Khor Virap, Echmiadzin, St Gayane, Zvartnots

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Khor Virab, Ararat Province, Armenia

Today was my final day in Armenia. I'd booked another day trip and the plan was to return back to the city for my overnight train to Tbilisi, Georgia. I was checking out of my apartment at 10am with my bags and my driver was supposed to be waiting for me.

I was standing on the balcony looking down on the street and didnt see anyone. I had to email the tour company who gave me the licence plate and said he was there. When I found him he had parked two blocks away and wasnt in fact waiting at the entrance.

The morning drizzle was clearing out and the plan was to goto Khor Virap first. Today I had a private car rather than a tour group. The way the tours were bundled Khor Virap is normally part of a route to the south which I didnt want to do. I was able to find one that would include it with the sights I wanted closer to the city but with a private driver.

It was about a 40 min drive to get to Khor Virap, the skies were clearing to blue skies finally, and there were road signs to Iran on this southern route. The tranquil setting is only disturbed by the sound of cattle grazing along the side elevation. In the distance is Mount Ararat across in Turkey.

The first building inside the compound had a long and steep climb down into the dark. I wasnt about to climb into a small narrow place that deep. Somebody that did go down said it was a small dark room with carvings.

The legend is one of the first Christians was thrown down there, thought to have died, but survived after a period of time. This minor miracle caused the King who impisoned him to convert to Christianity.

You can also climb up the hillside for spanning views of the vista which was ideal now that two days of rains had cleared.

Here is a vlog of Khor Virap - https://youtu.be/WSVLyZ75wD0

Next on our destination was St Hripsime. I didnt know we were going to extra Churches, and my driver who spoke little English gave me a paper itinerary. I never did ask him his name unfortunately but he was an older person, maybe retired.

This church was nice but nothing too exciting having been to a few by now.

Next was to Echmiadzin which is the most important and centre of Christianity in Armenia. Unfortunately it is closed for restorations and you can only walk around the exterior grounds.

In the distance I could see another church maybe 15 mins by walk so I asked the driver to take me there since Echmiadzin was closed. This was nice and no tourists at all.

Final scheduled stop was to Zvartnots where I had to pay 1300 ARM entry ($3). These are ruins of another pre-Christian complex.

Most famous is the standing circle of pillars but the site is larger with what would have been other buildings spread out.

Finally arriving back in the city I had asked the driver to drop me at Republic Square. I'd been debating going to the Erebuni Archaeological site and walking back to the central station but that would have been a lot of outdoor walking with luggage now that I had checked out of my apartment. Instead I hoped to leave my luggage in the National Museum coat check and come back when I was ready to goto the train station.

The National Museum was under renovations, one floor closed, along with the coat check. Tickets were half price at 1000 ARM ($2.50), but I had to keep my bags and no photos were allowed.