Surb Katoghike (Holy Mother of God) Church

Surb Katoghike, the Holy Mother of God Church, is a small Armenian Apostolic church in the Kentron district of Yerevan, Armenia, near Abovyan Street and Aghayan Street, a short walk north-east of Republic Square. The church dates to the thirteenth century, with a later nineteenth-century reconstruction, and is one of the few surviving medieval churches in the old centre of the city. Next to it, the larger Zoravor Church, whose name means powerful, is a short distance away and forms part of the same small enclave. The older church is a small hall-shaped building of dark stone with a gabled roof and a modest dome. Visitors see the plain stone exterior, a small courtyard garden, khachkars and old gravestones, and a quiet interior with candles, icons and a simple altar. The surrounding district is a modern shopping and office area, so the contrast between the old church and the buildings around it is part of the interest. The visit is short, taking 20 to 30 minutes, and it fits well with a walk along Abovyan Street or a stop between Republic Square and the north of the centre. Good photo angles are from the courtyard looking at the stone walls and dome, and from the entrance gate. The church is rarely crowded, with the quietest time in the morning, while services follow a fixed schedule and the interior may be closed to visitors during those times. Entry is free, and donations are appreciated. Visitors are expected to dress modestly, with covered shoulders and knees, and to keep voices low, and women often wear a head covering inside. The church is easy to find on foot from Republic Square in about ten minutes, and it can be visited alongside the Blue Mosque or the Cascade as part of a central walking route.