Armenia was part of the USSR. Soviet Armenia. Traditions and national color

ARMENIA (in Armenian Hayastan), Republic of Armenia (official self-name - Hayastani Hanrapetutyun), a state in western Asia, in Transcaucasia. Area 29.8 thousand square meters. km. It borders on the north with Georgia, on the east and southeast on Azerbaijan, on the south on Iran, on the west and southwest on Turkey.

ARMENIA (in Armenian Hayastan), Republic of Armenia (official self-name - Hayastani Hanrapetutyun), a state in western Asia, in Transcaucasia. Area 29.8 thousand square meters. km. It borders on the north with Georgia, on the east and southeast on Azerbaijan, on the south on Iran, on the west and southwest on Turkey.

The Independent Republic of Armenia was created in Transcaucasia in May 1918. In 1920, Soviet power was established on its territory. In 1922, Armenia, along with Georgia and Azerbaijan, became part of the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (TSFSR), which joined the USSR. In 1936, the federation was abolished, and Armenia became a union republic within the USSR. After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the Republic of Armenia was restored. On December 21, 1991, it became a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

ANCIENT HISTORY

The first information about the Armenian Highlands dates back to the 14th century. BC. There were Nairi states in the lake basin. Van and the states of Hayasa and Alzi in the nearby mountains. In the 9th century BC. a union was formed with the self-name Biaynili, or Biaynele (the Assyrians called it Urartu, and the ancient Jews called it Ararat). The first Armenian state arose as a result of the collapse of the Urartu union of states immediately after the fall of the Assyrian Empire in 612 BC. At first, Armenia was under the rule of the Medes, and in 550 BC. became part of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. After the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great, Armenia was ruled by representatives of the Orontid dynasty (Armenian Ervanduni). After Alexander's death in 323 BC. Armenia found itself in vassal dependence on the Syrian Seleucids. When the latter were defeated by the Romans in the battle of Magnesia (190 BC), three Armenian states arose - Lesser Armenia west of the Euphrates, Sophene east of this river and Greater Armenia with its center in the Ararat Plain. Under the rule of the Artashesid dynasty, Greater Armenia expanded its territory all the way to the Caspian Sea. Later, Tigranes II the Great (95–56 BC) conquered Sophene and, taking advantage of the protracted war between Rome and Parthia, created a huge but short-lived empire that stretched from the Lesser Caucasus to the borders of Palestine.

The rapid expansion of Armenia under Tigran the Great clearly showed how great the strategic importance of the Armenian Highlands was. For this reason, in later eras, Armenia became a bone of contention in the struggle between neighboring states and empires (Rome and Parthia, Rome and Persia, Byzantium and Persia, Byzantium and the Arabs, Byzantium and the Seljuk Turks, Ayyubids and Georgia, the Ottoman Empire and Persia, Persia and Russia, Russia and the Ottoman Empire). In 387 AD Rome and Persia divided Greater Armenia between themselves. Internal self-government was preserved on the territory of Persian Armenia. The Arabs who appeared here in 640 defeated the Persian Empire and turned Armenia into a vassal kingdom with an Arab governor.

MIDDLE AGES

With the weakening of Arab rule in Armenia, several local kingdoms arose (9th–11th centuries). The largest of them was the kingdom of the Bagratids (Bagratuni) with its capital in Ani (884–1045), but it soon disintegrated, and two more kingdoms were formed on its lands: one west of Mount Ararat with a center in Kars (962–1064), and the other – in the north of Armenia, in Lori (982–1090). At the same time, the independent Vaspurakan kingdom arose in the lake basin. Wang. The Syunids formed a kingdom in Syunik (modern Zangezur) south of Lake. Sevan (970–1166). Several principalities arose at the same time. Despite numerous wars, the economy and culture flourished at this time. However, then the Byzantines invaded the country, followed by the Seljuk Turks. In the valleys of Cilicia in the northeastern Mediterranean, where many Armenians, mainly farmers, had previously resettled, “Armenia in exile” was formed. At first it was a principality, and later (from 1090) - a kingdom (the Cilician Armenian state), led by the Ruben and Lusinian dynasties. It existed until it was conquered by the Egyptian Mamelukes in 1375. The territory of Armenia itself was partly under the control of Georgia, and partly under the control of the Mongols (13th century). In the 14th century Armenia was conquered and devastated by the hordes of Tamerlane. Over the next two centuries, it became the object of bitter struggle, first between Turkmen tribes and later between the Ottoman Empire and Persia.

THE AGE OF NATIONAL REVIVAL

Divided in 1639 between the Ottoman Empire (Western Armenia) and Persia (Eastern Armenia), Armenia remained a relatively stable country until the fall of the Safavid dynasty in 1722. As a result of the Russian-Iranian wars, according to the Gulistan Peace Treaty of 1813, Russia annexed the Karabakh region, and according to the Turkmanchay Treaty of 1828, the Yerevan and Nakhichevan Khanates. As a result of the Russian-Turkish War of 1877–1878, Russia liberated the northern part of Turkish Armenia.

Soon after the outbreak of World War I, the Turks began to resolve the “Armenian Question” by forcibly expelling all Armenians from Asia Minor. Armenian soldiers who served in the Turkish army were demobilized and shot, women, children and old people were forcibly resettled in the deserts of Syria. At the same time, from 600 thousand to 1 million people died. Many of those Armenians who survived thanks to the help of the Turks and Kurds fled to Russian Armenia or other countries in the Middle East. On May 28, 1918, Russian Armenia was proclaimed an independent republic. In September 1920, Türkiye launched a war against Armenia and captured two-thirds of its territory. In November, units of the Red Army entered Armenia, and on November 29, 1920, the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed.

