The Republic of Armenia is a state in the Transcaucasus. Without its own access to the sea, it borders on Azerbaijan and the NKR, Iran, Turkey and Georgia. About 3 million people live in the country. The capital of the state is the city of Yerevan. It is an agrarian and industrial country, where about 95% of the population professes Christianity.
Geographic data
Armenia is located at the foot of the Lesser Caucasus range (north and east). Almost the entire area is mountainous. About 90% of the land is located above 1000 meters above sea level. The highest point of the state is Mount Aragats - 4095 meters. Until 1921, it was Mount Ararat, which now belongs to Turkey. Nevertheless, it is she who is the symbol of the country and the main attraction.
Ararat
The mountain in Armenia is located in the western part of the country and is still considered holy by the locals. According to legend, Noah moored on his ark to this mountain. Armenians call them brothers Sis and Masis.
The mountain itselflocated on the right bank of the Araks River on the border with Turkey and has two merged cones:
- Greater Ararat (Western) 5156 meters high.
- Small Ararat, or Eastern, 3925 meters high.
According to scientists, the age of the Western Mountain is approximately 3.5 million years, and the Malaya Mountain is only 150 thousand years old. These are former volcanoes. The top of the Big Mountain is always covered with snow and is visible from anywhere in the capital. It has about 30 small glaciers. The largest has the name of St. James and is more than 2 kilometers long. This is one of the most visited attractions in Armenia. However, this was the case until 2015. To date, climbing the mountain is prohibited due to the unstable situation in the southeast of the neighboring state - Turkey.
Yerevan
This city is not only the capital of Armenia, but also the largest settlement in the country. Founded in 782 BC. It is located on the left bank of the Araksu River, in the Ararat Valley. During the Soviet period, the appearance of the city changed a lot, but still many architectural monuments remained on its territory.
Blue Mosque
In honor of the friendship between the Iranian and Armenian peoples, the Blue Mosque was erected in Yerevan in 1766. The Muslim cathedral was built at the direction of the Turkic khan and the governor of the city - Huseynali Khan Qajar. Today it is the only active Muslim shrine in the country.
The temple is also called the Heavenly Mosque. Previously, it had 4 minarets, but to this day onlyone. The minaret is 24 meters high. The temple has 28 pavilions. In the northern part there is a library where classes in the study of the Persian language are held, and a small exhibition hall. In the southern part there is a dome and the main hall.
The decoration of the temple and the dome itself is made of faience tiles with majolica. And in the courtyard of the mosque there is a huge mulberry tree, in the shade of which the poet Yeghishe Charentsu drank tea. There is a legend that thanks to him the temple was not destroyed during the First World War, as the poet insisted on arranging an ammunition depot here.
The temple is located on Mesrop Mashtots Avenue, 10, the nearest metro station is Zoravar Andranik.
In honor of the victory over the German conquerors
The most famous and visited place in the capital is the monument "Mother Armenia". It was erected in honor of the victory of the USSR in the Great Patriotic War. The height of the monument is 54 meters, the statue itself is 22 meters high. Samples of weapons are installed around the monument and an eternal flame burns. There is a monument in Victory Park, in the central part of the city. At the foot of it is the Museum of the Ministry of Defense. Here you can see weapons, personal belongings and documents of soldiers who participated in the Great Patriotic and Karabakh war.
Complex address: Azatutyun street, 2, Victory Park.
Matenadaran
As the ancient wisdom says: "How many languages you know - so many times you are a person." Another attraction of Armenia is the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts Matenadaran named after St. Mesrop Mashtots.
This is one of the largestrepositories of ancient manuscripts in the world. There is a museum at the institute where you can see unique and rare manuscripts. The fund contains about 120 thousand manuscripts from different times. These are not only letters in Armenian, but also in Hebrew, Persian, Japanese and Latin. The most important value of the museum is the first Armenian manuscript, which dates back to 917.
The museum is located at 53 Mesrop Mashtots Avenue. The nearest metro stations are Yeritasardakan and Marshal Baghramyan.
Cascade
Not a single tour of Armenia is complete without a visit to this unique architectural creation - the Cascade. This is a whole complex consisting of:
- sculptures;
- fountains;
- stairs;
- flower beds.
It is located on the slopes of the Kanaker hills. The staircase itself is made of milky tuff and connects the two parts of the city - the lower and upper. The Cascade is located behind the Opera and Ballet Theatre.
