More than a third of the population of Armenia lives in the capital. Yerevan is the cultural, economic, political center of the country. This city is more ancient than Rome. There are no luxurious palaces and grand ultramodern buildings. The Armenian capital attracts tourists with its originality and originality. The article tells about the rest in Yerevan, about the sights of this wonderful city.
For citizens of Russia, a visa to Armenia is not needed. During their stay in this country, tourists do not have problems with currency exchange - local residents willingly change drams to rubles. Many people organize vacations in Yerevan on their own, without the assistance of travel agencies.
There are many ancient sights in Armenia, which attracts thousands of travelers to this city. Before telling about the rest in Yerevan, we list the main cultural and historical monuments.
Matenadaran
This is one of the largest manuscript repositories in the world. There is a museum at the Matenadaran Research Center. The very name of this institution is translated into Russian - "repository of manuscripts."
Created by Matenadaran in 920 based on a collection of manuscripts. This collection, like other cultural monuments of Yerevan, was nationalized in the twenties of the last century. Holidays in Yerevan can be not only pleasant, but also informative, if you combine idle walks around the city with visits to local exhibitions and museums, the most famous of which is Matenadaran.
Tsitsernakaberd
Translated from Armenian, the name of this Yerevan attraction, so difficult to pronounce for a Russian-speaking person, means "fortress of a swallow." The memorial complex dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide is definitely worth a visit while in Yerevan.
The monument is located above the gorge of the Hrazdan River. The project of the complex was approved in 1965. The construction of the main part of the memorial was completed two years later. Separate elements appeared until the 1990s. The complex is a 44-meter stela symbolizing the will to revive the Armenian people.
Museum "Erebuni"
The building is located on the hill of Arin Bird, near the ruins of an old fortress. The museum contains exhibits discovered as a result of excavations conducted in the late fifties of the XX century.
State Picture Gallery
This is the main museum of fine arts in Armenia and one of the largest in the territory of the former Soviet Union. Gallery opened in 1921. Located on Republic Square. It is in this museum that the full collection of Aivazovsky’s paintings is collected.
Museum of Martiros Sarian
Not all guests of Yerevan are ready to attend such exhibitions. Many people prefer an entertainment program. In addition, the name of the artist Saryan is not known as widely as, for example, the name of Aivazovsky. This painter was popular at the beginning of the 20th century. He was part of the creative association "Blue Rose", which today is only remembered by connoisseurs of Russian symbolism. Before World War I, Saryan traveled a lot in Egypt, Turkey, and Iran. These travels influenced his further work. On the canvases of Saryan there are eastern and southern motifs. Nevertheless, most of the paintings depict the artist’s homeland - Armenia.
Armenian Genocide Museum
The tragic events in the history of their people are taken very seriously by the people of Armenia. This is evidenced by the sights created in memory of the victims of the genocide. The museum is located in an underground building, which is no accident. This unusual arrangement symbolizes the tomb of more than a million Armenians who died in 1915. The collection occupies two floors.
Republic Square
The central square of Yerevan was previously named after the Soviet leader. It was built in the middle of the 20th century according to the project of the architect Tomanian. After the collapse of the USSR renamed. In the middle of the square is a singing fountain. The facades of the houses are decorated with white and pink tuff, and their bases are made of basalt.
Charles Aznavour Square
The famous French composer and poet came from a family of Armenian emigrants, which, most likely, the residents of Yerevan are very proud of. At the beginning of the two thousandth they decided to perpetuate the name of Aznavour and named the square in his honor. The chansonnier himself was present at the ceremony.
Complex "Cascade"
The architectural composition was designed by the aforementioned Tomanian. The complex consists of a museum, a fountain, stairs and observation decks. From here you can see all of Yerevan. The museum collection includes glass products that once belonged to millionaire Levon Gafeschyan.
Sculpture "Smoking Woman"
A rather original work of a modern master is opposite the Cascade complex. The sculpture depicts a naked woman of very magnificent forms, languidly reclining on a pedestal with a cigarette in her hands. The composition was appreciated by far not all residents of Yerevan. Some found it unusual and interesting. Others in The Smoking Woman saw a challenge to the social fabric.
Rest in Yerevan can poison a minor trifle. For example, ignorance of the local features of shopping or cash payments. Therefore, when planning a trip to Armenia, you should familiarize yourself with some nuances.
Healing water
For families with children, Yerevan is a suitable place. It has a mild climate, many green spaces and exceptionally clean water that can be drunk directly from the tap without prior filtration or boiling. But among tourists from Russia there are also those who, out of habit, do not trust the water supply. Even Yerevan. Fortunately, healing mineral water, known far beyond the borders of Armenia, is sold here at every step. The price of it is symbolic. There are so-called pulpaks everywhere - small drinking fountains that children especially like.
Kitchen
Where to go in Yerevan? Holidays in Armenia will be unforgettable if you include a visit to a small cozy restaurant in the tourism program. There are, of course, many establishments that offer dishes of Armenian cuisine in Russia. But, according to tourists' reviews about holidays in Yerevan, these dishes have little in common with the real traditional cuisine of Armenia. Having been in Yerevan, be sure to taste the real hash, bozbash, kuft, dolma, moshosh.
Shopping
If you believe the reviews about holidays in Yerevan, you can buy everything in this ancient city. But you need to know some of the features of local trade. Small shops here do not open in the morning, but closer to noon and work until late in the evening. In shopping centers, prices are fixed. But in the markets, bargaining is not only possible, but also necessary. After all, it is part of the local culture.
Reviews of the trip to Soviet Yerevan were significantly different from the stories of tourists who visited the Armenian capital in the nineties. During this period, the city seemed to have lost its famous hospitality. But time passed, the situation stabilized. According to reviews about holidays in Yerevan in 2018, in the capital of Armenia they treat tourists from Russia very well.
Sights such as the Noi factory, Geghard temple, Lake Sevan should also be visited in Yerevan. Those who have visited Yerevan recommends visiting the restaurants "Lavash", "Caucasian Captive", "Jazve". There are also inexpensive establishments. For example, "Karas", which works around the clock.
The best hotels in Yerevan are Aviatrans, Bass Boutique Hotel, Yerevan Deluxe, Ani Plaza Hotel, Erebuni, Grand Hotel Yerevan, Shirak, Republica Hotel.