Yerevan is one of the oldest cities in the world.
It was founded by King Argishti the First in 782 BC. And the fortress of Erebuni is an excellent proof of this, a living monument of past events. The fortress is located on the Arin-Berd hill, which means “Bloody Fortress” in Armenian. The fact is that on this hill so many poppies grew that it seemed that the hill was burning in the blood. It is the hill’s name origin. But it was on it that the city under the name of Erebuni was once built. Then the state was called Urartu.
The names of Erebuni and Yerevan are similar in sound. Therefore there is a version that it is Erebuni that is the most ancient Yerevan. The evidence of that is the inscriptions of King Argishti on the stone, which were discovered on the hill Arin-Berd. These valuable finds are still stored in the museum “Erebuni”
The geographical location of the city is very peculiar. The Hrazdan River divides the city into two parts, but the main half of the city is located on the left side.
The unique charm of the city is attached to its embankments, where cafes and restaurants are located, and just natural beauty pleases in its grandeur.
The oldest part of the city is the Shengavit district, which starts from the territory of Lake Yerevan. This place dates back to the 4th century BC. It was here that the skull of an armenoid man was discovered.
All that history has perpetuated, and has survived to our days, is stored in the museum “Shengavit”
Climatic features of the city are striking in their way. Yerevan is even called a sunny city. The number of warm days in the year reaches a figure of 288. With all this, the climate is dry, and the summer is quite hot.
Today’s Yerevan as the capital of the Republic of Armenia dates back to 1924. It was then that architect Alexander Tamanyan created the architectural project of the capital, choosing the Republic Square as the center of the city. The famous architect studied in detail the peculiarities of the construction of ancient Armenian churches and created two main constructions of the city – the Government building and the Opera and Ballet building. It is now undoubtedly the property of the capital and the pearl of national architecture.
In 1937 A. Tamanyan’s project received worldwide fame and was awarded a gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris.
The city has glorious holidays, which are eagerly awaited by both locals and guests of the capital. Since 2004, every summer in Yerevan, the festival << Golden Apricot >>, which has already gained immense fame and is a kind of symbol of the city.
The Erebuni-Yerevan festival is another story of the city. The annual festival, when the whole city is revived with festive concerts and colorful events.
Yerevan is rich in museums, which in all splendor and grandeur represent the spirit and trends of the Armenian people and the unique culture of the nation. The most representative of them are the Museum of the History of Armenia, the National Picture Gallery, the Matenadaran (the richest manuscript fund), the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Armenian Genocide Museum, the National Art Museum , the Russian Art Museum, the Military Museum << Mother-Armenia >>.
The Museums of Geology and Woodcarving are very rich in ethnographic material.
But the Yerevan underground is the result of a bold synthesis of centuries-old traditions of the national school of architecture and modern engineering thought.
During the last years of Yerevan city planners, more and more worried about the issue of the optimal use of urban transport. And close to many stations there are extensive underground shopping centers.
Cascade – a massive construction in the form of steps – a favorite place of citizens. From here, from the city center, you can climb these steps to a height of about 400 meters above sea level. So you can end up in a completely different area of the city. From there, the whole city is in the palm of your hand! The panorama from there is impressive and inspiring …
The churches of the city are not similar and differ in their design and interior. There are ancient facilities and there are also constructions in the modern style.
The vicarious church of St. Sargis is located on the bank of the river Hrazdan. In 1679, when there was an earthquake, the church turned into ruins. Now we have a reconstructed version that impresses with its exterior, simplicity and grace.
Due to the fact that Armenia is the first country to adopt Christianity as the state religion, the architecture of temples and cathedrals is the unique combination of religious principle and national soul. Almost all the religious shrines of the city were destroyed, but were restored and took on their own unique bright appearance.
In Armenia they say: “Believe your eyes more than other people’s speeches” >>
Therefore, it is better to see Yerevan with your own eyes …