excursion to Etschmiadsin - Caucasian summer 2024 - 13
from Yerevan to Goris including visits to Chor Virap and Noravank
from Haghpat in Armenia to Tbilisi in Georgia
Tbilisi and back home
28.07.2024 - excursion to Etschmiadsin
This morning, I wanted to go to the Cascades [↗] early, which are just around the corner from our hotel. Instead, I'm woken up at 6am by a thunderstorm. So, I turn around and doze off for a while, as we won't be leaving until 9am. The weather is supposed to improve with 30°C in the afternoon.
We have hired a German-speaking guide for the next two days. I'm not interested and will separate myself from the group wherever possible. But I'm the only one and don't want to block the deal. It only costs 10 Euros per person anyway.
Today we will go to Etschmiadsin [↗], also known as the Vatican of Armenia. This is the historical and religious center of Armenia. We start with the area around the Cathedral [↗]. The Cathedral itself is closed since and for years, but there is also a lot to see from the outside and around the building.
We arrive at St. Hripsime Church [↗] just before 11am, as the mass starts at 11am and then lasts two to three hours. People come and go during this time, and I've heard that it's more of a social event than a religious activity these days. Most of the mass is not understandable for the people as it is held in an ancient language. Interestingly the bells are rung manually.
Even a church as old as this one is not so full of frescos as the churches in Georgia. Photography is not a problem in Armenia, even during mass. Something I wouldn't normally do if I wasn't told and practiced by the locals.
Not far away are the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral [↗]. It was built in the 7th century and destroyed by an earthquake or the Arabs in the 10th century. It may be important because of the round shape of the church, but for me, it is not super impressive.
We return to Yerevan and, as the traffic is supposed to be worse tomorrow, we drive to the Genocide Monument [↗]. It stands on a hill above the town. Without the tour, I would have skipped it because it would have been a one hour walk from the nearest metro station along a nasty street and then the same back again.
I quickly leave the group and manage to be almost alone at the monument, as another tour group is just leaving while mine has not yet arrived. The monument is very nice and impressive, even without the tragic background.
While the group is approaching, I quickly hurry over to the Karen Demirtchian Sports and Concert Complex [↗]. I take a few photos and hurry back as we haven't agreed on a specific time to return to the bus.
We now drive to the Cascades [↗] close to the hotel. The group splits up and, together with a few others, I take a lunch break in one of the nearby restaurants. Afterwards, I leave the group as I have already done my city tour yesterday and don't want to return until the evening.
Instead, I go to the Cafesjian Center for the Arts [↗]. It’s a collection of an American-Armenian entrepreneur, located directly on respectively in the Cascades. They have nice and not so common objects. Visiting is not so easy as they only open Friday to Sunday from 10am to 8pm. But the outdoor objects in front of and on the different levels of the cascade can be visited 24/7. The visit of the museum is free of charge. Nice side effect: They have escalators almost to the top of the cascade.
In the evening, I want to go for some blue hour shots. I've just grabbed my tripod and am about to leave the room when I hear a familiar sound. Now I'm standing at the window and see it starting to rain - not a little, but heavily, just like this morning when I wanted to get up for a few early morning photos.
The weather apps on my phone don’t forecast any rain at all, so I check the rain radar on my laptop and guess what: Heavy rain is crossing Yerevan from now till 10pm. Ok, tomorrow we’re still here and the weather forecast, including radar, doesn't predict any rain for tomorrow. Let’s see.
