Altar Area North

View looking north at the main altar in the Chapel of Saint Helena.  Originally it was dedicated to Saint Helena, but today it honors Saint Gregory the Illuminator, the national saint of the Armenians.

The door on the left (north) side of the image leads to an area that has been extensively excavated.  Remains from the eighth-century BC have been found there, that indicate that this “western hill” was settled at the time.

In addition a fresco of a Byzantine sailing ship was found in that area along with the foundations of the Constantinian Church.