Echmiadzin or Ejmiatsin (in Armenian Էջմիածին) or Vagharshapat (official and rarely used name of the town) is a town in Armenian province Armavir, about 20 km west from Yerevan. It is a headquarters of the katholikos, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The town's name means "a descent of the only begotten".

Today the town boasts with three important churches (the cathedral, church of St. Gayane, church of St. Hripsime) and two less important churches: Shoghakat and the church of Mother of God.

Together with the archaelogical site of Zvartnots, Echmiadzin is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

External links

• UNESCO World Heritage Site profile
• The Holy City of Etchmiadzin - article by the Armenian Enlightment Chronicle
• article at Cilicia.com