Sacred Stones of Armenia

Armenia is one of the world’s earliest nations. Throughout its thousands of years of history the Armenian people has managed to maintain its strong historical and cultural identity, in a region at the crossroads between Asia and Europe, a place of encounter and confrontation with neighbouring peoples to East and West.

From the 4th century onwards the spread of Christianity manifests itself principally in the country’s architecture. An extraordinary flourishing of domed churches built from tufa blocks characterizes the early years of Christianity whereas from the 10th century and on, the country is littered with beautiful monasteries snuggling between the folds of remote valleys on the immense Armenian plateau.

Of the traces left by this ancient and dynamic people, its architecture is perhaps the most effective witness, enlightening the history and past life of the Armenian communities from the arrival of Christianity to the present day.