The history of Ancient Armenia has more than one thousand years, and the Armenians themselves lived long before the emergence of the nations of modern Europe. They existed even before the advent of the ancient peoples - the Romans and Hellenes.

First mentions

In the cuneiform writings of the Persian rulers, the name "Arminia" is found. Herodotus also mentions "armen" in his writings. According to one version, it was an Indo-European people who migrated from Europe in the 12th century. BC e.

Another hypothesis claims that the pra-Armenian tribal unions arose for the first time in the 4th-3rd millennium BC. It is they who, according to some scholars, are found in the poem "Iliad" by Homer under the name "Arims".

One of the names of Ancient Armenia - Hai - according to the proposals of scientists, comes from the name of the people "Hayas". This name is mentioned on Hittite clay tablets in the 2nd millennium BC. e., discovered during the archaeological excavations of Hattushashi - the ancient capital of the Hittites.

There is evidence that the Assyrians called this territory the country of rivers - Nairi. According to one hypothesis, it included 60 different peoples.

At the beginning of the ninth century BC e. a powerful kingdom of Urartu arose with the capital Van. It is believed that this is the oldest state on the territory of the Soviet Union. The civilization of Urartu, the successors of which were the Armenians, was quite developed. There was a written language based on the Babylonian-Assyrian cuneiform, agriculture, cattle breeding, and metallurgy.

Urartu was famous for the technology of erecting impregnable fortresses. On the territory of modern Yerevan there were two of them. The first - Erebuni, was built by one of the first kings Argishti. It was she who gave the name of the modern capital of Armenia. The second is Teishebaini, founded by King Rusa II (685-645 BC). This was the last ruler of Urartu. The state could not resist the powerful Assyria and perished forever from its weapons.

It was replaced by a new state. The first kings of Ancient Armenia - Yerwand and Tigran. The latter should not be confused with the famous ruler Tigranes the Great, who would later terrify the Roman Empire and create a great empire in the East. A new people appeared, formed as a result of the assimilation of the Indo-Europeans with the local ancient tribes of the Khayami and Urartu. From here came a new state - Ancient Armenia with its own culture and language.

Vassals of the Persians

At one time, Persia was a powerful state. All the peoples who lived in Asia Minor submitted to them. This fate befell the Armenian kingdom. The dominance of the Persians over them lasted more than two centuries (550-330 BC).

Greek historians about Armenia in the times of the Persians

Armenia is an ancient civilization. This is confirmed by many historians of antiquity, for example, Xenophon in the 5th century BC. e. As a participant in the events, the author of Anabasis described the retreat of 10,000 Greeks to the Black Sea through a country called Ancient Armenia. The Greeks saw the developed economic activity, as well as the life of the Armenians. Everywhere they found wheat, barley, fragrant wines, lard, various oils - pistachio, sesame, almond. The ancient Hellenes also saw here raisins, leguminous fruits. In addition to crop products, the Armenians bred domestic animals: goats, cows, pigs, chickens, horses. The data of Xenophon tell the descendants that the people living in this place were economically developed. The abundance of different products is striking. The Armenians not only produced food themselves, but also actively engaged in trade with neighboring lands. Of course, Xenophon did not say anything about this, but he listed some products that do not grow in this territory.

Strabo in the 1st century n. e. reports that ancient Armenia had very good pastures for horses. The country was not inferior to Media in this regard and supplied horses annually for the Persians. Strabo mentions the obligation of Armenian satraps, administrative governors during the reign of the Persians, of the obligation to deliver about two thousand young foals in honor of the famous festival of Mithra.

Armenian wars in antiquity

The historian Herodotus (V century BC) described the Armenian soldiers of that era, their weapons. The soldiers wore small shields, had short spears, swords, and darts. On their heads were wicker helmets, they were shod in high boots.

Conquest of Armenia by Alexander the Great

The era of Alexander the Great redrawn the entire map and the Mediterranean. All the lands of the vast Persian empire became part of a new political association under the rule of Macedonia.

After the death of Alexander the Great, the state disintegrates. In the east, the Seleucid state is formed. The once unified territory of a single people was divided into three separate regions as part of a new country: Great Armenia, located on the Ararat plain, Sophena - between the Euphrates and the upper reaches of the Tigris, and Lesser Armenia - between the Euphrates and the upper reaches of Lykos.

The history of ancient Armenia, although it speaks of constant dependence on other states, however, shows that it concerned only foreign policy issues, which had a beneficial effect on the development of the future state. It was a kind of prototype of an autonomous republic in the composition of successive empires.

They were often called basileus, i.e. kings. They maintained only a formal dependence, sending tribute and troops to the center in wartime. Neither the Persians nor the Hellenistic state of the Seleucids made any attempts to penetrate into the internal structure of the Armenians. If the former ruled almost all of their remote territories in this way, then the successors of the Greeks always changed the internal way of the conquered peoples, imposing on them “democratic values” and a special order.

