Archaeological Site of Zvartnots (Armavir province - Armenia)
N 40° 09.619 E 044° 20.195
38T E 443503 N 4445762
Ruin of the ancient cathedral of St. George, built between 643 and 652, is a second part of "Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots" UNESCO World Heritage Site in Armenia...
Waymark Code: WMERC2
Location: Armenia
Date Posted: 07/01/2012
Views: 5
Ruin of the ancient cathedral of St. George, built between 643 and 652, is a second part of "Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots" UNESCO World Heritage Site in Armenia.
The cathedral, built by Katholikos Nerses III, is believed to have been a three-storey structure but modern artists' impressions of its appearance are inevitably conjuctural. Intended to surpass even nearby Emjatsin Cathedral by its grandeur, it is usually thought of as having been circular but in reality had 32 equall sides. Decorated by frescoes, it was destroyed by earthquake in 930, to be lost under layers of debris and dirt and even the location was forgotten until its rediscovery in the early 20th century. The Zvarnots cathedral, a unique example of Armenian architecture of the early Christian period, was inscripted into UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000.