St Gregory Church

• St Gregory church was built by the initiative of the All Armenian Catolicose Vazgen.
• This church was dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the Christianity adoption in Armenia.
• The church complex comprised of three churches: Mother See, St King Trdat and St Queen Ashkhen chapels.
• The complex is mainly built of monolith iron and concrete and faced with the light orange tufa from the historical capital of Armenia- Ani.

The Cascade

• The Cascade is the original decoration of the city in the form of unique architectural composition.
• The Cascade is a system of huge staircases gracefully connecting the downtown areas and the residential areas, located on the surrounding hills.
• The top of the Cascade can be reached by a long set of escalators, and opens up a view of Yerevan and Mount Ararat in the distance.
• The building of the Cascade Monument began in the 1970s and was partially completed in 1981. A second phase lasted through the mid-2000s.
• Near the monument there is an amusing sculpture called “the Black Cat” by the famous South American artist and sculptor Fernando Botero, plus a rotation of numerous other sculptures.

The Mother Armenia

• The mother Armenia was built to commemorate the victory of the USSR in the World War II.
• The memorial was opened on November 29, 1950, on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Soviet power in Armenia, in the Victory (Haghtanak) Park.
• A 17-meter high forged copper statue of Joseph Stalin by Soviet People’s Artist Sergei Merkurov was installed on the pedestal.
• In 1962, the sculpture of Stalin was dismantled. In 1967, a 22-meter statue “Mother Armenia” by sculptor Ara Harutyunyan was installed on an empty pedestal.
• Represents the image of a mother sheathed the sword. There is a shield at the mother’s feet. She has a “mole” on her forehead, covered with thin sheets of gold.
• In 1970, a museum of the World War II was opened at the base of the monument. In 1995, it was renamed into the “Mother Armenia” Museum of military history, and since that time it has been under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Ministry of Defense.

Zvartnots Temple

• The Zvartnots Cathedral is located in the Ararat valley, 3 km south of the city of Echmiadzin.
• Supposedly Zvartnots temple was built between 643 and 652 AD.
• According to historian Sebeos, the name of the cathedral is derived from the old Armenian word “Zvartun” which means “an angel”.
• The temple stood until the end of the 10th century and was most likely destroyed by an earthquake.
• Zvartnots introduced an entirely new style. It had three levels and the central dome rested on one complete circle. It was also one of the tallest structures of its time (45-49 m).

Echmiadzin Cathedral

•  It is the spiritual center of the Armenian people, and the administrative center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Called the “Mother Cathedral of Etchmiadzin” by Armenians.
• Etchmiadzin Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in Armenia, and it is widely believed that it is thus the oldest Christian cathedral in the world.
• The main Armenian temple’s construction, which began in the 4th century, continued for a long time.
• The interior decoration of the Cathedral was finished in the 18th century.
• The subsequent construction of Etchmiadzin Cathedral at Vagharshapat can be attributed to the life and work of Saint Gregory the Illuminator.

Garni Temple

• The pagan temple of Garni is supposed to be built in 77 AD. It is located in Kotayk rigion of Armenia at the left bank of Azat River.
• The Temple of Garni is the only pagan Hellenistic and Greco-Roman structure to have survived.
• It is supported by a total of twenty-four 6.54-metre high columns symbolize the 24 hours.
• An earthquake in 1679 completely destroyed the temple and strew the ruins across the site and into the gorge.
• The reconstruction was completed by 1975, almost 300 years after it was destroyed in an earthquake.

Symphony of Stones

• The rocks have the appearance of long vertical pillars of hexagonal shape.Huge stone pillars are located at a height of about 50 meters above the ground.
• It is assumed that the “Symphony of Stones” is the result of the collapse of volcanic rocks, which are not excluded today.
• It is hard to believe that neatly and symmetrically carved stones are created by nature itself, and not by human hands.

Geghard Monastery

• The monastery of Geghard in the Upper Azat Valley that cut into the living rock, which illustrate Armenian medieval architecture at its highest point.
• The monuments included in the property are dated from the 4th to the 13th century.
• The monastery was founded, according to tradition by St. Gregory the Illuminator, and was built following the adoption of Christianity as a state religion in Armeni.
• It was repeatedly exposed to the attacks of Arabs and Seljuk Turks who burnt it down in 923.
• The main architectural complex was completed in the 13th century by Proshyan and Zakaryan families.

