Vanadzor

Armenia's 3rd largest city with a few nice churches

Tsaghkadzor

Armenia's ski destination.

Jermuk

famous for its mineral waters, which come out at very high temperature and can be enjoyed at the spas. Ski lifts are under construction.

Gyumri

Armenia's 2nd largest city which once dwarfed Yerevan. Small old town area still shows earthquake damage from 1988.

Echmiadzin

the spiritual capital of Armenia, home to the Armenian Catholicos, is a UNESCO World Heritage site

Dilijan

popular forest resort known as the "Little Switzerland" of Armenia.

Alaverdi

home of UNESCO World Heritage site Sanahin Monastery and nearby Haghpat Monastery

Yerevan

the capital, and by far the largest city

Vagharshapat

city in Armenia

Lake Sevan

lake in Armenia

National Gallery of Armenia

Located in the same building as the History Museum of Armenia. Features several floors full of mostly paintings, organized by their country of origin. The Armenian collection is the best and of very high quality, the Russian is quite good (Kandinsky, Serov, Chagall), and art lovers will enjoy the European collection as well.

Garni

village in Kotayk Province of Armenia

Sanahin Monastery

cultural heritage monument of Armenia

Khor Virap

cultural heritage monument of Armenia

Etchmiadzin Cathedral

Founded in 301 by St. Gregory the Illuminator and rebuilt and added to for over 1,700 years, Echmiadzin now is the heart of the Armenian Church, and seat of the Catholicos of all Armenians. The altar is built over an ancient pagan fire worshiping pit (accessible from the museum behind the altar), the inside has interesting frescoes, altar, lamps, and thrones. The intricate bell tower entrance is an addition from the 1800s, and the surrounding grounds have gardens with examples of khachkars from throughout Armenia and further. Near the new entrance gates are a few exquisite khachkar examples from Jugha (now in Azerbaijan) - which had by far the largest khachkar collection in the world. The thousands of khachkars which remained there were destroyed during this decade by the Azeri government. In autumn 2018 the cathedral interior is a building site, though services continue - this work will probably drag on into 2019. The Treasury is unaffected and well-worth seeing, though the star exhibit, the Roman Geghard or "Spear used at the Cross", is on loan to NY Met Museum until mid-Feb 2019.

Noravank

monastery

Tsitsernakaberd

An austere monument & museum commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide. The permanent collection documents the 19th C community, then its ruthless destruction circa 1915 at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.Tsitsernakaberd (meaning "Fortress of Swallows") is probably best reached by taxi. Walking from town, follow Athens St past the Hrazdan Stadium to Brazil Square roundabout, where a little lane branches north up the hill.

Haghartsin Monastery

cultural heritage monument of Armenia

Haghpat Monastery

Part of the same UNESCO site as Sanahin, you'll have a hard time choosing a favourite. The labyrinth of passages, chambers, khachkars and views will leave you wondering how this masterpiece was built.

Saint Hripsime Church

An outstanding example of earlier Christian architecture, this 7th century cathedral with soaring ceilings and vast interior space was an example for future architects.

Yerevan Opera Theatre

The building is perhaps modeled after SemperOper of Dresden, however it is supposed to be double as beautiful as the Yerevan building is two sided: One side (entrance from the Theatrical/Freedom square) is home to Opera and Ballet Theatre, while the street side houses the Khachaturian Concert Hall. For music fans, attend cheap and excellent performances at the Opera or the Chamber Music Orchestra. If a national dance group is performing, don’t miss it.

Kobayr monastery

The partially collapsed church once had magnificently exposed frescoes - which are now being covered again as the complex is restored. The setting is really nice, as are the views. Well worth the 15-min walk up the slippery wet slopes of the canyon.

Saint Gayane Church

Built in honor of one of the Christian virgins killed by the Armenian King, along with Hripsime, this smaller church with an arcade in front is a few blocks south of the Echmiadzin compound.

Moscow Cinema

Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, Yerevan

Completed in 2001 to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of Armenia as a Christian nation. The holy relics of St Gregory the Armenian were given back to the Armenian Church by the Vatican in 2001 and placed in this cathedral. The building is a megalomaniacal exaggeration of traditional Armenian Church Architecture. As opposed to all other churches in Yerevan (and Armenia) the cathedral is full of light and does not carry any stand for candles. The candle-house is a separate structure next door. However, the complex is vastly and visibly unfinished.

