Ejmiatsin

Ejmiatsin

Ejmiatsin also known as Vagarshapat is a city in the west-central part of Armenia. It lies on the plain of the Aras River, 20 km west of Yerevan. The city is best known as the site of the Etchmiadzin Cathedral and Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It was one of the most important cities and capitals of the ancient Kingdom of Greater Armenia. By the early 20th century, it had shrunk to a small town, but during the Soviet period it expanded greatly and became a virtual suburb of Yerevan. Vagharshapat is the cultural center of Armavir and an important center for the whole republic. The Komitas Palace of Culture has been open since 1957 and the Ejmiatsin National Gallery since 1970. There are also several museums in the city, including the Vagharshapat Ethnographic Museum, the Khoren Ter-Harutyunyan Museum and Gallery, the Mher Abeghian Museum and Gallery, and the Hovhannes Hovhannisyan House-Museum. As the spiritual center of the Armenian nation, Vagharshapat is an important tourist destination for Armenians and foreign visitors alike. It is home to UNESCO World Heritage Sites: The Etchmiadzin Cathedral, Zvartnots Cathedral, Saint Hripsime Church, Saint Gayane Church and Shoghakat Church.