Zvartnots, Echmiadzin Cathedral and Machanents house tour

Tour program

• Zvartnots
• Echmiadzin Cathedral
• Machanents house

Tour inclusions

• Professional Guide+driver service
• Air-conditioned vehicle-4-18 seats

Tour exclusion

• Zvartnots temple entrance fee-4 dollars

1.Zvartnots temple

This marvelous temple is a result of skillfulness and brave creativity of Armenian architects of the 7th century. Having been built on several columns, it was able to survive only till the 10th century. When in the beginning of the 20th century this site was being excavated, many specialists could hardly accept its reconstruction model, designed by famous Armenian architect Toros Toramanyan, as it was difficult to believe, that such a huge and complicated construction could have been built those days, and amazingly at that time one of the bas-relieves of St. Chapelle church in Paris came to prove Toramanyan’s version; the bas-relief depicts Zvartnots temple with Noah’s Ark and it looks like the model, represented by the architect.

2.Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral

The center of Armenian Apostolic church – St. Echmiadzin is located 22 km far from Yerevan. The Cathedral of Echmiadzin was founded at the beginning of the fourth century and is one of the oldest churches in the world. According to the legend, the church was built in the place where apparition of Jesus Christ was seen to Gregory The Illuminator in the dream. The interior of the church is covered with frescoes, created by Hovnatanyan family. The residence of the Catholicos and the Theological Academy are situated near the Cathedral. The site is included in UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

3.Machanents house 

Not far from Yerevan, in the city of Echmiadzin (Vagharshapat), “Machanents Tourism and art” is located, which was founded in 2010 by Grigor Machanents Babakhanyan. The name “Machanents” comes from the dialectal root “mach-patch”, which in Armenian means “kiss”. There is a National Cuisine School, an Art School, a Theater Studio and an Innovation Ethnic Regional Center, galleries, a souvenir shop and a museum.
Among the many services, “Machanents House” offers visitors master classes in popular dishes and dishes of Armenian cuisine, during which the history of the food, the method of preparation and features are presented, as well as the opportunity to taste the dishes made with your own hands.
Here you can take part in the preparation of traditional Armenian dolma, famous bread lavash, sweet sujukh, shaqar choraki (traditional dessert), as well as a number of non-culinary masterclasses, including pottery, carpet weaving, painting, puppetry, wine making, Armenian national costume masterclasses.