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| The Caucasus - My Journal |
Touring the Armenian Sights
Yerevan and around, 27th August to 5th September (2)
The small size of Armenia and the fact that Armenia is slowly growing as a tourist destination meant that it was easy to see many of the major sights as day trips from the capital.
My first day trip was to the northern region of Lori. Lori is famous for being one of the most beautiful regions of the country. Despite the main road linking Yerevan to the Northern Caucasus running through Lori, there are very few towns in the region and the scenery is made of dramatic mountains, dense green foliage and huge gorges. The first place we visited on the tour was Vanadzor, the main city in the region. We only stopped briefly in the town as we passed through to the major sights. Vanadzor is Armenia's 3rd largest city, but it is still fairly small and there is not much to see there.
The two main sights we set out to see were Sanahin and Haghpat, two ancient and beautiful monasteries. They are two of the most famous sights in the country and you can find out more about them by clicking here. Rather than describing them now, I will put up photos when I return home.
The tour itself was very well done, and I enjoyed being able to see these sights with little fuss. The problem with visiting the attractions in the Caucasus is that the low level of tourism means getting to the sights can be a real hassle. There tends to be little or no public transport, and when there is, it can be hard to find or awkwardly timed. It was good being able to jump on a minibus which took me directly to the sights and also included an excellent English speaking guide. Like many backpackers, I often try hard to see sights the cheapest way possible. This means using public transport and definitely not using a guide. However, the distinct lack of written information at the Armenian sights means that a guide can really make a huge difference. The intricate reliefs, mysterious tombs, ancient paintings and the subtleties of the architecture can all be brought to life by a good guide. Basically, at about 10 pounds for a full day of sights and a guide, it really makes sense to make use of tours in this part of the world.
On the second day, I used a tour to visit three of the major sights very close to Yerevan. Again, I'll only describe them briefly now, then I'll add photos when I return home. The first place was Echmiadzin, an ancient cathedral and scholarly complex built in 480, which is the heart of the Armenian church. Religion is hugely important in the country and I discovered that Armenia was the first officially Christian country. Echmiadzin was a beautiful complex and the cathedral itself was particularly stunning.
I also visited Metasmor, one of the oldest, continually inhabited towns in the world. There's not much there today, except a small but interesting museum (English speaking guide essential) and a modern nuclear power plant which looms over the ruins oft the ancient town.
The final sight was the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral. The original circular design of the cathedral, which can be seen on postcards or in museums, is particularly impressive. However, like many of the ancient sights in Armenia, it was destroyed at some point in the countries long history, and the ruins only hint at the grandeur that used to be there.
Although I'd crammed a lot into my time touring the sights in and around Yerevan, the fact is, is that Armenia as much, much more to offer. I could easily spend a month here looking at the various sights, if I had the time and money! However, my touring wasn't over just yet, I was keen to visit another monastery in the deep south of Armenia. However, as it was a lot further from Yerevan than the other sights, I needed to make an overnight trip out of it...
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To know the road ahead, ask those coming back
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