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Mother Cathedral of Etchmiadzin

Etchmiadzin cathedral was the main Christian temple of Vagharshapat. The cathedral is the most ancient Christian temple of Armenia. It was built in 301-303 by Grigor Lusavorich (Gregory the Еnlightener), the founder of the Armenian Gregorian church next to the king's palace, in place of a destroyed heathen basilica.

The first Armenian cathedral, which is among the first in the Christian world, suffered innumerable waves of destruction and restoration during the 17 centuries of its existence. It is cruciform, which testifies to the fact that Etchmiadzin was the prototype of Armenian centre-domed cruciform churches. In general, the transition to polyhedral domes is the monopoly of Armenian architecture and the peak of the religious architecture of the world.

The monastery which took shape around the cathedral is the residence of Catholicos the head of the Armenian clergy.