ARMENIA

Armenia or Hayastan as the locals call the country,
- the oldest Christian country in the world for more than 1700 years - has a rich cultural heritage with hundreds of medieval churches and monasteries, beautiful landscapes with forests, plateaus and snow-capped mountains
and a very active present. Find out more about the land at the foot of the biblical Mount Ararat here.

destination

The small country surprises its guests with a large variety of natural treasures and cultural sites. At the crossroads of East and West, the Armenian people are one of the oldest ethnic groups in the world and have a long, turbulent history. Many historically significant sights and religious sites can still be visited today. Embedded in the varied landscape of Armenia, travelers can enjoy some unforgettable views over forested mountain slopes, blue-green lakes or sandy steppes.

visit Armenia

The land at the foot of Mount Ararat

Today's Republic of Armenia consists of only part of ancient Armenia, which stretched from south of the Lesser Caucasus through the highlands of Armenia to the mountains of Tavros. With an area of 29,800 km², its national territory is about the same size as the federal state of Brandenburg. In the east, the landlocked country borders with Azerbaijan, in the southwest with the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhichevan, interrupted by a 35 km long common border with Iran. Western and northern neighboring countries are Turkey and Georgia.

Armenian folklore preserves some myths about the origin of the Armenian people. One of them tells about the hero Hayk, whose name is like that of the Armenians, and about the fact that the Armenians called themselves "Armenians" and called their country "Hayk" or "Hayastan" (Armenia). The 5th-century historian Movses Khorenatsi also describes in some detail the exploits of Aram, whose fame spread far beyond the borders of his country. The neighboring peoples called these people "Armenians" or "Armenians" after him. The archeology of Armenia counts to the prehistory of the Ašelyan area, about 500,000 years ago, when people went through life hunting and gathering and in search of pastures followed their flocks. The first period of prosperity among the inhabitants of the Armenian highlands was in the 3rd century BC. These people were counted among the ancient Armenians who discovered bronze and the wheel and who grew grapes. The first written memoirs about the Armenian inhabitants are the hieroglyphs of the kingdom, written in 1388-1347 BC. in Asia Minor. The earliest found inscription concerning Armenian land was dated 1114 BC. engraved by the Assyrians describing the unification of the kings from the central region of Armenia, also called the "Nairi people".

One of the most important events in Armenian history was the elevation of Christianity to the state religion. With the introduction of the new religion, Armenia established its unique Christian way of life and thus became a part of the western world. Saint Gregory the Illuminator baptized Trdat III. as a Christian who proclaimed Christianity as the state religion in 301. Thus, Armenia became the first country to officially recognize Christianity as a state religion.

This is the proclamation of Constantine the Emperor, 12 years before the Charter of Milan: through this tolerance of the Christian inhabitants of the Roman Empire was proclaimed.

Later, the series of saints was added: Gregory the Illuminator, who was elected as the first catholicos of the new Armenian national church. For the scattered Armenian people, the creation of the Armenian alphabet in 405 became a special factor. The scientist and cleric Mesrop Mashtots created the Armenian alphabet with 36 letters (3 letters were added later), which makes Armenia very special compared to the surrounding countries from a linguistic and spiritual point of view. The alphabet, in which many special consonants are present, has remained unchanged for 1600 years.

Armenia is often referred to as an open-air museum. On the entire territory of Armenia, tourists will find about 4000 historical monuments covering world history of different epochs, from prehistoric to Hellenistic times, and from early Christian times to the Middle Ages. There are more than 40 art museums and galleries in Yerevan alone. Perhaps you too will visit the land at the foot of Ararat.

The land at the foot of Mount Ararat

Today's Republic of Armenia consists of only part of ancient Armenia, stretching from south of the Lesser Caucasus, through the Armenian Highlands to the mountains of Tavros. With an area of 29,800 km², its national territory is about the same size as the federal state of Brandenburg. In the east, the landlocked country borders with Azerbaijan, in the southwest with the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhichevan, interrupted by a 35 km long common border with Iran. Western and northern neighboring countries are Turkey and Georgia.

