Yerevan , Armenia
Leave your preconceptions at home, because Yerevan (ԵՐԵՎԱՆ) will almost certainly confound them. This is a city of contradictions – top-of-the-line Mercedes sedans share the roads with Ladas so old they should be in museum collections; traditional pandoks (taverns) serving khoravats (barbecue meats) and oghee (fruit vodka) sit next to chic European-style wine bars; and street fashions range from hipster to babushka with many weird and wonderful variations in between. In summer, locals take to the streets every night, claiming tables at the city’s many outdoor cafes, sauntering along its tree-filled boulevards and congregating at the beloved musical fountain in Republic Sq. Few traces of the city’s ancient past remain, usurped by Soviet-era buildings and modern structures with little regard for history. But wander into any dalan (archway) and enter a portal into a different world – you may find a gorgeous 19th-century balcony or beautiful church beyond.
History Museum of Armenia
Its simply extraordinary collection of Bronze Age artefacts make this museum Armenia’s pre-eminent cultural institution and an essential stop on every visitor’s itinerary. Many of the items were excavated at the Necropolis of Lchashen near Lake Sevan in the 1950s, and it’s hard to do them justice in words. The collection includes bronze sculptures, four-wheeled wooden chariots with metal decoration, carved stone fertility symbols, and a magnificent array of weapons and armour (arrows, quivers, helmets and shields).
Other exhibits of note include medieval khachkars (cross-stones), 18th- and 19th-century Armenian costumes, a 5500-year-old leather shoe discovered in a cave in the Vayots Dzor region in 2008, carpets and embroidered amices (liturgical vestments). The only disappointing section is the one concentrating on Soviet Armenia, which ostentatiously eschews English-language labelling (all other exhibits have Armenian, Russian and English labels).
The National Gallery of Armenia is on the top floors.
Housed in a vast flight of stone steps known as the Cascade, this arts centre is one of the city’s major cultural attractions. Originally conceived in the 1920s by Soviet architect Alexander Tamanyan as part of his plan to modernise Yerevan, work on the monumental structure finally commenced in the 1980s but stalled after the 1988 earthquake. Eventually, Armenian-American philanthropist Gerard Cafesjian came to the rescue, funding its completion and transformation into a multi-level contemporary arts space.
The centre’s two external garden galleries and five exhibition halls are accessed via an internal escalator. Next to the escalator are platforms where artworks from Cafesjian’s personal collection of 20th-century and contemporary sculpture and furniture are displayed. There’s a decidedly quirky theme at work here, with pieces such as Studio 65 for Gufram’s Marilyn ‘Bocca’ Lip Sofa, Giorgio Laveri’s Lipstick and Richard Cresswell’s Butterfly Seat three of many works catching the eye on the trip up and down. These and the garden galleries, which feature recessed fountains, modern khachkars (stone steles featuring carved crosses) and contemporary sculptures, can be visited free of charge. Internal exhibits are free, except for one temporary exhibition which costs AMD1000.
On the ground floor, the large gift shop is one of the best places in the city to source quality souvenirs. There’s also a welcoming and well-stocked art library with a small children’s section.
In front of the Cascade, a sculpture garden features three huge bronze works by Colombian-Italian sculptor Fernando Botero: Cat, Roman Warrior and Woman Smoking a Cigarette. These sit alongside a whimsical wrought-iron teapot by Joana Vasconcelos, a bright blue kiwi by Peter Woytuk and plenty of other works. The two streets edging the park are home to cafes, bars and restaurants with plenty of outdoor seating.
The steps themselves make for a popular place to catch a sunset while (discreetly) swigging a bottle of wine.