Ripsime

a church in Echmiadzin, the best example of a medieval Armenian cruciform domed church. Construction of the church was completed in 618. The exterior has the form of a parallelepiped, and the interior is a cross formed by four apses with three-quarter niches at the corner chapels. The dome has a 16-sided drum and a faceted covering. The church has a majestically laconic silhouette. The dynamism of its interior is achieved by the centripetal arrangement of heterogeneous architectural spaces. The severity of the structure’s exterior is enlivened by deep trapezoidal niches that create a play of light and shadow.