So you are planning a visit to Armenia or maybe you are already there by a whim yet you are wondering where to go and what to do to make the most of your time. Don’t you worry, we’ve got you covered! In this article, we will share the most recent information you need to know to fully enjoy your time in Armenia. Below, we’ve brought to your attention Yerevan’s most popular museums and sightseeing landmarks. If you’re more of an adventurous type we’ve got some adrenaline staff going on for you.
Tours in Armenia
Are you looking for tours in Armenia? Check out our article Armenia Tours.
Yerevan Museums
Matenadaran
Armenian’s national depository of medieval manuscripts Matenadaran stores one of the world’s largest ancient manuscript collection. Besides being a museum it is also an active research center where new manuscripts are collected and studied. The first Matenadaran (lit. “repository of manuscripts”) was established in historical Cilician Armenia. After that, it was moved to Echmiadzin and now the central repository is in Yerevan.
National History Museum of Armenia, National Gallery
Founded in 1919 museum has Archaeology, Numismatics, Ethnography and Documents collections. History Museum has over 400k exhibits and covers the history of Armenia from Paleolith to our days. Founded in 1921 National Gallery has Armenian, Russian, European collections of artworks as well as a collection of decorative-applied art.
Cafesjian Center for the Arts
A contemporary art museum exhibits of which are donated by benefactor G. Cafesjian from his personal collection. Opened in 2009 this museum draws over a million visitors annually. The museum’s entry (on the image above) is on the left side of the Cascade stairways.
Sergei Parajanov Museum
Sergei Parajanov was a Soviet film director and actor of an Armenian origin. This is one of the most popular museums in Yerevan maybe because Parajanov’s eccentric personality and rich artistic heritage still pique people’s interest to this day. Museum was opened in 1991 a year after Parajanov’s death.
Blds15&16 Dzoragyugh 1st St, Yerevan
“Erebuni” Historical & Archeological Museum-Reserve
All the history buffs out there – this one is for you! Erebuni Fortress, aka Arin Berd, founded in 782 BCE is where Yerevan started from. In fact, “Erebuni” is the old name of Yerevan. The museum-reserve consists of 2 parts: Erebuni archeological museum, which houses exhibits unearthed at Erebuni and Teishebaini sites and Erebuni citadel excavation itself located near the museum. In visiting the museum you can explore the history of Urartian state and exhibits of excavated artifacts. The museum provides guided tours in English, French, Spanish, Russian. The museum is not in the city center like many other museums but it’s definitely worth a visit.
Yerevan Sightseeing
Republic Square
This is where Yerevan’s heart is. The square was designed by the architect A. Tamanyan in 1924 and built throughout the Soviet period, the last building being completed in 1977. The square is an oval-shaped roundabout with dancing fountains in front of the History Museum and National Gallery. You can get there by metro getting off in the station “Republic Square” (“Hanrapetutyan Hraparak” in Armenian)
Northern Avenue
If you walk towards Abovyan street from the Republic Square and walk up the street 260 m (850 ft) to your left you’ll see a large pedestrian avenue. That is the Northern Avenue lined up with restaurants, shopping boutiques, and cafes. This avenue together with the buildings on its both sides is relatively newly-built (opened in 2007). The avenue gets crowded in the evenings with locals and guests alike.
11 Hyusisayin poghota, Yerevan
Opera House
Opera House opens up to the sight when you walk Northern Avenue all the way up and cross Tumanyan street. It was designed by the Yerevan’s architect Alexander Tamanian and opened in 1933. Opera Theatre, as it is also called, consists of 2 main halls which together can accommodate 2600 people. The square in front of the Opera House is called Liberty Square, it’s always full of kids and adults. There are many cafes surrounding the square. We’d recommend you to attend to a performance in Opera Theatre to enjoy operas and ballets of Armenian and international composers. You can check the performances on the official website.
Cascade
Cascade is a wide stairway construction made of white limestone. The number of all stairs is 572. The construction of the first phase started in 1976 and lasted till 1988. The construction of the top part is still not finished but the ensemble looks grand anyways. Cascade houses a set of museums and temporary exhibitions. The most conspicuous of those museums is the Museum of Modern Art. You’ll notice some of the outdoor exhibits on the walkway to the stairway. If you rather not climb up the stairs you can take the indoor escalators instead.
Victory Park
On top of Cascade, there is a panoramic viewpoint of the city with Mount Ararat at a distance. Be warned that escalators don’t get you to the top, you’ll have to overcome some stairs on your own. From the viewpoint, you can get to the Victory Park by walking towards the road and taking the underground passage. The park is huge. It is dedicated to Soviet Armenia’s victory in WW2 concluded on May 9th, 1945. There is a gigantic statue in the park called “Mother Armenia” – a woman holding a sword. The pedestal of the statue hosts a museum commemorating Armenia’s participation in the war. Some retired battlefield vehicles are mounted there for public view.
Lovers’ Park
This is a lovely park near the metro station “Marshal Baghramyan”. The park is clean and well kept. There are half a century old trees and a man-made lake with a small waterfall. It’s just a pleasant environment to stroll around or sit on the bench and listen to the sounds of nature. A cafe is located in the park named “Achajur”. They serve coffee/tea, freshly squeezed fruit juice, snacks and nice ambient music.
21 Marshal Baghramyan Ave, Yerevan
Adrenaline Rush
Are you tired of conventional tours and want to feel the adrenaline rush through your veins? We’ve got several interesting options for you.
- You can try the zip line in Yenokavan, Tavush province of Armenia. It’s fun and invigorating slide above the most beautiful forests of lush greenery. You’ll have several “flights” over varying distances with a professional crew member ensuring your security. Details here.
- Would you rather do a tandem flight on a paraglider? You can book a tandem flight with an experienced instructor and enjoy a 40 minute soaring over beautiful terrain. Every aspect of the flying process on a paraglider is handled by the instructor so just sit back and enjoy the feeling of flight. Check out the details here.
- Are you visiting Armenia in summer and want to go rafting?! Check out the facebook page of the organizers.
- Are you visiting in winter and you’re an avid skiing or snowboarding fan? Tsaghkadzor has winter sports facilities for beginners and seasoned professionals alike.
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