Garni Complex

The Garni Complex is located in a half hour drive from the capital of Armenia – Yerevan. Here you will find multiple monuments from Hellenistic and early-Christian era. The most notable are: The Temple of Garni dedicated to Mitra – the god of sun and light and the fortress of Garni. Complex also attracts visitors with the ruins of the royal palace and the roman baths. Garni is on the UNESCO World heritage sight list.

Temple of Garni is the only building from the Hellenistic era in Armenia. It was one of the central pagan temples of the kingdom and is thought to be from the first century AD. The Temple is built in a classic Greek style and looks very much like the temple of Athena in Greece.

The fortress of Garni is located on top of a deep ravine with stunning stone formations and offers captivating views. Historians estimate the foundation of the fortress to be between the 3rd – 2nd Centuries BC. However the deepest layer of the wall is thought to be from the Bronze age.

Last but not least, the roman baths – They were located outside of the royal palace. King Trdat is thought to have built these baths in the 3rd century AD. Inside the baths you will find the gem of the whole complex – a roman mosaic that has miraculously survived throughout the centuries.