Church of the Holy Mother of God Zoravor
This is one of the oldest sights of Armenia. This active Armenian Apostolic Church was founded in 1693. The temple was rebuilt several times, the “latest version” was built on donations from the townspeople. In 1793, the church was reconstructed, which is confirmed by the corresponding inscriptions on the building. This is a three-nave church without a dome. In the eastern part of the vestibule is the main altar. The interior here is strict, with khachkars carved on the walls. In 1889, a new chapel was erected near the northwestern part and named after St. Ananias. Lastthe reconstruction of the temple was carried out in the 1970s. The walls and roof were restored, brought into proper shape and handed over to the faithful.
What else to see in Yerevan?
Most excursions in Armenia include visiting the Tsitsernakaberd hill, where the memorial complex of the same name is located. It is dedicated to the victims of the Armenian genocide that took place in 1915. Built in 1967. This is a stele 44 meters high with a break along its entire length, symbolizing the split of the Armenian people. Near the stele there is an eternal flame in a cone with twelve stone slabs. There is also a museum of Armenia dedicated to this tragic event.
Of course, you need to go to the museum of Sergei Parajanov. This man has never lived in Armenia, but he devoted all his work to the homeland of his ancestors. The complex was opened in 1991. This is the Tiflis house, where there are personal belongings of the director and about 600 works by Parajanov: collages, ceramics and drawings. The museum is located on Dzoragyugh street, 15/16.
Interesting places of the country
Armenia is famous not only for its architectural monuments. The country has magnificent nature, 230 zones are protected at the level of legislation. These are natural objects, different in morphological and age characteristics. In the river valleys there are the latest monuments of nature, which appeared after the extinction of volcanoes. Alpine lakes and unique landscapes, mountain formations and man-made creations - all this you will find in Armenia.
Karahunj Observatory
There is a "place of power" in the city of Sisian. The mysterious monument left from the ancestors consists of 223stones laid out vertically in a circle. Each stone weighs about 10 tons, some have holes. Jewelry and swords were found under one of the stones, which leads scientists to believe that this is a cemetery.
In general, there are a lot of disputes about this object. Some believe that this is an observatory, others put forward the version that this is a place of worship for the sun god. Many versions have been put forward regarding the date of construction - from 5 to 7 thousand years. But this place is definitely older than Stonehenge. The object is located at an altitude of 200 meters above sea level, in the city of Sistan, 200 kilometers from Yerevan.
Lake Sevan
This natural reservoir is located at an altitude of 1900 meters above sea level, eight kilometers from the city of Gavar. This lake is the richest in fish, trout and crucian carp from which appear on the tables of almost all Armenians. On the banks of the reservoir there is a national park of the same name, where many seagulls live.
In the village of Noratus, on the coast of the lake, there is an ancient cemetery. The excavations confirmed the version that people were buried here 2 thousand years ago.
There are many architectural monuments on the shores of the lake. These are the monasteries of Kotavank, Sevanavank and Vanevan, built in different centuries.
Satan's Bridge
Between the villages of Halidzor and Tatev is a unique natural landmark of Armenia - Satani Kamuj. This is a bridge of natural origin across the Vorotan River. On the river itself, near this bridge, you will see severalbeautiful waterfalls with niches and small caves, where there are stalactites and mineral springs.
Northern Armenia
In this part of the country there is the Dilijan National Park. It was created relatively recently in order to preserve oak and beech groves and natural landscapes. There are many relic plants in the reserve that have been preserved since the ice age.
And along the river Getik grows the largest yew grove in all of Transcaucasia. There are also endangered species of vegetation in the park: blue cyanosis and cuckoo's tears. Deer, squirrels, bears and roe deer live here. There are about 120 species of birds. In the reserve, in almost all gorges there are small rivers or lakes, as well as mineral springs. Particularly popular are the Haghartsin Gorge and Lake Parshch. There are several monastic complexes on the territory of the park: Haghartsin, Jukhtakvank and Matosavank.
Bas alt organ
Near the temple of Garni in the canyon of the river Ashchat there is a unique natural monument. The bas alt mountain is as if carved by a skilled craftsman - these are hexagons resembling organ pipes.
Kasakh Waterfall
This is the highest waterfall in Armenia, its height is 70 meters. It is located in the Aragatsotn region on the river Kasakh. The very bed of the waterfall is in volcanic rock. This is a magnificent sight that will take your breath away. Grottoes and caves are visible behind the stream of water.
If possible, you should definitely visit Armenia - this is a magnificent nature and manyattractions, ornate toasts and delicious national dishes.
