Garni
Garni (Գառնի in Armenian) is a town situated in the Armenian province of Kotayk', situated approx. 33 km southeast from Yerevan. As it is situated at the road towards a well known monastery Geghard (further 7 km south east) it receives many visitors.
In the 3rd millenium BC the first fortification was constructed on an easily defendable terrain at a bend of the Azat river. In the 8th century BC it was conquered by the Urartian king Argrishti I and the site became a military base and king's summer residence. Several additional buildngs were constructed since then, e.g. king's palace, baths and today the most famous and best preseved building, a Parthenon like temple.
In the 1st century AD it was constructed by the King Tiridates and probably funded with money the king recieved during visiting emperor Nero in Rome. The temple was most likely dedicated to the Persian god Mithra. The roof is supported by 24 columns with Ionian capitals and Attic basements. Unlike at other Graeco - Roman temples, this one is made of basalt. In 1679 it was destroyed by an earthquake and reconstructed between 1969 and 1979.
In recent years another theory arose among some archeologists. They claim that the temple was actually constructed as a tomb of one romanised ruler, probably Shaemus. In that case it should have been constructed around 175 AD and thus about a century younger than believed by the first theory.
After adoption of Christianity some churches and katholikos's palace were also constructed at the fortification site but now are in ruins like other buildings except the temple.
Other sites of Garni outside the fortification site include churches of Mother of God and St. Mashtots as well as ruins of the Havuts Tar monastery several km south east from the town.