Until now, the researchers have not paid due attention to the understanding of such topic as the origins of Armenian church
architecture and the influence of architectural traditions of neighboring civilizations on it. In this regard, it is necessary to study
the origins of the Armenian temple canon on the example of the Zvartnots cathedral, which was built in the middle of VII c.
A.D., when Armenia was the object of military and political confrontation between Byzantium and Persia. The scholars have
expressed opposed points of views on the architecture of which country has influenced the cathedral's style. U. Eugene
Kleinbauer thinks that Persian influence on the Armenian Church was stronger at that time, while K. Maranchi, on the other
hand, considers that Byzantine influence was the leading one. In this article, the authors claim that the architectural concept of
Zvartnots was influenced by both cultures and that the image of this cathedral reflects the cultural influence of both sides of the
conflict, who were trying to protect Armenia from unilateral political domination. That, consequently, preserved Armenia's
neutral status. The resulting style became a defining characteristic of the Armenian culture and was reflected in the
architectural concept of the Armenian Saint Catherine's Church in Saint Petersburg.