On our list, Armenia is in third place, but Lake Sevan is the largest lake in the entire Caucasus. This is not only an amazing creation of nature, but also a place where history was made before. A clear confirmation of this is the Sevanavank monastery. Its construction began by Grigor Lusavorich in 305 on the site of a destroyed pagan temple. The heyday of the monastery began in the 7th century, when hundreds of monks came here and began building churches, chapels, cells, etc. Not only novices lived here, but also many Armenian kings, including Ashot II the Iron. One day he gave battle to a large Arab army that landed at the walls of the monastery and won a crushing victory. For a long time, Sevanavank flourished, but from the 16th century it began to gradually decline, until the last monk left it in 1930. The monastery stood idle for several decades until monastic life was revived in it again. The oldest buildings in Sevanavank that have come down to us are the temples of Surb Astvatsatsin and Surb Arakelots of the 4th and 9th centuries, respectively.

And although cognac was invented in France, Armenia managed to significantly succeed in the production of this popular drink. The production of Armenian cognac began in the 19th century, but it gained worldwide fame and recognition already during the years of the USSR. The leading enterprise for the production of cognac is the Ararat factory in Yerevan, founded in 1887. Its products have always been very popular, so Yerevan cognacs are served in fashionable restaurants around the world. There is even a legend that the favorite cognac of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was the fifty-degree “Dvin” produced in Yerevan. You can see with your own eyes how cognac is made during an excursion, during which you will also attend a tasting and learn from the sommelier how to distinguish a good drink from cheap brandy.

Now only ruins remain of the Zvartnots Temple, but in the 7th century this church was one of the most grandiose in Armenia, and also had a great influence on Christian religious architecture. According to historical documents, Zvartnots was built and consecrated in 650 AD. e., and among the guests invited to the grand opening was the Byzantine Emperor Constant II. He was so impressed by the beauty of the temple that he ordered the construction of the same one in Constantinople. Zvartnots was destroyed by an earthquake in the 10th century, after which it was considered lost for several centuries. The temple was discovered during excavations at the beginning of the last century and the first tier was restored as much as possible.

The Grand Cascade will probably seem familiar to you, because this architectural and monumental complex is one of the most popular “postcard views” of Yerevan. The Cascade consists of five terraces, on which there are fountains, flower beds, art objects and places for relaxation. In spring and summer, concerts of classical and jazz music are often held here, which invariably attract large audiences. The Cafesjian Art Gallery, located right inside the building, also makes the Grand Cascade a cultural center. It was created by the Armenian American businessman Gerard Cafesjian, and the exhibition included works of famous artists and sculptors of the 20th–21st centuries: Marc Chagall, Andy Warhol, John Altoona, etc. What else is there near the Cascade are various cafes and restaurants, where They serve the full range of national dishes of Armenia. In a few years, the Grand Cascade will become even larger, as work is now underway to complete the upper part of the complex, which has remained unfinished since the eighties.

No matter how old the temples we have already mentioned are, Garni easily defeats them in this competition. Structurally, the building is identical to ancient Greek temples, since the Armenians partially descended from the Greeks and borrowed a lot from them. Garni dates back to the 1st century and was erected during the reign of King Trdat I. Researchers suggest that Mher, the god of light and justice, was worshiped here. The temple stood for quite a long time and was destroyed only in the second half of the 17th century. Fortunately, most of the elements of the structure survived, thanks to which archaeologists were able to almost completely restore Garni. The preservation of the temple is so good that many ancient Greek ruins can only envy. Near the temple there is a gorge of the same name, where you can find a natural monument known as the “Symphony of Stones” or “Stone Organ”. The rocks here consist of smooth hexagonal basalt pillars, clearly reminiscent of organ pipes, which gave rise to the name. Looking at this miracle of nature, it is very difficult to believe that it was not created by human hands.

