The land, history, culture, food and wonderful people of Armenia.

I traveled to this tiny landlocked Eurasian country to partner with the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia so that another hard-working family could have a decent place to live. Our base for the week was the capital city of Yerevan, an unexpectedly delightful and lively city. Armenians are night owls y’all! The nightly light and sound show of the Singing Fountains in front of the History Museum of Yerevan, just off of the enormous Republic Square begins after dark, about 9pm and lasts two hours, May to October!

In addition to being a safe and clean city, public art, great food and lively open-air gathering spaces make Yerevan a fun and easy city to explore on foot. Our team stayed at the Congress Hotel, which is a terrific upmarket hotel with many amenities including a gym, outdoor swimming pool, bars and a great restaurant, Accent, which is more expensive than other places but with excellent food.

[PRO TIP: At the Congress pick up the free Inside Yerevan map curated by ONEArmenia. Best place to buy water, snacks, etc. is the Eurika Market around the corner from the Congress.]

I knew very little about Armenian history or culture before traveling there. One of my strongest impressions was of the pride that Armenians everywhere have for their heritage. You could say they’ve been kicked around by their neighbors over the years and are still standing tall—thankfully.

Undoubtedly the most sobering way to begin to absorb Armenia’s history is by visiting the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum. After decades of suffering under Ottoman rule, the official systematic extermination of the Armenians began in 1915 at the hands of The Young Turks political movement.

Approximately 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the most unimaginable means, beginning with the country’s elite and educated. (I could not help but think of what the Khmer Rouge did to the Cambodians.) I knew nearly nothing about this atrocity prior to this trip. The eternal flame has been burning since 1967 when the complex opened.

During the visit, I learned that when Hitler was told that he couldn’t possibly wipe out the Jews he was famously quoted as saying, “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?“ as his inspiration. Among those who survived were tens of thousands of orphaned children, many of whom went to live in other parts of the world. This accounts for why the Armenian diaspora is so vast today.

Eternal Flame, Armenian Genocide Memorial

Many of the interesting things to see and do in Yerevan are accessible just by walking. One of the most prominent landmarks is, Matenadaran (Մատենադարան), named after Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the Armenian alphabet, whose statue stands in front of the building. Officially the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, it is a museum, repository of manuscripts, and research institute included in the register of the UNESCO Memory of the World program.

There are many illuminated gospels, of course, but some of my favorite items on display were the maps. In some cases, these are the only copies of original documents that were created in the fifth century, which no longer exist, especially after the fire at the library in Alexandria, Egypt.

Mesrop Mashtots, inventor of the Armenian alphabet

The Cascade Complex Fountain is another lovely outdoor park and cultural landmark in the heart of Yerevan. Known for its impressive series of fountains that flow down the hillside, it serves as a vital link between the city center and the Monument to the Armenian Genocide. It’s a nice climb to the top to enjoy the views and the incredible public art but will give you an appreciation for how far the city has come, and how far it has yet to go in terms of development.

More Cool Sites Around Yerevan

Ride the metro to the Yerevan Railway Station – Owned and rebuilt in 2010 by Russian Railways where you can see the David of Sassoun copper equestrian statue and visit a tiny shop in Impact Hub which showcases locally crafted fair-trade handicrafts.
Move2Market [42, 1 Aram Street] for unique souvenirs made in Armenia.
The Main Design Store with café [10 Mher Mkrtchyan Str, Mirzoyan Library] for Armenian designers and brands.

Our Favorite Restaurants

Tabouli – Great Lebanese
Black Angus – Burgers
2022_place – [15 Mesrop Mashtots Ave] Hole-in-the-wall with excellent vegan food, not visible from the street, through the alley and WORTH it!
Shaghig – Great Middle Eastern cuisine
Sherep [1 Amiryan Street] – Awesome food and atmosphere
Cafe Central – coffee, teas and liquid chocolate!
Lavash – order the millefeuille, a showstopper of a dessert

[PRO TIP: It’s best to make reservations!]

Things To See & Do Outside the City

Worth a trip is the quirky Armenian Alphabet Monument, built in 2005 to commemorate its 1600th birthday. The 39 giant, carved Armenian letters, are strategically placed near the final resting place of the man who created the alphabet, the aforementioned Mesrop Mashtots.

Although the exact historical accounts are debated, Armenia is universally considered as the first nation to adopt Christianity as its state religion in the 4th century AD. There are many beautiful and old churches that showcase Armenia’s Christian heritage both past and present. We visited a few out in the countryside not too far from Yerevan, Hovhanavanq Church 5th century AD and Safhmosavanq Church, are two.

The real reason to get out of the city is to enjoy nature, more specifically the mountains. Big mountains. Also deeply tied to Christian Biblical history. One of the tallest mountains is Aragats, which means, the throne of God. Another, Ararat, is recognized as the place Noah’s Ark landed after the Diluvian waters began to subside. To combine nature and religion, I recommend visiting Tsaghkavank, the Flower Monastery, a cave shrine on the southern slopes of Mount Ara.