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The ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral are located near Echmiadzin, about 17 km west of Yerevan. The complex consists of the ruins of a round cathedral, which was built in the mid 7th century and dedicated to Saint Gregory. Beside the cathedral there are also the ruins of the palace of the Catholic Nerses III, who officiated from 641 to 662.

The church of St. Gregory in Zvartnotz was destroyed in the 10th century and is considered to be the oldest and largest tetrakonchos in the Caucasus Region. The structure has been imitated several times with similar forms. The four conches of the central building were surrounded by a circular corridor, the diameter of which was 37.7 meters, with a presumed height of the triple-tiered cylindrical structure of around 45 meters (Fig. 1a).

The Gregory Church is mentioned in several medieval sources and is one of the best-known architectural symbols of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Armenian Apostolic Church is the oldest “self-sufficient” state church in the world.