Yerevan

Barév!

After more than 20 years thinking about it, I eventually decided to go to Armenia, and discover a bit more about this country, of which I heard so much when I was attending high school.
Not sure what to expect, specially when landing at 03:30 in the morning, with temperatures expected to be above 40°C during the whole week, but here I am.

The first contact with the history of the country, at the National Museum of History, was interesting enough to keep me awake, in spite of the jet lag, the lack of sleep and the heat, which gives an idea of how fascinating some of the displays are.
Too bad my brain didn't work well enough to remember all the explanations given by Laura...

After lunch (feeling a bit better), we head to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the headquarters of the Armenian Church.
It hosts the oldest cathedral of the country, and is even considered the oldest cathedral in the world (according to tradition, it was built around 300 AD).

This is our first contact with the khachkars, the typical cross-stones, part of the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. About 40,000 of them survive today.

Next stop is for the Church of Saint Hripsimé, built in 618, and that has basically survived almost unchanged. It is considered one of the oldest surviving churches in Armenia, known for its fine architecture of the classical period.

Zvartnots is a 7th-century ruined circular Armenian cathedral between 641 and 653.
It was a majestic cathedral famous for its unique design, dedicated to Saint George.
In 930 AD, the church was ruined by an earthquake and remained buried until it was rediscovered in the early 20th century.

Add to this a walk in Yerevan at the end of the day, from the France Square to the Republic Square, walking past the Opera, and you get an amazing first day.