Temple of Garni

buildings may be some of the most impressive works of art we have.

After untold sums of money are sunk into their construction, we can walk through the finished
products and even live inside them. Older structures offer a window into the past, while newer
buildings provide a sense of where we're headed.

The Temple of Garni (Armenian: “Garnu tacar”) is located in the village of Garni in

Kotayk Province, Armenia, and it was once a pagan temple dedicated to the Armenian
sun god Mihr. Built in the middle of the 1st century AD the Temple of Garni remarkably
survived the destruction of pagan temples following Armenia's conversion
to Christianity in the 4th century AD and countless invasions and earthquakes until its
collapse in 1679 CE. After continuous excavations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
CE, the Temple of Garni was reconstructed between 1969-1975 AD. Today, it is the only
free-standing Greco-Roman structure in Armenia and seen by many as a potent symbol of
Armenia's classical past as well as its deep historical ties to the civilizations
of Greece and Rome.

Although the historical record concerning the Temple of Garni is limited, it seems
probable that the temple was first constructed upon the orders of King Tiridates I of
Armenia (r. 52-58 CE; 62-88 CE) sometime around 70-80 CE. This stands in contradiction to
the opinion of the great Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi who attributed the
Temple of Garni's construction to Tiridates the Great (r. 287 CE - c. 330 CE) - Armenia's
first Christian king - in the 3rd century CE. Other academics contend that it was not a
temple but rather a former tomb to one of the pro-Roman kings of Armenia who lived in
the 2nd century CE. This argument is sustained by the structural similarities between
Garni and several mausolea in Asia Minor.

Architecture
The Temple of Garni is the sole surviving pagan temple in Armenia and the only
classical structure still standing in the country. Built on a podium, the temple is
peripteral and oriented to the north. It is constructed of gray basalt that was
quarried from the vicinity of Garni. The temple has 24 Ionic columns, which are
6.54 m (21.5 ft) high. Six are located in the front and the back parts of the temple,
and eight on the sides. Some researchers believe that the columns originally came
from Asia Minor and that they could symbolize the 24 hours of a day. The cella is
about 7 m (23 ft) high, 8 m (26 ft) long, and 5 m (17 ft) wide. As it can only hold
about 20-25 people inside, many historians and archaeologists believe it originally
held a statue, perhaps of the sun god Mihr or Helios.
The equilibrium of elegant proportionality lends the Temple of Garni a
concurrent impression of power and harmony. The temple is superbly decorated
in the imperial Roman style. The architectural elements offer, however, certain
variations that one recognizes in certain sculpted motifs, those representing lions
in particular. The capitals themselves are singular; none are exactly identical with
another. The friezes are dominated by acanthus leaves, which are sometimes
mixed with laurels, oak leaves, and pomegranate trees.

The Roman baths found next to the Temple of Garni are built from brick and
Armenian tuff (volcanic stone). They conform to the traditional layout found
across the former Roman Empire and the Caucasus and are elegantly decorated
with mosaics depicting mythological scenes.