Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, is set among mountains at the altitude of 3,100 to 4,000 feet above sea level on the river Hrazdan. It's the only river that flows out of the Lake Sevan, 30 miles from Mt. Ararat-of Biblical fame. Yerevan, which is 2782 years old, is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is 15 years older than the Eternal City. The city was founded by King Argishti I of Urartu in 782 BC. Today, Yerevan is a modern city with interesting architecture, plenty of museums and historical monuments. Tatian's Travel offers you to visit the Republic of Armenia, the ancient land with unique history, beautiful nature, and cross-stones and churches at the foot of the Biblical Ararat. You will find wonder in every place of Armenia - in its marvelous nature, in the world of mounts and forests, in waterfalls and canyons, and in ruins of temples, churches, and monasteries.
History Museum. The History Museum, founded in 1921, has 160,000 exhibits. A visit to the museum is a fascinating journey from the Stone Age and man's first settlements to the end of the 19th century. There are unique relics of how people lived, beginning from the first social system, stone age tools, items made of bronze and iron, weapons from the time of the Urartu state, statuettes, jugs, coins, ornate jewelers, and household utensils found during excavations. The ethnographic section houses a collection of national costumes, carpets, amulets and agricultural implements.
National Art Gallery. It is situated in the central square of Yerevan, the gallery makes a great impression on the viewer by its architectural style. The Art Gallery has three main expositions, those of Armenian, Russian and European arts. Out of the 20,000 items of the collection only 3,000 are permanently exhibited. There are over 16,000 works of Armenian, Russian, West European, and Eastern art.
Matenadaran Museum. Matenadaran is a scientific research institute of old manuscripts at the Government of the Republic of Armenia. It is the largest center of study and safekeeping of Armenian manuscripts in the world. Originals and hand-written copies of more than 17,000 manuscripts and around 300,000 divan and archive documents not only in Armenian, but also Greek, Latin, Arabic, Persian, Assyrian, Jewish, Hindu, and Japanese are kept in the Matenadaran. The institute annually provides with around 3,000 hand written and published materials, available for study.
Tsitsernakaberd Monument and Museum. This monument commemorates the 1915 Genocide. It was built around 1965. The monument and its eternal flame are pilgrimage sites for Armenians all around the world. The Armenian Genocide was carried out by the "Young Turk" government of the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1916 (with subsidiaries to 1922-23). One and a half million Armenians were killed, out of a total of two and a half million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
Etchmiatsin Cathedral. The most ancient Christian Cathedral in Armenia, the Holy See and official residence of the Catholicos of all Armenians. In 303 AD, two years after Christianity was declared the state Religion, the Mother Church of the Holy See was completed. You will visit the underground site of the pagan sanctuary, upon which the present cathedral stands, and the "Gandzaran" - Museum which houses exquisite church attire embroidered with gold and pearls, as well as crosses and all kinds of ritual vessels of silver, gold, ivory, adorned with filigree work and jewels, with most items dating back to the 17th through 19th centuries.
Sardarapat. Sardarapat is a memorial ensemble devoted to historical events, occurred at the beginning of XX century. This wonderful architectural ensemble was opened in commemoration of 50-th anniversary of the historical fight of 1918, according to the plan of architect Israelyan in May, 1968.
Garni Pagan Temple. The Garni Temple was built in the 3rd century BC and has been in existence for more than thousand years. From the 2nd century BC the fortress used to be the royal summer residence. In the 8th century the fortress was destroyed when the Arabs conquered Armenia. After two centuries Garni was rebuilt by the will of Armenian king Ashot Bagratouni. In 1679 a violent earthquake destroyed the fortress. Inside a fortress were secular and cult structures - pagan temple, bath, and palace. The pagan temple is an outstanding monument of the Hellenistic culture in Armenia. In 1975 the temple was restored.
Geghard Monastery. Geghard means “lance” in Armenian. The name came from the legendary lance, supposedly the one used to pierce the body of Christ, which was long kept here. The time of foundation of the monastery is not established. The present architectural complex was constructed in the middle of 13th century. Northern wall of the church is natural rock in which two passages lead the most original part of the complex - the two churches cut in the depth of the rock. The monastery withstood all manner of assaults during a period of seven hundred years. Its walls stood firm and in times of danger sheltered many scholars.