The collapse of the Seleucid state, the unification of Armenia

After the defeat of the Seleucids by Rome, the Armenians gained temporary independence. Rome was not yet ready to start new conquests of peoples after the war with the Hellenes. This was used by the once united people. Attempts began to restore a single state, which was called "Ancient Armenia".

The ruler of Greater Armenia Artashes declared himself an independent king Artashes I. He united all the lands that spoke the same language, including Lesser Armenia. The last region of Sofen became part of the new state later, after 70 years, under the famous ruler Tigran the Great.

The final formation of the Armenian nationality

It is believed that under the new Artashesid dynasty, a great historical event took place - the formation of the Armenian nationality with its own language and culture. They were greatly influenced by their proximity to developed Hellenistic peoples. The minting of their own coins with Greek inscriptions spoke of the strong influence of neighbors on culture and trade.

Artashat - the capital of the ancient state of Greater Armenia

During the reign of the Artashesid dynasty, the first large cities appeared. Among them is the city of Artashat, which became the first capital of the new state. Translated from Greek, it meant "the joy of Artaxias."

The new capital had an advantageous geographical position in that era. It was located on the main route to the ports of the Black Sea. The time of the appearance of the city coincided with the establishment of overland trade relations between Asia and India and China. Artashat began to acquire the status of a major trade and political center. Plutarch highly appreciated the role of this city. He gave it the status of "Armenian Carthage", which, translated into modern language, meant a city that unites all nearby lands. All the Mediterranean powers knew about the beauty and luxury of Artashat.

Rise of the Armenian Kingdom

The history of Armenia from ancient times contains bright moments of the power of this state. The golden age falls on the reign of Tigran the Great (95-55) - the grandson of the founder of the famous dynasty Artashes I. Tigranakert became the capital of the state. This city became one of the leading centers of science, literature and art throughout the ancient world. The best Greek actors performed in the local theater, famous scientists and historians were frequent guests of Tigran the Great. One of them is the philosopher Metrodorus, who was an ardent opponent of the growing Roman Empire.

Armenia became part of the Hellenistic world. The Greek language penetrated the aristocratic elite.

Armenia is a unique part of the Hellenistic culture

Armenia in the 1st century BC e. - developed advanced state of the world. She took all the best that was in the world - culture, science, art. Tigran the Great developed theaters and schools. Armenia was not only the cultural center of Hellenism, but also an economically strong state. Trade, industry, crafts grew. A distinctive feature of the state was that it did not take the system of slavery, which was used by the Greeks and Romans. All lands were cultivated by peasant communities, whose members were free.

The Armenia of Tigran the Great spread over vast territories. This was an empire that covered a huge part from the Caspian to the Mediterranean Seas. Many peoples and states became its vassals: in the north - Tsibania, Iberia, in the southeast - Parthia and Arab tribes.

Conquest by Rome, end of the Armenian Empire

The rise of Armenia coincided with the rise of another eastern state on the territory of the former USSR - Pontus, headed by Mithridates. After long wars with Rome, Pontus also lost its independence. Armenia was in good neighborly relations with Mithridates. After his defeat, she was left alone with mighty Rome.

After long wars, the unified Armenian Empire in 69-66. BC e. broke up. Under the rule of Tigranes, only that which was declared a "friend and ally" of Rome remained. So called all the conquered states. In fact, the country has become another province.

After joining the Roman Empire, the ancient stage of statehood begins. The country fell apart, its lands were appropriated by other states, and the local population was constantly in conflict with each other.

Armenian alphabet

In ancient times, the Armenians used writing based on the Babylonian-Assyrian cuneiform. During the heyday of Armenia, during the time of Tigran the Great, the country completely switched to the Greek language in business. On the coins, archaeologists find Greek writing.

Created by Mesrop Mashtots relatively late - in 405. It originally consisted of 36 letters: 7 vowels and 29 consonants.

The main 4 graphic forms of Armenian writing - yerkatagir, bolorgir, shkhagir and notrgir - developed only in the Middle Ages.

As early as the beginning of the 20th century, there were several million Armenian inhabitants, 2.5 thousand Armenian churches, more than a thousand schools, houses, monasteries and libraries on the territory of the Ottoman Empire.

After 1915, most of them were slaughtered, deported or converted to Islam on pain of death, and out of a thousand churches, one part was turned into mosques, and the other was razed to the ground.

This article will focus on 8 ancient, economically and culturally developed cities of Western Armenia, which are now part of modern Turkey.

