The Garni Temple

Over the past weekend, I visited Garni, a temple overlooking mountain ranges. Upon stepping out of our taxi, my parents and I were approached by a man who seemed to be the grounds keeper, shop keeper, entrance fee keeper, and story keeper all rolled into one.



Garni looks bigger in the photos, but is still a lovely Parthenon looking temple. In fact, my handy, quick and lazy research on Armeniapedia.org (yes that exists), sites that Garni was "built in the first century A.D. by the Armenian King Tiridates with the money he received after visiting Emperor Nero in Rome."

The man who greeted us and became the tour guide we didn't ask for said something to this regard as well. Various earthquakes destroyed Garni, during Soviet times, it was restored more or less to its original structure.

Remnants of a Roman bath lay near by the temple, our guide walked us through explaining the three pools of water that once filled the bath contained cold, warm, and hot water. The ground was made of clay and was warmed by fires around the baths to keep everyones feet nice and toasty. Not a bad set up.