Azerbaijan:

Azerbaijan is the last in the list of regions of the Caucasus Mountains to present its attractions.Azerbaijan:TOP 5 attractions

1.Old town of Icheri Sheher:

ИIcheri Shekher is known for the fact that the oldest buildings in Baku are located here. A settlement here appeared in ancient times, but Icheri Sheher itself was first mentioned in the 5th century. The next 500 years of the city’s history are still shrouded in mystery, and only a few archaeological finds allow us to learn something about the life of those times. The active development of Icheri Sheher occurred in the 10th–15th centuries, when the construction of fortifications, palaces and mosques began. Architectural monuments have survived to this day in different states: some are in ruins, while others have been preserved in almost their original form. It may take more than one day to explore Icheri Sheher (there are so many historical monuments here), so we will tell you about its most important attractions.

     

2.Mountain village Lagich:

Getting into the mountain village of Lagich, it’s as if you find yourself in the past: low houses standing on both sides of a narrow cobbled street , local residents riding donkeys, and ubiquitous shopping shops, especially souvenir shops. In them you can buy almost everything, from traditional papas and arkhaluks to huge carpets and jewelry. And yet, first of all, the village of Lahij is famous for its production of copper utensils. Local craftsmen transform sheets of copper into ornate plates, jugs, vases and samovars, and some of Lahij's products are now on display in the Louvre. The traditions and secrets of this craft are passed on from generation to generation, and therefore you can be sure that the dishes you buy will last a long time and will become an excellent decoration for your home and kitchen.

     

3.Gobustan Reserve:

Gobustan, located on the plain south of the Azerbaijani capital, is not only a natural but also an archaeological reserve. Conventionally, the archaeological monuments of this place can be divided into two types: sites of ancient people and rock paintings made by them. The latter are of particular interest, since the age of these images’ ranges from 1 to 15 thousand years. The largest number of drawings occurred in the Bronze Age (IV-II millennium BC), which is why this period was nicknamed “the heyday of the primitive art of Azerbaijan.” The subjects of the drawings are simple and uncomplicated, and often depict scenes of everyday life, hunting, etc. Among all the drawings, an inscription from the end of the 1st century, made in Roman, catches the eye. It indicates that the XII Lightning Legion of the Roman Empire, created by the personal decree of Julius Caesar, once stayed here. Similar monuments of the past are present at every step in the Gobustan Nature Reserve, and therefore it is incredibly interesting to study it.

     

4. Village Khinalik:

The village of Khinalik, at first glance, is not much different from similar settlements in Azerbaijan. However, if you take a closer look, the unique features of this place will immediately begin to catch your eye. To begin with, it is worth noting that Khinalik is located in a mountainous area at an altitude of more than 2 km above sea level. The second feature is that almost the entire population is made up of indigenous people, whose ancestors came here several thousand years ago. Because of this, the village has developed its own cultural traditions, and Khinaluk residents still communicate with each other in the Khinalug language. For the most part, it overlaps with the Azerbaijani language, but at the same time it is not without a number of features. Khinalug is quite difficult to study, since there are 14 cases alone, while in Russian there are only 6. Khinaluk is not just a settlement, but an open-air exhibition, where exhibits include buildings and people who have preserved unique traditions and customs of their ancestors. You can learn about many of them, as well as the history of the village, in the local ethnographic museum, where all the archaeological finds ever made in the territory of Khinalik are collected.

     

5.Pink Lake Masazirgol:

Pink Lake Masazirgol: body of water looks impressive even in photographs, and in reality it is completely mesmerizing . Depending on the season, its shade changes from pale pink to truly scarlet. This color is given to the water by algae and halophilic bacteria that live here in huge numbers. These single-celled organisms love environments with a high salt content, so Lake Masazirgol has become an ideal habitat for them. The salt here literally lies under your feet and also has a soft pink tint. If you or your friends are interested in collecting minerals, then a salt crystal from Masazirgol will be an excellent addition to the collection.

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