Armenian folklore preserves some myths about the origin of the Armenian people. One of them tells about the hero Hayk, whose name is like that of the Armenians, and the fact that the Armenians called themselves "Armenians" and called their country "Hayk" or "Hayastan" (Armenia). The 5th-century historian Movses Khorenatsi described in some detail the exploits of Aram, whose fame spread far beyond the borders of his country. The neighboring peoples called these people "Armenians" or "Armenians" after him. The archeology of Armenia counts towards the prehistory of the Ašelyan area, around 500,000 years ago, when people went about life hunting and gathering and following their herds in search of pasture. The first period of prosperity among the inhabitants of the Armenian highlands was in the 3rd century BC. These people were counted among the ancient Armenians who discovered bronze and the wheel and who grew grapes. The first written memoirs about the Armenian inhabitants are the hieroglyphs of the kingdom, written in 1388-1347 BC. in Asia Minor. The earliest found inscription concerning Armenian land was dated 1114 BC. engraved by the Assyrians, describing the union of the kings of the central region of Armenia, also called the "Nairi people".

One of the most important events in Armenian history was the elevation of Christianity to the state religion. With the introduction of the new religion, Armenia established its unique Christian way of life and thus became a part of the western world. “Saint Gregory the Illuminator” baptized Trdat III. as a Christian who proclaimed Christianity as the state religion in 301. Thus, Armenia became the first country to officially recognize Christianity as a state religion.

This is the proclamation of Constantine the Emperor, 12 years before the Charter of Milan: through this tolerance of the Christian inhabitants of the Roman Empire was proclaimed.

Later, the line of Saints Gregory the Illuminator was added, who was elected the first catholicos of the new Armenian national church. For the scattered Armenian people, the creation of the Armenian alphabet in 405 became a special factor. The scientist and cleric Mesrop Mashtots created the Armenian alphabet with 36 letters (3 letters were added later), which makes Armenia very special compared to the surrounding countries from a linguistic and spiritual point of view. The alphabet, in which many special consonants are present, has remained unchanged for 1,600 years.

Armenia is often referred to as an open-air museum. On the entire territory of Armenia, tourists will find about 4,000 historical monuments covering world histories of different epochs, from prehistoric to Hellenistic times and from early Christian times to the Middle Ages. There are more than 40 art museums and galleries in Yerevan alone. Perhaps you too will visit the land at the foot of Ararat.

aerial photo of a village during daytime

The story in key words

Armenia is a young republic with a history that goes back thousands of years. We have prepared keywords and short texts for you and invite you to gain insight into the rich history of the country from Urartu to today's Republic of Armenia.

Today's Republic of Armenia consists of only part of ancient Armenia, stretching from south of the Lesser Caucasus, through the Armenian Highlands to the mountains of Tavros.

The frequent earthquakes remind us to this day that the region that lies between the Asian and African continents is geologically close to a major rift. The highlands of Armenia rise immediately above the nearby territory. Geography has undoubtedly played a crucial role in Armenian history and culture. With the formed link between Asia and Europe and with the emergence of the fundamental main line of trade, it seemed that Armenia is not destined to fight against the disasters. Characterized by its considerable wealth and imports, the country occupied a strategic position in the region as a bone of contention for the entry of many "superpowers". For centuries, the Armenians were in constant struggle with the invaders and conquerors - Assyrians, Romans, Byzantines, Parthians, Arabs and Turks - who from time to time waged constant wars to conquer the country, albeit not without stubborn resistance. Despite these tumultuous centuries, Armenians have successfully maintained their historical identity and national heritage. Despite such catastrophes, the Armenians basically managed to preserve national self-government. History has favored the formation of diverse and unique culture, grounded in social, intellectual and religious factors.

Armenian folklore preserves some myths about the origin of the Armenian people. One of them tells about the hero Hayk, whose name is like that of the Armenians, and about the fact that the Armenians called themselves "Armenians" and called their country "Hayk" or "Hayastan" (Armenia). The 5th-century historian Movses Khorenatsi wrote in some detail about the exploits of Aram, whose fame spread far beyond the borders of his country. The neighboring peoples called these people "Armenians" or "Armenians" after him. The archeology of Armenia counts towards the prehistory of the Ašelyan area, around 500,000 years ago, when people went about life hunting and gathering and following their herds in search of pasture. The first period of prosperity among the inhabitants of the Armenian highlands was in the 3rd century BC. These people were counted among the ancient Armenians who discovered bronze and the wheel and who grew grapes. The first written memoirs about the Armenian inhabitants are the hieroglyphs of the kingdom, written in 1388-1347 BC. in Asia Minor. The earliest found inscription concerning Armenian land was dated 1114 BC. engraved by the Assyrians describing the unification of the kings of the central region of Armenia, also called the "Nairi people".

