Yerevan city

Founder: Argishti I
Date of foundation: 782 BC. e.
Area: 223.28 km²
Height: from 900 to 1300 m
Population: 1.075 million

Yerevan is the capital of the Republic of Armenia. The city is located on the Ararat Valley: on the banks of the Hrazdan River, a tributary of the Araks. In terms of population (according to census data as of April 2013, 1.067.0 million people), the city is the largest in Armenia. In 1918, Yerevan became the 12th capital throughout the history of Armenia.

Yerevan was founded by the Urartian ( Urartu – kingdom in Armenia) king Argishti 1 in 782 BC. The city is 29 years older than Rome. There are many interpretations and legends associated with the etymology of the name. The oldest and most common version is associated with the forefather Noah. According to a popular legend, after the global flood, when the waters receded, Noah saw land from Mount Ararat and exclaimed “it is visible, it is visible” (the root “erev” means “it is visible” in Armenian), which later, with some changes, became the basis of the modern name of the city.

Yerevan is one of the oldest cities in the world.  Archaeological studies carried out on the territory showed that people lived here tens of thousands of years ago. Research has revealed that many settlements were formed and destroyed on the territory at different times: Shengavit, Karmir Blur, Tsitsernakaberd, etc. The modern plan of the city was developed in 1921 by the prominent architect Alexander Tamanyan.

Yerevan has many churches, museums, including theMuseum of History of ArmeniaandNational Gallery(over 14,000 works) that present Armenian history, literature and fine arts. Here is also the Matenadaran, a repository of Armenian and foreign books and manuscripts (more than 100,000 exhibits), as well as Tsitsernakaberd, a monument dedicated to the Armenian Genocide, which was carried out by Ottoman Turkey. Every year on April 24, thousands of Armenians bring flowers to the monument to honor the memory of the 1.5 million victims.