Karmravor Church stands in Ashtarak, in Armenia's Aragatsotn Province, and was completed in the seventh century. Its name means reddish and refers to the color of its dome. It is also called the Church of Holy Mother of God.
The Armenian church has a small cruciform central plan, a single dome and a horseshoe-shaped apse. The interior measures just 19 feet 7 inches by 24 feet 6 inches. An octagonal drum supports the dome, and a Byzantine-style red tile roof covers the building, with many of its original tiles still in place. Geometric and foliage patterns decorate the eaves and cornices.
The article quotes Thierry as saying it marks a turning point in Armenian architecture. Only minor restoration has taken place, in the 1950s. The church belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church.
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