According to ethnicityology, Yerevan is one of the oldest cities in the world, it has been known since the 8th century BC, at that time it was a major center of trade in the countries of Transcaucasia. One of the main attractions of the city is the Opera and Ballet Theatre. The construction of the part of the theater in which the opera takes place was completed in 1939, and in 1963 the large philharmonic hall was put into operation. Around the theater there are numerous restaurants and cafes, and in front of the building itself there are two sculptures in honor of the composer A. Spendiaryan and the poet H. Tumanyan. The favorite resting place of the majority of Yerevan residents is Victory Park. On its territory there is a famous pedestal “Mother Armenia”, which embodies the readiness to fight for their people. Inside this monument is an interesting military museum of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia. The original architectural structure “Grand Cascade” is the hallmark of the capital. There is no such complex in any post-Soviet country, and it is impossible to determine exactly what a monument or building is. The cascade is a multi-storey architectural structure, which connects the city center, which lies in the lowlands, and the residential area, located high in the mountains, with a huge number of stairs going up. The central part of the city is the square of the famous Armenian architect Tamanyan, which in the period from 1926 to 1991 was named after Lenin. All its elements are made in the traditional style for this country. On the eastern and western sides, opposite each other, there is the House of the Government of Armenia and the House of Ministries, which, with three more buildings, are part of the architectural ensemble of the square. City chimes hang on the wall of the House of Ministries, and the columns of the building are decorated with fine, neat carvings with ornaments characteristic of Armenian architecture. A boulevard, decorated in 1968 with 2,750 small fountains, connects to the square. On the Shirak mountain plateau, 126 kilometers from Yerevan, lies one of the oldest cities in Armenia – Gyumri. The city is best known as a center of Armenian healthcare, architecture and traditional crafts. Unfortunately, in 1988 a strong earthquake destroyed not only a huge number of attractions, but the entire city. Before the earthquake, the streets of Gyumri were decorated with original buildings, alleys and parks, but now the city has been completely rebuilt, and instead of beautiful buildings, unremarkable five-story panel houses are located here. However, local parks are gradually beginning to be restored here. Mainly worth coming here to enjoy the amazingly beautiful landscapes in the vicinity of Gyumri, where old temples and monasteries still stand, including the main attraction of the city – the ruins of the once powerful fortress of Gyumri. The historical region of the country, which is inhabited by indigenous Armenians, is Nagorno-Karabakh. Although legally it is part of Azerbaijan, in fact it is still an independent region of Armenia. On the territory of Karabakh, there are about 1,700 architectural monuments of historical significance, including 600 monasteries and 500 churches. While in Nagorno-Karabakh, you should definitely visit the princely residence on the territory, which houses several beautiful churches and the Getamech Monastery, which is deservedly considered the main achievement of medieval Armenian architecture. The ancient fortress of Jraberd is also interesting,
National cuisine of Armenia
Armenian cuisine is one of the main advantages of the country. Having a long history, it has managed to retain all its traditional features. Armenian cuisine uses a wide variety of herbs that in other countries would be considered common weeds. Meat, cheeses, herbs and, of course, the famous Armenian lavash are used in a significant part of the dishes. At first glance, the preparation of Armenian dishes is quite simple, all products are subjected to minimal processing, and vegetable oil is practically not used. Armenians love meat dishes, the traditional and most famous of which is barbecue, the number of varieties of which is simply amazing. Often barbecue is made from large pieces of beef on the grill. Such a dish as “kyufta” is also popular, which is boiled meat balls beaten in a special way, basturma and fried chicken with matsun cheese. It is impossible to imagine Armenian cuisine without lavash. Here, like hundreds of years ago, lavash is baked according to the old technology in the same clay ovens. In addition to lavash, there may be round matnakash bread on the table. The drink that the whole country is famous for is cognac. Despite the fact that the production of Armenian cognac began a little over a hundred years ago, during this time Armenia has become a recognized producer of this drink. Armenian brandy is made from special grape varieties (Mekhali, Chilar and Kakhet), which grow in the Ararat Valley, the soil of which is perfect for growing brandy grapes.