Adana

Adana is located on the Seyhan River, 50 km from the Mediterranean coast. The city was part of the Cilician kingdom and was of strategic importance, carried on significant trade with the cities of Asia Minor and Syria.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the population of the province of Adana was 490,000 people, 41.8% of which were Armenians and only 15.9% were Turks. Previously, the center of the Adana diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church was located here.

But by the decision of the Turkish authorities, Armenian schools, houses, gardens, churches were destroyed and the Armenian population was exterminated. Today, Adana is a major industrial center, where the textile, chemical and food industries are developed.

In the east of modern Turkey, there is the ancient capital of the Armenian Ani kingdom, the ghost town of Ani, founded more than 1600 years ago on the banks of the Akhuryan River. On a hill formed by the gorge of the Akhuryan River and the Bostanlar valley, the city was located at the intersection of several trade routes of a triangular hill.

Its main trading partners were the Byzantine and Persian empires, the Arabs, as well as the peoples of Central Asia and today's Russia. At one time, Ani was one of the largest cities in the world, now it is a ghost town. After the invasion of the Seljuk Turks, destruction and earthquakes, only emptiness and ruins remained from the city of "1001 churches".

Bitlis/ Bagesh

The ancient Armenian city of Bitlis is mentioned in history under a different name - Sebeos and Bagesh. Some historians believe that the location of the city, in terms of trade and military strategy, contributed to its growth and prosperity at all times.

One of the largest roads passed through the valley of the Bitlis River, connecting the port city of Trebizond and the major cities of central Armenia with Mesopotamia. The city was once captured by the Arabs (7th century), Byzantines (9th century), Kurds (10th century), Seljuks (12th century), and Ottoman Turks (16th century).

Recall that the main population of the city was 400 thousand inhabitants, of which more than half were Armenians, who until the beginning of the 19th century remained the largest ethnic group. Those who managed to escape death during the genocide found refuge in Eastern Armenia.

The territory of the modern city of Van was the central part of the ancient kingdom of Urartu. It was part of Greater Armenia, the kingdom of Vaspurakan, the Byzantine Empire, the Seljuk state, and the Ottoman Empire.

Armenians made up the majority of the population in it for centuries, until they were evicted or exterminated in the period 1915-1923. At that time, the old city of Van was completely destroyed, and the new one with the same name is located near the old ruins, which is now inhabited by Turks and Kurds.

Today, the architectural traces of ancient civilizations have been preserved in the city of Van: the fortress of Van, the estate of the kings of Urartu of the 9th century BC. e., the Urartian castles of Kef and Ayanis, which are 2.5 thousand years old. Tourists are also attracted here by Lake Van. Another feature in Van are cats with multi-colored eyes.

Diyarbakir

During the time of the state of Mitanni, the city was called Amid, later in the era of the Artashesids - Tigranakert. The city survived numerous attacks, it was captured by the Assyrians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Seljuks, Ottomans and Kurds.

At the beginning of the 20th century, more than 50% of the population was slaughtered; Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks and Bulgarians. Currently, the city is completely occupied by the Kurds.

In the early 30s, Amid was renamed Diyarbakir (in honor of the Kurdish Bekir tribe) and today it is unofficially considered the capital of Turkish Kurdistan. There is a high probability that, in addition to the Kurds, crypto-Armenians still live in the city, who, in order to avoid death, converted to Islam.

Kars

According to history, the city of Kars was founded in the 4th century and was of great importance in the state and social life of medieval Armenia, the center of the province of Vanand in the Ararat region and was considered a major center of crafts through which international trade routes passed.

At the beginning of the 10th century, the city was for some time the capital of Armenia, until the Armenian king Ashot III moved the new capital to the city of Ani. So, in the 10-11 centuries Kars became the capital of the Armenian Vanand or Kars kingdom, which was ruled by the Armenian royal dynasty of Bagratids.

Today, an Armenian church has remained from Kars, built by King Abas from the Bagratid dynasty (9th century), which in 1978 was turned into a fortress and a Kumbet mosque.

Mush is located to the west of Lake Van, on the northern slopes of the Armenian Taurus, at the base of the low mountains of Korduk and Tsiranakatar. The river Megraget flows through the city. Mount Nemrut stands out in the surrounding landscape - one of the most beautiful mountains of the Armenian Highlands and the Mush Valley.

It is believed that the name Mush comes from the Armenian word "Mshush", which means fog or mist. According to an Armenian legend, the goddess Astghik often descended from Mount Grgur in the evenings to bathe in the river.

She was very beautiful and the villagers often followed her, lighting fires on the hills to look at her. Upon learning of this, Astghik let in an impenetrable darkness to hide her nakedness while bathing.

Since then, the city and the entire region has been covered in thick fog. So a similar phenomenon began to be called Mshush, which eventually transformed into Mush. Now, in addition to Mount Nemrut, the city no longer has special attractions.