Zvartnots Cathedral

Ruins of cathedral built 643-652 by the order of Catholicos Nerses. It's a 3-tiered rotunda on a platform (ramp on right) with a small museum.

Kecharis Monastery

monastery

Shoghakat Church

At the site of the present day church of Shoghakat, there stood an earlier church of the 6th or 7th century which has not survived. Current building was erected in 1694 by Prince Aghamal Sorotetsi. The name of the church comes from Armenian (Շողակաթ եկեղեցի) meaning "drop of light" because of the ray of light that came down from heaven upon Hripsimé's martyrs.

Blue Mosque, Yerevan

An 18th-century Shia Islamic Mosque, one of the extreme few surviving structures of a once (before Soviet secularisation) prospering Muslim community of Yerevan.

Mother Armenia

Erected in 1967, replacing the monumental statue of Joseph Stalin.

Yerevan Cascade

The Sculpture Park is a small green zone in the immediate North of the Opera. Sculptures from Botero and other artists of international fame decorate the park. The park is part of Cafesjian Museum - the Armenian version of Guggenheim. The main part of the museum is in the Cascades - an Art Deco version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon stretching nearly the height of the Empire State Building. It's a massive white stairway up a hillside of central Yerevan, decorated with green stretches, fountains and waterfalls. Higher level of the Cascades give a spectacular view of Mount Ararat and panorama of central Yerevan with its hilariously multi-colour roofs. The first floor and the bookstore of the museum as well as the indoor escalators to the top of the Cascades are free of charge.

Katoghike Tsiranavor Church of Avan

This is the city's oldest surviving church, which was completed in the 6th century.

Zoravor Surp Astvatsatsin Church

This is the replica of a beautiful 18th-century St Holy Mother of God (Sb Astvatsatsin in Armenian) church destroyed during the Soviet years of forced secularisation. Because of the sudden death of the benefactor the church complex was never finished.

Odzun Church

A huge basilica, which has withstood the tests of time for 1,300 years, the church in Odzun is a beauty. There is an interest memorial on the site with carvings telling a story, and a large village surrounds the church.

Akhtala Monastery

This beautiful fortified monastery has exquisite frescoes, large fortifications, great carvings and interesting ruins. Not many visit it yet, but that will likely change in time.

Horomayr Monastery

The monastery is built in part at the top of the cliff, in part halfway down. At the top, there is a three-chambered chapel. Below, the walls of the canyon form one of the four walls of the structures. There are caves within the monastic complex, khachkars and carvings. St Mark's Church was built by the Princes Zakare and Ivane Zakarian in 1187. The other buildings were built by Abbot Samuel in 1206.

Republic Square, Yerevan

The city's main square is a grand example of Soviet public architecture. The early buildings (the Houses of Government, the Ministry of Communications and the Marriott Hotel) are Neo-Classical with Armenian hints. The later buildings (the Foreign Ministry and Art Gallery) are Modernist imitations.Within the square, the Singing Fountains perform most evenings April-Oct, dancing and frothing to classical and contemporary music. In Oct 2018 the city mourned the passing of Charles Aznavour with impromptu shrines, images and sound tracks here and elsewhere: the Singing Fountains danced pretty much the same to his best-known tunes as they'd previously done to Rossini's or Sinatra's.

Makravank Monastery

cultural heritage monument of Armenia

Katoghike Church, Yerevan

The oldest surviving church of Yerevan. It is a tiny structure constructed in typical Armenian style. Katoghike means "cathedral"; the reason for the incongruity is that the present-day church, dating from XIII century, was incorporated whole into the XVII century basilica - but that one was pulled down in 1936. In 2015, the Catholicos consecrated the large white-and-pink Surp Anna church that is now adjoining Katoghike.

Sergei Parajanov Museum

The House-Museum of Sergei Parajanov, a famous Soviet film director. The museum is best known for special Parajanov collages and art that everybody loves and enjoys. It is equally highly appreciated by children, teenage and most demanding art critic. Many highest level official informal meetings are conducted here. It is a must-see!

