Yerevan

Yerevan is situated in the beautiful and historic Ararat Valley, on the banks of the Hrazdan River. Yerevan throughout history has been an important center of the ancient Armenian Civilization.

No state in the world had so many capitals as Armenia. After Van, Armavir, Ervandashat, Artashat, Tigranakert, Vagharshapat, Dvin, Bagaran, Shirakavan, Kars and Ani, Erebuni-Erevan became the 12th capital of Armenia. Yerevan is 29 years older than Rome. The discovered tools of the Stone Age are indicative of the fact that Shengavit, the caves of Hrazdan gorge, Tsitsernakaberd, Arinberd, Karmirblur and other ancient settlements existed thousands of years ago.
In 782 BC the Urartian king Argishti the First founded Erebuni , the military and administrative center of the state of Urartu , on the place of the present-day Yerevan . The ruins of the fortress Erebuni are in the southeastern part of todays Yerevan, on the Arin-Berd hill.

The cuneiform inscription found at the site of Arin-Berd reads: “With the power of (God) Khaldi, I, Argishti, Son of Menua, erected this stronghold, and named it Erebuni to the glory of the country of Biaina and to the fear of its enemies…” .

Erebuni was the most powerful Urartian fortress in Ararat valley, in the 7th century B.C. it lost its significance and was replaced by Teishebaini stronghold situated within the limits of the modern Yerevan, on the Red Hill (Karmir-Blur). Until the 15th century A.D. Yerevan was not a capital but played a strategic role in Armenia. The significance of Yerevan grew in 1437-1467 when it became the center of a large principality in Ararat province. Since that time Yerevan had been referred to as the "capital of Ararat province". However Yerevan was not destined to develop smoothly. Yerevan's history, like Armenian history, also has sad pages. Yerevan's history in the 14-18th cc was one of massacres, ruins, famine and epidemics. Armenia became an apple of discord during the dark period of Persian and Turkish rivalry. In 1828, by Turkmenchai treaty, Eastern Armenia was incorporated into the Russian Empire; construction and repair work began in Yerevan.

After Sovietization, Yerevan was turned into a huge construction site. In 1924 architect Alexander Tamanian designed Yerevan's master plan. He successfully incorporated both national traditions and world urban construction elements. New city districts, squares, broad avenues, streets and cultural facilities appeared.
Today's Yerevan is a big and beautiful city, and has a population of more than a million and a quarter.

The brightest representative of Yerevan's architecture is the Republic Square, where A.Tamanian skillfully applied the styles of the medieval Armenian architecture.

One the major centers of Armenian culture is Mesrop Mashtots Manuscript Research Institute, the Matenadaran. Matenadaran is the largest depository of Armenian manuscripts in the world, which are dating back over 2000 years. The museum is full of other ancient manuscripts as well, which are dating back to the pre-christian and early christian period of the Meditteranean, Middle East and Africa. It has a collection of over 16000 manuscripts.

At the entrance to the Matenadaran, one can see the statues of six major medieval Armenian thinkers: Movses Khorenatsi, Mkhitar Gosh, Frik, Grigor Tatevatsi, Toros Roslin, Anania Shirakatsi.

Yerevan is also famous for other historical and cultural centers, theaters, concert halls, galleries. The State Museum of History is a research and culture center. The museum has archeology, historiography, ethnography and art departments. Over three hundred thousand items are preserved in its vaults; these artifacts represent the Armenia history from the ancient times up to-date. The State Picture Gallery and the Museum of Literature and Art are also very significant institutions. The Picture Gallery in the former USSR was amongst the largest. Armenian, Russian and Western art is displayed here.

State Opera and Ballet House, built in 1930s (A. Tamanian). The design won the Grand Prix of Paris in 1935.

The Children's Art Museum has a unique collection of pictures from 130 countries. The Modern Art museum exhibits works of contemporary artists who often blend Armenian traditions with European and American avant-garde.
There are 16 churches in Yerevan, and among them are St. Sargis (XIX century), St. Hovhannes (XVIII century), Mary the Virgin (XVIII century), Zoravor (XVII), St. Gevorg (IV century), St. Gregory the Illuminator (XIX century), St. Resurrection (XVIII century). Some ruined churches and chapels are being reconstructed or renovated. There is also a Russian Orthodox Church in Yerevan and the Blue Shiite Mosque.

The Genocide Memorial on the Tsitsernakaberd Hill, is dedicated to the most cruel page in the history of the Armenian people and ... Rebirth. The twelve kneeling columns , symbolizing the twelve historic provinces of Greater Armenia throughout which the Genocide took place, around the undying flame are dedicated to the eternal memory of the Innocent Victims of The Genocide(1915-1923) . The neighboring sky-high Obelisk symbolizes the Renaissance of the Armenian people.

Today's Yerevan occupies the slopes of neighboring hills, it includes also such towns as: Arabkir, Kanaker, Davidashen, Achapnyak, Avan, Nor Nork, Nor-Aresh, Nebarashen, Kharberd, Malatiya, Charbakh, South-West and other new populaion-areas, where open-work constructions of newly erected buildings rise high one after another. Yerevan has become the city of original architectural complexes and remarkable monuments,obelisks and recreation zones.

The statue of Alexander Tamanian - in front of the Casade steps.

Yerevan is quite famous as a host of many international events, such as symposia, conferences, festivals, sports competitions. In September-October of 1996 it hosted the 32nd World Chess Olympiad and the 67th Congress of FIDE.

Mother Armenia - guarding her sons and daughters.