In the 9th century B.C. the confederation of native tribes grew and became the unified state of Urartu. This developed very quickly and became one of the strongest states in the Middle East and a dangerous opponent for the Assyrians and their hegemony in the region. The Urartians produced and exported ceramic, stone and metal goods, built castles, monasteries, palaces and other large public buildings. One of their canal irrigation systems is still used today in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, where the ancient Urartian fortress of Erebuni still stands.

Urartu was annexed by Media (Marastan) in the 6th century, but after a short while the Medes (Marastan) were conquered by the Persians and ousted by "Cyrus the Great". From the 6th to the 4th century B.C. BC Armenia was under Persian rule. Culture and Zoroastrian religion had a major impact on Armenian spiritual life, as Zoroastrian characteristics were introduced into polytheistic and spiritual beliefs. When Armenia was under Persian rule, it divided into satrapy states, each with its local satrap chief overseen by Persian officials. The Armenians paid high fees to the Persians, who, while collecting taxes, constantly confiscated the property of the Armenians. The country was ruled by the ruling satrap royal family of Ervanduni for about 200 years until the Greeks invaded western Asia.

After the declaration of the rule of "Alexander the Great" (the Macedonian) in the Persian Empire in 331 BC. BC, the Greeks appointed new satraps to administer Armenia through Ervandunier Mihran. In the Greek Empire, which stretched across Asia and Europe, cities grew rapidly, spreading Hellenistic architecture, religion, and philosophy. Greek influences were noticeable even in Armenian culture.

Residing in China, India and Central Asia connected to the Mediterranean trade route, the central cities prospered thanks to economic activity. The Greek influences were also noticeable in the Armenian version of Zoroastrian invention, with religious peculiarities in personal beliefs. After the sudden death of "Alexander the Great" (the Macedonian) in 323 B.C. The division of the empire and the war between its generals led to the foundation of three Greek empires. Despite pressure from the Seleucid monarchy, one of the three empires, the Ervanduni Empire, secured control of the largest of the three Greek empires, dividing Armenia itself into Greater Armenia, Lesser Armenia, and Tsopk.

Seleucid rule over Armenia finally ended when, in the 2nd century B.C. the resident general Artashes proclaimed himself king of Greater Armenia and founded a new empire. Artashes expanded his territory, established borders of the country and united the Armenian people. Armenia reached its peak of power during the reign of Tigran II (the Great, circa 95-55 BC), who called himself "King of Kings". During the reign of Tigran II, military power and political influence increased. According to the Greek historian Plutarch, the Roman general Luculus said the following about this king: “In Armenia reigns Tigran, surrounded by power, who reconquered Asia from the Parthians, who drove the Greek colonizers towards Marastan, who conquered Syria and Palestine and conquered them separated from the Seleucids.” And the Roman orator and politician Ciceron wrote of Tigran the Great: “He forced Rome to tremble at the might of his armed forces.” The borders of Armenia stretched from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.

After the victories of Tigran the Great came the period of his decline from the year 66 BC. His son Artavasd II ruled in Greater Armenia for 20 years until Antonio and Cleopatra took him to Egypt in chains. Artavasd refused to call Cleopatra queen and was beheaded. In the new kingdom of the Arsacids, the Parthian branch of the Arsacids came in 64 BC. in power, and the whole country soon became a buffer zone where they fought for hegemony against the Romans and Parthians.

One of the most important events in Armenian history was the elevation of Christianity to the state religion. With the introduction of the new religion, Armenia established its unique Christian way of life and thus became a part of the western world. "Saint Gregory the Illuminator" baptized Trdat III. as a Christian who proclaimed Christianity as the state religion in 301. Thus, Armenia became the first country to officially recognize Christianity as a state religion.

This is the proclamation of Constantine the Emperor, 12 years before the Charter of Milan: through this tolerance of the Christian inhabitants of the Roman Empire was proclaimed.

Later, "Gregor the Illuminator" was added to the series of saints, who was elected the first catholicos of the new Armenian national church. For the scattered Armenian people, the creation of the Armenian alphabet in 405 became a special factor. The scientist and cleric Mesrop Mashtots created the Armenian alphabet with 36 letters (3 letters were added later), which makes Armenia very special compared to the surrounding countries from a linguistic and spiritual point of view. The alphabet, in which there are many special consonants, has remained unchanged for 1600 years.

