Yereruyk Archaeological Site

One of the earliest surviving Armenian Christian monuments, this basilica near the village of Anipemza in Shirak Province was built in the 5th century by the Kamsarakan princely family. Constructed from pink tuff stone on an elevated stepped foundation, the three-aisled basilica features a large columned hall and ornately carved southern portal. An inscription identifies it as a martyrial sanctuary dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and Saint Stephen. Added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 1995, the basilica is considered a key to understanding the origins of Armenian ecclesiastical architecture. It was severely damaged in the 1988 earthquake.