Yerevan

Yerevan is Armenia’s beating heart, an upcoming capital city with an energetic atmosphere. One of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, Yerevan has a history dating back to the 8th century BC when King Argishti I of Urartu founded the citadel of Erebuni. Also known as Arin Berd, the remains of this ancient fortress can be found on the outskirts of modern-day Yerevan. 

Other significant landmarks that have stood the test of time include the 18th-century Blue Mosque and the Yerevan Ararat Wine Factory, which still produces wine and brandy. Despite a long and often turbulent past, Yerevan today is a young and cosmopolitan city with wide tree-lined boulevards and pavement cafes, creating a surprisingly continental ambience. Much of Yerevan’s impressive architecture is part of Armenia’s Soviet legacy, and examples include the imposing Mother Armenia statue in Victory Park, and the Cascade, an impressive series of sculpted white limestone staircases and terraces. Republic Square is the nucleus of the capital and the result of architect Alexander Tamanian’s blueprint for Yerevan. Many of the city’s most impressive buildings surround the plaza, including the Post Office, National Art Gallery and several government buildings. 

Serving as a central meeting place for both residents and visitors, Republic Square comes to life in the late afternoon and evenings when the ‘singing fountain’ springs into action. Yerevan nightlife can be a sophisticated affair, with world-class restaurants, an evening at one of Saryan Street’s wine bars, or a night at the opera, all enticing options. For history aficionados, a visit to the Genocide Memorial and Museum, dedicated to the victims of the 1915 holocaust, will provide an insight into a sobering part of Armenia’s past. The Matenadaran – the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts – is a fascinating museum housing a unique collection of ancient manuscripts covering philosophy, law, mathematics, medicine and geography. 

The growing number of boutique and luxury hotels in Yerevan, along with a choice of first-class restaurants serving both traditional and contemporary takes on Armenian cuisine, make Yerevan a superb choice from which to explore the rest of the country.