The name Zvartnots translates from Armenian as “Temple of the Vigilant Powers” or “Temple of the Heavenly Angels.” This extraordinary structure is located just 10 kilometers from Yerevan, near the international airport that bears its name, on the road leading to Vagharshapat (also known as Etchmiadzin). Built in the 7th century AD during the pontificate of Catholicos Nerses III, the temple once witnessed a remarkable moment in history: the Byzantine Emperor Constans II himself attended its consecration. So taken was he by its magnificence that he expressed a desire to build a replica in Constantinople—an ambition that, alas, would never come to fruition.
Zvartnots stood apart from every Christian church that existed at the time. Its architectural design was groundbreaking. Rather than the typical basilica plan, the temple was built in the form of a circular structure, rising in three diminishing tiers of cylindrical volumes, crowned by a great spherical dome. Internally, its walls rested on a symmetrical cruciform arrangement of columns, forming a perfect equal-armed cross. Scholars and historians have often remarked that the composition of Zvartnots had more in common with ancient Babylonian ziggurats than with contemporary Christian edifices.
The temple’s layout was characterized by extreme symmetry radiating from its center. Each tier of walls was lined with numerous windows that flooded the interior with natural light, while the dome appeared to hover ethereally above intricate arches that opened to the sky. This sense of open space and upward motion gave the structure an almost otherworldly aura. The brilliance of Zvartnots left an indelible mark on Armenian architecture, inspiring the design of other churches in the centuries that followed.
Even in its ruined state, Zvartnots speaks with a voice of majesty and rare beauty. Its fragments are eloquent—the stone seems to breathe history. Gaze upon the surviving columns, intricately carved with ancient Armenian ornamentation, and imagine the entire structure once adorned in such splendor. Cornices framed in delicate patterns, windows entwined with decorative motifs, and temple walls adorned with grapevines, pomegranate branches, and exquisitely detailed geometric designs—it was a masterpiece carved in stone.
There once existed a “portrait gallery” of sorts—sculptures representing prophets, apostles, and evangelists. Some scholars believe that among them were the faces of benefactors and donors who contributed to the temple’s construction, immortalized in sacred stone.
A visit to the Zvartnots Museum is a must. Tucked behind the temple ruins, just to the right of the remnants of the patriarchal palace and residential quarters, the museum houses a collection of fascinating artifacts. Among them are human sculptures, fragments of temple mosaics, and ancient sundials that once measured sacred time.
The builders of Zvartnots worked with a palette of volcanic stone—gray, black, violet-brown, and reddish tuff, each hue lending the structure depth and character. At the very center of the temple lies a mysterious depression, accessible by a narrow staircase. According to one theory, it once housed the relics of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, the patron saint of Armenian Christianity.
The construction of Zvartnots spanned nearly eleven years. Begun between 641 and 643 AD, the project progressed with intervals and was finally completed in 652. For over 300 years, the temple stood as a beacon of faith and architectural brilliance. But around 970–973, a powerful earthquake struck, and the elegant arches and domes could not withstand the force. Time passed, and a vast mound of earth formed over the ruins, from which the tips of four massive pylons still peeked skyward—a ghostly trace of what once was.
Excavations did not begin until 1901. Only then did the buried marvel begin to yield its secrets, revealing the astonishing legacy of Zvartnots. Excavators uncovered fragments of bas-reliefs and ornate architectural details, each intricately carved with remarkable craftsmanship, as well as pieces of vibrant mosaic.
