Etchmiadzin serves as the official residence of the Armenian Patriarch — the Catholicos of All Armenians. His palace is nestled within the courtyard of the monastery, forming the spiritual and administrative heart of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
At the entrance to the Catholicos’s residence rise the majestic “Gates of Trdat.” Though these gates have undergone numerous reconstructions over the centuries, their foundation still contains ancient stone blocks dating back to the 4th century. It is widely believed that the royal palace of the Armenian kings once stood on this very spot.
