I've given up trying to unconfuse myself about the name of the place we visited today... Vagharshapat is what appears on the bus schedule and the map. Echmiadzin is what it seems to call itself.

Be that as it may, after yesterday's sobering and irritating experiences, we've had a really good day.

It didn't start well, mind you. There was confusion over breakfast, and if there's one sure way to get on the wrong side of the Terns, it's by delaying or otherwise messing around with their BREAKFAST.

And there was confusion over getting to Echmiadzin. Based on the advice offered by the journey planner, we needed to get a No 5 to the bus station, and a No 203 from there. While we were waiting for the No 5, a No 203 happened along, and didn't stop at the bus station... No idea...

Anyway, once aboard and on our way, it was all awesome.

Echmiadzin is the seat of the supreme catholicos, or primate, of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and our first two churches were in the cathedral complex. The Lonely Planet writers found this space "underwhelming", but we beg to differ. The grounds make for a pleasant stroll, and display a fascinating collection of ecclesiastical architecture, old and new, much of it in that beautiful pink stone that is so characteristically Armenian.











The main cathedral is undergoing restoration, and can't be entered, but if its vestibule is anything to go by, it's really beautiful.






The Church of the Holy Archangels was opened in 2011:


Nearby is the Church of St Gayane:


Together, the cathedral complex and St Gayane form the first of three UNESCO-listed areas in and around Echmiadzin. According to UNESCO, "St Gayane Church (AD 630) is the earliest example in Early Christian and Armenian architecture to combine a three-aisle basilica with a central dome, a form which became widespread in both Armenia and Western Asia."

Our No 4 was the Holy Mother of God Church, a single-nave, domeless basilica dating back to the 18th century. The belfry is a modern addition.


No 5 is in ruins, and we forgot to note the name. But it's rather touching that someone still maintains a little altar there:



St Shoghakat Church, our sixth, was built in the 17th century. It replaced the 4th-century chapel where a ray of light is said to have appeared during the martyrdom, in 301 AD, of the nuns who had fled Rome with St Gayane and St Hripsime (also martyred at the locations where their churches now stand).

There was a wedding taking place today (a very popular day for getting married, judging by all the honking motorcades), so we couldn't go in, but the exterior is really impressive.




And finally, St Hripsime, dating back to 618 AD. According to UNESCO, this is "the perfect example of the four-apse church with intermediate niches and corner rooms".




In the middle of all this was lunch, which cost AMD 2,000 (pretty good for these parts), and consisted of bread plus two classic Armenian dishes: dolma (stuffed grape leaves) and spas (a delicious soup made with yogurt, wheat berries, butter, and herbs).

And walking between all these different sites gave us a good chance to enjoy this very pleasant Armenian city.