Garni is remarkable with a number of historical and architectural monuments of the Hellenistic and early Christian era. The most prominent among them are Garni temple and the fortress of the same name.The true and unique masterpiece of Hellenistic architecture in Armenia is the pagan temple of the Sun, Garni. It is one of the most ancient landmarks in Kotayk and whole Armenia which has survived since pagan period. Historians attribute its erection to the ancient-Armenian king Trdat who adopted Christianity as official religion in 301. Although many scientists believe that it was constructed in the 1 st century AD.
The temple was built in conformity with the canons of classical Greek architecture and outwardly is very similar to the well-known Temple of Athena in Greece . The temple’s facade is decorated by 24 slender Ionian columns crowned by the roof with a triangular pediment. The temple’s basis is a high basalt podium with a wide staircase leading from the facade. The temple is distinguished by magnificent furnish. The stone cut ornaments, the bas-reliefs of kneeling human figures on a podium of the same temple, the basalt columns, the eaves, the capitals decorated with well preserved carving showing grapevines, pomegranates and other elements of ancient Armenian ornamentation testify about the high degree of development of sculpture in ancient Armenia.
