Armenia

September 2002

Yerevan, capital of Armenia, is a city engulfed in a revolution, not a military one but a one of change. While deeply rooted in traditions, one can easily see the day-to-day changes towards amore western European way of life. From the western, more liberal way of dress of the younger generation, to the plethora of new high-end vehicles cluttering the city’s roads, Yerevan’s fast paced pulse can be felt daily.

Mt Ararat

The city, and for that matter Armenia as a whole, is deeply rooted in religious traditions. A tradition that has its roots from the fact that Noah’s Ark found its final resting place somewhere in the not too distant Mount Ararat, a symbol of Armenian pride. Ararat is a mountain that has been painted and depicted thousands of times through the centuries and has long been disputed by Armenia and Turkey. It now lies within the boundaries of Turkey. Still, most Armenians claim it as theirs.

The religious traditions continue evident throughout Yerevan in the multitude of churches found in the city. Some churches, like St. Grigor Cathedral, rival the size and splendor of many western cathedrals. St. Grigor is a modern building with traditional, classical lines. While most churches offer the viewer the same outside façade, each holds an individual atmosphere, almost reminiscent of Spanish Roman Catholicism, were each town has a patron saint and its own individual church. The oldest church in Armenia is found in Yerevan. Hard to find, since it has been swallowed by modern apartment buildings, it offers simplicity in design and is extremely small.

As the tide of modernism begins to swallow Yerevan, one can begin to see the new stores offering everything western sprouting all over the city. From music shops, to modern outdoor cafes, to high-end stores, everything can be found…for a high price at times, the price of free enterprise.

Despite this revolution of change, Yerevan has kept its old flavor, and while it is refreshing to see the city and the country moving towards modernization and progress, it is very nice to see that it has not lost its old world character and traditions.