1. MY COUNTRY
ARMENIA
TUNYAN YANA
MKRTCHYAN MARY
Ohanyan
educational
complex

4. GARNI
• The settlement has an ancient history, and is best known for the
Hellenistic Garni temple. The area was first occupied in the 3rd
millennium BC along easily defensible terrain at one of the bends of the
Azat River. In the 8th century BC the area was conquered by the Urartian
King Argishti I. The fortification at Garni was erected probably sometime
in the 3rd century BC as a summer residence for the Armenian Orontid
and Artaxiad royal dynasties. Later around the 1st century BC the fortress
of Garni became the last refuge of King Mithridates of Armenia and where
he and his family were assassinated by his son-in-law and nephew
Rhadamistus. The fortress was eventually sacked in 1386 by Timur Lenk.
In 1679 an earthquake devastated the area destroying the temple.
• Much of the population descends from people settled in the population
exchange of 1829–1830 that followed the Treaty of Turkmenchay
between Russia and Persia.

7. GARNI
• Garni is notable for its fortress complex with the 1st century AD
Garni Temple, Surb Astvatsatsin Church, Mashtots Hayrapet Church, a
ruined 4th century single-aisle church, a ruined Tukh Manuk Shrine, Saint
Sargis Shrine, and a Queen Katranide Shrine.
• Nearby is the Garni Gorge with well preserved basalt columns, carved out
by the Goght River. This portion of the gorge is typically referred to as the
"Symphony of the Stones". It is most easily reached via a road that leads
left down the gorge just before reaching the temple of Garni. Another
road leads to the gorge through the village, down a cobblestone road, and
into the valley.
• Once in the valley, turning right will lead to Garni Gorge, an 11th century
medieval bridge, and the "Symphony of the Stones". Taking a left will lead
along the river past a fish hatchery, up to the Khosrov State Reserve, and
a little further Havuts Tar Monastery (which may be seen from the
temple). Within the reserve is also Aghjots Vank of the 13th c., a church of
S. Stepanos and the fortress of Kakavaberd. Garni lies along the road to
the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Geghard Monastery (further 7 km
southeast).

9. KHOR VIRAP
• The Khor Virap (Armenian: Խոր Վիրապ, meaning deep pit or "deep well") is an
Armenian Apostolic Church monastery located in the Ararat plain in Armenia, near
the border with Turkey, about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of Artashat,
Ararat Province.[1][2] The monastery was host to a theological seminary and was
the residence of Armenian Catholicos.
• Khor Virap's notability as a monastery and pilgrimage site is attributed to the fact
that Grigor Lusavorich, who later becameSaint Gregory the Illuminator, was
initially imprisoned here for 13 years by King Tiridates III of Armenia. Saint Gregory
subsequently became the king's religious mentor, and they led the proselytizing
activity in the country. In the year 301, Armenia was the first country in the world
to be declared a Christian nation.[1][4][5] A chapel was initially built in 642 AD at
the site of Kirat Virap by Nerses III the Builder as a mark of veneration to Saint
Gregory. Over the centuries, it was repeatedly rebuilt. In 1662, the larger chapel
known as the "St. Astvatsatsin" (Holy Mother of God) was built around the ruins of
the old chapel, the monastery, the refectory and the cells of the monks. Now,
regular Church services are held in this church. It is probably the most visited
pilgrimage site in Armenia.

12. GEGHARD
• The monastery of Geghard (Armenian: Գեղարդ, meaning spear) is a unique architectural
construction in the Kotaykprovince of Armenia, being partially carved out of the adjacent
mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site.
• While the main chapel was built in 1215, the monastery complex was founded in the 4th
century by Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. The monastery
had thus been originally named Ayrivank, meaning "the Monastery of the Cave". The name
commonly used for the monastery today, Geghard, or more
fully Geghardavank( ), meaning "the Monastery of the Spear", originates from Գեղարդավանք
the spear which had wounded Jesus at the Crucifixion, allegedly brought to Armenia by
Apostle Jude, called here Thaddeus, and stored amongst many other relics. Now it is
displayed in the Echmiadzin treasury.
• The spectacular towering cliffs surrounding the monastery are part of the Azat river gorge,
and are included together with the monastery in the World Heritage Site listing. Some of the
churches within the monastery complex are entirely dug out of the cliff rocks, others are
little more than caves, while others are elaborate structures, with both architecturally
complex walled sections and rooms deep inside the cliff. The combination, together with
numerous engraved and free-standingkhachkars is a unique sight, being one of the most
frequented tourist destinations in Armenia.
• Most visitors to Geghard also choose to visit the nearby Garni temple, a Parthenon-like
structure located further down the Azat river. Visiting both sites in one trip is so common
that they are often referred to in unison as Garni-Geghard.

