Site Background
Garni Temple is a first-century CE monument traditionally linked to the worship of Mihr (Mithra), a solar deity shared across Armenian and Iranian religious traditions. Built during a period of close Armenian-Iranian political and cultural interaction, the site reflects strong Iranian and Zoroastrian influences in pre-Christian Armenia, while also being deeply shaped by Hellenism, which was widespread in the region at the time. The temple was commissioned by the Armenian king Tiridates I, a representative of the Arsacid (Parthian Iranian) dynasty in Armenia, and served as part of the king’s summer royal residence. Its classical Greco-Roman architectural form demonstrates the synthesis of local Iranian religious concepts with Hellenistic aesthetics. Nearby, a well-preserved Roman-style bath complex, which we will also visit during the trip, further attests to the cultural hybridity of the site. The temple collapsed in the 17th century due to an earthquake during Safavid Iranian rule, and was later reconstructed in the modern period.
Geghard Monastery is a medieval Armenian monastic complex partly carved into the rock of the Azat River gorge, a landscape regarded as sacred long before the adoption of Christianity. While there is no direct textual evidence linking Geghard itself to Iranian or Zoroastrian institutions, the site belongs to a broader pre-Christian sacred geography characterized by caves, springs, and rock sanctuaries. Such features align with religious concepts widespread in the Iranian cultural sphere, where water, purity, and natural spaces held ritual significance. As a Christian monastery, Geghard exemplifies how Armenian Christianity was established within and transformed an earlier sacred landscape shaped by Iranian-influenced religious worldviews, reinterpreting them within a Christian theological framework rather than erasing their sacral character, much as Echmiadzin Cathedral itself was built on the site traditionally associated with a pre-Christian Zoroastrian-pagan fire temple.
Pre-Visit Activities (Bus Session)
Instructors will introduce the historical context of the day’s sites, provide a conversational overview, and review key Persian vocabulary. Students are encouraged to ask questions and clarify unfamiliar terms before arrival.
On-Site Activities
Students will engage in interactive observation, discussion, and guided Persian conversation. Each visit concludes with a short Q&A session to reinforce comprehension and practice newly learned vocabulary