Erzurum/Karin

The peculiarity of the ancient city of Karin is its location on a high plain with an ancient fortress, castle and towers. Since ancient times, Karin has been famous throughout the East as the center of Armenian carpet weaving.

When the ancient Armenian city was founded, Karin had many names: Theodosiopolis (during the reign of the Byzantine king Theodosius II), Ardzn-Rum (during the capture of the Persians and Arabs, 6th century), and Erzurum (with the invasion of the Turks and Mongols, 12th century).

The Spanish historian, traveling around Samarkand, whose name has long been forgotten, wrote in one of his works that in Karin he was conquered by extraordinary churches that belonged to Armenian Christians. At the present time, the ruins of the Armenian city remained, and in 1915-1923, the Ottomans destroyed everything that was left of the churches, or turned it into a mosque.

Perhaps even a schoolboy will answer the question of what is the capital of Armenia. Well, of course, this is Yerevan! It would seem that this is so complex and unusual? But, if you think about it, everything is far from being as simple as it might seem at first glance. Agree, we somehow got used to the fact that, for example, the main city of Kievan Rus was Kyiv, but now it plays the same role, but for Ukraine. Meanwhile, the capital of Ancient Armenia is definitely not Yerevan. Why? The thing is that at the time of the formation of the country such a city did not exist at all.

This article is aimed at telling what the capital of Armenia is called (we will mention the first, all subsequent and current capitals). In addition, the reader will learn several interesting features that are unique to these cities.

So how many capitals did the state have?

If we take into account the calculations of modern historians, it turns out that during the entire existence of Armenia, it had as many as 12 capitals. And this is if we do not include the main cities of Tsopka, Commagene, Lesser Armenia and other territorial units in the list.

Now experts insist that the Armenian statehood has even deeper roots, and, therefore, most likely, there were other capitals of Armenia, which we may learn about in the future.

Van - the capital of Ancient Armenia

Van is officially considered the first main city of Armenia, at least no refutation of this fact has yet been found. Why can there be disagreement on this basis? The thing is that, in principle, in the era of the construction and heyday of this settlement, Greater Armenia as such did not yet exist. During this period, only the unification of the Nairi tribes into the state took place.

The modern city of Van is now not only not the capital of the state of Armenia, it is not even located on the territory of this country. Those who want to visit it should go to the east of Turkey, on the shore of the most beautiful and, by the way, lake of the same name.

Its excavations at different times were carried out by the most famous archaeologists of the planet. As a result of the work carried out, it became known that around 844 BC. Sarduri I moved his royal court to the city of Van and built a luxurious Shivini temple in this place. After the decline of his reign, Wang fell into decline. Now it is a modest provincial town.

Former capitals of Armenia BC: Armavir, Yervandashat, Artashat and Tigranakert

A Brief History of the Modern Capital

First of all, we note that Yerevan has a truly ancient history. According to the chronicles found, it is even older than Rome.

Delving into history, we learn that, according to the official version, in this area in 782 BC. e. in the era of the Urartian kingdom, the Erebuni fortress was founded. After a while, the name changes to Erevuni, and in the Soviet years the city was called Yerevan.

Yerevan, like the entire territory of Transcaucasia, was an arena of rivalry between different empires. Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks, Russians tried to establish their dominance here, so Yerevan was captured, destroyed and rebuilt more than once.

And, finally, after the creation of the Armenian Socialist Republic, it was found that Yerevan did not at all correspond to the status of the capital. It looked more like a medieval city, had an irregular layout, an intricate network of streets.

That is why since the 1920s. a truly grandiose redevelopment work is unfolding here. During the Soviet years, Yerevan could safely be called a city of talented musicians, writers, actors and scientists. Numerous monuments erected in honor of outstanding Armenians testify to the high culture of the capital.

Urban transport network

The capital of Armenia is a rather modest settlement by modern standards. In general, the center of Yerevan can be easily explored even on foot in just a few hours. A popular way to get around the capital is the local metro with a single line.

You can also use minibuses, but you should pay attention to one feature: there are no conductors on the buses, so the money is transferred to the driver upon exiting.

By the way, a taxi in Yerevan is a relatively inexpensive mode of transport, if you wish, you can even rent it for the whole day (pleasure will cost about 20 USD).

Delights of local cuisine

As the capital of Armenia, Yerevan is ready to offer its guests a lot of delicacies. You should definitely try the local shish kebab (khorovats). It is served with a side dish of fresh herbs and vegetables. You can also try dolma, kyufta meatballs and khinkali.

Pay special attention to the original Yerevan pizza, it is called "lahmejun" and is a baked thin flatbread with meat puree, sauce and chopped herbs. For such a meal, you should order Armenian wine, for example, “Old Yerevan”, or fruit vodka.