Zvartnots, Armenia

town in Armenia

Saint Sarkis Cathedral, Yerevan

From the Victory Bridge (or alternatively the Brandy Factory building) there is a beautiful view on the church and surroundings (structures of different shades constructed in immediate proximity to the church during the Soviet years of forced secularisation). The church is always crowded. Usually there are also many young people as St Sargis (or St Sergius in Western churches) is the patron saint of young people and of lovers.

Cafesjian Museum of Art

A modern art museum, house to the collection of Gerard Cafesjian. It has Arshile Gorky, Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall and other big names on display. The collection is very rich in Glass Art, has many pieces of Libenský-Brychtová couple, including specially made 'For Armenia' series. A separate floor is devoted to Swarovski Chandelier collection. Entry can be made at any level, but the pay desk, information, shop and facilities are at the bottom.

English Park, Yerevan

Saint John the Baptist Church, Yerevan

Haghpat

village in Lori Province of Armenia

Lake Parz

lake in Armenia

Northern Avenue, Yerevan

Impossible to miss, this pedestrian avenue was opened in 2008 connecting Opera with Republic Square, the two hubs of central Yerevan. It's a post-modern response to post-World War II Soviet Yerevan architecture. It is emerging as the shopping district, together with Sayat-Nova ave., Terian st., Tumanian st. and Abovian st.

Tatevi Anapat

Erebuni Museum

The museum stands at the foot of the Arin Berd hill, on top of which the Urartian Fortress Erebouni has stood since 782 BCE. The City-Fortress was excavated, some parts of the structure were reinforced and restored, and the fortress was turned into an outdoor museum. The city was built by Argishti I the King of Urartu in 782 BCE. The temple of God Khaldi occupied an important place in the fortress. The walls of the temple were decorated with numerous frescos. The museum houses 12,235 exhibits. It has two branches in Shengavit and Karmir Blur with 5,288 and 1,620 exhibits respectively in stock.

Sanahin

village in Lori Province of Armenia

Sev Berd

The big, round, black fortress on the top of the hill overlooking Gyumri is a good spot to take in the view. It once protected the Russian Empire from the Ottoman Empire. Nearby is the huge "Mother Armenia" statue.

Lyon Park, Yerevan

Aghavnavank Monastery

monastery in Armenia

Yerevan City Council

legislature of Armenia

Yerevan Botanical Garden

The collection includes more than 200 species of endemic, rare and declining plants. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union due to insufficient funds the condition of the park started declining and now it needs a lot of improvements.

Tumanyan Park

Part of its the Tumo Centre for Creative Technologies.

House-Museum of Aram Khachaturian

Khujabi Monastery

If you make it to Khorakert, you should be able to make it to this soaring, majestic and lost work of architecture, further along the border.

Circular Park

Mashtots Avenue

It's the 8-lane highway of the city which somehow also accommodates a pedestrian zones on the sides (result of standard Soviet planning of main 'Prospekts'). It is overly noisy because of the heavy traffic (mostly unorganised public transportation) but the parts close to The Opera is a favourite hangout place for the locals. There are three buildings on the avenue which are well worth attention - Matenadaran, the covered market (the interior is now a modern supermarket and mall, but the highly-decorated original exterior survives) and Blue Mosque.

Yerevan History Museum

Presents all periods of the life in Yerevan starting from paleolithic settlements (50,000 years) to modern days. Ancient maps and the pictures of the lost city, pre-Soviet Erivan, are of special interest. Lift and sloping floors for people who use wheelchairs.

Lovers' Park

The oldest park of Yerevan. Renovated in tradition of Japanese landscaping with Armenian spirit. It often hosts open air art exhibitions and concerts. It is best reached by metro, station 'Marshal Baghramian' - perhaps the most underused building and allegedly the best in Modernist style.

Freedom Square, Yerevan

North side of the square is the Opera House, followed by a park full of open air cafés on the eest, from south it borders the Northern Avenue, and on the east the square slowly transforms into park with Swan Lake.

Church of the Holy Mother of God, Vanadzor

Very old black and orange stone Armenian church. It is one of the nicest examples of historic architecture in Vanadzor. It was built in 1831 and then renovated in 1999.