Armenia sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. While it is a small nation today, it once covered a massive empire that stretched from sea to sea. For instance, the capital city of Yerevan is actually older than Rome. Furthermore, the country was the first in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion. Prepare to explore the highlands of the Caucasus.
Armenia
Yerevan is older than Rome. King Argishti I founded the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BC. Therefore, the Armenian capital is 29 years older than the Eternal City of Rome. It has remained inhabited for nearly three thousand years.
Armenia was the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion. King Tiridates III converted in 301 AD. Consequently, Armenia became a Christian nation more than a decade before the Roman Emperor Constantine recognized the faith.
Schools teach chess as a mandatory subject. The government values the game so much that every child must learn it. As a result, this small nation produces more grandmasters per capita than almost any other country on earth.
Archaeologists found the world’s oldest winery in a cave. The Areni-1 cave complex contained fermentation jars, a wine press, and drinking bowls from 6,100 years ago. This discovery proved that locals made wine thousands of years before the Europeans.
The world’s oldest leather shoe was also in that cave. Researchers found a perfectly preserved shoe stuffed with grass that dates back to 3,500 BC. Because the cave conditions were so dry, the leather remained intact for over five millennia.
Mount Ararat is the national symbol, but it lies in Turkey. Armenians consider the mountain to be the resting place of Noah’s Ark. However, the peak currently sits just across the closed border, so locals can only admire it from a distance.
Winston Churchill drank Armenian brandy every day. Joseph Stalin reportedly sent crates of the “Dvin” brandy to the British Prime Minister during World War II. Churchill loved the drink so much that he ordered it by the barrel for years.
The apricot is technically an Armenian plum. The scientific name for the fruit is Prunus armeniaca. Although apricots grow elsewhere, ancient Romans believed the best ones came from the Armenian highlands.
The Wings of Tatev is the longest non-stop cable car in the world. It stretches for 5.7 kilometers over a deep gorge to reach the Tatev Monastery. The ride takes about twelve minutes and offers breathtaking views of the river below.
A monk invented the unique Armenian alphabet in 405 AD. Mesrop Mashtots created the 36 letters specifically to translate the Bible. His script was so perfect that it has changed very little in over 1,600 years.
There are more Armenians outside the country than inside. The devastating events of 1915 forced millions to flee their homeland. Consequently, a massive diaspora exists in countries like Russia, the United States, and France.
Young people in Armenia eat a salty cookie to find love. On the feast of St. Sargis, single people eat a salty cracker called “Aghablit” and do not drink water. Legend says their future spouse will bring them a cup of water in their dreams that night.
Lavash bread is on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Bakers slap this paper-thin flatbread against the hot walls of a clay oven called a tonir. It dries quickly and can last for months, which made it perfect for ancient travelers.
The buildings in Yerevan are pink. Builders use a local volcanic stone called tuff to construct the city. This stone has a natural rosy hue, which earned the capital the nickname “The Pink City.”
Finally, the khachkar is a symbol of national identity. These “cross-stones” feature intricate carvings of crosses and floral motifs. Stone carvers have created thousands of them, and no two khachkars are exactly alike.
