In the eastern part of the Ararat plain is the city of Yerevan (220 km²). It is the capital of the Republic of Armenia and is considered one of the ancient cities of Europe.
The city, located on the left bank of the Araks river, was founded by the king of the state Urartu Argishti I, who headed the construction of a fortified city on the site of the future capital in 782 BC. He gave it the name Erebuni, which survived until 1936.
Now Yerevan is considered the economically developed main city of Armenia. Developed tourist infrastructure, historical cultural monuments attract tourists from the Near and Far Abroad. Shopping in Yerevan has become popular. Many travel lovers try to bring memorable souvenirs in memory of their stay in this amazing and friendly country.
Silver and gold products for women and men
Silver jewelry made by Armenian jewelers has long fascinated with its colors. Objects found during archaeological excavations in the territory of Erebuni indicate that the Armenian nobility attached great importance to silver items.
Historians have established that the works of Armenian jewelers were a major part of the dowry. Hats, various women's jewelry, dishes and many other items, decorated with fine silver engraving, were considered valuable gifts from the bride.
The work of jewelry masters in the XVII-XIX centuries was a consequence of the development of the Armenian economy. Now tourists can see the work of modern jewelers whose expositions are in the Yerevan Museum of Folk Art and Crafts after the Armenian artist Hovhannes Sharambeyan.
Guests of Yerevan can purchase jewelry made of silver at the Tashir shopping center, at the Vernissage art exhibition. On the street Khorenatsi is the "Golden Market". It is there that you can inspect and buy various jewelry made of dark gold.
Carpets from Yerevan
And what else to bring from Yerevan? One of the main traditional types of arts in Armenia is the manual production of art products decorated with various patterns (carpet weaving).
Carpets since the Middle Ages, except Armenia, were made in China, Japan, Georgia, Persia and other Islamic states. The production of drawings on the carpets of Armenia differed from the carpets of neighboring states.
On them were images of animals, people, which was unusual for the culture of Islam. After some time, Armenian carpets became popular outside the state.
In 1958, at the World Exhibition in Belgium, carpet products of Armenian masters received a gold medal and worldwide recognition. In 1991, in order to revive carpet art, a law was passed where the sale of hand-made carpets is exempt from income tax.
Tourists can get acquainted with woven works in the Museum of Spiritual Culture of Armenia (Museum of Ethnography of Armenia). Now the largest company specializing in the manufacture of such coatings by hand is Megerian Carpet. It was founded by the Megerian brothers in 1917 in New York.
In 2002, the management of the company acquired the premises of the Aygort factory on the outskirts of Yerevan. There began the production of such products using the technology of past centuries.
Those wishing to purchase an Armenian handmade rug as a souvenir can visit the Megeryan Karpet factory. It is located on Madoyan street. Carpets with a national ornament are also put up for sale on the Vernissage retail space. The cost of the carpet depends on the size and complexity of the pattern (from 180 thousand rubles).
Cognac products of Armenia
Cognac from Armenia is considered the most popular alcoholic drink for more than two hundred years among all produced by different companies in the world. Products are made from grape spirit.
The history of cognac from Yerevan begins in 1887, from the moment the merchant Nerses Tairyants opened the beverage manufacturing enterprise. In 1898, the plant was bought by a Russian entrepreneur, the owner of the Shustov & Sons partnership Nikolai Shustov.
After 100 years, the company was privatized and became part of the French company Pernod Ricard for the production of alcoholic beverages. Now EKZ (Yerevan Brandy Factory) produces ten brands of cognac with different aging periods.
An interesting fact: the company has a stock of exclusive brands of the drink, which are bottled by special order. The oldest is the Noah's Ark, which has an exposure of more than 50 years. The favorite drink of the English president Winston Churchill was “Dvin” cognac, produced at the Yerevan factory.
One of the most popular alcoholic souvenirs among tourists and visitors of the city is “Yerevan” cognac, made from certain grape varieties that grow on the territory of Armenia.
“Yerevan” has been produced at the Noi Brandy Factory since 1957. At international exhibitions, the drink was awarded three gold medals.
Wine products of Armenia
Travel lovers often buy wine as a souvenir of their stay in this sunny country, given the fact that Armenia is considered the place from which world winemaking began.
There is a myth that says that the righteous Noah, saved by God from the Flood, planted a stem of grapes in the Ararat Valley (the territory of the Armenian Highlands).
