Heritage

Zvartnots: architecture ahead of its time

What columns and surviving fragments reveal about an ancient church.

Zvartnots: architecture ahead of its time
Adam Jones · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Photography & sources

Zvartnots is a UNESCO World Heritage property together with the cathedral and churches of Echmiatsin. These monuments trace Armenian church architecture and its influence across the region.

Even in ruins, the ambition is striking. Columns, carved stone and the building’s plan reveal the bold architectural thinking of its creators.

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