Armenia

Situated at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe lies the picturesque country of Armenia. It is also known as the republic of Armenia. With its cobbled streets and medieval charm, Armenia looks like a country taken out of the pages of a history book. Armenia is a beautiful charming county which is bound to take you back in time to a time of knights and kings.

The kingdom of Armenia was established in 6^th century BC after the fall of Uratu.  Armenia is also known as the Christian Nation as it was the first state in the world to adopt Christianity as its national religion. The country is  a member of the Council of Europe and the Collective  Security Treaty Organization.

The land locked country of Armenia is surrounded by Georgia on its north , Turkey lies to its west, Iran lies to its south and Azerbaijan to its east. The national currency of Armenia is dram. The capital city of Armenia is Yerevan.

The country of Armenia is seeped deep in history and culture. Armenia is widely known for its folk music, light pop and an extensive mix of Christian music.

A visit to Armenia would be incomplete without a trip to Sevan Lake, the largest lake in Armenia. Sevan Lake is one of the world’s largest high altitude fresh water lakes. Van Lake and Urmia Lake along with Sevan Lake are collectively called “ the Seas of Armenia”. Lying to the north west of Sevan Lake is the town of Sevan. Another interesting thing to see while visiting Sevan is to visit the cyclopean fortress of Metsep which lies to the north of Sevan.

Geghard, Matennadaran, Khor Virap, Hagthpat Monastery etc are a few palces one should visit when in Armenia.

The Tatev Monastery sits a top a cliff and can be seen across the canyon and it is connected by a natural bridge to the other side. The  bridge is commonly  called Satan’s Bridge. People brave enough to climb down the cliff to the river would be welcomed to  a world of stalagmites, stalactites, the river and other pool formations.

Khor Virap Monastery is situated at the foot of Ararat Mount. The monastery stands on a top of a small hill with the breath taking, snow – capped mountain as its backdrop.

The Etchniadzon Cathedral located in the town of Vagharshpat is a famous historical landmark. It is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church and is also the oldest cathedral in the world. The cathedral has several beautiful frescos and painting adorning its walls. These frescos were restored in the 18^th century.

For those who want to lay back and relax a trip to Dilijan is a must. It is the spa town of Armenia and is also home to the Dilijan National park which hosts a wide variety of flora and fauna. The brown bear, wolf, otter, marten, lynx have all made this national park their home. Another popular  town in Armenia is tsaghakadzor which is located to the north of the capital city of Yerevan. The ski resort is located just north of the town. The town is nestled between the snow – capped mountain peaks.