And if during the tour of Yerevan you suddenly want to quench your thirst, the locals will be happy to recommend trying tan - a slightly salted fermented milk drink.

Shopping in Armenian

At all times this corner of the globe was famous for its artisans. For example, scientists have found that the capital of Armenia, Ani, was already trading with might and main with neighboring countries, and its leather and metal products were in demand, annually bringing a stable income to local residents.

Today, both works of art and various kinds of trinkets can be bought at the popular Vernissage Yerevan market in the very center of the city. For the famous Armenian carpets, you should go to the Mergeryan factory or to the Tufenkian Carpets store on the street. Tumanyan.

And from a vacation or a business trip, guests of the country usually bring the most popular souvenir - fragrant Armenian cognac.

The city's attractions

The oldest architectural monument of the capital of Armenia are the ruins of the Erebuni fortress. They are the best preserved among the remains of the Urartu culture and occupy about 100 hectares. Near the entrance to the fortress there is a copy of a basalt stone with a cuneiform announcing the date of the founding of Erebuni. The ancient churches of Yerevan, as well as the monument of Islamic architecture - the Blue Mosque, are also interesting to visit.

In the center of Yerevan, on the square. Republic, there are 5 buildings made of tuff and basalt: the Museum of History, the Post Office, the Government House, the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the luxurious hotel Mariott Armenia.

In your free time, you should definitely take a walk along the Cascade - this is an architectural and landscape complex with the widest staircases, various flower beds and amazing fountains. Climbing up, you can enjoy a great view of Yerevan.

Of the museums, it is recommended to visit the art gallery, the Museum of the Armenian Genocide and, of course, the workshop-museum of Giotto. By the way, the most popular excursion in Yerevan is a visit to the local brandy factory, which has existed since 1887.

5 things to do in Yerevan

The capital of Armenia cannot fail to please anyone, even the most capricious traveler. Let's try to list what needs to be done in the very first place:

• Visit the citadel of the Erebuni fortress.
• Take a photo against the background of the key five buildings on the square. Republic.
• Go to one of the largest collections of ancient texts in the world - the Matenadaran Museum.
• Taste juicy shish kebab khorovats washed down with homemade wine.
• Buy an excellent quality carpet with meaning.

Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia, which is 29 years older than Rome. According to the legend of the Armenian people, Yerevan was founded thanks to Noah. He, seeing the top of Ararat from under the water, exclaimed “Yerevants!” (meaning "she appeared"). And I had no less expectations from this city than from Tbilisi.

Friday evening. Yerevan met Kruzak with the first breakdown and such sad views. On the way, it seemed that the rear left part began to lead a little, and at one of the traffic lights I felt that it smelled of something burned. Stopped to have a look and found the rear left wheel smoking and the brake disc slightly blue. The first thoughts - the brake pads ran out, although before this travel the service claimed that it should be enough. We slowly went to look for a service, the official Toyota was already closed. We drove along the edge of the city and found guys who agreed to help. The first verdict is brake pads. While one was dismantling, I went with the head of the service to the store and bought new ones (they turned out to be cheaper here than in Samara). When we returned, an autopsy showed that the springs of the brake pads had flown off and they had jammed the drum. In general, it's okay, but once they took it apart, they decided to change the pads as well.

While poking around in the service, we spent about 2 hours and arrived in the center of Yerevan at night. The first thing we visited was Republic Square. In Soviet times, this square was named after Lenin.

The shape of the square is formed by 5 buildings: the Museum of the History of Armenia, in front of which there are singing fountains,

Government of Armenia, post office building, hotel and ministries of foreign affairs and energy.

That evening, in addition to the Republic Square, I tried only one attraction - the Armenian cognac "Ararat".

From the very morning on a walk, we appreciated the architecture of the city. All over Yerevan there are wide avenues and geometrically correct layout of streets.

Left turns are prohibited, so in order to turn around and drive to the right place, you need to make a huge number of loops.

Pink tuff is the most common building material, thanks to which Yerevan received the name of the "Pink City". Tuff, although called pink, has various shades, from pale pink to bright red.

The Stalinist style acquired in Yerevan, as in many other Soviet republics, a unique local flavor. The entire city center was replanned in the 1920s by the architect Tamanyan according to the general scheme in a single architectural style and built up mainly with houses in the styles of constructivism and neoclassicism.

This stone even gives "Khrushchev" buildings a more divine look, but the city lacks diversity. You constantly get the feeling that you are in the same place.

“A real Armenian must plant a tree, raise a son and build a house on his apartment on the outskirts of Yerevan. I have not been to the outskirts, but even in the center, behind the beautiful facades of Soviet houses, you can see buildings where Armenians are trying to increase their living space at the expense of balconies and roofs. you see, it turns out to be a terrible collective farm, which spoils the appearance of the city.

