Trdat the Architect (c. 950-1020) (Armenian: Տրդատ ճարտարապետ), known in Latin as Tiridates, was chief architect of the Bagratuni dynasty of Armenia.
After a great earthquake in 989 destroyed the dome of Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine officials sent Trdat to Byzantium to organize repairs. The restored dome was completed by 994.
Trdat is traditionally credited as the architect of the Cathedral of Ani, constructed during the reign of King Smbat II and completed under Queen Katranide I around the year 1001. The cathedral became one of the most important religious structures in the medieval Armenian capital of Ani.
The design of the cathedral is noted for its pointed arches, vertical proportions, and complex structural engineering. Art historians have frequently cited the building as an important example of medieval Armenian architecture.
In 989, an earthquake caused part of the dome of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople to collapse. Byzantine Emperor Basil II reportedly invited Trdat to oversee repairs to the structure.
According to medieval Armenian and Byzantine accounts, Trdat redesigned and reinforced the damaged dome.ref name="ellen">C. Schwartz, Ellen. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Art and Architecture. p. 182.</ref> Restoration work was completed by 994, after which Hagia Sophia reopened for religious ceremonies. His involvement is considered one of the most significant examples of Armenian architectural influence within the Byzantine Empire.
Trdat is remembered as one of the foremost architects of medieval Armenia. His work reflects the technical sophistication of Armenian church architecture during the Bagratid period. Modern historians have also examined possible connections between Armenian architectural forms and later developments in Gothic architecture in Europe.
The Cathedral of Ani and the restoration of Hagia Sophia remain the two projects most strongly associated with his name.
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