Construction of Etchmiadzin Cathedral

Etchmiadzin Cathedral is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, in the city of Vagharshapat, near Yerevan, and is often described as the oldest cathedral in the world. According to tradition, Saint Gregory the Illuminator, after converting King Tiridates III to Christianity, had a vision of Christ descending from heaven and striking the ground with a golden hammer, which showed the place where the church should be built. Armenia adopted Christianity as its state religion in the early fourth century, before any other country. The building has been rebuilt and altered many times since, and the present structure dates mostly from the fifth century with later additions. The cathedral is the seat of the Catholicos of All Armenians, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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