Echmiadzin
by IngaA
It is perhaps the most popular place for tourists and for locals. It is the ancient whole cathedral complex, the point #1 for Armenian Apostolic church and residence of the Catholicos, it's head. Teh cathedral dates back to IV-VII centuries. It also keeps collection of ancient armenian golden and silver decorations.
visas
by R-men
If you fly to Armenia, you can apply for e-visa! The advantage of e-visa is that you don't have to have an Armenian Embassy/Consulate in your countyr, and you don't have to go all way through all the bureaucracy. AS far as I know e-visas are issued in 2 days. You can check the Foreign Ministry's website.
From Yerevan to Tabriz (Iran), part II
by MalenaN
... At 20.30 we arrived to the border, where it took two hours on the Armenian side. I was the last one to be ready as the Russian controller took long time to check my passport. Not until everyone was seated in the bus and we crossed a bridge all women took their scarves on. As we arrived on the Iranian side all our passports were collected and we waited. While I waited I changed money at an exchange office and bought some crisps at a shop. Everyone changed the time on their watches back 1,5 hours. At the Iranian side of the border it took 1,5 hours before we were finished and could continue.
Before arriving in Tabriz we stopped for another food break. Back in the bus I wished I was going to Tehran because I wanted to sleep, but suddenly we where in Tabriz and there only I and another passenger left the bus. The driver of the bus asked the other passenger to take me to my hotel in the same taxi as he was taking (even if I don’t speak Farsi and they didn’t speak English) and I was glad for not being left alone in the outskirts of Tabriz in the middle of the night, even if there were other taxis around.
I had been told the bus ride between Yerevan and Tabriz should take 14 hours but it took more than 18 hours. It didn’t feel so long, but it was inconvenient to arrive in the middle of the night.
Erebuni Fortress
by Narunj
The Erebuni Fortress was founded in 782 B.C. by King Argishti I of the Kingdom of Urartu (9-6 centuries). Erebuni is considered to be the basis of the current capital of Armenia - Yerevan. Located in the suburbs of Yerevan, the striking archaeological remains are an excellent reminder that the capital of Armenia has been continuously inhabited by its denizens for three thousand years.
In honour of founding the city, a cuneiform inscription on a bronze pedestal was made testifying that the city was built by Argishti I the King of Urartu, as an important military stronghold of the country. This small sculpture is an interesting specimen of Urartu art.
On the occasion of the 2750th anniversary of Yerevan, a nuseum of Erebuni was established in the nowaday's Erebuni district in Yerevan, with more than 12,000 exhibits of the Urartian Kingdom.
Entrance fee: 1000 drams (less than 3 $)
opera house
by call_me_rhia
The Opera House is another wonderful building in Yerevan and was designed by the Armenian architect Alexander Spendiarian. He took inspiration for his design from the seventh century Cathedral at Zvarnotz, whose ruins can be visited as a day trip from Yerevan. Spendiarian, for his Opera House, won the Gran Prix at the 1937 Paris World Fair.
Whgen the weather is fair the area around the Opera House is dotted with a great number of outdoor cafes and, late at night, the area is very lively and vibrant