After the grapes ripened, he prepared wine from its fruits. Since then, winemaking has become one of the symbols of Armenia. Wine drinks made in Armenia, due to the natural climatic conditions, have a large percentage of sugar and alcohol, and therefore are considered unique in their quality and taste.
In recent years, pomegranate wine has gained great popularity on the international market. For the manufacture of it used pomegranate juice. The pride of Armenian winemakers is the red wine "Nerkarat" and "Areni". These drinks are most often purchased by tourists as souvenirs of Yerevan.
Visitors to the city can buy wine souvenirs in specialized stores, as well as during excursions to the EKZ or the Areni winery, where wine souvenir shops are located.
What to bring from Yerevan to father or father-in-law? Sellers who wish to purchase a wine souvenir offer to buy a traditional vessel (horn), which is filled with wine.
Souvenirs made of wood
Fine gifts brought from Armenia will be products made by Yerevan woodcarvers. The national reed wooden instrument of this country is called the duduk, which is considered the oldest in the territory of Transcaucasia.
Over the centuries (duduk age about a thousand years), masters have tried several types of wood. The most suitable material was a plant with a solid trunk - an apricot tree.
The instrument is a shape of a Russian eight-hole pipe to create a melody that is formed due to the vibration of two thin plates under a stream of air.
Chess and backgammon made of wood - a great gift for a friend
Tourists at Vernissage often purchase chess and backgammon (a kind of board game) as a gift from Yerevan. They are made exclusively of expensive wood. Chess was invented 1.5 thousand years ago in India. They were considered at that time a royal game. The word "chess" comes from a combination of two words: the shah is the king, and the mat is dead.
Now these two games are the most popular among the Armenian population. In souvenir shops or on the Vernissage, you can also buy plates, vases, figurines made by craftsmen from wood and decorated with national patterns.
Pictures of local artists
Armenian artists were famous for church paintings. Modern masters of fine art create paintings in different directions and exhibit their work in the squares of the city and on the shelves of the "Vernissage", where guests of this country can purchase any picture for sale as a souvenir.
Armenian spices
Flavoring additives to cooked dishes (spices) are an indispensable ingredient in the national cuisine of the Armenian people. Historians have found that spices are first mentioned in scripture 2,000 years ago.
The Bible tells of trade relations with eastern countries in Egypt. They supplied various aromatic resins and condiments through Armenia. Modern national cuisine does not seem to be without various seasonings that give the dish a special taste.
In Armenia, seasonings are called the “magic mixture”. The main component of all spices is the seeds of an annual plant from the legume family - shambhala.
For the preparation of a variety of aromatic spices, more than three hundred species of wild herbs are used in the mountainous terrain. Souvenir finished products (or individual components) can be purchased at the indoor city market, which is located in the central part of the city.
Sweets of Armenian cuisine
Armenian cuisine is considered one of the oldest in Europe. A special place is occupied with the preparation of sweets, which many tourists love very much. Thinking about what to bring from Yerevan, it’s worth remembering these delicacies.
Confectionery made with ghee, with the addition of various spices, take on a special taste. They are very popular among tourists.
Soft ghat pie occupies a special place in the national Armenian cuisine. The bride bakes this national sweetness, brings the bridegroom to the house and treats the girls, who should dress the hero of the occasion for the wedding ceremony.
An Armenian sweet made from peeled nuts strung on a thread and then dipped in hot syrup and dried in the sun is called sujuk. Tourists often purchase this type of sweets as a tasty Armenian souvenir. And what else to bring from Yerevan? In addition to sujuk, guests of the country acquire alani (dried peach stuffed with chopped nuts). Many confectioners use dried apricots ( seedless apricots ) instead of peaches.
Baklava from Yerevan
According to the confectioners, the Armenian baklava (translated from the ancient Mongolian language - “wrap”) is considered the most popular souvenir confectionery.
This delicacy is a few thin cakes, between which is a mixture of nuts, honey, sugar and whipped proteins. An interesting historical fact is that this delicacy was made in the 15th century.
The personal cook of the Ottoman sultan Fatih made the first baklava in 1453. The monarch liked the sweetness, and he instructed to prepare it for every high society reception. Since then, baklava has been served at the festive table in the cities of the Republic of Transcaucasia.
Prohibited souvenirs that cannot be taken out of the country
When thinking about what to bring from Yerevan, remember about prohibited things. According to the existing legislation, it is impossible to export antiques, ancient manuscripts, ancient jewelry, and also objects of historical value from the Republic of Armenia. This list does not include souvenirs described in the article.