Amberd Fortress. Amberd is a fortress at 2,300 meters above sea level, on the southern slope of mountain Aragats. The princely castle of Amberd was built in the 11th - 13th centuries. The castle is protected by walls with inclined towers. The baths were constructed outside the palace in the 13th century. The church was built in 1026 by Prince Vahram Pahlavuni on the territory of the fortress.
Lake Sevan. “The Pearl of Armenia", Lake Sevan, is one of the world's highest and largest freshwater lakes. The lake is almost two kilometers above sea level and is encircled by volcanic mountains. The average temperature of Sevan's crystal clear water, the color of which is impossible to define or describe, is 18C . The monastery of Sevan (9th c) is on the Sevan peninsula.Three churches were built but only two of them have survived: the church of St.Arakelots and the church of St. Astvatsatsin. Both were built in 874 following the cross-shaped pattern.
Tsakhkadzor. The Tsakhkadzor resort is famous for its numerous pensions, lodges and sport facilities. There is a ski lift leading to the top of the Teghenis mountain. The marvelous monastery complex of Kecharis is in the Northwestern part of the town. The Kecharis Monastery (11-13th cc) comprises 3 churches and 2 chapels. South of the principal church is the little church of St.Nshan. Next to it is the Katoghike church built in the 13th c following the traditional cross-domed pattern. The 4th church of the monastic complex is the St. Harutyun. The monastery has a small chapel with the tomb of the founder of the monastery Grigor Magistros Pahlavouni.
Khor-Virap. This monastic complex is widely known for its fortress and underground prison "Khor Virap" where the first Armenian Saint and the establisher of Christianity in Armenia - Grigor Lusavorich has been in confinement. For preaching faith Christianity in Armenia he was imprisoned in this remote place by Trdat King for 13 years. Trdat got ill and in his dream he was told that only Grigor would be able to help him. Indeed, Grigor cured him and was rewarded and given his freedom and began baptizing the nation in 301 and Armenia claimed Christianity as a state religion.
Noravank. Noravank complex is located on a ledge of a deep winding gorge of a tributary of Arpa River near the village of Amagu, Yeghegnadzor District. In the 13th-14th centuries the monastery became a major religious and cultural center of Armenia. The grandest church is the Astvatsatsin (“Mother of God”, 1339), also called Burtelashen (“Burtel-built”) in honor of Prince Burtel Orbelian, its donor. The second church is the St. Karapet, built in 1216-1227.
Jermuk. Jermuk is one of the picturesque comers of Armenia. It's a resort town, which is situated in Vayots Dzor. Woods surround Jermuk. It's height above the sea -level is 2080m. Arpa runs through the town and its deep gorge divide the town and the mountain chain of Vayots Dzor into two parts. The air in Jermuk is clear and fresh, where you can recover your health with its chemical and physical compositions of the mineral water.
Tatev Monastery. Monastery of Tatev was founded in the 9th c. on the site of an ancient shrine. The oldest structure of the monastery is the church St. Poghos-Petros (895-906) of the domed basilica type. South of this church a vaulted church was built in 1285 St. Griror. The visitors shall pay attention to an interesting monument: the rocking stele Ganaran in the courtyard of the monastery (15m). The university of Tatev operated in the monastery between 1390 - 1453, famous scholars and theologies worked there.Tatev was a major educational center in medieval Armenia.
Haghpat. The famous architectural complex of Haghpat is located in the region of Alaverdi. It was founded during the reign of King Abbas Bagratouni (928-951). It is comprised of eight buildings that are enclosed by a fortified wall. The oldest building in the compound is St. Nshan church, founded by Khosrovanush, the wife of King Ashot III, in 976 and completed in 991. It is a domed single-aisle church. The Haghpat library was famous and considered one of the best in the country during the Middle Ages. It is assumed that the library was built in the eleventh century.
Sanahin. The Monastery of Sanahin is situated in the village of Sanahin, the District of Lori. The oldest references to the monastery were found in early 10th century Armenian manuscripts and relate that the monastery was const he ruins of a 4th or 5th century church. The church Astvatsatsin is the most ancient of the existing structures of the monastery (first half of the X century). The other buildings of the monastery are the church Amenaprkich, the chapel of St.Gregory (1061), the book-depository (1063), the academy (XI) and the bell tower.
Tatik-Papik Monument. The monument was erected in 1967, and an inscription on the back reveals its official name “We Are Our Mountains.” Cross over to Azatamartikneri Street, which is actually a continuation of Vazgen Sargsian (Yerevanian) Street, and you can either walk to the monument in about fifteen minutes, or take a cab ride.