Armenia in the shadow of Mount Ararat: El País

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia is a unique country since its symbol, Mount Ararat, lies outside its borders, in Turkish territory, El País said in an article titled “In the shadow of Mount Ararat” (A la sombra del monte Ararat).

Yerevan, the Armenian capital, is a city of nice hotels and large avenues, with a mixture of Soviet and Armenian neotraditional architecture, the article says. Numerous restaurants serve a hearty meal, the wine is good, as are the brandy and the various types of fruit vodka, it adds.

Besides the Armenian Genocide memorial which pays tribute to the 1.5 million victims of the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Turkey in 1915-1923, the publication cites museums and galleries as “unexpected attractions of Yerevan”.

Matenadaran (the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts), Sergei Parajanov museum, the History Museum and the National Gallery offer unique elements of Armenian art.

Of particular significance are the Armenian khachkars, the article says, ‘decorated with floral elements or birds, fusing the nucleus of faith with the emergence of nature.’

“Lake Sevan, a large mountain lake that covers an area of almost 1,000 square kilometers, offers a dazzling landscape,” El País says.

“A tunnel north of the lake leads to the so-called Armenian Switzerland where the stellar venue is the Goshavank monastery, with its three churches and a filigree khachkar, perhaps the most beautiful stone-cross of Armenia.”

“To the southeast stands the splendid monastery of Noravank, surrounded by red mountains and close to the wine region of Areni,” the feature says.

“At the end of the tour we reach the monastery of Tatev, which can be accessed via a cable car. The walled complex is set in a stunning mountain setting. According to legend, the builders needed wings to construct it.”