SOVIET ARMENIA

On March 12, 1922, Armenia concluded an agreement with Azerbaijan and Georgia, according to which they formed the Federative Union of Socialist Soviet Republics of Transcaucasia, transformed on December 13, 1922 into the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (TSFSR). At the same time, each republic retained its independence. On December 30, the federation became part of the USSR.

5Under Stalin, a dictatorship was established in the country, accompanied by the collectivization of agriculture, industrialization (with an emphasis on heavy industry and the military industry), urbanization, brutal persecution of religion and the establishment of an official "party line" in all areas of life.

In 1936 approx. 25 thousand Armenians who opposed the collectivization policy were deported to Central Asia. During the Stalinist purges, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Armenia Agasi Khanjyan, Catholicos Khoren Muradbekyan, a number of government ministers, prominent Armenian writers and poets (Yegishe Charents, Aksel Bakunts, etc.) were killed. In 1936, the TSFSR was abolished, and Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, which were part of it, were proclaimed independent union republics within the USSR.

At the end of the war, Stalin, taking into account that the Armenian diaspora abroad had large funds and highly qualified specialists, suggested that the Catholicos appeal to foreign Armenians for repatriation to Soviet Armenia. During the period from 1945 to 1948, approx. 150 thousand Armenians, mainly from the Middle East. Subsequently, many of them were subjected to repression. In July 1949, a mass deportation of the Armenian intelligentsia along with their families to Central Asia was carried out, where most of them died.

INDEPENDENT REPUBLIC

In May 1990, elections were held to the Supreme Council (SC) of Armenia, which included both communists and representatives of the opposition - the Armenian National Movement (ANM). In August, Chairman of the Board of the ANM Levon Ter-Petrosyan was elected Chairman of the Supreme Council. On August 23, 1990, at the first session of the Supreme Council, the “Declaration of Independence of Armenia” was adopted, according to which the Armenian SSR was abolished and the independent Republic of Armenia was proclaimed. On September 21, 1991, a national referendum was held on secession from the USSR. This proposal received approx. votes. 95% of citizens who took part in the referendum. On September 23, the Supreme Court approved the results of the referendum and declared the independence of the Republic of Armenia. L. Ter-Petrosyan was elected the first president of Armenia. On December 21, 1991, Armenia joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

On March 22, 1992, the Republic of Armenia was admitted to the UN. In the spring of 1992, Armenian paramilitary forces established control over Nagorno-Karabakh. In 1993, the armed forces of the Karabakh Armenians attacked the positions of the Azerbaijanis, from which the latter fired at Karabakh and the settlements of eastern Armenia. An outbreak broke out in Azerbaijan itself Civil War. The armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh captured a significant part of the Azerbaijani territory adjacent to the Karabakh enclave from the north and south, and cleared the Lachin corridor that separated Karabakh from Armenia. As a result of these actions, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their homes and became refugees. In May 1994, with the mediation of Russia, an agreement was concluded between Armenia and Azerbaijan to cease hostilities.

Against the backdrop of a worsening economic crisis and widespread corruption in the government, dissatisfaction with President Ter-Petrosyan and his ANM party began to grow in 1994. Despite the fact that Armenia has acquired a reputation as a state with successfully developing democratization processes, at the end of 1994 the government banned the activities of the Dashnaktsutyun party and the publication of several opposition newspapers. On next year the results of the referendum on the new constitution and parliamentary elections were rigged. For the constitution, which provided for strengthening the power of the president by reducing the powers of parliament, 68% of the votes were cast (against - 28%), and for parliamentary elections - only 37% (against - 16%). Numerous violations were committed during the parliamentary elections. Foreign observers assessed them as free, but flawed. Republican bloc led by Armenian national movement, the successor of the Karabakh movement, won a landslide victory.

On March 30, 1998, following the results of early elections, Robert Kocharyan, the former president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, became the President of Armenia. As a result of the parliamentary elections held on May 30, 1999, the Miasnutyun (Unity) bloc received the largest number of seats in parliament. The Communist Party of Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, the “Iravunk ev Miabanutyun” (Law and Unity) bloc, the “Orinats Yerkir” (Country of Law) party, and the National Democratic Union overcame the 5% barrier.

The Government of Armenia was formed by representatives of the Miasnutyun bloc and the ARF Dashnaktsutyun.

RELIGION

The Armenians were converted to Christianity thanks to the work of Gregory I the Illuminator (Armenian: Grigor Lusavorich, later canonized) in 301, and Armenia became the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion. Although the Armenian Apostolic Church was initially independent, it maintained ties with other Christian churches until the Ecumenical Councils of Chalcedon (451) and Constantinople (553), and then retained close ties only with the Monophysite churches - Coptic (Egypt), Ethiopian and Jacobite (Syria) . The Armenian Apostolic Church is headed by the Catholicos of All Armenians, whose residence has been in Etchmiadzin since 1441. The Catholicosate of All Armenians includes four patriarchates (Etchmiadzin; Cilicia, from 1293 to 1930 with residence in the city of Sis, modern Kozan, in Turkey, and from 1930 - in Antilias, Lebanon; Jerusalem, founded in 1311; Constantinople, founded in the 16th century. ) and 36 dioceses (8 in Armenia, 1 in Nagorno-Karabakh, the rest in those countries of the world where there are Armenian communities).

