Armenian and Caucasus studies at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"

Historic sites:

Erebuni Fortress

Founding Century: B.C. VIII
Region: Yerevan
Location: 38 Erebuni Ave, Yerevan.

Erebuni Fortress was founded at the end of the 8th century B.C. by the Urartian King Argishti I. It is located within the Yerevan, and that is the proof that the capital of Armenia has been inhabited for three thousand years. The excavations have revealed a veritable treasure of discoveries such as the remains of palaces, temples, and domiciles from antiquity.

Garni Pagan Temple

Founding Century: B.C. III
Region: Kotayk
Location: Garni village

The Garni Temple was used as a summer resort of Armenian kings over two thousand years ago. The Temple and its ruins are located at 28 km northeast of Yerevan in the Kotayk Region.

It was built in the 3rd century BC on a triangular plateau. The Temple dominates a deep canyon and enjoys natural protection on three of four sides by the deep valley and rocky cliffs. On the fourth side was built a 300 m wide fortress wall in the 3rd century BC with fourteen towers and an arched entryway. This was one of the most legendary fortresses of ancient Armenia.

Despite the fact that it was destroyed in 59 A.D. by the Romans, Tridates I later ordered to be restored and enriched by constructing the Temple of the Sun.Today, you can find the remains of the royal Roman-style baths, which date from 1st century AD. There were separate rooms with cold, warm, and hot water, with a system of ceramic pipes beneath the floor for circulating heated air. And the floors were covered by mosaic with ornaments depicting sea gods, fish, and various mythological creatures.

The destruction and re-establishment of Garni continued during the Arab, Mongol, and Turkish invasions in the 10th, 14th, and then 17th centuries. The huge earthquake in 1679 buried what had remained of the temple until the excavations made in 20th century and which revealed the fortress walls, towers and church ruins. Today the temple stands as it did 2 millennia earlier.

Khndzoresk village

Region: Syunik

Khndzoresk offers the most spectacular view of ancient Armenia, where cave-dwellers resided in the hollows of the scores of majestic mountains, cultivating the valleys below their rocky homes. Khndzoresk looks like a vertical multi-story amphitheater of stone. Artifacts and archaeological findings are testimony of human inhabiting in this area from ancient times.

Ughtasar

Founding Century: IV
Region: Syunik
Location: Zangezour

Situated at 3 kilometers above sea-level on a mountainous plateau in the splendid region of Syunik are the remains of an ancient fortress with enormous ramparts. There are more than 2000 ancient rock engravings (petroglyphs) at Ughtasar. They represent various sacred rituals, hunting scenes, folklore and religious dances and other traces of Paleolithic influence. Although the precise age of the carvings are unknown, it is generally accepted that they date as far back as 7,000 years.

Zorats Karer

Alternate Name: Karahunj (Stonehenge)
Founding Century: III
Region: Syunik
Location: 3 km. north of Sisian

Zorats Karer (Zorats stones) date back to 2000 B.C. Today the scientists have agreed that the arrangement of stones was most probably meant for astronomical observation. Zorats Karer or Karahunj are situated 3 km north of Sisian. The place consists of hundreds of vertically constructed boulders situated in a deliberately arranged and covering over 3 hectares. At first sight they seem to be randomly scattered but aerial views reveal a surprisingly precise arrangement of these giant stones. Although their exact purpose is unknown, some scientists think they are a temple to the god of the sun, an astronomical instrument, or an ancient university. Constructed over 6000 years ago, this site was a place of activity for 4000 years until Armenia’s adoption of Christianity.

There are 203 stones, 76 of which have 5-7 cm diameter holes bored through them. Sixty three stones stand upright, 16 on an angle, while 90 lay flat. The largest of the them weigh more than 50 tons and were hauled from a quarry situated several kilometers away.

Zvartnots Temple

Founding Century: VII
Founding Date : 641
Region: Armavir
Location: Zvartnots
The architectural masterpiece of Zvartnots was built by order of the Catholicos Nerses III between the years 641 and 662. Zvartnots was damaged by an earthquake in the 10th century and revealed in 1900-1907, in the town of Echmiadzin.

Its construction began around 643, after Armenia’s recovery from the devastation that caused the first Arab invasions in 640. Unfortunately, there was series of devastating earthquakes during the 10th century, during which the cathedral was destroyed. The archaeological excavations conducted in the 12th century, and the restorations in the early 20th century.

Echmiadzin

Alternate Name: Holy See, Mayr Tachar
Region: Armavir
Location: Echmiadzin

Echmiadzin, which means the “The Descent of the Only Begotten Son”, is an ancient capital of Armenia. The legend says that Jesus Christ descended from heaven and indicated the spot for a church to be built. The Holy Echmiadzin Cathedral was built at that site in the 4th century (301-303), at the dawn of the Christian conversion of the country by King Trdat III and Saint Gregory the Illuminator. The Cathedral was built on top of the pagan temple of Vagharshapat, which was destroyed by King Trdat.

Echmiadzin is the residence of the Supreme Catholicos of all Armenians and the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The rite of blessing of the holy chrism is held there every seven years during which thousands of believers come to Echmiadzin as pilgrims from different parts of the world.

The existing Cathedral was rebuilt around 480 AD on the site of the early 4th century cruciform basilica of which only four bases had survived; they were used to support four pylons of the new structure. The Cathedral’s present dome dates from the 17th century, as well as is the belfry on the western side (1653-1658. Its museum exhibits large collection of art objects associated with the church, which date from the 10th-18th centuries.