The introduction of the Christian faith brought political difficulties and caused serious alarm signals in neighboring Persia. The Persians, ruled by the Sassanids, took advantage of Armenia's internal weakness and began a campaign to eliminate Christianity and replace it with Zoroastrianism. Against the general dangers, princes, palace owners and the Armenian people united. Under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief Vardan Mamikonyan, the Persians fought heroically in 451 in the Avarayr field. The Persians, having great advantages numerically, defeated the Armenians: Vardan Mamikonyan and many other braves perished on the battlefield. After the defeat at the Battle of Avarayr, guerrilla warfare ensued in the mountainous regions. From the dynasty of Vardan Mamikonyan, Vahan then led the national struggle that resulted in an Armenian victory in 484 at the Battle of Nvarsaki, restoring freedom of belief and giving Armenia some independence.

In the 7th century, the Arabs stormed the land of Armenia and conquered it. Since the 9th century, the era of independence began in Armenia, where the mighty Bagratid Empire maintained its political power. The restoration of international trade led to prosperity and the rebirth of artistic and literary activity. The population of the capital Ani was 100,000, more than any other European capital. Religious life flourished and Ani became known as the "City of a Thousand and One Churches". In the middle of the 11th century, a large part of Armenia was occupied by Byzantium.

The fall of the Bagratid kingdom ended with the campaign of the new invaders, the Seljuk Turks in Central Asia. Because of the low resistance and Byzantine weakness, the Seljuk Turks spread in Asia Minor, as well as in the Armenian highlands. This invasion forced numerous Armenians to move south, to the Tavros Mountains near the Mediterranean Sea, where in 1080 Ruben (the Rubenid Empire) founded the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. The close ties with the Crusaders and Europe led to the spread of Western European ideas and the development of a feudal society. Cilician Armenia became a land of barons, knights and peasants. The judges of Cilicia wore European clothes. In addition to the Armenian language, Latin and French were also spoken and used jointly. The era of Cilicia is considered the enlightening Golden Age, famed for its richness in ornamentation and for the great influence of western miniature. The geographic location of Cilicia on the Mediterranean coast gave the Armenians there an opportunity to engage in international trade with western Asia and Europe. For almost 300 years, the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia flourished, but in 1375 it was handed over to Egyptian Mamluks. The last monarch of Cilicia, King Leon VI. died in the French city of Calais in 1393, and his ashes were buried in Saint-Denis (near Paris) in the mausoleum of the kings of France.

At the time when the Armenians were flourishing in the Kingdom of Cilicia, the Armenians living in eastern Armenia submitted to the Mongol invaders. Later, in the 16th and 17th centuries, Armenia was divided between Ottoman Turkey and Sefyan Persia. After conquering the Armenian Highlands, Armenians lost the possibility of independent political life. The Persian King (Shah) Abbas I implemented a complete deportation policy against the inhabitants of the Armenian region so that the route of advance to the Ottoman Empire would be cleared through desert areas and lead a class of skilled tradesmen and craftsmen to the new capital Isfahan. In the Armenian community of Isfahans, a suburb of New Julfa, King Abbas I enjoys the patronage and becomes one of the founders of the economic pillars of the Persian Sefyan. The Persians ruled Eastern Armenia until 1828 when it was united with Russia. During this period, most of historical Armenia was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire.

Armenians living under Ottoman rule suffered from discrimination, heavy tax burdens and armed attacks against them in the 19th century, organized and carried out with the permission of central and local authorities. No legal protection was afforded to a Christian Armenian in the event of injustice. In return, they were taxed at unbearable levels and Armenians were forbidden to own guns in a country where the killing of non-Mohammedans often went unpunished. Armenians also had no right to testify in court on their own behalf. After the end of the 19th century, the Armenians' hopes that the Young Turks would come to power, and that 1908 would bring better times, soon evaporated. In another bloodshed in Adana in the spring of 1909, 30,000 Armenians were killed after stubborn resistance. The First World War created a good opportunity for the Young Turk government in the Ottoman Empire to solve the “Armenian problem”. In 1915 a secret military detachment arrested many Armenians and in one fell swoop annihilated the most important leaders of the Armenian community. Armenian men who served in the Ottoman army were separated, disarmed and brutally murdered. The Istanbul government deported the entire Armenian population. The Armenians were driven out of the towns and villages into Syria, Mesopotamia and the Arabian deserts. During the violent deportation and "resettlement" many Armenians were killed, impaled, buried alive. Many of them were drowned in rivers, beheaded and left to starve. The genocide was accompanied by indescribable atrocities and the confiscation of all Armenian real estate and chattels. During the time of the first genocide in the 20th century, 1.5 million people lost their lives. Further massacres took place in successive waves in 1918 in Baku, in 1920 in Shushi and elsewhere.

The defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I and the collapse of the Russian Empire gave the Armenians a chance to declare their independence.

After the victory on May 28, 1918 in the battles of Sardarapat, Gharakilisa and Bash-Aparan against the Turks, the Republic of Armenia was proclaimed. The newly founded republic was confronted with insurmountable difficulties: wars, blockades and refugees. But even under these conditions, Armenians invested all their energies in rebuilding their country and solving the current problems. At the same time, the republic had ceased to exist under pressure from the Turks and the Bolsheviks in 1920. The Soviet Red Army entered Eastern Armenia and on November 29, 1920 a Soviet constituent republic was declared. Armenia was admitted as a member of the Transcaucasian Soviet Federal Socialist Republic in 1922, and in 1936 it became part of the republics of the Soviet Union. In the second half of the 20th century, Armenia's economic, scientific and cultural life flourished. The areas of information technology and industry developed strongly. In the 1980s, rapid changes took place in the Soviet Union, which also had an inevitable impact on Armenia.

In 1988, a movement began in Armenia in support of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, whose population was fighting for the right to self-determination. In 1921, on Stalin's orders, these mainly Armenian-inhabited regions were handed over to Azerbaijan by an illegal decision of the Caucasus Bureau of the Russian Communist Party. In 1988, Armenia suffered from a powerful earthquake that claimed the lives of thousands of people. Supply routes from the rest of the Soviet Union, as well as from the West, were blocked by the government of Azerbaijan, which was conducting ethnic cleansing against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh with the help of Soviet KGB special forces. Despite these two problems, Armenia was clearly superior in the political sphere. It held the first democratic elections in the Soviet period: in 1990, the Armenian National Movement won the majority of votes in parliament and formed a government. The independence of Armenia was declared by the Supreme Council of Armenia on August 23, 1990. The people of Armenia overwhelmingly voted for independence at the time of the state referendum, and thus an independent Armenia was born. After independence, Armenia's economy was in a paralyzed state: the newly independent republic was forced to resist the aggression of Azerbaijan and the blockade by Turkey. At the same time, protection for the 400,000 displaced people from Azerbaijan had to be provided, as well as protecting the Armenians of Artsakh from ethnic cleansing, while the threat of large-scale military action by Azerbaijani politicians. With the help of Armenia and the diaspora, Artsakh Armenians managed to win the war, create a security zone around Nagorno-Karabakh and force Azerbaijan to sign a ceasefire. The peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue remains one of Armenia's diplomatic priorities.

Armenia is a mountainous country in southern Transcaucasia and lies at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Today Armenia occupies an area of 29,743 km². It borders Georgia to the north, Iran to the south, Azerbaijan to the east and Turkey to the west.

About half of Armenia is mountainous and dry, a third is taken up by pasture and arable land. 10 % of the country consists of national parks and state protected areas. Most of the country is more than 1,000 m above sea level, and the highest elevation is Mount Aragaz, the highest peak of which is 4,096 meters.

Located in the eastern part of Armenia, Lake Sevan is one of the highest lakes in the world.

Armenia is a small country, its land area is about as big as that of Belgium or the federal state of Brandenburg. But on this small patch of earth a kaleidoscope of different climatic zones with snow-capped mountain peaks, fertile fields, dense forests, turquoise lakes, dry steppes, desolate semi-deserts, green alpine valleys and sun-bleached vast stony plateaus - fields of stone.

The mountain country of Armenia is famous for two seasons in particular: the “eternal spring”, with wildflowers well into August, covering the mountain slopes and high valleys with blooming carpets, and the “eternal winter” with snow-capped peaks. This long winter, especially in the north, in Tsaghkadzor, allows for a wonderfully reliable ski season from November to April, which characterizes the seasons in Armenia.

In contrast, spring in the Ararat plain begins early: in March, irises, tulips and irises bloom. They love the dampness of spring rain. Thanks to this, the wildflower bloom here reaches its peak in early summer. And when the continental summer heat hits Yerevan at the end of June, it remains breezy and only moderately hot in most mountain regions.

