The pagan Temple of Garni is one of the outstanding monuments of ancient architecture in Armenia. Located in Kotayk Province, it is distinguished by its classical proportions and refined sculptural decoration.
The temple was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in 1679. However, many parts of the structure − fragments of columns and capitals, wall stones, and carved decorative elements — remained preserved around the site. Thanks to these surviving fragments, it later became possible to reconstruct the monument in its entirety. The restoration work began in 1969 under the supervision of architect Alexander Sahinyan.
The restoration was completed in 1975 − around nineteen centuries after the temple was built and nearly three centuries after its destruction