Shot taken of the altar of Noravank Cathedral.

One of the buildings in the church compound. The locale in which the cathedral is built is known to have red rocks as seen on the left side.

Door to the main church

Red rocks make a great backdrop for the Cathedral.

Areni-1 Cave where the 6,000-year old winery and the oldest shoe in the world were found. There are some 40 caves in the area but only four have been explored and continue to be.

The Khor Virap Church where St Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for 13 years.

St Gregory was imprisoned for 13 years for refusing to make sacrifice to a pagan goddess and spreading the Gospel. King Tiridates III then threw him into a dungeon in the church. The king became ill and his sister had a dream that St Gregory could cure him. He did and together St Gregory and the king converted Armenia to Christianity. In 301 AD, Armenia became the first country to adopt Christianity as its state religion.

The church has a sprawling compound overlooking Mt Ararat.

Portrait of St Gregory the Illuminator, the Patron Saint of the Armenian Church.