Source: 123rf
Splendid architectures that tell of a past rich in the most varied cultural influences of Eastern Europe, but also many artistic testimonies of great value: Gyumri is a beautiful city in Armenia, who experienced great drama, but without letting himself be discouraged. It is a place that will give you great emotions, and for this reason it is absolutely worth a visit.
We are in northern Armenia, a few kilometers from the border with Turkey. The city of Gyumri it is quite small, but it is also the second most populous in the whole country, after of course the capital Yerevan. In the past it was called many things: originally it was Kumayri, then it became Alexandroupoli and, with the death of Lenin, took the name Leninakan, which lasted until the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
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In Gyumri's most recent history there is not only a change of name, but also a very dramatic event. In 1988, the city was hit by a violent earthquake which caused very serious damage, razing many buildings to the ground and permanently compromising many others. What was a fundamental economic and industrial center of Armenia has thus experienced very difficult years. But despite everything they are still there many wonders just waiting to be (re)discovered by tourists.
Gyumri is located a short distance from one of the main airports in the country, so reaching it is not difficult at all. The city, which has a decadent and very romantic flavor, winds around its Old Town, consisting of two tree-lined avenues that run parallel. Intersecting the two main arteries are an infinite number of increasingly narrow and, in some cases, even cobbled streets. Hundreds of black tuff buildings with richly decorated doors they overlook the narrow streets of the centre, giving the place a slightly gloomy atmosphere.
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Despite the small size of this city, they lived there many great artists whose testimonies still shine today in structures dedicated to them, truly fascinating museums. Such as the house-museum of Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet who wrote famous compositions in the first half of the 900th century, or the art gallery of the Aslamazyan sisters, two talented painters and ceramic artists. Also unmissable is the National Museum of Architecture and Urban Life, a splendid building built by a rich merchant at the end of the 800th century, inside which precious testimonies of the history of Gyumri are collected.
One of the most beautiful architecture of the city is the Church of San Salvatore, which was seriously damaged by the earthquake. Today the restoration is almost complete and has brought the church to its former glory. Right in its vicinity we can admire what is known as "Vicolo delle croci": a street entirely dedicated to dozens of Khachkar, funerary stones carved in tuff or basalt, typical of Armenia.
And after having toured the town far and wide, it's time for a bit of rest. There Old Alexandropol brewery will welcome you to visit the splendid building that houses it, which has now become a national monument, but also to discover something more about the various phases of beer production and of course to taste a nice bowl of it.
Source: 123rf
