Yerevan does not have touristy 'old towns', it does not have a promenade along a river by which to sit by and watch the sun go down, it does not have impressive castles and forts that take us into its past but a short 5 day holiday showed how none of those are necessary to make for a good holiday destination.
A quick look at its history - Armenia is an ancient land, with the first recorded kingdom dating back to 9th Century BC, was the first country to adopt Christianity, conquered and ruled by external forces for many centuries, been through the worst in the genocide during WWI when over 1.5 million Armenians were killed, gained independence in 1991 on dissolution of USSR of which it was a part. So, it's really a young nation trying to find its feet.
As for the present, to me the charm of Yerevan, its capital was in the fact that it hasn't been designed to bring in tourists. So the best way to experience Armenia is to do as an Armenian would. In being one amongst the residents in the every day places of Armenia. And in Summer, that's when we visited, the Armenians like to get out and about making most of the long summer days before the cold winter comes calling again.
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| My favourite place in Yerevan - The Cascade, a 400 feet limestone staircase with statues of the Cafesjian Museum of Art lining the approach and the landings on the staircase. It's lovely to climb up the stairs and watch a long summer's day make way for the night. Mt Ararat is visible from the height but would need a clear weather to be able to really enjoy the magnificence of seeing a mountain from within a city. Here is a statue of Alexander Tamanian, the architect who designed the city of Yerevan as well as the Opera house and the Republic square. View from mid way up the stairs in the below photo. |
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| Yerevan Opera Theatre: Couldn't enjoy a concert but did enjoy the park and the adjoining swan lake with a very different looking statue of Arno Babajanyan, an Armenian composer. |
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| One of the many statues in Yerevan |
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| The Musical fountain at the Republic square. Designed in 1924 by architect Alexander Tamanian, the 'square' is more of an oval and has buildings mostly completed by 1950s. Today the buildings house Government offices, Museums and a hotel. From late May to October the musical fountains here play every night from 9PM to 11PM |
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| Cathedral of St Gregory the Illuminator. Completed and consecrated in 2001 to mark the 1700th anniversary of adopting Christianity in the country, is 200 feet tall and accommodates over 1700 people. The cathedral is just across the the General Andranik Metro station and visiting the church would be an excellent reason to take the metro to marvel at the depth at which the metro has been built in the Soviet times. Republic square also has a metro station close by and one can use the metro to reach the church from Republic square. The metro ticket costs 100 dram for a ride. Luna park, a children's park with rides is next to the church. |
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| 1959 built Statue of David of Sassoun, who drives Arab invaders from the country in the Armenian national epic poem, 'Daredevils of Sassoun' which dates back to 8th C. The statue is outside the 1956 Soviet built very grand looking Yerevan's main Railway Station. Get off at Sasuntsi Davit metro station to reach here. Also in the photo is the ubiquitous Soviet era apartments and a grandmother-granddaughter enjoying the evening. |
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| A closer look at the Soviet era 'Khrushchyovka' apartments that are tucked just beyond the main avenues. |
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| 167 feet tall, 1967 built 'Mother of Armenia' Monument in the Victory Park on a hill overlooking the city of Yerevan. This statue replaced Stalin's statue and houses a Military museum in its pedestal. Every year on May 9th, Armenians lay flowers at the statue in remembrance of the Armenian martyrs. |
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| 'Vernissage', the weekend open air market (9AM-6PM) in the park next to the Republic Square metro station. Jewelry, carpets, bags made of carpet, pottery, paintings to all kinds of knickknacks are available. It's an absolute 'Must visit'. The Northern Avenue close to the Swan Lake with its underground street with high end shops is also a nice shopping destination, if only to window shop. |
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| Yerevan is a very well designed city which accounts for the many parks all around the city. Lovers' park is a nice green park. The only 'No Smoking' board I saw in the whole of the country was in the park in the children's play area. Marshal Baghramyan metro station is located inside the park. And if you happen to go to the park by walk you will pass by the National Assembly building. The installation of the horse drawn carriage and many more such installations and fountains are in Missak Manouchian park on Mashots Avenue, named after a French-Armenian poet, Armenian Genocide Survivor and a WWII war hero who was executed by the Nazis. A lovely park to spend an afternoon. |
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| The Blue gem and a medieval monastery: Sevanavank monastery with Lake Sevan in the background. The monastery was founded in the year 874 by a princess while the country was under Arab rule. Lake Sevan is a fresh water, Alpine lake, the largest in the Caucasus region situated at 6200 ft ASL. The lake fed by 28 rivers and streams is 1/6th of Armenia's territory and is of great economic importance to the land locked country. Can spend at least a couple of hours visiting the monastery, taking in the scenery, checking out the Armenian Gulls, boating and perhaps some souvenir shopping. |
