42 Fascinating Facts About Armenia
1. Armenia adopted Christianity as a state religion in 301, 79 years before Rome.
2. Armenia is the home of 4200 BC Karahundj, “Armenia’s Stonehenge” which is 3500 years older than the Stonehenge in England and even 3000 years older than the Egyptian pyramids.
3. The art of winemaking in Armenia is over 6000 years old. The oldest known winery found in Areni cave. Areni is in Vayots Dzor marz.
4. Ancient Armenians carved entire cities out of rock. For example, at Khndzoresk, where 3000 cave dwelling still remain.
5. Armenia has one of five lances professed to be the true lance used by St. Longinus at the crucifixion. The lance is in Echmiadzin, Armavir marz.
6. Armenia has the oldest found bronze foundry in the Near East, at Metsamor archeological site.
7. The world’s oldest known leather shoe has been found in Areni cave, Vayots Dzor marz.
8. Armenia’s native flat bread is called “lavash”. Lavash is sold at bakeries and shops throughout the country.
9. Armenia’s golden age of literature began in the 5th century, with the creation of the alphabet. 24,000 manuscripts, miniatures and fragments are kept at museum of ancient manuscripts- Matenadaran in Yerevan.
10. The domestication of apricot is traced to Armenia.
11. Yerevan is the home to the fabled Blue Mosque, built in the 18th century by Persian shahs.
12. The church treasury in Echmiadzin has a piece of Noah’s Ark.
13. Armenia has over 3500 species of flowers.
14. The village of Yeghegis has a 13th century Jewish cemetery.
15. Armenian cognac was the drink of choice by Winston Churchill.
16. The monastery of Noravank in Vayots Dzor has the only depiction of God made in the medieval period, and is considered Armenia’s first Gothic sculpture. The carving and Noravank are in Vayots Dzor marz.
17. The church treasury in Echmiadzin has a piece of the True Cross. Echmiadzin is the center of Armenia’s Apostolic Church.
18. Mt. Ughtasar has fields of petroglyphs dating back to the Stone Age. Mt Ughtasar is in Siunik marz.
19. Yerevan has over 1000 outdoor cafes.
20. Yerevan is the only capital in the world where you can see the biblical mountain of Ararat.
21. Echmiadzin cathedral was built in 303. Echmiadzin is in Armavir marz.
22. Armenia’s tallest mountain is Mt. Aragats (4094 m). Aragats is in Aragatsotn and Shirak marz.
23. Armenia is home of four World Heritage Sites.
24. Aram Khachaturian composed the ballet, “Spartak”, one of the most popular music in the classical world.
25. The Armenian gampr is one of the oldest species of dogs in the world. Gamprs are still used as shepherd dogs on Armenia’s mountainsides. Especially in Aragatsotn, Lori and Shirak.
26. The word Armenia is first mentioned by Persia in 515 BC. The word appears in the Behistun inscriptions in Iran.
27. Lake Sevan is one of the largest high altitude lakes in the world. Lake Sevan is in Gegharkunik marz.
28. Yerevan was established in 782 BC at the Urartian citadel of Erebuni. Erebuni is in Yerevan city.
29. The creation of the carpet is traced to the Armenian highland. Carpet weavers can be found in Giumri, Kapan and Noyemberian.
30. Armenia lies on the Silk Road, and has caravanserais (caravan stops) dating to the 9th century. Caravanserais can be found at Aruch in Aragatsotn and the Selim Pass in Vayots Dzor.
31. Armenia has the only intact Greco-Roman temple in the Caucasus. The temple is at Garni, in Kotayk marz.
32. The color television was invented by an Armenian.
33. Khosrov Preserve is the largest nature preserve to protect the Armenian leopard. The Khosrov Preserve is in Ararat marz.
34. The excavation at Agarak has one of the largest prehistoric sculptures in the world, of the zodiac sign Aries. Agarak is in Aragatsotn marz.
35. The domestication of wheat is traced to Armenia.
36. Gyumri town has the largest collection of 19th century buildings in the Caucasus.
37. Tatev monastery has a “swinging column” that pivoted and swung on a giant hinge, and it was used to detect earthquakes. Tatev is in Siunik marz.
38. Armenia has its own variety of water lily. Wa