Tsaghkadzor

Ropeway

• In Tsaghkadzor, the popular ski resort of Armenia, there is a chairlift with 5 stations and more than a dozen ski runs.
• The armchaired ropeway of Tsaghkadzor is located on the eastern slope of Mount Teghenis 1966-2819 m above sea level
•  From the height of 2819 m, where the speedy chairlift will take you in 32 minutes, all of Armenia is visible at a glance, and if weather is clear, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Mount Ararat.
• In 2004 the former ropeway was replaced with a new, modern one, also in 2017 important investments were made.

Sevan Lake

•  Sevan lake is the biggest freshwater lake in the Caucasus region.
• It is 1900 meters above sea level, hence, the highest lake in the world.
• The main activities you can do in Sevan are basically related to water.
• Summer is the perfect time to take a trip to Sevan.

Sevanavank Monastery

• Sevanavank Monastery located on the Sevan is one of the most famous historical and cultural monuments in Armenia.
• According to an inscription found in the territory, the monastery was built by Armenian princess Mariam, daughter of Ashot I, who later became the king of Armenia.
• Surb Harutyun Church was built by Gregory the Illuminator, the founder of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is said that the church was ruined during an earthquake in 995.
• Even before Armenia’s adoption of Christianity as a state religion there was a small pagan temple on the island of Sevan.

Parz Lake

• The name “Parz lich” literally means “clear lake”.
• The length of lake is 300 m, the width – 100 m. Average depth is 3 m, approximate – 10 m.
• The lake is surrounded by forests. Water in the lake is transparent, a little greenish.

Khor Virap Monastery

• The history of the site dates back to a pagan temple that stood here for centuries before Christ’s birth.
• Trdat (king of Armenia) threw Gregory in a deep pit and kept him there for 13 years.
• As the years went on, Trdat started to feel ill. His wife, who had already converted to Christianity, told him that he would feel better after he released Gregory, and she turned out to be right. After being cured, Trdat converted to Christianity in 301, making Armenia the first official Christian country in the world.
• The pit is still open for people to climb down, though it’s a quite a steep descent down a ladder. In fact, the name Khor Virap means “deep pit”, named after the prison where St. Gregory the Illuminator was held.

Areni Winery

• Founded in 1994, Areni Wine Factory is among the oldest and most well-established wine facilities in the area.
• A tour of the factory includes a walk through the cellar where wine is aged in massive oak casks, followed by a tasting of the winery’s selection of traditional and fruit wines.
• A small craft shop offers souvenirs and handmade gifts as well as a selection of wines for purchase.

Noravank Monastery

•  The monastery is already more than seven centuries old.
• The monastery is sometimes called Amagu Noravank, to distinguish it from Noravank Monastery in the city of Goris. Amagu is the name of a small settlement which used to stand over the gorge.
• Noravank became a major religious and later a cultural center of Armenia. According to a legend, a piece of the True Cross, stained with the blood of Christ, was hidden there.
• The most magnificent building of the monastery is the two-storey St. Astvatsatsin Church, constructed in 1339 by Prince Burtel Orbelyan. The building is a classic architectural monument.
• The semi-basement first floor of the church serves as the tomb of the Orbelyan family. Above the tomb, on the second floor, there is the cross-shaped chapel. There are steep stairs leading up to the second floor.

Tatev Monastery

• The monastery was founded in the 9th century and has been a major educational and religious center in Armenia for many centuries.
• The word Tatev in Armenian means “Give wings,”.
• The first church of the complex was founded in the 4th century.
• The main and biggest church of Tatev is St. Poghos-Petros of the 9th century..
• In 2008, the Tatev Revival Program was launched by the Ruben Vardanyan Foundation, with the aim of restoring the monastic complex. In 2010, as part of the program, the Dzit-Han oil mill was restored, which currently functions as a museum. In 2015 the Northern entrance was restored, in 2018 the Church of St. Astvatsatin, in 2019 the museum part of the Complex.

