One of the most ancient monuments, belonging to the Armenian pre-Christian era, is
the pagan temple of Garni, built in the 1st century AD by the Armenian king Trdat I. This
is one and only historical monument in Armenia that belongs to the paganism and
Hellenism era. The inscription in Greek, found in the temple, says: "Hellenes! Trdat the
Great, the sovereign of Great Armenia (Μεγαλη Αρμενια), built this agarak (castle-ed.)
and this inaccessible fortress for his queen in the eleventh year of his reign".
For over 1000 years, Garni has been defending the local residents from foreign
invasions. It was one of the favorite locations for the Armenian kings, not only because
it was unapproachable: the climate here is also very mild and favorable. Therefore, the
temple served a kind of summer residence for them.
In 1679, Garni temple was almost completely destroyed as a result of a devastating
earthquake. In the Soviet period, the restoration of the temple was entrusted to the
distinguished architect Sainyan. After several years of hard and laborious work, in 1976,
the historical monument was completely restored.
Garni is located 28 km from the Armenian capital, next to the namesake village in the
Kotayk region. The temple is built in correspondence with the classical Greek
architecture canons: it is very similar to the famous Greek temple in Athens. The facade
of the building is decorated with 24 columns, crowned by triangular gable roof. Massive
steps lead to the base of the temple. The decoration of the temple is remarkable for its
extraordinary luxury of stone ornaments, which gives the ancient monument a certain
solemnity and majesty. The floor is decorated with a graceful Hellenistic mosaic.
In 2011, the cultural and historical complex of Garni was awarded the UNESCO-Greece
Melina Mercouri International Prize.

---