SAINT-SIÈGE

Located in the heart of the city of Echmiadzia, the monastery grounds contain the cathedral and the two Catholicossaal palaces - the old one, dating from the 18th century, with some interesting frescoed rooms, and the new one, built in the early 20th century in the national neo-Armenian style, where the Catholicos had his seat and residence - as well as several monastery buildings and beautiful gardens surrounding a pool. On the occasion of the jubilee of the year 2001, a large arch was built at the entrance.

The cathedral is - in title - the oldest Christian building in Armenia. Etchmiadzin means "Descent of the Only Son" in reference to the vision of St Gregory the Enlightener, to whom a supernatural being appeared to designate the site of the cathedral: "And on the crosses of these four columns, amazing arches were joined. And upon this I saw a building made of clouds, in the form of a canopy with a dome, an astonishing divine creation". From this dream narrated by the Armenian historian Agathange, only the plan and foundations of the cathedral remain today. The building bears in its architecture the trace of multiple alterations, no doubt to the detriment of the unity of style, but without detracting from the harmonious majesty of the ochre stone ensemble: as soon as it was built, the cathedral was destroyed in 364 by the Persians, who replaced it with a temple of Mazdean fire; Prince Vartan Mamikonian, sworn enemy of the Persians, had it completely rebuilt around 484-85. Of the restorations undertaken in the 7th century, not much remains. The present appearance is essentially due to the work carried out in the 17th century: the central dome, very elaborate, with an elegant twisted ogive arch, was raised in 1627; the vast two-storey openwork campanile, also abundantly carved with plant motifs, has preceded the entrance of the building since 1658, next to the tombs of the Catholics; the lanterns, more sober, have surmounted the apses - or conches - since 1683. In the 18th century, the interior was decorated with brightly coloured frescoes, announced by the polychrome bas-reliefs of the porch, made in the Persian style by a dynasty of Armenian painters, the Hovnatanians. Resting on four sober pillars, the dome, decorated with vegetal motifs and small cherubs in red and gold, recalls the pages of Armenian illuminations. Recently restored, the frescoes have regained their colours and the halos of the saints shine again with all the brilliance of their gold. Finally, in 1869, the cathedral's chevet was extended by a large apse in the Russian neo-classical style - as were all the convent buildings surrounding the building - where the objects of worship are stored.

The Treasury. This wing, fitted out as a museum, contains the Cathedral's Treasure, with pious relics such as the Passion Lance, whose point, which is said to have pierced Christ, was brought from Jerusalem by the apostle Thadée (it was kept for a long time in the monastery of Geghard), the hand of Gregory the Illuminator or that of Saint James of Nisibe, enclosed in a case ending in the shape of a hand whose fingers seem to be ready to give the blessing, a fragment of a Noah's Ark board in a silver-gilt frame, a piece of skull of the Christian saint and martyr Hripsimée, a carved wooden cross whose decoration represents a descent from the cross, the work of St. John the Evangelist designated as the saviour, Amenaperkitch in Armenian, but also richly embroidered priestly vestments, tiaras inlaid with precious stones, sceptres covered with gems, cult carpets, etc.

Gate of Tiradate. On the outskirts of the cathedral, there is an arch known as the Gate of Tiridate, dating from the 4th century, in reference to King Trdat's conversion to Christianity. It is under this arch of modest appearance that the Catholicos and his retinue pass to reach the cathedral from the residence of the Armenian spiritual leader during major religious events. A modern arch, made of ochre tufa, has been a replica of it since the 2001 jubilee year of the 1,700th anniversary of the conversion, at the entrance to the site

Rouben Sevag Museum. Fitted out in the rooms of the former 18th century hotel, completely renovated, this museum dedicated to the Armenian doctor and writer Rouben Sevak, who died during the genocide, was inaugurated in September 2013. In addition to the archives and documents relating to the poet, it contains pieces from the art collection of his nephew, Hovhannes Tchilinguirian, who had maintained a museum in his honour on the French Riviera, in France. It is this museum that has moved under the vaults of the former Catholicossal building, where works by Aïvazovski, Edgar Chahine and Carzou can be seen.

Kevorkian Seminary. Outside the monastery grounds, a large building with a vast dome is, together with some of the monastery buildings, one of the rare examples of architecture dating from the Tsarist period. It is the Kevorkian University Seminary, built at the end of the 19th century, which trained generations of high representatives of the Armenian clergy, but also Armenian theologians and intellectuals. Closed during the Soviet period, it was reopened after independence, and regained its religious and educational vocation in 1997, after long restoration works