p5310193

Today we went to Echmiadzin and Oshagan.

Echmiadzin was built in the 4th century, from 301-303. It was the first Armenian church. Krikor Lousavoritch had a vision of Jesus coming down from the sky, and with a golden hammer, showing where the first Armenian church would be built. He included all the details of the church, as well. “Echmiadzin” means “the place where God’s only son came down”.

Read the rest of this entry »


Hovannes Toumanian’s home-museum

Today we visited Haghpat Monestary, Sanahin Monestary, and in the Lori region; Hovannes Toumanian’s home-museum.

The Haghpat Monestary was founded in the 10th century by Queen Khosrovanoush, wife of Ashot Voghormazzin. The main church is the Soorp Nshan church, built in 976 by architect Trdat. Its entrance was built later. Soorp Nshan church has beautiful frescoes, and is cross-shaped from the inside, like a Greek cross. There are also inscriptions on the walls. In the gate of the church, there is a royal burial ground. It became the first Armenian monument to be included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Read the rest of this entry »


Madenataran

Today are wake-up calls was at 7:00 and at 9:00 we walked by Foreign Ministry. From there we took a subway to the oldest church in Yerevan. The subway was packed with people and there was hardly any place to stand. The subway wasn’t long at all. In one minute it was over. All of a sudden when the bus starts moving some of us fell.

Once the subway ride was over we saw the oldest church in Yerevan. It was really small but it was beautiful. Through the window was a light shinning and it came right to your face. We prayed and then took pictures of the landscape and the church. Read the rest of this entry »


Sartarabad

Today we went to Sartarabad. At sartarabad a big battle was taken place in 1918. We saw two bulls next to the monument, when we were walking around we saw statues of eagles, they represented the freedom fighters that were dead and alive. Sartarabad was created in 1968. When we arrived there we pushed the guards to get near the president of Armenia Serj Sarkisian . We took pictures with him and then we got squashed wall were walking to the dance recital. When we were watching the show one of the Armenian channels came to interview us.
Read the rest of this entry »


Jermuk

Today is the 8th day of our wonderful journey at Armenia. On our way from Artsakh to Armenia we stopped some where below Shushi called Kareen Dag Keugh. The tour guide told us about this keugh. She told us that the soldiers climbed cliffs and rocks to save Shushi but their guns and ammunition were too heavy that some of the soldiers tumbled down the hill. She also told us that the soldiers tricked the Azeris by saying different plans and talking different languages into the walkie-talkies to confuse the enemy. The way from Artsakh to Yerevan had many mountains and valleys. It was beautiful. We saw many cows, goats, and donkeys.

Read the rest of this entry »


Shushi school

We are still in Shushi.

We woke up early had breakfast and went to the nearby church. It was empty, it had 3 benches, and pictures of the saints, then walked to the nearby school, The Shushi school.

We met the 5th grade students, we sang the national anthem, and listened to their poems. We talked to eachother, exchande gifts, and email addresses.

We went to their computer room, and played computer games, later went to their art room, they had made a minuture of the pyramids and their school and other significant simballs from all around the world, then we had a group photo, and walked back to the hotel. We took our bags and with two small vans we travel to Amaras.

Read the rest of this entry »


p5240054

Today is May 25. This morning we woke up and looked out of the window and saw the Sourp Amenaprgich Church. After breakfast we went to a tank that the Armenians used during the war. While we were on the tank we sang Azad Angakh Artsakh to remember all of the brave fallen heroes. It was amazing how the Artsakh soldiers captured Shushi which was bombing the lower region. The Azeri soldiers were five times the amount of the Artsakh soldiers.

After that we went to Kantzasar monastery, which was built in the 13th century. In this monastery Hovannes Mgrdich’s head was buried. This church was built in memory of Hovannes Mgrdich. The architect that built this monastery used Islamic traditional windows to prevent Muslims attacks on this monastery. During this last of war Azeris launched missals on the church and the missal did not explode because it got stuck in the wall.

Read the rest of this entry »


Ararad

Today May 24, 2008 we went to Karabakh. On our journey there we stopped at Khor Virap, where Krikor Loosavorich was imprisoned for thirteen years by the Armenian’s pegen king, Drtad. but because of Krikor Loosavorich we turned Christian.

When you’re going down the stairs to the pit, it’s pretty scary because the stairs shake and it’s so steep. But when you’re actually down there it’s really cool because you’ve learned so much about Krikor Loosavorich and finally you’re going to Khor Virap to see where he was for THIRTEEN YEARS!!! THAT’S SUCH A LONG TIME!!!

Read the rest of this entry »


p5220027

Today was an amazing day! We visited the statue of Alexander Tamanyan, Alexander Tamanyan was a jardarabed (someone that draws places and people build it) which drew Yerevan’s outline. The statue was him leaning on a table, looking at the map he drew. Next to the statue of Alexander Tamanyan, there was an overview of the map he drew.

The next thing we did was visit the school in Yerevan. The name of the school was Ananya Shiragatsi. At the school we got to visit all of the 5th grade classes. We went to their English class, a class about churches and the history about Armenians, the interesting thing was that the kids that the Armenians kids that live in Boston know the same thinks the the kids in Armenia know. In another class we watched a movie about the western Armenia. The thing we all loved about going to that school is that we made friends with the kids, and after they showed us their dance we got up and danced an Armenian dance for them too. (kochari and kertsie) After that we got to eat lunch with them everyone wanted to sit next to all of us. We also got hand made cell phone cases.

Read the rest of this entry »


p5210007

Today, we visited the temple of Garni, the Monastery of Geghard, Lake Sevan and the English Learning Center in Sevan.

The temple of Garni was built in the 1st century BC by King Tiridate I. It was dedicated to the God of the Sun Mihr. The steps to the temple were very steep. The temple was destroyed by an earthquake in 1639 but rebuilt. Next to it were the royal baths which are decorated with a gorgeous mosaic floor.

Read the rest of this entry »


The first place on our list to visit was Sasounsti Tavet on his horse holding his sword. From the bottom, water was pouring out of a hole. The water landed in a square made out of bricks. His statue was really big and it was amazing.

Today we went to the Erepuni Fortress made in 1968. We learned many things such as what they used to make items out of. They used beams to make roofs and they used pomegranate and grapes as ornaments and wall paintings.
Read the rest of this entry »