Armenia, a land of breathtaking landscapes, is home to numerous natural wonders that captivate visitors with their beauty and uniqueness. The stunning Garni Gorge, with its “Symphony of Stones” basalt columns, showcases nature’s artistic mastery. Lake Sevan, one of the world’s largest high-altitude freshwater lakes, dazzles with its crystal-clear waters and surrounding mountain vistas. Towering on the horizon, the majestic Mount Ararat, Armenia’s national symbol, dominates the skyline, evoking deep cultural and historical significance. The volcanic Mount Aragats, the highest peak in Armenia, invites adventurers with its dramatic landscapes and breathtaking views.
Any traveler interested in exploring different cultures, their history, and art should visit Armenia, a country situated between East and West along an ancient trade route.
At the beginning of the 1st millennium B.C., in the southeastern regions of the Armenian Plateau, the Kingdom of Urartu—one of the most powerful states of its time—began to take shape. In 782 B.C., King Argishti I founded the city of Erebuni, a major stronghold of Urartu, on the hills of what is now modern Yerevan. During excavations in the 1950s, archaeologists unearthed a stone bearing a cuneiform inscription that confirmed this founding event. This inscription is regarded as the ‘birth certificate’ of Yerevan. This year, Yerevan celebrates its 2807th anniversary.
The first mention of Arminiya as the name of a country and Armina as the name of a nation is found in a cuneiform inscription of the Persian king Darius I (522–486 B.C.) and in a Babylonian world map dated to the 5th century B.C.
Armenia has been called an open-air museum. It boasts over 5,000 archaeological monuments, ranging from prehistoric cave paintings and stone circles (karahunj in Armenian), which are far older than their counterparts in Western Europe, to ancient irrigation systems and fortresses, medieval monasteries and secular buildings, and intricately carved stone crosses (khachkars in Armenian) scattered throughout the country.
The English poet Lord Byron wrote, “There is no other land in the world so full of wonders as the land of the Armenians…” Among these wonders are the Garni temple from the Hellenistic period (1st century A.D.), the Etchmiadzin Monastery, built after Armenia adopted Christianity in 301 A.D., St. Hripsime church (7th century A.D.), Zvartnots Cathedral (7th century A.D.), and the Geghard monastery, partially carved into rock (13th century A.D.).
To get the first visual impression about Armenia from a traveller’s perspective, watch the following video about Armenia.
And to dive into a cultural flair of Yerevan, watch the music video about Yerevan below.
Additional Information:
Armenian language
Armenian alphabet