# Garni Temple near Yerevan > Garni is a 1st-century Greco-Roman temple with 24 columns on a cliff above the Azat gorge, 28 km east of Yerevan — about 40 minutes by taxi or an hour by minibus. Entry is **1,500 AMD**. Official hours: Tuesday–Saturday 9:00–17:30 (until 22:00 May–November), Sunday until 15:30, closed Mondays. Allow an hour, two with the Symphony of Stones. Web page: https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/garni-temple - City: [Yerevan](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan), Armenia - YesGo score: 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: 1,500 AMD — the same for foreign visitors and Armenians - Concessions: Students and pensioners 750 AMD, under-12s free (unofficial) - Hours: Tue–Sat 9:00–17:30, until 22:00 May–November; Sun 9:00–15:30 - Closed: Mondays; some maps list it as open daily - Symphony of Stones: Separate small fee, 250–300 AMD (unofficial) - Paying: Bring cash in dram; cards are not always accepted at the gate - Distance: 28 km east of Yerevan - Travel time: ≈ 40 min by car; minibus 266 takes 40–60 min - Address: Garni village, Kotayk Province - Coordinates: 40.11200, 44.72900 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **AD 77** — the traditional date, from a Greek inscription naming King Tiridates I; some scholars see it as a 2nd-century tomb (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **24 columns** — Ionic columns ring the temple on a raised podium (source: English Wikipedia; UNESCO Tentative List) - **1679** — an earthquake brought the colonnade down; the podium and lower walls survived (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1969–1975** — rebuilt from the fallen stones under architect Alexander Sahinian; the reserve gives 1968–1974 (source: English Wikipedia; Garni Museum-Reserve) - **28 km** — east of Yerevan, on a promontory above the Azat river gorge (source: Garni Museum-Reserve; Russian Wikipedia) - **2025** — Garni and the “Basalt Organ” added to Armenia’s UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List (source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Armenpress) - **Mihr** — the sun god the temple was traditionally dedicated to (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **9 steps** — each about 30 cm high, flanked by reliefs of Atlas figures (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **3rd–2nd c. BC** — the age of Garni fortress, which encloses the temple (source: Garni Museum-Reserve; Russian Wikipedia) - **Bathhouse** — a Roman-era bath beside the temple with a mosaic floor and Greek inscription (source: Garni Museum-Reserve; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **7th century** — ruins of St Sion church next to the temple (source: Garni Museum-Reserve; English Wikipedia (7th–10th c.)) - **3.5 ha** — the reserve’s grounds; 5.1 ha with the buffer zone (source: Garni Museum-Reserve) ## Garni Temple tickets and opening hours Entry is **1,500 AMD**, a single price for foreign visitors and Armenian citizens since 2019, set by the state service that runs the reserve. Students, pensioners and children get concessions — unofficially 750 AMD, and free for under-12s. You buy at the gate; there is nothing to book ahead. Official hours are **Tuesday–Saturday 9:00–17:30** (until 22:00 from May to November) and **Sunday 9:00–15:30**. Monday is the day off. Bring Armenian dram in cash: the ticket desk doesn’t always accept cards, and the minibus driver only takes cash. Change money or use an ATM in Yerevan before you leave — small notes help. > **Closed on Mondays** The reserve’s official schedule lists Monday as the day off, and on Sundays the gate shuts at 15:30. Some maps show it open daily, but it’s a long way to go to find it shut — plan Garni for Tuesday to Saturday. From May to November it stays open until 22:00, so an afternoon trip works fine. ## How to get to Garni Temple from Yerevan 1. From Republic Square, get to Gai bus station in Nor Nork — on Gai Avenue by the Mercedes-Benz dealership. A Yandex Go or GG taxi takes about 15–20 minutes. 2. Take minibus **266** to Garni (284 also passes through on its way to Goght). They leave roughly every 30–60 minutes; the fare is about 250 AMD, cash to the driver (unofficial). 3. After 40–60 minutes, get off in the centre of Garni village and walk a few minutes along the street to the reserve gate. 4. Buy your ticket and allow an hour for the temple, the bathhouse and the viewpoint. 