Northern Avenue or Northern avenue is one of the main pedestrian streets in Yerevan, 3 blocks long. A very pretentious place with boutiques, souvenir shops, hotels, restaurants. The local Arbat is a favorite place for walks of citizens and tourists.

This street crosses the central avenues of Yerevan at an angle of 45 degrees.

And rests on the opera house.

The diagonal behind the opera house continues and after 2 blocks leads to the Cascade. The purpose of the construction of this milky tuff staircase was to connect the lower and upper city, located high in the mountains. The cascade consists of five tiers, each of which is decorated in the style of Armenian folk art. Between the tiers, you can move on the escalator, which is located inside. The interior of the Cascade is reserved for museums or private galleries.

In front of the Cascade is a pedestrian square, which begins with a monument to the architect Tumanyan, the author of the general plan of Yerevan.

The pedestrian alley is strewn with exhibits of modern art, which were presented to the city by wealthy Armenians living abroad.

In my opinion, the monuments are quite controversial. Or maybe I just don't understand modern art.

The construction of the cascade began in the early 70s, stopped by the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union, resumed in early 2000 and was never completed. A museum complex was planned here. This stage of the Cascade is not visible from below. To the left of the unfinished Cascade, you can see expensive houses for wealthy Armenians with gilded tinted windows.

The Cascade overlooks the entire city. If you're lucky, you can see Ararat too.

Drinking water in Armenia is the safest and cleanest. In Yerevan, you can drink water from the tap or any fountain. I tried it, the water is really tasty.

Yerevan metro has 10 stations. But the development of the metro in the city after the collapse of the Soviet Union is vague, it still needs a lot of money, which the country simply does not have. I bought a souvenir token here.

Hrazdan, the largest river in Armenia, flows through the whole city. Getting into the city, Hrazdan dismembers the city with a deep gorge from north to south.

Sports and Concert Complex. Karen Demirchyan was built on one of the hills of the Tsitsernakaberd park in the early 80s. A unique complex for Armenia, consisting of a sports and a concert part. Not so long ago it was sold for debts and is falling into disrepair. The photo shows how the edges of the finishing of the stairs fall off.

The complex on the reverse side, resembling a giant ship. In front of him is a non-working fountain with a pool.

And an overgrown park.

Tsitsernakaberd is also the name of the memorial complex dedicated to the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and erected in 1967. High, visible from everywhere, 44-meter, from different sides resembling either a bayonet or an antenna, the unevenly forked stele, according to the authors, symbolizes the will of Armenians to revival. The thinner part of the stele is the Armenians of Armenia, the wide part is the Diaspora. Next to the stele is a cone formed of twelve large inclined stone slabs, in the center of which an eternal flame burns at a depth of 1.5 meters.

Not far from the museum is an alley where foreign statesmen plant trees in memory of the victims of the genocide.

There is also a monument to a woman saving children in the square.

Another important attraction for Yerevan is the Erebuni fortress, located on the Arin-Berd hill, which means "Bloody fortress". Forbes magazine included it in the list of "9 most ancient fortresses in the world."

On this hill was located the ancient city of the state of Urartu - Erebuni, built in 782 BC. The history of modern Yerevan begins with it.

The city consisted of a citadel, which was located on top of this hill, and city blocks at the foot. The top of the hill was leveled, and the foundation of the fortress was made of basalt blocks.

At the moment, apart from the remains of boulders and clay, which during the rain terribly stuck to the feet, you will not see anything interesting here anymore.

From here you can see another Yerevan. On the avenues, behind the tuff houses, the private sector hid. The General Plan of Yerevan deals only with the front line of the streets, so in many courtyards of Yerevan life still flows, as if in a village.

Summing up, I want to say that Yerevan seemed to me a boring city with eternal unfinished buildings and monotonous architecture. A city for once, which you can see purely for reference and never come back.

In the east of modern Turkey, on the banks of the Akhuryan River, there is the ghost town of Ani, the ancient capital of the Armenian kingdom of Ani. Founded over 1600 years ago, the city was located at the crossroads of several trade routes. In the 11th century, more than 100 thousand people lived here.

In the following centuries, Ani and the surrounding areas were conquered hundreds of times by Byzantine emperors, Ottoman Turks, nomadic Kurds, Armenians, Georgians ... By the 1300s, Ani was in deep decline and was completely abandoned in the 1700s.

In 2010, the World Heritage Foundation included the monuments of the city in the list of "Monuments on the verge of destruction." We will walk around the ancient ghost town of Ani, known as the “city of 1001 churches”.

Photo 2. The ruins of the mausoleum, built around 1050 AD. (Photo by Georgios Giannopoulos):

Ani city- Armenian city. It is located on one of the banks of the tributary of the Akhuryan River, in the northeast current Turkey. For the first time, the city became known back in the 5th century, when there was a fortress located on a rock in its place. The fortress was called Akhchakberd, and as such, the city around it did not exist until the 8th century.