From the 12th century a small part of Armenians began to recognize the supremacy of the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope. Supported by Dominican missionaries of the Order of Jesus (Jesuits), they united into the Armenian Catholic Church with the patriarchal seat in Beirut (Lebanon). The spread of Protestantism among Armenians was facilitated by American Congregational missionaries who arrived from Boston in 1830. Since then, there have been many Armenian Protestant congregations. Currently, the Armenian Catholic Church, the Armenian Evangelical Church, a synagogue, as well as churches and houses of worship of various religious minorities operate in Armenia.

CULTURE

From the 7th century AD Armenia was an outpost of Christianity in the surrounding Muslim world. The Armenian (Monophysite) church preserved the traditions of Eastern Christianity, which opposed both its western and eastern branches, from which it was isolated. After Armenia lost its independence (1375), it was the church that contributed to the survival of the Armenian people. Since the 17th century. Contacts are established with Italy, then with France and somewhat later with Russia, through which Western ideas also penetrated. For example, the famous Armenian writer and public figure Mikael Nalbandyan was an ally of such Russian “Westerners” as Herzen and Ogarev. Later, cultural ties between Armenia and the United States began.

Education.

Conductors of public education until the mid-19th century. Christian monasteries remained. In addition, the development of culture was greatly facilitated by the creation of Armenian schools in the Ottoman Empire by Armenian Catholic monks from the Mekhitarist order (established in the early 18th century in Constantinople by Mkhitar Sebastatsi to preserve the monuments of ancient Armenian writing), as well as the activities of American Congregationalist missionaries in the 1830s. e years. The organization of Armenian schools in areas where Armenians lived densely was helped by the Armenian Church and enlightened Armenians who were educated at universities in Western Europe and the USA. Great role in the cultural life of Armenians Russian Empire played by Armenian schools founded in the 1820s and 1830s in Yerevan, Etchmiadzin, Tiflis and Alexandropol (modern Gyumri).

Many representatives of the Armenian people in the 19th–20th centuries. received their education in Russia, especially after the creation of an Armenian school in Moscow in 1815 by Joachim Lazaryan, which was transformed in 1827 into the Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages. Many Armenian poets, writers came from its walls, statesmen, including Count M. Loris-Melikov, who distinguished himself at the theater of military operations in the Caucasus (1877–1878) and as the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia (1880–1881). The famous marine painter I.K. Aivazovsky was educated at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.

The education system in Armenia was created during the years of Soviet power, modeled on the Russian one. Since 1998, it has been reformed in accordance with the World Bank program, for the implementation of which $15 million has been allocated. School curricula are being revised, hundreds of new textbooks are being printed. In Armenia there are incomplete secondary schools, complete secondary schools, gymnasiums, lyceums and higher education institutions. educational establishments(colleges, universities and institutes), including 18 state universities and 7 colleges, with 26 thousand students, and 40 non-state universities with 14 thousand students. Up to 70% of students in secondary specialized educational institutions receive education on a commercial basis. Most universities are located in Yerevan. The most prestigious universities are Yerevan State University(founded in 1920), State Engineering University of Armenia, Yerevan State National Economic Institute, Armenian Agricultural Academy, Yerevan State Linguistic Institute named after. V.Ya.Bryusova, Yerevan State medical University, Armenian State Pedagogical University, Yerevan State Architectural University, Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction, Yerevan state institute theatrical art and cinematography, Yerevan State Art Academy, Yerevan State Conservatory. Higher educational institutions, including branches of some Yerevan universities and institutes, are located in cities such as Gyumri, Vanadzor, Dilijan, Ijevan, Goris, Kapan, Gavar. In 1991, with the support of the University of California in Yerevan, the American University of Armenia was founded. In 1999, the Russian-Armenian (Slavic) University was opened in Yerevan, where approx. 800 students, mostly Armenians (90%).

The leading scientific center is the Armenian Academy of Sciences, founded in 1943, with several dozen research institutes. The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (founded in 1946) is world famous. In 1990, more than 100 research institutes (including academic and other departmental affiliations) functioned on the territory of Armenia. During the period from 1990 to 1995, the number of scientific workers decreased by almost 4 times (from 20 thousand to 5.5 thousand). Currently, the state funds only priority scientific areas.

Customs and holidays.

Many traditional folk customs have been preserved in Armenia: for example, the blessing of the first harvest in August or the sacrifice of lambs during some religious holidays. A traditional holiday for Armenians is Vardanank (St. Vardan's Day), celebrated on February 15 in memory of the defeat of the Armenian troops led by Vardan Mamikonyan in the battle with the Persian army on the Avarayr field. In this war, the Persians intended to forcefully convert the Armenians to paganism, but having won a victory and suffered huge losses, they abandoned their intention. The Armenians preserved the Christian faith, defending it with arms in hand.

Currently, the following holidays and memorable dates are officially celebrated in the Republic of Armenia: New Year– December 31 – January 1–2, Christmas – January 6, Motherhood and Beauty Holiday – April 7, Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide – April 24 (1915), Victory and Peace Day – May 9, First Republic Day – May 28 (1918 ), Constitution Day – July 5, Independence Day – September 21. All these days are non-working days. December 7 is the Day of Remembrance for the victims of the Spitak earthquake.

Most of the iconic sights of Armenia can be divided into the following groups:

cultural objects;
monuments of ancient architecture;
natural sites (resorts, reserves, picturesque places).