5. For the Symphony of Stones, follow the path down through the village to the floor of the gorge — 20–30 minutes down, longer back up. 6. Return minibuses thin out by late afternoon and don’t keep strictly to the timetable — be at the stop by 16:00 or call a taxi. A taxi from central Yerevan takes about 40 minutes each way. ## Is Garni Temple worth visiting? Yes. It’s the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded temple in the former Soviet Union, and the setting — a cliff edge over a canyon walled with hexagonal basalt columns — is as good as the building. The temple itself takes 30–40 minutes; the gorge is what makes the trip. If you’ve seen the big temples of Greece or Italy, Garni will feel small and heavily restored. Come for the landscape and the story of a pagan temple that survived Armenia becoming the first Christian state, and pair it with [Geghard](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/geghard-monastery) to make the half-day count. ## A short history A Greek inscription found in 1945 names **King Tiridates I**, and the traditional view is that he built the temple around AD 77 for the sun god Mihr. Some historians argue it was a royal tomb from the 2nd century instead; the debate is still open. The temple stood through the arrival of Christianity, but the 1679 earthquake toppled its columns. The stones lay in a heap for nearly three centuries until architect Alexander Sahinian put the temple back together in 1969–1975. He left the replacement blocks plain, so you can tell carved originals from new stone. It sits inside a fortress from the 3rd–2nd century BC, on a triangular spur with sheer drops on two sides — which is why the wall only had to guard the third. ## What to see at Garni - The temple: climb the tall steps into the cella and look at the carved capitals and cornice — the darker, decorated blocks are original. - The Atlas reliefs on the pedestals either side of the stairs. - The Roman bathhouse beside the temple, its mosaic floor with a Greek inscription now under a protective roof. - The round foundations of the 7th-century St Sion church and the palace ruins just behind the temple. - The cliff-edge viewpoint over the Azat gorge, with the basalt columns of the Symphony of Stones on the canyon wall below. - The Greek-inscribed stone and the fortress walls and towers by the entrance. ## Garni and Geghard: tour or on your own? Most people combine Garni with Geghard, a monastery partly carved into the rock about 10 km further up the valley. There is no handy bus between the two, so without a car the pair is hard to do. A group tour from Yerevan is the easiest half-day: transport, a stop at the Charents Arch viewpoint for Ararat, and usually the walk down to the Symphony of Stones. Going alone by minibus is cheapest but gets you Garni only. The middle ground is a taxi for the whole loop with waiting time — agree the price and the wait before you set off. Want to see the temple lit up? Look for an evening tour: from May to November the reserve stays open until 22:00. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] It isn’t Monday, and on Sunday I’ll arrive well before 15:30 - [ ] Cash in dram for the ticket, minibus and the gorge fee - [ ] Proper shoes — the path to the gorge is steep - [ ] Water and a hat: there’s almost no shade by the temple - [ ] A warm layer in spring and autumn — Garni is higher and cooler than Yerevan - [ ] I know how I’m getting back: last minibus or a taxi ## Garni vs Geghard vs Khor Virap | | Garni | Geghard | Khor Virap | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | 1st-century pagan temple | Monastery partly cut into the rock | Monastery below Mount Ararat | | Direction | East, Azat gorge | East, beyond Garni | South, by the Turkish border | | Entry | 1,500 AMD | Free | Free | | Time on site | 1–2 h with the gorge | ≈ 1 h | ≈ 1 h | | Highlight | The colonnade and basalt columns | Cave chapels and acoustics | The view of Ararat | Garni and Geghard make one half-day trip. [Khor Virap](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/khor-virap) is in the other direction — pair it with Etchmiadzin or go for the Ararat view on its own. ## Historic sights around Yerevan compared Historic places in and around Yerevan rated by YesGo. - [Geghard Monastery](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/geghard-monastery) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Garni Temple](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/garni-temple) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 1,500 AMD - [Republic Square](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-republic-square) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Armenian Genocide Memorial (Tsitsernakaberd)](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/tsitsernakaberd) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; English guide 7,000 AMD per group - [Etchmiadzin Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/etchmiadzin-cathedral) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; treasury 2,000 AMD - [Matenadaran](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/matenadaran) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 2,000 AMD, under 6 free - [Khor Virap](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/khor-virap) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free ## Garni and Geghard in the morning, Yerevan by evening The temple and gorge first, then the rock-cut monastery, and back to town for sunset on the Cascade and a stroll down Northern Avenue. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Garni Temple](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/garni-temple) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 1,500 AMD 2. [Geghard Monastery](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/geghard-monastery) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 3. [Yerevan Cascade](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-cascade) — YesGo score 58/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free 4. [Northern Avenue](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-northern-avenue) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free > **Go late in the day** At midday the temple sits against a glaring sky. Towards sunset the basalt warms up and the gorge falls into shadow — and from May to November the reserve is open until 22:00, with the temple floodlit after dark. ## Good to know Garni is both the temple and the village around it — guesthouses and restaurants called “Garni” have nothing to do with the reserve. The Symphony of Stones, also called the Basalt Organ, is the wall of basalt columns in the gorge below; it’s a separate walk with its own small fee, not part of the temple grounds. ## Tips - Stop at the Charents Arch on the way — on a clear day it frames Mount Ararat. - Avoid the colonnade at noon in summer: the stone gets hot and there’s no shade. - Doing Geghard too? Take a taxi for the whole loop — there’s no practical bus between them. - Carry small notes: the ticket desk and minibus drivers don’t like breaking large ones. - The best photos are from the side viewpoint, with the columns against the mountains — not from the steps. - Garni village bakes lavash in tonir ovens; many tours stop for a baking demo, and it’s worth the time. ## Questions ### How much is the Garni Temple entrance fee? 1,500 AMD, the same for foreign visitors and Armenians. Students, pensioners and children get concessions. ### What are Garni Temple opening hours? Tuesday–Saturday 9:00–17:30, until 22:00 from May to November; Sunday 9:00–15:30. Closed on Mondays. ### Is Garni Temple open on Monday? Officially, no — Monday is the day off. Some maps list it as open daily, so don’t plan your only visit for a Monday. ### How do I get to Garni Temple from Yerevan by bus? Take a taxi to Gai bus station in Nor Nork, then minibus 266 to Garni village — 40–60 minutes, about 250 AMD in cash. The gate is a few minutes’ walk from the stop. ### How far is Garni from Yerevan? About 28 km east — roughly 40 minutes by car from the city centre. ### Is Garni Temple worth visiting? Yes — it’s the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded temple in the former Soviet Union, on a superb cliff-top site. The gorge and its basalt columns are half the reason to go. ### How long do you need at Garni? About an hour for the temple and bathhouse; two hours with the walk down to the Symphony of Stones. ### How do I get to the Symphony of Stones from Garni Temple? Walk down through the village to the floor of the Azat gorge — 20–30 minutes down, longer back up. A small fee is collected there. ### Can I pay by card at Garni? Not reliably — bring cash in Armenian dram for the ticket, the minibus and the gorge fee. ### Can I visit Garni and Geghard in one day? Easily — they’re about 10 km apart, and together they fill half a day by tour or taxi from Yerevan. ## How we checked The entry price comes from the official notice on the single fare introduced in 2019; a guide checked in August 2026 gives the same figure. Hours and the day off come from the reserve’s official page: on 30.10.2026 the site returned an empty page, so we read it through a web archive copy from July 2026. Sources disagree: the English and Armenian versions of the page give Sunday closing as 15:30, the Russian one as 15:00; Yandex Maps shows daily 9:00–21:00 and a 2026 guide gives Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–21:30. We show the official schedule and mark the day off as “checking”. Concessions, the gorge fee, the minibus number and fare, and card acceptance are unofficial. Travel times are from guides and the map. Reconstruction dates differ — Wikipedia says 1969–1975, the reserve 1968–1974 — so we show both. The tomb theory is given as disputed. ## Sources - Service for the Protection of Historical Environment and Cultural Museum-Reservations (Armenia): Garni Historical-Cultural Museum-Reservation page — hours, grounds, history (web archive copy, July 2026) - Same service: notice on the single entry price from 1 July 2019 - English and Russian Wikipedia: Garni Temple; Wikidata Q684072 - UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Armenia’s Tentative List — Archaeological Complex of Garni and the “Basalt Organ” Columnar Joint; Armenpress, 2025 - Backpack Moments (2025), T-Armenia, Unusual Nomad (2026), vc.ru (2026) — transport, minibuses, concessions, the gorge fee - Yandex Maps — Garni Temple listing --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.