The friendship between Armenians and Venetians started with the concession of mutual trade privileges in the XIII century between the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and the Republic of Venice. From this time on the Armenian presence in the city of Venice as a “privileged nation” has been constant. The importance of this presence for the Venetian Republic was both economic and cultural. The Armenian merchants arrived here bringing economic wealth and a breath of oriental wind to the city. The establishment of the Mkhitarist Order in Venice in the XVIII century confirmed the will of the Republic to guarantee the Armenian presence in the city also in later periods.
Today yet another confirmation of this long friendship arrived with the Venice authorities eager to create conditions for Venetians to visit Armenia again. This is the main goal of a project sponsored by the Venice Chamber of Commerce and the Government of the Veneto Region in collaboration with the Mkhitarist Congregation. The project implies a workshop between Armenian and Venetian travel agencies that will take place on October 4th and has the aim to create contacts and conditions to bring Venetian tourism in Armenia.
Having such a rich Armenian heritage in Venice, the first impact with the Armenian culture for the Venetian visitors will naturally take place in their home town, starting with the Calle dei Armeni, the heart of the Armenian medieval presence with its magnificent Armenian Church of the Holy Cross, other streets bearing Armenian names like Ruga Giuffa and Salizada Seriman where Armenian merchants from Giugha settled starting from the XVII century, the Mkhitarist Monastery on the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni or the once famous Moorat Raphael Armenian boarding school.

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