Autumn is the most beautiful season in Armenia. Fresh fruit and vegetables are offered at the market and in shops, there are grapes, pomegranates, blackberries, quinces, nuts and pumpkins. September and October are pleasant months. The days are warm and the nights are cool.

As in most mountainous regions of the world, winters in Armenia are cold. It's snowing a lot in the country - perfect for winter sports. And time for Armenians to enjoy their autumn fruits in the form of jams, compotes and pickles….

Source: www.eu-asien.de

Mount Ararat

Although it is located in the extreme east of Turkey and has not belonged to Armenia for a long time, Mount Ararat right on the border with 5,165 meters and its year-round snow-covered peak determines the landscape of Armenia from afar in many places. The volcano is already known from the Bible. According to Genesis, Noah settled here with his ark to await the great flood (Bible, Genesis 8:4). Traditionally, the year 301 is considered the date of the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion in Armenia. Before the adoption of Christianity, Armenia was predominantly a pagan country.

Lake Sevan and the Sevan Monastery

Lake Sevan National Park in northeastern Armenia is around 60 kilometers from the capital Yerevan and is often referred to as the "Pearl of Armenia". The body of water, which is up to 82 meters deep, covers an area of around 1,256 square kilometers and occupies around 5 % of the land area of Armenia. 28 springs and rivers flow into the lake, which is one of the highest lakes in the world at around 2,000 meters above sea level. Sevan Monastery, founded in 874 AD, is situated on a peninsula in the north of the lake. However, archaeological excavations in the region have unearthed fortresses, cemeteries and ruined buildings dating back to the early third millennium BC.

With the Dilijan, the Khosrov and Shikahogh, vacationers will find three more national parks in Armenia. Dilijan, also called "Armenian Switzerland", is a forested, hilly area in the Tavush region, which stretches to the Getik River. Located at the foot of the Gegham volcano in southeastern Yerevan, Khosrov has long been a favorite hunting ground for wealthy Armenians. More than 1,800 plant species ensure, among other things, constant growth in the local animal kingdom. Visitors can obtain information from a WWF information center at the entrance to the park. In the sultry south, near the Iranian border, there is also the Shikahogh nature reserve, which is dotted with forests.

churches and monasteries

The ancient monastery of Khor Virap in the Ararat region is set in stunning surroundings and offers an unforgettable view of the snow-capped mountain in the distance. According to legend, King Trdat III. Locking George the Illuminator in a cave for 13 years to break his Christian faith. Since the torture could not bend Gregory and he healed the king from an illness considered incurable, Trdat III. baptize themselves in 301 and decreed that the Armenians were the first people in history to adopt Christianity as the state religion. As one of the first Christian peoples in the world, the Armenians built numerous churches and monasteries over the centuries. Etchmiadzin Cathedral is one of the oldest churches in the Christian world. Built in 303 on the site of a pagan temple, it is considered the religious center of the Armenian people. According to legend, the site was chosen based on a vision in which Christ descended from heaven and struck the earth with a golden hammer. Today the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tatev Monastery in the Syunik region was once an important cultural center and meeting place, housing philosophers, musicians, calligraphers and painters in addition to Armenian monks. In the Kotayk area, visitors can visit the 8th-century Geghard Monastery. It was carved into the rock of the surrounding hillside and originally housed the Christian relic of the "Holy Lance", after which the monastery was named. One of the most notable structures in Armenia is also the recently renovated Noravank Monastery. It lies embedded in the canyon of the same name and is surrounded by its bright red stones.

Khachkars

The true symbol of the Armenians are the thousands of stone crosses, the khachkars, spread all over the country. Mostly built near churches, they can also be found scattered in isolated areas of the countryside. Each one is unique, specially made by their builders to pray for the salvation of the soul, to celebrate the establishment of a church, or as a plea for protection, health, happiness or love. A field with around 900 khachkars can be found in Noraduz, west of Lake Sevan.

Archaeological sites

The pagan temple of Garni in the Kotayk area, around 30 kilometers from Yerevan, is evidence of the once widespread Hellenistic culture in Armenia. The temple from the 3rd century BC was once Surrounded by a fortress of moats and walls, it was a popular summer residence for the country's respective rulers. After the destruction by the Romans 59 AD King Trdata I ordered the fortress to be rebuilt and a sun temple added. Today's temple complex corresponds to how it looked around 2,000 years ago. Fans of antiquity can learn more about ancient Armenia at the numerous archaeological sites in the country. The ruins of Erebuni today form the foundation of the capital Yerevan and testify that the capital was already a center of Armenian life 3,000 years ago. Excavations have revealed parts of palaces and temples. Smaller finds can be seen in the Yerevan History Museum.