Settlements near the city of Ani appeared about 5000 years ago. Locals gouged caves in the rocks, in the manner, as it was in Cappadocia. These caves can be seen today in the Bostanlar gorge. The city begins to develop approximately from the time of Urartu, i.e. from the 9th century BC Ani turned out to be the first city that was located on the Great Silk Road at the entrance to Anatolia. This inevitably led to the fact that Ani became an important trading center, and therefore rich. It was the Great Silk Road that became the source of the city's prosperity. In the 860s. The Bagratids create the Ani kingdom, which became the largest feudal state of ancient Armenia. Ani becomes its capital.

From the beginning of the 9th century, numerous handicraft settlements began to appear around the fortress, then the city got its current name, becoming a major cultural and economic center. In 961, the city becomes the capital of Armenia, and begins to grow rapidly.

In 1045 the city becomes part of Byzantium, in 1064 it falls under the rule of the Seljuks. During the 12-13 century. Ani repeatedly becomes the subject of capture either by the Kurds or by the Georgians. But this did not lead to the decline of Ani. The decisive role here was played by the main breadwinner of the city - the Great Silk Road, or rather its decline. The source of permanent income disappeared, the city began to lose its fame. The invasion of the Mongols and the earthquake that happened here led Ani to a complete decline. From about the 16th century people are starting to leave the city.

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From the middle of the 13th century, a period of decline begins. First the Mongols, and then the Seljuks ravage the city, having won it from Byzantium. By that time, about 100 thousand people lived in Ani - it was the largest city in the Middle East. The population was evenly distributed by the conquerors over the territory of their possessions, and the earthquake of 1319 finally destroyed the city.

The main attraction of the city are its churches, the most famous of which is the Church of the Virgin or Astavatsatsin (989-1001), with a sundial on the southern facade, which lost its dome only in 1840.

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Since 1534 the city has been part of Ottoman Empire, and from 1878-1917 belonged to Russia. Today, the city belongs to the Kars vilayet, although it is 42 kilometers from Kars, while less than 1000 meters separate the city from the border with Armenia.

There are 8 entrance gates in the city, but only one has survived to this day - the Aslanli gate. through which you can get into the city.

Industry and crafts in the city almost do not develop, in fact, Ani is a city-museum, gradually collapsing and falling into disrepair. However, many original monuments of religious architecture still attract tourists visiting Turkey, to the very Armenian border.

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At the moment, as such, the city does not exist, there are only the remains of ancient structures. Now it is a plateau with many dilapidated ancient buildings, located not far from Kars, next to the Okyuzdashi mountains. Although even now the preserved buildings of the city of Ani are an example of the architecture of the past. Until now, the remains of the city wall and the remains of towers built in the tenth century have been preserved, although they are very badly destroyed. The miraculously preserved Church of the Savior, built from 1034 to 1036, and another church of St. Gregory the Illuminator, built in 1010, are architectural monuments.

A few more small churches have been preserved, which were named after St. Gregory, Gadzhik and Kervansaray. The nunnery of the Most Holy Theotokos with a small church adjacent to it has survived to this day. Well, the main pearl of the ancient city can definitely be called the Main Cathedral, which was under construction for 11 years, from 989 to 1010. But the most interesting thing is that on Armenian soil, within sight, an exact copy of this cathedral was erected, but it was already under construction in our time.

Photo 6. Temple and man for scale. (Photo by Scott Dexter):

After visiting all the above sights, it makes sense to turn your attention to the Seljuk palace. Since this building (by the way, the only one that they decided to restore) belongs to the Islamic style. Not far away, you can also see the excavations, where, according to the assumptions of archaeologists, there was a street of the ancient city. Remains of trading establishments or dwellings are visible on this site. Nearby rises Menugehir-Kamyi, which was previously considered a mosque. In the southern part of the city there is a citadel called Yj-Kale, but, unfortunately, it is closed for inspection. Next to it is the monastery of Kyz-Kilisesi, standing almost above the river gorge.

You can walk a little and see the Seljuk baths, the remains of an ancient bridge across the Akhuryan River. Here you can also see "khachkars" - examples of stone carving, which have Armenian roots. But when visiting the ancient city of Ani, you should also know that some of its parts or areas located near the border are closed for excursions, and a large number of patrolling gendarmes can prohibit viewing some sights. But at the same time, they politely and clearly explain the motives of this or that ban.

Photo 7.

Ani gained international fame thanks to the Russian scientist N.Ya. Marru.