Get acquainted with the country's past and look for roots national mentality better in the capital's museums. For example, in the History Museum on Argishti Street, where the most ancient archaeological finds of Armenia are collected. Only here you will find an ax that is 100,000 years old and, thanks to miniature models, get an idea of appearance ancient Yerevan.

On Mesrop Mashtots Avenue there is another interesting establishment - Matenadaran. The depository of ancient manuscripts and early printed books contains about 17,000 valuable manuscripts and more than 100,000 important historical documents.

If you have time, you can drop by the Sergei Parajanov Museum on Dzogaryukh Street. By the way, the museum was opened by a close friend of the famous director. It’s not a sin to look into the National Art Gallery, where, in addition to ancient frescoes, miniatures and examples of modern Armenian visual arts, you can see paintings by the legendary marine painter Aivazovsky.

A tour of the Armenian Genocide Museum leaves a depressing impression. The interior of the object goes underground, symbolizing the entrance to the afterlife. It is never empty here, but the silence in the museum is piercing: it is not customary to talk loudly here, so as not to offend the memory of brutally tortured compatriots.

A diametrically opposite atmosphere reigns in the Megeryan Museum, located on Madoyan Street. Once in this kingdom of carpets and tapestries, it is impossible to resist exclamations of admiration. Invest in a full-fledged tour that will introduce you to the main stages of creating these beautiful products.

Armenia is a state that was one of the first to adopt Christianity, so if you are drawn to travel to holy places, consider that you are in the right place. In the vicinity of the town of Alaverdi there are two very interesting sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin. Built in the 10th century, these massive stone buildings have withstood more than one earthquake.

Be sure to visit the singing fountains on Republic Square. Transparent water jets rise up and down under mesmerizing classical, pop and rock compositions, forming bizarre cascades. Each performance is accompanied by a light installation (in dark time day) and ends with the legendary hit of Charles Aznavour “Eternal Love”.

There are only two outstanding monuments in Yerevan that can be considered symbols of the Armenian capital: the “Mother Armenia” monument, depicting a stern woman with a sword at the ready, and the sculpture of David Sasuntsi, a hero of the folk epic, an invincible hero. The latter is universally loved and for a long time was the official emblem of the Armeniafilm film studio. If traditional monuments seem too regular and boring, you can return to the Cascade and gaze at the avant-garde creation of Jaume Plensa - “The Man of Letters”. It is not difficult to visually determine the location of the monument: groups of tourists with photographic equipment always hang out near it. Right there, at the foot of the main staircase of Yerevan, there are other monuments full of expression. Some of them look somewhat shocking, which is why they attract attention.

All sights of Armenia

Traditions and national color

The people in Armenia are impulsive, sociable and responsive. Although official language in the country - Armenian, Russian is perfectly understood here, so if you need to clarify the route, you can safely contact the local residents. It is possible that they will not only show you a more convenient path, but will also volunteer to guide you.

Smoking in public places is not encouraged in Armenia. And although in most local catering establishments they turn a blind eye to a lit cigarette (as a rule, in city cafes there are no areas for non-smoking visitors), if a tourist lights up while driving, he risks being fined.

The feeling of national pride is not alien to Armenians. They are excellent at criticizing other Caucasian peoples and highlighting their own importance. But the history of their nation is revered sacredly in Armenia.

And of course, what kind of Armenian would refuse the opportunity to slightly cheat an unlucky tourist. So, when going to local markets, do not hesitate to bargain: the more emotionally you do it, the more chances you have to win the favor of the seller.

But you shouldn’t abuse the sympathies of the locals: if in the capital some liberties are forgiven to a foreign guest, then in the provinces inappropriate actions can spark an unpleasant conflict. You should behave especially carefully in church and monastery premises. People here don’t like idle conversations on the topic of the Armenian genocide and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, so try not to delve into politics. And of course, under no circumstances sunbathe topless on local beaches if you do not want to provoke open condemnation from others: although Armenia looks towards Europe, at heart it continues to remain a purely Caucasian state.

Cuisine of Armenia

Nothing offends Armenians more than identifying them national dishes with Georgian and Azerbaijani analogues. Here, for example, they quite sincerely believe that dolma is an original Armenian invention, which other peoples of Transcaucasia shamelessly borrowed. What’s interesting: in addition to the traditional dolma stuffed with meat, onions and spices, in Armenia there is its Lenten analogue, which is stuffed with peas, beans or lentils. This dish is eaten on New Year's Eve.

Khorovats (kebab) is served here at every turn. The main feature of the local recipe is the daily marinating of meat before frying. For vegetarians, an excellent substitute for animal products will be “summer khorovats” - vegetables baked on the grill (peppers, potatoes, tomatoes). And don’t even think about arming yourself with a fork, keep it simple: real khorovats is eaten exclusively with the hands.

You can dilute the abundance of meat food in the stomach with spasom - a soup based on the fermented milk product matsoni with the addition of wheat grains, eggs and herbs. Those who like strong and satisfying broths should opt for khash, a soup made from beef or pork legs. The dish is symbolic, therefore, if your Armenian friends invited you to khash, you can consider the test for unconditional trust passed. The khash is eaten with crushed garlic, which is spread on crispy lavash. By the way, about lavash: flat cakes are baked in a tandoor and completely replace bread for Armenians. You can wrap whatever your heart desires in pita bread: barbecue, seasonal vegetables, chopped herbs.