14. HAGHARTSIN
• Haghartsin (Armenian: Հաղարծին) is a 13th
century monastery located near the town of
Dilijan in the Tavush Province ofArmenia. It
was built between the 10th and 14th century
(in the 12th under Khachatur of Taron); much
of it under the patronage of the
Bagratuni Dynasty.

17. LAKE SEVAN
• Lake Sevan (Armenian: Սևանա լիճ Sevana lich) is the largest lake in Armenia and
the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest fresh-water high-altitude lakes in the
world.
• Lake Sevan is situated in the central part of the Republic of Armenia, inside the
Gegharkunik Province, at the altitude of 1,900m above sea level. The total surface
area of its basin is about 5,000 km2
, the lake itself is 940 km2
, and the volume is
34.0 bln cubic metres. It is fed by 28 rivers and streams. Only 10% of the outgoing
water is drained by the Hrazdan (Razdan) river, while the remaining 90%
evaporates.
• Before human intervention dramatically changed the Lake Sevan ecosystem, the
lake was 95 metres deep, covered an area of 1,360 km² (5% of Armenia's entire
area), had a volume of 58 km³ and a perimeter of 260 km. The lake surface was at
an altitude of 1,916 m above sea level.

20. EJMIATSIN Echmiadzin is the center of the Armenian Church. It is where the Catholicos Of All Armenians lives, and the
location of the Ejmiatsin Cathedral.The cathedral, built in 480, is located in a walled compound with
gardens and various structures.
 The word "Ejmiatsin" means The coming of the only-begotten, and the cathedral was built on the very spot
Grigor Luysavorich (St. Gregory the Illuminator) dreamt Jesus Himself descended to from heaven to show
him where He wanted the church to be built.
 It is a scenic place to visit. The main church structure is pretty large, however the majority of the interior is
dedicated to uses other than worship and the area you enter is much smaller than the size of the entire
complex. It is a traditional Armenian design with a belfry and a number of rotundas. Most of the exterior is
plain until you make it around to the entrance which is intricately carved and very beautiful. You must not
leave until you get into the Manoogian Museum. (Entrance through the large arch across from the
cathedral entrance) This structure contains numerous cool paintings, souvenirs, religious artifacts, and
illuminated manuscripts so insist on seeing it. Another secret is a fire pit beneath the altar. This is where
pagans worshipped fire before Christianity. It is in the small museum in the main cathedral, with the
entrance to the right of the altar. There are some religious artifacts in display cases, but you usually need to
ask to be shown the fire worshipping pit, at which time a small donation is hinted at. Above the door which
descends into the fire pit area is the lance ("Geghard") which is said to have pierced Christ's side. The
original structure was added to so much over the years that not much remains now. There was an even
earlier church on the same site which was supposed to have been built when Armenia was converted to
Christianity. However, Ejmiatsin was yet the oldest church in the USSR.
 Make sure to wander around the gardens to get a look at the carvings and khatchkars. There is a nice gift
shop by the entrance to the compound.
 The traffic square adjacent to the compound is ringed with very nice models of some Armenian churches
throughout the country.
 -Raffi Kojian

23. Kecharis Monastery
• Kecharis (Armenian: Կեչառիս) is a 11-13th-century
monastery, located 60 km from Yerevan, in the
ski resort town ofTsakhkadzor in Armenia. Nestled in
the Bambak mountains, Kecharis was founded by a
Pahlavuni prince in the 11th century, and
construction continued until the middle of the 13th
century. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Kecharis was
a major religious center of Armenia and a place of
higher education. Today, the monastery has been
fully restored and is clearly visible from the ski
slopes.

26. KARABAKH
• Karabakh (Armenian: Ղարաբաղ Gharabagh or
, Արցախ Artsakh; Azerbaijani: Qarabağ) is a
geographic region in present-day southwestern
Azerbaijan and eastern Armenia, extending from
the highlands of the Lesser Caucasus down to the
lowlands between the rivers Kura and Aras. It
includes three regions: Highland Karabakh
(historical Artsakh, present-day
Nagorno-Karabakh), Lowland Karabakh (the
southern Kura-steppes), and a part of Syunik.

28. • The word "Karabakh" is generally said to originate
from Turkic and Persian, literally meaning "black
garden".[
An alternative theory, proposed by Bagrat
Ulubabyan, is that it has a Turkic-Armenian origin,
meaning "Greater Baghk", a reference to Ktish-Baghk
(later: Dizak), one of the principalities of Artsakh
during the eleventh to thirteenth centuries.
• The placename is first mentioned in the Georgian
Chronicles (Kartlis Tskhovreba), as well in Persian
sources from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

30. FOODS

32. ARMENIA

34. END