The Yereruyk Basilica

The Yereruyk Basilica is a 5th-century Armenian Christian church near the village of Anipemza in the Shirak Province. It is one of the oldest examples of Armenian church architecture and early Christian monuments, and since 1995 it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

The three-aisled basilica was built on the site of a pagan sanctuary, on a high six-stepped base. According to tradition, the name “Yereruyk” is linked to the word meaning “to tremble”, as from afar the church seemed to tremble on its columns. The church is half-ruined, having suffered from earthquakes, including in the 17th century and in 1988.

The photograph shows the facade of reddish stone with arched entrances, the stepped base and stones scattered around.