In the fall, all of Armenia gorges itself on khapama, which is a pumpkin stuffed with rice, almonds and dried fruits. For dessert, you can take gata - a hybrid of a bun and a layer cake filled with sugar and butter. Each region of the country adheres to its own recipes, so do not be surprised that Yerevan and Karaklis gata can differ significantly in taste characteristics.

For incorrigible sweet tooths, there is sujukh (sharots), which the ignorant often confuse with churchkhela. Sausages made from grape juice stuffed with nut kernels differ from the Georgian version of the sweet in the rich taste of spices and soft consistency. Popular types of Armenian delicacies are traditionally nut-fruit: peaches drizzled with honey and stuffed with nuts, dried apricots, candied almonds.

As for drinks, there is plenty to choose from. Even ordinary tap water in Armenia is cleaner and tastier than anywhere else. Connoisseurs of strong alcohol should not leave without trying Yerevan cognac, which has been produced here for more than 125 years. Excellent quality and local wine products. It is better to buy it in stores, since it is incredibly difficult to come across a fake in them. On occasion, you can knock over a glass of apricot or mulberry vodka.

Tourists who do not like alcoholic drinks should look away fermented milk products: tana and matsoni. Tea is not very popular in Armenia; it is everywhere replaced by aromatic, strong coffee, which people here are experts in.

Transport

You can travel between regions of the country either by bus or by train. True, claim high level Comfort is not worth it: vehicles in Armenia, as a rule, they are seasoned and not attached to such benefits of civilization as air conditioners. Most buses going to major cities (Vanadzor, Gyumri, Sevan) depart from Yerevan Central Station. From here you can go on an exciting shopping tour around Georgia or Turkey. To get to Ararat, Yeraskhavan and Atashat, you must first get to the Sasuntsi David station, from where the above routes depart.

The option of traveling by train usually turns out to be more comfortable because the drivers strictly adhere to the schedule (unlike the drivers of Yerevan buses).

Traditional public transport in the capital is the metro, buses, minibuses and taxis. The first does not cover all areas of the city, so locals prefer to use land transport. By the way, instead of conductors and turnstiles, payment “from hand to hand” is still in use here.

If you come to Yerevan for the first time and don’t know where to go first, take a taxi, not forgetting to hint to the driver about your own ignorance. In 99 cases out of 100, you will find a fascinating tour of the capital's streets, interspersed with emotional stories from the taxi driver.

Renting a car in Armenia is not the cheapest pleasure, but if you desperately want to drive, Russian rights are quite suitable here. And don’t forget that in situations on the road the notorious Caucasian hospitality does not work. Cut off, overtake and violate everything existing rules they love it here. By the way, parking in Yerevan is mostly paid.

Money

Yerevan stores accept the only monetary unit– Armenian dram (AMD). 1 dram is equal to 0.14 rubles.

There are a sufficient number of exchange points in the capital, but if desired, money can also be exchanged with private individuals (shop owners, street vendors). They usually offer exchange at a better rate than the bank. The most unfavorable option for exchanging money is the capital's airport. Large chain stores accept payment by card, and in any city in Armenia you will definitely find an ATM for cashing out funds.

Shopping

Tourists who like to bring home purchases with an indispensable national flavor from their travels have plenty of places to roam in Armenia. The best place to look for souvenirs and handicrafts is at Vernissage, an open market. Silver jewelry, folk musical instruments, pottery, stone and wood crafts, handmade carpets - the selection of national attributes here is like at an oriental bazaar from the fairy tales “1000 and One Nights.” It’s better to come to Vernissage on weekends, as all the tents and stalls are open on these days.

Flea market "Vernisage" in Yerevan

Representatives fair half humanity should raid cosmetics stores for local organic brand Nairian. Cosmetics are not cheap, but how can you resist the promising “natural product” label?

Be sure to stock up on local delicacies: cheese, honey, coffee (there is plenty of it here) better than that, which is sold in our coffee boutiques), sujukh, chocolate candies produced by the Yerevan confectionery factory Grand Candy. And of course, take with you a bag of spices and at least a bottle of Armenian cognac.

If your passion is national jewelry, do not hesitate to look into jewelry departments. Prices for jewelry in Armenia are quite reasonable. Leather is also produced well here, so you can often find decent leather goods in the markets.

Tourist information

The history of Ancient Armenia goes back more than one thousand years, and the Armenians themselves lived long before the emergence of the nations of modern Europe. They existed before the advent of ancient peoples - the Romans and Hellenes.

First mentions

In the cuneiform writings of the Persian rulers the name "Arminia" is found. Herodotus also mentions “armen” in his writings. According to one version, they were Indo-European people who migrated from Europe in the 12th century. BC e.

Another hypothesis states that Proto-Armenian tribal unions arose for the first time in the 4th-3rd millennium BC. It is they, as some scientists claim, that are found in the poem “Iliad” by Homer under the name “arima”.

One of the names of Ancient Armenia - Hay - according to the proposals of scientists, comes from the name of the people "Hayasy". This name is mentioned on clay Hittite tablets in the 2nd millennium BC. e., discovered during the archaeological excavations of Hattusashi - ancient capital Hittites.

There is information that the Assyrians called this territory the country of rivers - Nairi. According to one hypothesis, it included 60 different peoples.

At the beginning of the 9th century. BC e. the powerful kingdom of Urartu arose with its capital Van. It is believed that this is the oldest state on the territory of the Soviet Union. The civilization of Urartu, of which the Armenians became successors, was quite developed. There was writing based on Babylonian-Assyrian cuneiform, agriculture, cattle breeding, and metallurgy.

