - The citadel and pagan temple of Garni is a picturesque monument of the Hellenistic period and an impressive piece . .
Country: Armenia
City: Kotaky Province
Duration: 3 Day(s) - 2 Night(s)
Tour Category: Culture Tours
Departure Date: Thu 01 Jan '99
Package Itinerary

The Masterpieces of Armenian Architecture

Day 1: Arrival

Day 2: Garni / Geghard

Garni Temple - The citadel and pagan temple of Garni is a picturesque monument of the Hellenistic period and an impressive piece of ancient Armenian architecture. It was built in the first century A.D. by the Armenian King Tiridates and it is dedicated to a heathen god, probably to Mithra, the god of the sun whose figure stood in the depth of the sanctuary. After proclaiming Christianity as a state religion in Armenia in 301, the temple was probably used as a summer residence of the kings. Northeast of Garni, higher up the gorge of the Azat river, there is a magnificent monument of medieval Armenian architecture - Geghard Monastery inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage list.

Geghard is another incredible ancient Armenian monastery, partly carved out of a mountain. The meaning "the Monastery of the Spear", originates from the spear which had wounded Jesus during his crucifixion, allegedly brought to Armenia by Apostle Thaddeus, and stored amongst many other relics. Now the historical spear is displayed in the Etchmiadzin treasury. Though the monastery of Geghard was around before the 4th century, the main cathedral was built in 1215. The entrance of the compound is surrounded by high walls on three sides and a mountain on the other. Outside the monastery complex, there are some caves that have a bunch of little cave rooms and are quite interesting.

Day 3: Departure

Transfer to the airport.

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Explore More About Geghard Monastery:

The monastery complex of Geghard is one of the most outstanding sights in Armenia. Nearly any tour to the historic sites of Armenia starts with this ancient monastery! If an Armenian family has a guest from a foreign country, the next morning the host of the house is likely to say: “First we should start with Garni-Geghard”! The first thing that captures and fascinates travelers is the inexpressible and breathtaking spirit of antiquity. Just imagine standing in the middle of an ancient monastery carved into a rock, with magnificent views of the surrounding mountains, and it’s here that with every breath you feel a thousand-year history, which is literally stamped at every bend of the stone!

The monastery complex of Geghard is also popular due to its close location from the capital of Armenia, Yerevan. The monastery is only 36 km away from Yerevan. The one-way road from the capital to the ancient temple takes only 45 minutes. The road to the monastery is extraordinarily picturesque: on the way to Geghard, you can see magnificent mountain landscapes in tandem with the sun and fresh air. On the way to Geghard, passing through the towering cliffs along the gorge of the Azat River, you can also see numerous caves that were once carved into the rocks. In these caves, archaeologists have found numerous cave paintings. This proves that once it was inhabited by Prehistoric men.

The present name of the monastery is associated with a beautiful tradition. According to legend, the monastery of Geghard was named in honor of the spear, with which the Roman legionary pierced the body of Christ on the cross. Translated from Armenian, Geghard means “spearhead”, and Gegardavank means “monastery of the spear” respectively. After the crucifixion, the “Longine’s Spear” was taken to the monastery. At present, the main relic of Geghard – the spear – is stored in the treasury of Echmiadzin, the spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In addition to the spear, the relics of John the Baptist and St. Andrew are also kept in the monastery of Geghard.

Geghard monastery was one of the spiritual and cultural centers of medieval Armenia, where besides religious buildings there were also such institutions as schools, libraries, printing houses. The monks lived in cell caves carved next to the monastery. Monks made a great contribution to the development of calligraphy art. The school at the monastery had a repository of manuscripts. Some of the manuscripts are now stored in the Matenadaran named after Mesrop Mashtots.

The monastery complex of Geghard is undoubtedly a world heritage that is why it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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