Echmiadzin Tour: Mother Cathedral, Hripsime, Zvartnots (A Review)

Thinking about going on a trip to Armenia? Well, very many people will tell you that a visit to Echmiadzin is pretty much a must. I took a group tour that included the Mother Cathedral, Saint Hripsime Church, and the Zvartnots ruins. What follows are some insights from my experiences, which hopefully should give you a helpful idea of what you might expect.

First Stop: Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral

The Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral is, I guess you could say, kinda like the Vatican of the Armenian Apostolic Church. So, naturally, it’s considered the oldest state-built church on the planet. That’s quite something. To get to the point, you know, it’s a pretty impressive structure with a lot of spiritual weight behind it. That is to say, it’s not just about bricks and mortar.

You go inside, and that first impression is something else. Seriously, it’s filled with frescoes and artwork that very likely could keep you looking around for hours. Something that did strike me, really, was the peaceful vibe. Okay, yes, that area gets quite a few visitors, but that still has something special about it. Maybe it’s the age or the history, so it feels somehow, I dunno, calming. Like your batteries are getting recharged just being there, very much, actually.

I got told about the relics kept there too, you see, like the Holy Lance (supposedly the spear that pierced Jesus). It’s almost a reminder, isn’t it, of just how much history has rolled through this spot? Just standing there, I couldn’t help but think about the centuries of faith, perseverance, like a long unbroken chain through different ages, if you see what I mean.

Next Up: Saint Hripsime Church

Right, so next on our tour was Saint Hripsime Church, which is really something. Very far away from the modern stuff, yet it feels absolutely solid, that. That is to say, that architectural design has stood the test of time, that’s very clear.

When I learned about the history of it, it was, like, way more impactful, that. Basically, it honors Saint Hripsime, a martyr who resisted the advances of King Tiridates III. According to what I read, she chose her faith over, really, what would have been, maybe, the chance of royal power, you know. When you look at that structure now, that strength is kind of visible, isn’t it? It’s that strong statement of faith carved in stone, if you see what I mean.

It wasn’t that busy when we were there. And that actually added to the experience, too, because it meant you had space to wander a bit and take stuff in, in a way, on a more personal level. A very calming spot for reflection and contemplation, truly.

Zvartnots Temple: Ruins With a Story

The last place on our tour was Zvartnots Temple, and, I tell you what, those ruins were super fascinating, almost like pieces of a jigsaw from, you know, way back when. They give you these cool peeks into Armenian architecture back in the day.

Though, like, the temple is mostly in ruins now due to an earthquake, you can still spot, too, just how impressive that must have been. Like, picture huge columns, pretty carvings – it’s quite the thought. Honestly, the place had an atmosphere. To that end, as I wandered among the stones, that really got me imagining life here, like, centuries back. You could tell, then, too, why that spot is protected by UNESCO, in a way, you know?

Our tour guide was quite good with the stories around the place, in addition. So, with them sharing stories about the history of Zvartnots, they were adding tons to the place. It just made the stones so much more alive, if you follow, that’s very true.

What the Group Tour Was Like

Right, I’ll give you the rundown about being with a group, then. Doing those kinds of trips as part of a group can make seeing places easier. Transportation and getting sorted are, for that matter, totally sorted, basically, which is good, truly. That meant I could take the spots in, anyway, without having to bother around with any of those planning bits, or anything like that.

The tour guides were all very helpful and seemed well switched on with everything, really. So, their being able to give extra insights and answer different questions properly improved the trip hugely. But, yeah, being in a group has downsides too. So, you’re more or less running on someone else’s schedule the whole time. And if you want to linger somewhere just a bit more, sometimes you simply can’t, and that can be frustrating at times, very much. The amount of people meant that seeing everything was more challenging, at times, I guess.

For anyone wanting to check stuff out without wanting to organize things on their own, then, I’d still suggest going for group tours, you see. Think hard on just how happy you would be going with what the rest of the crowd is doing though. Basically, I’d advise you weigh convenience versus just doing your own thing, more or less. If you’re someone who just likes going where the wind takes you, really, then that might not be for you, definitely.

Some Handy Recommendations

Here’s some recommendations which I wish that I’d have known prior to, so as to boost the experience, then.

Dress appropriately: A great many of those sites are religious, therefore make certain that the dress is very appropriate, basically including, I guess, shoulders and knees getting covered up.
Bring comfortable shoes: Lots of, if not the vast majority of, walking around to do, particularly at places such as Zvartnots. Really essential, this.
Hydrate: Keep on drinking that water, most of all if going through Armenia when it’s burning hot. I did see one person getting a bit faint because of that.
Be respectful: Basically be mindful of such sites as religious and/or historical ones. Respectfulness is paramount, of course, definitely.
Learn some Armenian phrases: Saying that bit of ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ always brings an ear to ear smile on local peeps’ faces. Honestly, go ahead and see for yourself.

By having thought about such points like this, the Armenian visit could just, maybe, be, as a whole, a great one!

Conclusion

Alright, so from what I saw with my trip, visiting Echmiadzin and those churches gets you in contact with a really interesting chunk of Armenian backstory, which is good to have seen. Being out with a group did make some stuff a bit easier when getting about, and that tour guide added value; so make certain, even, of factoring what you just want off of the journey while choosing whatever suits your touring style most, very likely.

Now, thinking about things to do, so far as seeing historic churches go, what’s there very definitely stands, maybe, as a rewarding trip.

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