Urartu was famous for its technology of constructing impregnable fortresses. There were two of them on the territory of modern Yerevan. The first - Erebuni, was built by one of the first kings of Argishti. It was she who gave the name to the modern capital of Armenia. The second is Teishebaini, founded by King Rusa II (685-645 BC). This was the last ruler of Urartu. The state was unable to resist the powerful Assyria and perished forever from its weapons.

It was replaced by a new state. The first kings of Ancient Armenia were Yerwand and Tigran. The latter should not be confused with the famous ruler Tigran the Great, who would later terrify the Roman Empire and create a great empire in the East. A new people appeared, formed as a result of the assimilation of Indo-Europeans with the local ancient tribes of the Hayami and Urartu. From here came a new state - Ancient Armenia with its own culture and language.

Persian vassals

At one time, Persia was a powerful state. All the peoples living in Asia Minor submitted to them. This fate befell the Armenian kingdom. The Persian rule over them lasted more than two centuries (550-330 BC).

Greek historians about Armenia during the times of the Persians

Armenia - ancient civilization. This is confirmed by many historians of antiquity, for example, Xenophon in the 5th century BC. e. As a participant in the events, the author of Anabasis described the retreat of 10 thousand Greeks to the Black Sea through a country called Ancient Armenia. The Greeks saw a developed economic activity, as well as the life of Armenians. Everywhere in these parts they found wheat, barley, aromatic wines, lard, various oils - pistachio, sesame, almond. The ancient Hellenes also saw raisins and legumes here. In addition to crop products, Armenians raised domestic animals: goats, cows, pigs, chickens, horses. Xenophon's data tells descendants that the people living in this place were economically developed. The abundance of different products is striking. The Armenians not only produced food themselves, but also actively engaged in trade with neighboring lands. Of course, Xenophon didn’t say anything about this, but he listed some products that do not grow in this area.

Strabo in the 1st century n. e. reports that ancient Armenia had very good pastures for horses. The country was not inferior to Media in this regard and supplied horses annually to the Persians. Strabo mentions the obligation of the Armenian satraps, administrative governors during the reign of the Persians, to supply about two thousand young foals in honor of the famous festival of Mithras.

Armenian wars in ancient times

The historian Herodotus (5th century BC) described the Armenian warriors of that era and their weapons. The soldiers wore small shields and had short spears, swords, and darts. On their heads were wicker helmets, and they were wearing high boots.

Conquest of Armenia by Alexander the Great

The era of Alexander the Great redrew the entire map of the Mediterranean. All the lands of the vast Persian empire became part of the new political union under the rule of Macedonia.

After the death of Alexander the Great, the state disintegrates. The Seleucid state is formed in the east. The once unified territory of a single people was divided into three separate regions consisting of new country: Greater Armenia, located on the Ararat plain, Sophene - between the Euphrates and the upper reaches of the Tigris, and Lesser Armenia - between the Euphrates and the upper reaches of the Lykos.

The history of ancient Armenia, although it speaks of constant dependence on other states, shows that it concerned only issues of foreign policy, which had a beneficial effect on the development of the future state. It was a kind of prototype of an autonomous republic as part of successive empires.

Often called basileus, i.e. kings. They maintained only formal dependence, sending tribute and troops to the center war time. Neither the Persians nor the Hellenistic Seleucid state made any attempts to penetrate the internal structure of the Armenians. If the former managed almost all of their remote territories in this way, the successors of the Greeks always changed the internal structure of the conquered peoples, imposing on them “democratic values” and a special order.

Collapse of the Seleucid state, unification of Armenia

After the defeat of the Seleucids from Rome, the Armenians gained temporary independence. After the war with the Hellenes, Rome was not yet ready to begin new conquests of peoples. The once united people took advantage of this. Attempts began to restore a unified state, which was called “Ancient Armenia”.

The ruler of Greater Armenia, Artashes, declared himself an independent king, Artashes I. He united all the lands that spoke the same language, including Lesser Armenia. The last region of Sophen became part of the new state later, 70 years later, under the famous ruler Tigran the Great.

The final formation of the Armenian nationality

It is believed that under the new Artashesid dynasty a great thing happened. historical event- formation of the Armenian nationality with its own language and culture. Big influence They were influenced by their proximity to developed Hellenistic peoples. Minting their own coins with Greek inscriptions indicated the strong influence of their neighbors on culture and trade.

Artashat - the capital of the ancient state of Great Armenia

During the reign of the Artashesid dynasty, the first large cities appeared. Among them is the city of Artashat, which became the first capital of the new state. Translated from Greek, it meant “the joy of Artaxius.”

The new capital had an advantage geographical position in that era. It was located on the main route to the Black Sea ports. The appearance of the city coincided with the establishment of overland trade relations between Asia and India and China. Artashat began to acquire the status of a major trade and political center. Plutarch highly appreciated the role of this city. He gave it the status of "Carthage of Armenia", which translated into modern language meant a city that unites all nearby lands. All Mediterranean powers knew about the beauty and luxury of Artashat.

The rise of the Armenian kingdom

The history of Armenia since ancient times contains bright moments of the power of this state. The golden age occurred during the reign of Tigran the Great (95-55), the grandson of the founder of the famous dynasty Artashes I. Tigranakert became the capital of the state. This city has become one of the leading centers of science, literature and art in all Ancient world. The best Greek actors performed in the local theater, famous scientists and historians were frequent guests of Tigran the Great. One of them is the philosopher Metrodorus, who was an ardent opponent of the growing Roman Empire.

