Zvartnots Cathedral is located in the Ararat Valley, 3 km north of the city of Vagharshapat (Echmiadzin). This historic site has been a famous place of worship since pre-Christian times. The ancient pagan temple was dedicated to the god Tyrus, the god of writing and education. The entire cathedral was flooded with light, and when the sun entered the cathedral through 80 arches and 32 round windows, the impression was created of angels hovering under the dome. The cathedral survived only until the end of the 10th century. The destroyed building was hidden underground until the beginning of Khachik Dadyan's excavations in 1901. From the cathedral remained the base, half of the columns and their decorated tops, sundial, frescoes and other ruins. In 1989 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Despite the destroyed state, this attraction remains one of the favorite places for tourists.
Zvartnots Cathedral, Vagharshapat, Armenia