Photo 8. Frescoes inside the church of St. Gregory. There is little left of them here. (Photo by Reuters | Umit Bektas):

In recent years, Turkish scientists are going to start new excavations in one of the most impressive tourist centers in Turkey - on the territory of the ancient Armenian city of Ani,” the official Turkish Anadolu Agency reports.

According to Turkish sources, these works are carried out by archaeologists from the Pamukkale University in Denizli, located in the west of the country. They, as noted by the head of the Agency for Culture and Tourism of the Kars Provincial Administration Hakan Dogan, are already negotiating with the Turkish Ministry of Culture in order to obtain official permission to conduct excavations in Ani.

“Ani was the center of the once powerful Armenian kingdom, from 100 to 200 thousand inhabitants lived there. Ani was one of the largest cities of that period,” Anadolu writes, reporting that about 22,000 tourists visited Ani last year alone.

“60% of them are foreigners, for them, Ani, apparently, is attractive as a place of confluence of different religions, a city where representatives of different religions, cultures, races once lived,” a representative of the provincial administration said in an interview with Anadolu Agency. Kars Hakan Dogana, without hiding the fact that the local authorities are pursuing the goal of increasing the flow of tourists, thanks to the intensification of work in Ani.

“Obviously, we must present this city of global importance to the world as soon as possible,” Dogana said.

“In recent months, some work has been carried out in Ani, in particular, jugs, fragments of pottery and human bones found as a result of excavations carried out in June 2012 were transported to a special warehouse,” Turkish officials say.

By the way, the Turkish authorities first paid serious attention to Ani about 20 years ago. Since 1989 work was carried out here to clean up the territory, which, however, in 2005. were suspended and resumed only in 2009, in parallel with the start of the Armenian-Turkish "football diplomacy".

In 2010 Ani was already at the center of a major political scandal when Turkish nationalist leader Devlet Bahceli, along with his supporters, held Friday prayers on the grounds of the Armenian cathedral in Ani.

Photo 9. The ruins of the Church of St. Gregory. (Foo AP Photo):

Photo 10. All that remains of the temple of King Gagik - the king of the kingdom of Ani. (Photo by Scott Dexter):

Photo 11. Gorge below the city of Ani. Here you can see numerous caves in the rocks, as well as fortifications. (Photo by Adam Jones):

Photo 12. Restoration of the Palace of Merchants. One can see a clear discrepancy between ancient and modern materials. (Photo by Jean & Nathalie):

Photo 13. The remains of the city of Ani, June 24, 2012. (Photo by Scott Dexter):

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Photo 15. In the center of the frame, a castle is visible on the rocks. (Photo by Scott Dexter):

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Photo 25. Inside the Cathedral of Ani, June 4, 2013. Construction began in 989 and was completed between 1001-1010. The building collapsed during an earthquake in 1319. (Photo by MrHicks46):

Photo 26. Castle on top of a mountain near the Akhuryan River, June 4, 2013. (Photo by MrHicks46):

Photo 27.

Photo 28. Medieval walls of Ani. (Photo by Marko Anastasov):

Photo 29. Cathedral. (Photo by AP Photo | Burhan Ozbilici):

Photo 30. Inscriptions on the outer wall of the cathedral. (Photo by Scott Dexter):

Photo 31. Damaged frescoes in the church of St. Gregory. (Photo by Reuters | Umit Bektas):

Photo 32. The remains of the Church of the Holy Savior among the ruins of the city of Ani. (Photo by Reuters | Umit Bektas):

Photo 33. All that remains of the ancient bridge. (Photo by Martin Lopatka):

Photo 34. Border between Turkey and Armenia, June 19, 2011. (Photo by Martin Lopatka):

Photo 35. Cathedral of the city of Ani against the backdrop of Mount Small Ararat. (Photo by Sara Yeomans):

Photo 36. Ruined Church of the Holy Savior, February 19, 2010. (Photo by Reuters | Umit Bektas):

Photo 37. Citadel (left) and mosque (right). (Photo by Jean & Nathalie):

Photo 38. The Cathedral and attempts to save it from further destruction. (Photo by AP Photo | Burhan Ozbilici):

Photo 39. Frescoes inside the church of St. Gregory. (Photo by MrHicks46):

Photo 40. Church of St. Gregory. (Photo by Martin Lopatka):

Photo 41. Warning sign: “Secret military zone. The passage is closed." (Photo by Adam Jones):

sources

http://slovari.yandex.ru/~%D0%BA%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B3%D0%B8/%D0%91%D0%A1%D0%AD/%D0%90% D0%BD%D0%B8/

http://stanbul.ru/content/view/12/34/

http://www.tury.ru/sight/id/14868

http://world-archaeology-news.blogspot.ru/2012/11/blog-post_2336.html

http://cappadocia-elenatruva.ru/ani-turciya.html

And a few more interesting ancient cities for you: the famous , and here . To your attention ancient and majestic The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy is made -