Armenia became part of the Hellenistic world. The Greek language penetrated the aristocratic elite.

Armenia is a unique part of Hellenistic culture

Armenia in the 1st century BC e. - a developed advanced state in the world. She took all the best that was in the world - culture, science, art. Tigran the Great developed theaters and schools. Armenia was not only the cultural center of Hellenism, but also an economically strong state. Trade, industry, and crafts grew. A distinctive feature of the state was that it did not adopt the system of slavery that the Greeks and Romans used. All lands were cultivated by peasant communities, whose members were free.

The Armenia of Tigran the Great spread over vast territories. This was an empire that covered a huge part from the Caspian to the Mediterranean seas. Many peoples and states became its vassals: in the north - Tsibania, Iberia, in the southeast - Parthia and Arab tribes.

Conquest by Rome, end of the Armenian Empire

The rise of Armenia coincided with the rise of another eastern state on the territory of the former USSR - Pontus, led by Mithridates. After long wars with Rome, Pontus also lost its independence. Armenia had good neighborly relations with Mithridates. After his defeat, she was left alone with powerful Rome.

After long wars, a unified Armenian Empire in 69-66. BC e. fell apart. Only one remained under the rule of Tigran, who was declared a “friend and ally” of Rome. This is what all the conquered states were called. In fact, the country has turned into just another province.

After entering the ancient stage of statehood begins. The country fell apart, its lands were appropriated by other states, and the local population was constantly in conflict with each other.

Armenian alphabet

IN ancient times Armenians used writing based on Babylonian-Assyrian cuneiform. In the heyday of Armenia, during the time of Tigran the Great, the country completely switched to the Greek language in business transactions. Archaeologists find Greek writing on coins.

Created by Mesrop Mashtots relatively late - in 405. It originally consisted of 36 letters: 7 vowels and 29 consonants.

The main 4 graphic forms of the Armenian letter - erkatagir, bolorgir, shkhagir and notrgir - developed only in the Middle Ages.

After the revolution of 1917 and the collapse of the Russian Empire, power in Armenia passed to the nationalist Dashnaktsutyun party, which advocated the creation of a national Armenian state. On May 28, 1918, the Armenian Republic was established. The newly formed state turned out to be ineffective. The situation was aggravated by the influx of refugees, epidemics and famine. In April - May 1918, most of Transcaucasia

including Armenia, was occupied by Turkey, which violated the terms of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty. After the end of the First World War, Armenia came under the control of British troops. In 1920, the Turkish occupation of Armenia took place again, which was ended only with the establishment of Soviet power in the same year (Turkish troops were finally withdrawn from the territory of Armenia in 1921). Western Armenia remained part of Turkey.

On November 29, 1920, the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed. In the period from March 12 to December 13, 1922, Armenia was an integral part of the Federative Union of Socialist Soviet Republics of Transcaucasia (FSSSRZ; from December 13 to 30, 1922, transformed into the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic). On December 30, the Transcaucasian republics united with the RSFSR, Ukrainian SSR and BSSR in the USSR. Since March 1936, Armenia has been part of the USSR as a union republic.

IN Soviet period Armenia turned into an industrial republic, new sectors of the economy were created, the republic achieved significant progress in the development of industry, healthcare, education, and culture. In Soviet Armenia, the management system and economic policy, characteristic of the entire Soviet Union (complete nationalization of industry, complete collectivization of agriculture).

In the second half of the 1980s, the development of Armenia was decisively influenced by the processes associated with the policy of democratization and openness of the Soviet leadership led by M. S. Gorbachev. Under their influence, in February 1988, the regional Council of People's Deputies of Karabakh (NKAO) demanded that this territory of Azerbaijan, populated predominantly by Armenians, be transferred to the control of the Armenian SSR. There was an official refusal from Baku, but the lack of a timely reaction from the USSR leadership to the decision of the deputies from the NKAO in Baku and Yerevan was regarded as proof of their own rightness, the weakness of the central government and a signal for further action. This development of events led to direct clashes in Karabakh (50 Armenians and 2 Azerbaijanis were killed). At the end of February 1988, Armenian pogroms took place with numerous casualties in the city of Sumgait (25 km from Baku), and then in other cities of Azerbaijan, with the full connivance of the Azerbaijani authorities and the non-intervention of units of the Soviet Army. This was followed by the mass expulsion of the Armenian population from their places of permanent residence in Azerbaijan, and the belated entry Soviet troops in Sumgayit did not lead to normalization of the situation.

In November 1989, the newly organized Armenian National Movement (ANM) put forward demands for “true sovereignty” for the Armenian people, including Nagorno-Karabakh. In the early 1990s, the Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR vetoed the resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, which declared unconstitutional the decisions of the Armenian authorities (in 1988-1989) regarding Nagorno-Karabakh and the creation of a “united Armenian republic.”

The political situation became complicated in July 1990 as a result of the refusal of the newly elected Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR, in which nationalists received a significant number of seats, to obey the directive of USSR President M. S. Gorbachev, which prohibited the creation of armed formations in Nagorno-Karabakh. On August 23, 1990, the process of structural “breaking out” of the Armenian SSR from the Soviet Union began, initiated by the adoption by the Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR of a declaration on “independent statehood,” which, however, did not raise the question of immediate secession from the USSR.

