VAŁARSHAPAT - ZVART'NOTS / Vllth century
Palace church of the Katholikos Nerses III (641-661) dedicated to the Heavenly Host. This is a large tetraconch surrounded by a circular deambulatory. Three exedras reached through colonnades help to increase the internal space. Such a ground plan does not seem to be typically Armenian although several examples of it are to be found in the country (Ishkhan - Vlllth century; Bana - Xth century; Ani - Xlth century; Garni, Liakit). They are rather to be derived from Romano-Byzantine monuments such as San Lorenzo in Milan - IVth century; Athens - IVth century; Resapha-Vlth century; Perustica-Vlth century. Only ruins of the building remain. Various reconstructions have been attempted on the basis of the surviving architectural elements. Of particular interest are the ornamental reliefs and the large basalt capitals. Equaliy noteworthy from the liturgical point of view is the presence of an ambo and a baptismal font. 

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