My 16 days Caucasus countries trip ended in Armenia. It is not the easiest country of the Caucasus to visit as both its border with Azerbaijan and Turkey are closed. To my pleasant surprise, the world’s first Christian nation has more to offer than countless monasteries.
Located at the Republic Square, the History Museum of Armenia is regarded as Armenia’s national museum. Opened since 1921, this museum has a national collection of 400,000 objects.
The Central Mosque (Blue) of Yerevan is the only operating mosque in Armenia. It was built in 1765 by the Persian Governor Hussein Ali Khan for Friday prayers and features a religious school built around a garden courtyard.
The Cascade is a mix of park and building, creating a unique architectural composition. Constructed by the Soviet Union in the 1980s, the Cascade was deigned like The Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Stretching more than the height of the Empire State Building at 450 meters from the bottom of the Cascade to the Monument Terrace, the Cascade is massive!
Mother Armenia is the live symbol of Armenian strength. She symbolise peace through strength. This monumental statue is located in Victory Park which is strategically located on a hill as if she is overlooking and guarding the Armenian capital, Yerevan.
Matenadaran or Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscript in Yerevan, Armenia was designed by architect Mark Grigoryan and built in 1957. The Matenadaran is a major centre for the study and preservation of Armenian works of literature. It houses a collection of approximately 17,000 manuscript and 30,000 other documents. This museum holds one of the world’s richest depositories of medieval manuscripts and books.
Brandy tasting is one of the main things to do in Yerevan. Although Armenia does not springs to mind when you think of brandy, Armenian brandies have been recipients of many awards and medal over the previous century including the brand Ararat which won the ‘Product of the Year’ for four years in a row in Russia.
When asked about the secret of longevity. Winston Churchill answered without hesitation, “Never be late for dinner, smoke Cuba cigars and drink Armenian Brandy”.
Yerevan, the capital of Armenia is one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities. The history of Yerevan dates back to the 8th century BC and has been the capital city since 1918. Known as the Pink City since the Soviet era because of the colour of the stone used for the buildings.
The magnificent cathedral of Zvartnots or St. Grigor by medieval historians, was commissioned by Catholics Nerses III from Taik region, between year 643 – 652. According to historian Sebeos, this cathedral was built on the spot where Gregory the Illuminator met the Armenian king Tr’dat; initiating the king’s conversion and leading to Armenia adopting Christianity as the state religion in 301.
Vagharshapat is one of the historic capitals of Armenia and is commonly known as Echmiadzin. Along with other historical churches of Vagharshapat, Saint Hripsime & Saint Gayane Church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is the holy seat of the Supreme Patriarch-Catholicos of All Armenians. The Etchmiadzin Cathedral inside the complex which encompasses an area of 150,000m², was built in 303 on the site of a pagan temple after the adoption of Christianity as a state religion in 301.
Still in Southern Armenia, I headed to Areni. Areni is well known for its wine production and is also the cradle of viticulture. This is where the world’s oldest winery was discovered, dating back 6,000 years ago!
Noravank Monastery is situated deep in the Noravank Canyon. It was built in 13th century and was designed by the renowned calligrapher, miniature painter, sculptor and architect from the late 13th to mid 14th centuries, Momik. He developed a completely new approach for the church called ‘Burtelashen’ at Noravank, with a two-storey crowned rotunda.
Khor Virap (meaning deep pit) is a monastery rests atop a hill in Ararat Valley, near the border with Turkey. It is where Grigor Luisavorich who later became St. Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for 13 years before curing King Tiridates III of a disease. And this caused the conversion of the king and Armenia into the first Christian nation in the world in year 301.
Along the road from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gerhard Monastery lies Garni. This village has an ancient history and is best known for the Hellenistic Garni Temple, built more than a thousand year ago.
Geghard is another incredible medieval Armenian monastery, partly carved out of a mountain, which located in northeast of Garni, higher up the gorge of the Azat river.
Sevanavank monastery is located in Gegharkunik Province, not far from the town of Sevan. Initially the monastery was built at the southern shore of a small island. After the artificial draining of Lake Sevan, which started in the era of Joseph Stalin, the water level fell about 20 metres, the island transformed into a peninsular.
Being a landlocked country, Armenians flock to Lake Sevan during summer to enjoy their holidays. With a total surface area of its basin at 5,000km2, Lake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region. At an altitude of 1,900m above sea level, it is one of the largest freshwater high altitude lakes in the world.
Armenia is the last country that we visited in Caucasus region. It is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east and Iran to the south. It is the first state in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD and became the first Christian nation.
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