In January 1991, the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh began to escalate and subsequently escalated into large-scale hostilities. On September 2 in Stepanakert, at a joint session of the Nagorno-Karabakh Regional and Shahumyan District Councils, a Declaration was adopted on the proclamation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic within the borders of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Okrug and the Shahumyan region.

ARMENIA (in Armenian Hayastan), Republic of Armenia (official self-name - Hayastani Hanrapetutyun), a state in western Asia, in Transcaucasia. Area 29.8 thousand square meters. km. It borders on the north with Georgia, on the east and southeast on Azerbaijan, on the south on Iran, on the west and southwest on Turkey.

ANCIENT HISTORY

MIDDLE AGES

THE AGE OF NATIONAL REVIVAL

SOVIET ARMENIA

INDEPENDENT REPUBLIC

On March 22, 1992, the Republic of Armenia was admitted to the UN. In the spring of 1992, Armenian paramilitary forces established control over Nagorno-Karabakh. In 1993, the armed forces of the Karabakh Armenians attacked the positions of the Azerbaijanis, from which the latter fired at Karabakh and the settlements of eastern Armenia. A civil war broke out in Azerbaijan itself. The armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh captured a significant part of the Azerbaijani territory adjacent to the Karabakh enclave from the north and south, and cleared the Lachin corridor that separated Karabakh from Armenia. As a result of these actions, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their homes and became refugees. In May 1994, with the mediation of Russia, an agreement was concluded between Armenia and Azerbaijan to cease hostilities.

Against the backdrop of a worsening economic crisis and widespread corruption in the government, dissatisfaction with President Ter-Petrosyan and his ANM party began to grow in 1994. Despite the fact that Armenia has acquired a reputation as a state with successfully developing democratization processes, at the end of 1994 the government banned the activities of the Dashnaktsutyun party and the publication of several opposition newspapers. The following year, the results of a referendum on a new constitution and parliamentary elections were rigged. For the constitution, which provided for strengthening the power of the president by reducing the powers of parliament, 68% of the votes were cast (against - 28%), and for parliamentary elections - only 37% (against - 16%). Numerous violations were committed during the parliamentary elections. Foreign observers assessed them as free, but flawed. The Republican bloc led by the Armenian National Movement, the successor to the Karabakh movement, won a landslide victory.

The Government of Armenia was formed by representatives of the Miasnutyun bloc and the ARF Dashnaktsutyun.

RELIGION

CULTURE

Education.

Conductors of public education until the mid-19th century. Christian monasteries remained. In addition, the development of culture was greatly facilitated by the creation of Armenian schools in the Ottoman Empire by Armenian Catholic monks from the Mekhitarist order (established in the early 18th century in Constantinople by Mkhitar Sebastatsi to preserve the monuments of ancient Armenian writing), as well as the activities of American Congregationalist missionaries in the 1830s. e years. The organization of Armenian schools in areas where Armenians lived densely was helped by the Armenian Church and enlightened Armenians who were educated at universities in Western Europe and the USA. Armenian schools, founded in the 1820s and 1830s in Yerevan, Etchmiadzin, Tiflis and Alexandropol (modern Gyumri), played a major role in the cultural life of the Armenians of the Russian Empire.

Many representatives of the Armenian people in the 19th–20th centuries. received their education in Russia, especially after the creation of an Armenian school in Moscow in 1815 by Joachim Lazaryan, which was transformed in 1827 into the Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages. Many Armenian poets, writers, and statesmen emerged from its walls, including Count M. Loris-Melikov, who distinguished himself at the theater of military operations in the Caucasus (1877–1878) and as the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia (1880–1881). The famous marine painter I.K. Aivazovsky was educated at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.

The education system in Armenia was created during the years of Soviet power, modeled on the Russian one. Since 1998, it has been reformed in accordance with the World Bank program, for the implementation of which $15 million has been allocated. School curricula are being revised, hundreds of new textbooks are being printed. In Armenia there are incomplete secondary schools, complete secondary schools, gymnasiums, lyceums and higher educational institutions (colleges, universities and institutes), including 18 state universities and 7 colleges, with 26 thousand students, and 40 non-state universities with 14 thousand students. Up to 70% of students in secondary specialized educational institutions receive education on a commercial basis. Most universities are located in Yerevan. The most prestigious universities are Yerevan State University (founded in 1920), State Engineering University of Armenia, Yerevan State National Economic Institute, Armenian Agricultural Academy, Yerevan State Linguistic Institute named after. V.Ya.Bryusova, Yerevan State Medical University, Armenian State Pedagogical University, Yerevan State Architectural University, Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction, Yerevan State Institute of Theater Arts and Cinematography, Yerevan State Academy of Arts, Yerevan State Conservatory. Higher educational institutions, including branches of some Yerevan universities and institutes, are located in cities such as Gyumri, Vanadzor, Dilijan, Ijevan, Goris, Kapan, Gavar. In 1991, with the support of the University of California in Yerevan, the American University of Armenia was founded. In 1999, the Russian-Armenian (Slavic) University was opened in Yerevan, where approx. 800 students, mostly Armenians (90%).

Customs and holidays.

Currently, the following holidays and memorial dates are officially celebrated in the Republic of Armenia: New Year - December 31 - January 1-2, Christmas - January 6, Motherhood and Beauty Holiday - April 7, Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide - April 24 (1915), Victory and Peace Day - May 9, First Republic Day - May 28 (1918), Constitution Day - July 5, Independence Day - September 21. All these days are non-working days. December 7 is the Day of Remembrance for the victims of the Spitak earthquake.