Surb Katoghike Church

Surb Katoghike Church, also called Holy Mother of God, sits in the central Kond area of Yerevan, Armenia, near Abovyan Street and Zoravar Andranik Street. It is the oldest surviving church building in the city, and its small medieval chapel dates to 1264, built in the Armenian tradition as a single-nave structure with a gabled roof. The chapel is believed to have been part of a larger church complex, and its walls contain khachkars and carved stone fragments. In 1693 a major earthquake damaged the city, and the large main church was rebuilt in 1693 and 1694 by the Armenian community. The 17th-century church was the main parish of Yerevan for centuries, and it escaped the destruction of other churches because the Persian and Ottoman rulers allowed some Christian worship. In 1936 Soviet authorities demolished the main church as part of the anti-religious campaign, leaving only the medieval chapel. In the 1990s, after independence, the current Katoghike church was reconstructed in a different design in front of the chapel, funded by diaspora donors and consecrated as a parish church. The new church has a classical Armenian plan with a central dome, and the old chapel remains attached as a small separate space. Inside, visitors see frescoes and candles, and services are held. The site has been renovated, and the surrounding street is now a pedestrian area. The old chapel is evidence of the medieval Armenian architecture of Yerevan, which was largely lost during Soviet and earlier rebuilding. A visit takes about 20 to 30 minutes and fits naturally into a walk through the centre. Modest clothing is expected, and visitors should keep voices low during services.