Garni Fortress was built in the village of the same name, on the triangular headland high above the River Azat. Here, the sky glistens in such pure colours, as if it’s been refined by grandmother’s caring hands. The spirit of time opens the gates to the past. The past, where Garni Temple was a strong fortress, as is well-known from chronicles.

Garni Fortress was the royal residence for the Yervanduni, Artaxiad and Arsacid kings from III BC until IV AD. Some of their armies were stationed in Garni as well. The deep gorge and steep cliffs provided the fortress with impregnability and protected Garni from invaders and enemies. On the valley side, the brave Armenian warriors built a strong fortification wall from large basalt stones, held together with iron clamps.

The palace complex included several separate buildings: the temple, the grand hall and the pillar hall, the living area, and the bathhouse. They stood around the main large square, forming a unique ensemble in the southern part of the fortress, in some distance from the entrance gates. The northern part, historians assume, hosted the areas for servants, guards and the garrison while the temple was located at the top of the hill, facing the square with its main, northern façade.&nbsp;

To this day, the creation of this titanic human power reminds of the past strength and greatness of royal dynasties. The huge steps leading to the entrance as if slow down the pace of movement and the pace of life. They force you to ascend slowly, catch every whisper of the wind. They encourage you to move gracefully, solemnly. As if not a single century has passed.

The temple was built in the second half of I century and was dedicated to the pagan god of the Sun, Mithra. After Armenia adopted Christianity as a state religion in 301, the temple began to be used as a royal summer residence, called “a house of coolness” in the chronicles.
The sacred geometry of the “cooling house’’ is the embodiment of the sky. Talk to your guide about it, and we promise, you will be impressed.
What to see?
Garni stands in 28km away from Yerevan, in the Azat River valley. Travelling to Garni-Geghard, make a stop at Charent’s arch. Visit Garni temple and then climb down to the Garni gorge to have a look at the Stone Symphony – a unique natural monument, the charm and adornment of the mountains.

The name of the place sounds musical because the cliffs of this gorge are huge basalt columns hanging at the height of around 50 meters. Their specific hexagon shape and vertical configuration make the walls look like organ pipes, hence the musical name of the monument: “Stone organ”, “Basalt organ”, “Stone symphony”. You can travel there by horse as well. Afterwards, visitors can rest and dine at a rural house in Garni village, which stands next to the temple.

The village has a lot of catering facilities and guesthouses, where you can have lunch or take part in master classes. The most common is the lavash-making master class, held in every home. If you are having lunch or dinner at a food outlet, then the lavash-baking master class is free of charge and you are served Armenian homemade cheese and herbs into the bargain.
In 2011, Garni Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve received the prestigious UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercury Prize.

Garni

Garni Fortress was built in the village of the same name, on the triangular headland high above the River Azat. Here, the sky glistens in such pure colours, as if it’s been refined by grandmother’s caring hands. The spirit of time opens the gates to the past. The past, where Garni Temple was a strong fortress, as is well-known from chronicles.

Garni

Why we love Garni

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