The ancient village of Khndzoresk in the Syunik region sits lonely on a multi-level rocky plateau and offers an unparalleled view of the forests and mountains of Armenia. In the same region, the 7,000-year-old remains of the Ughtasar Fortress by Petroglyophians testify to Stone Age customs and culture. In the Armavir area near the city of Echmiadzin lie the ruins of Zvartnots. The architectural masterpiece was badly damaged during an earthquake in the 10th century and only rediscovered over a thousand years later.

The Stones of Zorats, Zorats Karer, were probably originally erected for astronomical purposes. Over 200 of the stones alone weigh over 50 tons and cover around 12,000 square meters near the town of Sisian. They date back to the second millennium BC.

The ruins of the Silk Road

During the Marco Polo era, Armenia was crossed by the Silk Road between Europe and China. Merchants, traders and explorers in particular used the route as a route. Many houses and caravanserais along the way offered overnight accommodation. The Selim Caravanserai in the mountains of Sulema, around 2,400 meters above sea level, was built in 1332 and is today one of the best preserved in the country. Ijevan, in the heart of the Tavush region, was and still is famous for its exceptional hospitality. As a center of craftsmanship, it is particularly well known for its carpets, which can now be found in many homes around the world.

Source: www.eu-asien.de

Since ancient times, Armenians have preserved and developed their artistic traditions. In the various artistic disciplines such as Armenian life is expressed in various forms such as engraving, embroidery, jewellery, sculpture, architecture and music.

It is particularly expressive Armenian sacred architecture. the Armenian churches have their own style that has developed over many centuries. Many churches are decorated with beautiful frescoes, bas-reliefs and donor figures; many of them in amazing condition after such a long time...
Noteworthy are the bas-reliefs and frescoes from the 5th-9th centuries. Century and the "narthexes", the church vestibules (Gavit) from the 13th century.

A special kind of art are the Armenian manuscripts with beautiful miniatures. In antiquity and in the Middle Ages, the manuscripts were carefully guarded, they played a major role in the people's struggle against intellectual slavery and assimilation. More than 17,500 manuscripts are kept in the Matenadaran, the Museum of Old Armenian Manuscripts. the painting experienced its heyday in the 19th-20th Century and continued the traditions of fresco art of the 8th century. In the last two centuries Hovhannes Ayvazovski, Edgar Schahen, Hovsep Puschmann, Arshile Gorky, Carzou, Jansem, Minas Avetisyan, Martiros Saryan and others have found great international recognition. The works of these and other modern artists are in the picture galleries of Yerevan issued.

The peculiarity of Armenian music is that folk, profane and sacred melodies form a synthesis in it. Armenian folk music is played with a variety of unique instruments, most notably the duduk. This 2000 year old wind instrument is made of apricot wood. Duduk music is now famous all over the world and can even be heard in Hollywood films. The film composers use this music in such scenes related to the distant past and distant lands. The warm, melancholic tones of the Armenian duduk sound almost sacred in religious films like Mel Gibson's The Temptation of Jesus and The Passion of the Christ, the last of which was filmed in 2004. Duduk sound took a central place in the films "Gladiator", "Alexander", "The Chronicles of Narnia", "Syriana" and "Munich". It was above all the famous Armenian musician Djivan Gasparyan who brought this ancient instrument and its longing, eternal sound onto the world music stage.

"Characans" are liturgical songs that go back many centuries. 300 years have passed since the time of the minstrel (Aschugh) Sayat-Nova, but the minstrel lives on to this day. The favorite composer of Armenians, Aram Khachaturyan, was under the direct influence of Armenian folk music and the music of Sayat Nova. Khachaturyan wrote numerous classical works, including the ballets "Gayane" (which includes the famous saber dance) and "Spartacus". Modern Armenian composers often combine traditional Armenian music with contemporary elements, creating a whole new genre. This is how Armenian music renews itself and is still being interpreted and preserved by every new generation of musicians. The Armenian diaspora has also produced a number of highly talented, world-class musicians, such as chansonnier Charles Aznavour, Cher, the group System Of A Down.

the literature always played a crucial role in the preservation of cultural identity. Before the invention of Armenian letters legends and stories were either passed down orally or written down in foreign languages. The golden age of Armenian literature began with the introduction of the new Armenian script, its own alphabet, by the scholar Mesrop Maschtoz in 405. In the centuries-long struggle against foreign conquerors, the Armenian alphabet remained remarkably unchanged, and Armenian literature continues to flourish.

