8 Things that can surprise tourists in Yerevan

Customs and life which have become familiar for Yerevan residents sometimes surprise tourists in Armenia who have a lot of questions in this regard. Here is a list of the most interesting and unusual phenomena that will surely attract attention of those who decided to make tours to Armenia.
Street drinking fountains with clear water.

Tourists and guests of the capital can never buy bottled water as all over the city you can find outdoor drinking fountains with absolutely pure water. It is said that the Yerevan residents owe those fountains appearance to the architect Tamanian, who constantly had to buy water in jugs from boys-sellers and therefore such water points appeared in the city's project.

Perfect cleanliness in the metro

All the tourists of the Armenian capital are amazed how pure it is in the Yerevan subway. At the same time there are not even garbage bins or inscriptions with calls to keep clean. But nevertheless no resident will ever allow himself to smoke here or litter.

13 Столиц Армении

У армянского народа за плечами долгий исторический путь, и на протяжении этого пути не раз менялись столицы как Великой так и Малой Армении, Цопка, Киликии и других государственных единиц, которые также создавали армяне за пределами основного государства. Трудно рассказать обо всех столицах Армении, многие из них неизвестны и по сей день. Но невозможно не отметить 13 столиц Великой Армении, являющихся неотьемлемой частью истории армянского народа. Все эти города в свое время ялялись символом государственности для армян, обьединяли народ, благодаря многим из них Армения сохранилась как государство и по сей день. Неслучайно, в качестве элементов здания мэрии современной столицы Армении – Еревана, построены 12 колонн в честь 12 столиц Великой Армении (не считая Еревана). В роли столицы Еревану предшествовали следующие города Великой  Армении.

Lastiver - a place from a fairy-tale

Imagine a fairy-tale nature of the dark forest in the mountains, tall trees and clouds that stuck in the trees, impassable trails, torrents of mountain rivers, steep slopes and ... a cave.

The picturesque valley of Hachahbyur river to the west from Ijevan, Armenia, called Lastiver, is amazing in its beauty. Lastiver is not just a cave in the valley of Hachahbyur River, but also an area surrounded with forest, river and waterfalls.

The name of this cave is translated from Armenian as "up the raft." Why such an unusual name?

There is a common explanation. The cave is located on the slope of a very steep gorge. The villagers of the Yenokavan village had to build a log ladder to be able to get to the gorge, which is located three kilometers from the river Hachahbyur. The staircase was like a kind of a vertical raft, on which people went up and down in the gorge. So the name of this place became popularly known as Lastiver - "up the raft."

The peculiar terrain, waterfalls, green forests make Lastiver a favorite tourist destination. Surely, only the lazy did not happen here. It is noteworthy that Lastiver remains a popular destination for many years.

Новый Год в Армении

Новый год - один из самых любимых праздников в Армении.  Он отмечается 31-ого декабря и продолжается до 7 - го января, так как 6 - ого наступает Рождество Христово.  

Эти зимние праздники армяне празднуют с особым вдохновением. Готовятся за 2 – 3 недели. Везде приятная предпраздничная суета, все куда то спешат, делают покупки, выбирают подарки …

Дома наряжается елка, а за несколько дней уже начинаются приготовления традиционных праздничных армянских блюд.  В последние годы в меню вошли так же блюда разных стран, но армянская толма и гата являются обязательными составляющими праздничного стола …

За несколько минут до наступления 12-и часов, все члены семьи собираются за столом, чтобы проводить старый и встретить новый год вместе. Радуются все, ведь новый год приносит новые надежды и мечты.  После 12-и соседи уже стучатся в дверь … так и празднуют до утра  …

Ancient Armenian Roots of Winemaking

Armenia is an ancient land one of the world's oldest civilizations and since ancient days Armenia was famous for th wine making.

Talking about the history of wine-making it should be said that Forefather Noah was the first winemaker according to the Biblical legend. The grape was planted in the slope of Mount Ararat.

Armenians are noted as one of the first nations making wine and in accordance with scientifically proved data it has 6000 year history. 

In 401 BC, when the Greek armies were passes on the Armenia, called that time Nairi, in houses they found wine, kept in deep dugouts called as "karas".

In June of 2010 National Geographic Society announced that near the village of Areni, in the same cave where  was found the world's oldest shoe dating back 5,500 years group of Armenian, U.S. and Irish archaeologists found the world oldest winery.

6 Interesting facts about Armenia

1. According to legend the Armenians are the descendents of Haik, a powefull person who didn’t want to live in Babelon under the brutal rule of the King Bel. He took his sons, grandsons, all his big family and moved from Mesopotamia to the north, to Highlands around the Mountain Ararat. But Bel decided to revenge and capture the fugitive family and came with his army to conquer Haik. The battle took place in Ararat Valley and Haik’s family beat the Bels army. It was about xx century B.C.

Since then they lived in freedom and they gave birth to a whole nation – Armenians (Armenian call themselves Hai by the name of their ancestor Haik).


2. The present Capital of Armenia Yerevan was founded in 782 B.C. The name of the initial castle was Erebouni. It is even older than the Eternal City – Rome. There were numerous nice churches and monasteries in Yerevan. Unfortunately in 30s the Bolsheviks ruined almost all of them. Church Zoravor is one of the few survivors. One of nicest Mosques in the Southern Caucasus is the