Nestled at the foot of mighty Mount Ararat, Yerevan is one of the oldest cities in the world. The capital city of Armenia, Yerevan is situated at a crossroads between Europe and Asia, and this is reflected in its culture. The cityâs rich and diverse history blends traditional Armenian and modern European influences.
Yerevan is also known as the Pink City, and you can see an excellent example of the pink and yellow tuff of which the city is built in the buildings around Republic Square. This is a great starting point for any walking tour of a city. Yerevan is divided into twelve districts, which fan out from Kentron, the central district, making it easy to find your way around. Most popular tourist destinations are within walking distance of each other, and all are either free or have low admission prices. Yerevan boasts a wealth of museums illustrating its fascinating history.
The National Gallery of Armenia and the History Museum of Armenia are both in Republic Square, and you can see ancient Armenian manuscripts at Matenadaran, also known as the Mesrop Mashtots Institute. The Cafesjian Centre for the Arts, located in the beautiful Yerevan Cascade Complex, offers an excellent opportunity to experience Yerevanâs vibrant contemporary arts scene. The Tsitsernakabert Monument Complex and Armenian Genocide Museum, at the edge of the Kentron district, is dedicated to the memory of over one million ethnic Armenians killed in the Genocide of 1915.
There are over thirty notable churches in Yerevan, which is appropriate for the capital city of the first country to adopt Christianity as its state religion. These include the massive Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, which towers over the central district, and the medieval Katoghike Church, which is believed to be the oldest church in Yerevan. The Blue or Persian Mosque, with its blue dome and tiling, is an eighteenth-century reminder of Yerevanâs Iranian period.
Public transport in Yerevan itself is simple and inexpensive. The Yerevan metro is safe and reliable, and tickets are cheap at 100 dram (AMD), just 15p (GBP) per journey. Marshrutkas, a type of shared minibus, stop at bus stops or can be hailed like taxis, and are also inexpensive at 100 dram per journey.