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| The 13th C built Haghartsin Monastery is a nice complex but is so renovated that the sense of its being old is lost. Haghatsin, Goshavank monastery and the alpine spa town of Dilijan(4900 ft ASL) are all in the Dilijan National park. The old-town part of Dilijan was too 'curated' for my liking. Frankly, the only part of this extension to the Lake Sevan trip was the change of landscape after passing through the Sevan Mountain Pass(6988 ft ASL). Perhaps in the peak of summer as a casual tourist I didn't enjoy the trip much but the autumn photos, especially of lake Parz('clear' in Armenian) are stunning or I would have appreciated it better had I taken a hike in the Forest. Lake Sevan, Dilijan (with the monasteries) and Tsaghkadzor (a ski resort town and Kecharis monastery) make for a 9 hour trip. |
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| The lush Summer Alpine vegetation of the Dilijan National Park from the Haghartsin monastery |
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| Zvartnots Cathedral - A 7th C cathedral now in ruins. Apart from the 'potential' photo of the reconstructed columns with Mt Ararat in the background, there's a museum on site. The cathedral was destroyed in 10th C by either invading forces or an earthquake, and was only discovered during excavations in the beginning of 20th C. Open from 10AM-5PM and has an entrance ticket of 800 dram per person. |
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| The Eagle still stands proud: A carved Eagle in Zvartnots cathedral |
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| Etchmiadzin Cathedral: The first church built in Armenia and considered the oldest cathedral in the world. Original building dates back to 301 AD by St Gregory the Illuminator on Christianity being adopted as the state religion. The present complex has buildings/additions through the time. The entire complex has been renovated through the times and it was closed for renovation during our visit but the beautiful entrance left me wondering how beautiful the interior must be. This cathedral with Zvartnots and St Hripsime church(with its gory history) makes for a half day trip from Yerevan or combine this with Garni and Geghard for an 8 hour trip. Unless you are religiously or architecturally inclined you will not make much of the Etchmiadzin, Zvartnots trip. |
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| Blessings from above: Geghard monastery, partially carved out of adjacent granite cliffs on the Azat river gorge was founded in 4th C by St Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. People still bring bottles to collect the water from this spring and also seek blessings from the sun light that forms columns inside the church. An amazing place and also the place to buy Sujukh (stringed walnuts dipped in Pomegranate and Grape molasses), dry fruits and Gata(sweet bread) sold by villagers. |
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| Caves in the mountain cliffs of Geghard monastery and also 'Khachkars', Armenian Cross stones set in outcrops. |
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| Sun temple: A pre-Christian Pagan temple built in 1st C by an Armenian king on returning from Rome, with the money and craftsmen from Rome as a temple to his patron God, Mihr, the Sun God. Survived destruction of pagan structures probably as it was considered a tomb rather than a temple but collapsed in an earthquake in 1679. Rebuilt from excavations in 20th C. The entrance ticket to the temple is 1000 dram per person. |
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| View for the Gods: Gegham Mountain and ravine of Azat river behind the Garni temple |
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| Water fountains are everywhere in Yerevan. Artistic ones to functional ones, quenching the thirst of those passing by. The tap water in Armenia is safe to drink and generates that much less plastic waste from the water bottles that would have otherwise been used. Polythene is used for every thing in the country. It's funny how fashion trends reach the place from elsewhere but environmentally sustainable living practices don't. |
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One big bread: Gata, the Armenian sweet bread made of flour, sugar and butter. Sujukh, Lavash (like a Rumaali Roti), Khachapuri (Cheese Puff, very different from the Georgian Khachapuri). Zhengyalov ats (bread with multiple greens filling-'an absolute must have'), Matsnaprtosh (buttermilk), Mshosh (Cooked beans or lentils), and sweets like Paklava (like baklava but with walnut filling)are some of the Armenian Vegetarian food to relish.
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A few Pointers:
- Staying close to the centre definitely helps. It's a pedestrian friendly city and being able to walk to the main places saves the trouble of figuring out how to get to the place. For an overall tour of the city, the Yerevan double decker bus tour is an excellent option. The bus starts from France Square (Between the Opera and Cascade) at 11AM, 3PM and 6PM for the 2 hour city tour every day. The ticket costs 3000 dram per person and can be purchased on the bus. For more details see https://www.yerevan.am/en/tourist-route-program-of-yerevan/
- Passport holders of many countries get Visa on Arrival or one can opt to apply for an e-visa prior to going. VOA cost us 3000 dram per person with a processing fees of 200 dram(if I remember right). It was a completely hassle free experience. For more details on Visa check https://www.mfa.am/en/visa/
- In June 2019, 1 USD was about 480 Armenian Dram(AMD). Many shopkeepers accept USD but may not be able to return the change in USD.
- There are many places to see other than the ones mentioned above, both in the city and in the country. There are many museums in the city including Matenadaran, the museum of ancient manuscripts. Many one day or 2 day tour possibilities from the closer Khor Virap, Areni(wine region) to the farther ones of Jermuk and Tatev (with its famed ropeway.)