Carpet making is a traditional art in the country. Of the Caucasus and Armenia in particular are considered by scholars and professionals to be the home of carpets. Armenians are proud of this heritage and continue this traditional branch. Here you will find many specialized shops offering old and new carpets. The art of knotting is not only limited to carpets, but is also used in the manufacture of clothes and bags as well as in design.

At art and flea markets in the open air, such as at the Yerevan "Vernissage", one can find small souvenir cross-stones (khachkar) made of wood. There are over 40,000 Armenian cross-stones across the country, but each one, like a snowflake, is unique. Making handmade clay pots is another traditional art in Armenia. Many clay objects are offered at the "Vernissage".

Source: www.eu-asien.de

origin

Armenian (proper designation "Hajeren") belongs to the Indo-European language family, but - like Greek or Albanian - has no close relatives in this language family.

The language history distinguishes the following forms of Armenian:

  1. Old Roman (also called Grabar): 5 to 11 centuries
  2. Middle Armenian: 11th to 17th centuries
  3. Neo-Armenian (also called Ashcharabar): since the 17th century Neo-Armenian has two historically and geographically conditioned forms: Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian, which differ mainly in pronunciation and vocabulary, and in part also in grammar. Today, Eastern Armenian is the official language of the Republic of Armenia and is also spoken by the Armenian language community in Iran. Western Armenian, originally spoken by the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, is now spoken in Turkey and scattered throughout the world, Middle East, Europe and USA as a result of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

vocabulary

The Armenian language contains quite a lot of loan words from Greek and Iranian languages. Because of this fact, it has long been mistaken for an Iranian dialect. In the Soviet period, many words were also adopted from Russian. Since Armenia's independence, greater importance has been placed on the purity of the language and the language culture.

distribution

About 9 million people worldwide speak Armenian. At the moment, only about 3.2 million Armenians live in the Republic of Armenia. The Armenians have a very strong connection to their history, religion and language and maintain their mother tongue, regardless of which country in the world fate has brought them to.

The main guarantor of the survival of the Armenian language outside the Republic of Armenia is the family. It can be said that Armenian is spoken in practically every country in the world. The most important centers of the Armenian diaspora include the USA, Russia, France and the countries of the Middle East.

The font

The Armenian script was created by the learned monk Mesrop Maschtoz in the early 5th century. The correctness and order of the sounds were taken from the Greek alphabet, but characters denoting sounds not found in Greek were reinvented by Mesrop Maschtoz. Originally there were 36 characters in the Armenian alphabet, three more letters were added in the early Middle Ages.

The grammar

Armenian has an extensive case system (seven cases) but no gender distinction. Most of the old synthetic verb forms have been replaced by analytic constructions (with auxiliary verb). Armenian is a SPO language, i.e. the word order is usually subject – predicate – object, but it is flexible, e.g. B. to put special emphasis on a part of a sentence. The subjunctive only exists for the verb forms in the present and past tense. However, its function is different from that in German, in principle it is not used for indirect speech. (Alternative categories are therefore also optative (desired form) and desiderative). The indefinite article is not grammatically marked in Eastern Armenian; in Western Armenian, the noun is followed by “mə”.

The payment

Before Armenia adopted the Arabic numeral system, numbers were represented using letters. Only capital letters were used to represent the numbers. The 36 letters were in 4 rows of 9 each letters in order. The first row denoted the numbers 1 to 9, the second - 10 to 90, the third - 100 to 900 and the fourth - 1,000 to 9,000. The numbers 10,000 and 20,000 were denoted by the letters introduced in the Middle Ages (for the reproduction of the sounds "O" and "F").

German-Armenian Bridge

German linguists occupy a prominent place in the study of the Armenian language. They investigated the origins of the Armenian script (V. Gardthausen), wrote grammars of Old Armenian (JH Petermann, M. Lauer), carried out comparative studies of Armenian (F. Bopp, JN Petermann, H. Hübschmann) and examined the position of Armenian in the group of Indo-European languages (H. Hübschmann, Fr. Müller).