St. Hripsime Church is a domed tetraconch enclosed in a rectangle, with two angular niches on the northern and southern side.
German art historian Wilhelm Lübke wrote that the church is built on "a most complicated variation of the cruciform ground-plan."

Reception
The monumental exterior of the church is "considered one of the great achievements of medieval Armenian architecture."
It has been described as a "gem of Armenian architecture" and "one of the most complex compositions in Armenian architecture."
Along with Saint Gayane Church, it stands as a "model of the austere beauty of early Armenian ecclesiastical architecture."

Imitations
The church is not the earliest example of this architectural form, however, the form is widely known in architectural history as the "Hripsime-type" since the church is the best-known example of the form.
It has also been variously named "Jvari-type" or "Jvari-Hripsime-type" for Jvari in Georgia.

Notable churches with similar plans include the Surb Hovhannes (Saint John) Church of Avan (6th century), Surb Gevorg (Saint George) Church of Garnahovit (6th century), Church of the Holy Cross at Soradir (6th century), Targmanchats monastery of Aygeshat (7th century), Holy Cross Cathedral of Aghtamar (10th century), and Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church at Varagavank (11th century).

The architectural form is also found in neighboring Georgia, where examples include the Ateni Sioni Church (7th century), Jvari monastery (7th century), and Martvili Monastery (10th century).
St. Hripsime Church is a domed tetraconch enclosed in a rectangle, with two angular niches on the northern and southern side. German art historian Wilhelm Lübke wrote that the church is built on "a most complicated variation of the cruciform ground-plan."
Reception
The monumental exterior of the church is "considered one of the great achievements of medieval Armenian architecture." It has been described as a "gem of Armenian architecture" and "one of the most complex compositions in Armenian architecture." Along with Saint Gayane Church, it stands as a "model of the austere beauty of early Armenian ecclesiastical architecture."
Imitations
The church is not the earliest example of this architectural form, however, the form is widely known in architectural history as the "Hripsime-type" since the church is the best-known example of the form. It has also been variously named "Jvari-type" or "Jvari-Hripsime-type" for Jvari in Georgia.
Notable churches with similar plans include the Surb Hovhannes (Saint John) Church of Avan (6th century), Surb Gevorg (Saint George) Church of Garnahovit (6th century), Church of the Holy Cross at Soradir (6th century), Targmanchats monastery of Aygeshat (7th century), Holy Cross Cathedral of Aghtamar (10th century), and Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church at Varagavank (11th century). 
The architectural form is also found in neighboring Georgia, where examples include the Ateni Sioni Church (7th century), Jvari monastery (7th century), and Martvili Monastery (10th century).
Saint Hripsime Church