The Temple of Garni, along with the nearby medieval monastery of Geghard, is one of the main tourist attraction sites in Armenia. The two sites are collectively known as Garni-Geghard. It is a peripteros (a temple surrounded by a portico with columns) built on an elevated podium.
It is constructed of gray basalt quarried locally. The temple is composed of a portico (pronaos) and a cella (naos). The temple is supported by a total of twenty-four 6.54 m high columns of the Ionic order: six in the front and back and eight on the sides (the corner columns are listed twice).
The triangular pediment depicts sculptures of plants and geometrical figures.
On the both sides of the staircase there are roughly square pedestals.Atlas,the Greek mythological Titan who held up the earth, is sculpted on both pedestals in a way seemingly trying to hold the entire temple on its shoulders. It is assumed that, originally, pedestals held up altars (sacrificial tables).
The exterior of the temple is richly decorated. The frieze depicts a continuous line of acanthus. Furthermore, there are ornaments on thecapital, architrave, and soffit. The stones in the front cornice depict sculptures of lion heads.
The square in front of the temple is a site of occasional concerts. One such concert was held on July 2, 2004 by the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia, conducted by Aram Gharabekian.
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