This is probably one of the most important churches in Armenia. Its history is also quite impressive as it is said to be the birthplace of Christianity. The story dates back to 287 when Tiridates III was put on the throne by the Romans. His predecessor had been murdered by St Gregory’s father, but the young Gregory managed to escape to Cappadocia where he became a Christian. 

He then came back to Armenia to start converting others to the religion. This didn’t work out too well since Tiridates threw Gregory into an underground pit where he remained for thirteen years, surrounded by snakes, scorpions, and rats. You can actually go down into this pit when you visit Khor Virap. It’s tiny enough as it is, it’s hard to imagine what it was like back in his day!

The story says that God struck the King with a terrible illness. The King’s sister, obviously the wise one in the family, said that the best way to cure him was to release Gregory. As a result, the King miraculously recovered and converted to Christianity, along with his court. It was in 301 that Armenia was declared a Christian country. Not only is this church beautiful, but its surroundings are as well! Its backdrop is no other than the stunning Mount Ararat. This is probably the best spot to see this impressive mountain. The Khor Virap monastery is a 7th-century Armenian monastery in the Ararat plain in Armenia, very close to the border with Turkey and the closest point in Armenia to Mount Ararat, the national symbol of Armenia. On a clear day, the view from there is breathtaking.