Wings of Tatev

• Wings of Tatev is the longest cable car that runs over the gorge of the turbulent mountain river Vorotan and connects Halidzor village and Tatev Monastery.
• The flight on the Wings of Tatev takes about 15 minutes and allows you to see a fantastic and beautiful natural landscape from a height of more than 300 meters.
• Passengers can see ancient cave settlements, the purest springs and the famous “Devil’s Bridge”. Tatev Monastery appears in front of the passengers on the last stretch of the cable car.

Park of Letters

• In 2005, the Armenian alphabet celebrated its 1600th birthday.
• Armenian letters, strategically placed near the final resting place of the man who created the alphabet, Mesrop Mashtots.
• He made the first letter A, which was the first letter in the word Astvats, or God, and the last letter K’, which began the word K’ristos, Christ. He then put the finishing touches on the last 34 letters.

Monastery of Saghmosavank

•  The Monastery of Saghmosavank was built in the 4th century upon the initiative of Saint Grigor Lusavorich.
• The Monastery of Saghmosavank was built in 1215 by the princely family of Vachutyans.
• Saghmosavank was also a significant center for calligraphy. Several manuscripts written and copied there have been preserved.
• The complex of Sahgmosavank Monastery includes the Church of Saint Zion, gavit, repository of manuscripts and Church of Saint Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother).

Monastery of Hovhannavank

• Hovhannavank monastery bears the name of John the Baptist. The oldest church built in the 5th century. In the 13th century, under the patronage of Vachutian dukes, new buildings were added.
• According to historian Arakel Davrijeci, the Hovhannavank monastery was named after Hovhan, the leader of the church.
• The main church of the monastery, Katoghike church, was built by Prince Vache Vachutyan in 1216-1221.
• To the right of the altar in the main church was a hidden tunnel that led to the cave in the canyon of the Kasagh river. The tunnel used to serve for escaping or hiding.

Kari Lake

• Lake Kari  is a lake in Armenia located in the slopes of Mount Aragats mostly formed by ice and snow.
• It is located 3,190 m above the sea.
• Kari Lake is a site of tremendous beauty located in Armenia. It is a must visit location in the country. On a trip to Armenia, you have to visit this mesmerizing lake.
• The best time to visit this lake when it is snowing, as you can experience the full glory of its icy beauty.

Aragats Mountain

• Mountain Aragats is a massif in the western part of Armenia, between Ararat and Shirak valleys, Akhuryan and Kasagh rivers.
• Aragats is the highest mountain of Armenia and the fourth highest one in the Armenia higland.
• The name of mountain Aragats is connected with an Armenian king Ara the Beautiful and his Imperial Throne.Assyrian queen Semiramis declared war on Armenia, and after the death of king Ara, his soldiers had only one night to save people and hide one of the most valuable things for Armenia – king’s Imperial Throne. For a long time they couldn’t find a secure place for the throne, until they finally decided to hide it somewhere very high and away from Mount Ararat, because the enemies would most likely be looking for it there. That place was located on cold snowy slopes across from Ararat. Enemies never found the throne.
  

Amberd Fortress

• There is a medieval fortress Amberd on the southern slopes of the Mount Aragats, away from the hectic cities.
• It stands on the rocky cliff on the height of 2100 meters protected from two sides with deep gorges at the junction of rivers Amberd and Arkashen.
• The history of Amberd goes back to the 7th century when Armenian princes Kamsarakan started there construction of the fortress.
• The great commander Vagram Pahlavuni, who lived in the 11th century, ordered to fortify the complex of Amberd and build there a church later named in his honor – Vagramashen.
  
• Later, in the 13th century, Mongols captured and destroyed this beautiful fortress. No later than a century, Amberd was reconstructed and served as an outpost for several hundreds of years, however today it has only its church preserved.
• Fortress of Amberd is not only a popular destination in Armenia yet, but it definitely is a gem of the medieval architecture of the Caucasus.

Hot Spring (Geyser)

• The most popular hot spring in Armenia(Geyser Jermuk).
• Provide hiling procedure for health problem.
• Is located 5 km from the city and you can get there either in a off-road vehicle or on foot.
• Walk will take 40-60 minutes.

Jermuk Waterfall

• The waterfall is located at an altitude of 2000 meters above the sea level and 70 meters height and it is considered the second highest waterfall in Armenia.
• The water of the Jermuk waterfall is used to produce the most popular mineral water Jermuk.