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Mother Armenia Monument
Yerevan, Armenia |
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Monument to 50 years
of Soviet Armenia |
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| Khor Virap Monastery, Armenia |
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| Mt Ararat, East Türkiye |
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6,000 year old winery
Areni Cave, Armenia |
Day 19 Monday Nov 3 2025 (Yerevan, Armenia) - Part 1 of this post focussed on our group's visit to Mother Armenia Monument, Khor Virap Monastery & Areni Cave (World's oldest winery), after that in Part 2 following post, we passed by the Noravank Canyon to visit Noravank Monastery, Orbelian Caravansaray & bought Sevan trout smoked fish from Lake Sevan for a light dinner tonight !
Travel itinerary: Yerevan > Mother Armenia > Khor Virap > Arena Cave > Noravank Canyon > Noravank Monastery > Orbelian Caravansaray > Lake Sevan > Yerevan
1) Mother Armenia Monument, Yerevan, Armenia - a female personification of Armenia, her most public visual rendering is a monumental statute in Victory Park overlooking the capital city of Yerevan, Armenia. Fresh cool morning air, blue sky & the towering Mother Armenia Monument brightened up our Day 19 Monday Nov 3 2025 in Armenia !
2) A panoramic view of Yerevan City & Mount Ararat, Armenia as seen from the Mother Armenia Monument. The snowy peak of Mt Ararat in autumn brought cool breeze mountain air to the Victory Park ideal for a pleasant walk or jogging !
2) Monument to 50 years of Soviet Armenia Sept 26 2016 - a monument dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Soviet Armenia on top of Cascade Complex, stair & stella with golden leaf, Yerevan, Armenia.
3) Petrol refill for our rental car at a petrol kiosk in suburban Yerevan before heading to Ararat Plain to visit Khor Virap Monastery, once upon a time a pilgrimage & holy site !
4) Ararat Plain & farmland, Armenia - as seen from the higher ground of Khor Virap Monastery.
5) Khor Virap Monastery, near Mount Ararat, Armenia - a fortified monastery, a pilgrimage & holy site, the birthplace of Christianity in Armenia, the site where Saint Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned, the monastery is located in the Ararat Plain in Armenia, near the border with Türkiye, about 8km south of Artashat, Ararat Province within the territory of ancient Artaxata, the monastery was host to a theological seminary & was the residence of the Armenian Catholicos.
6) Mount Ararat (Greater Ararat & Little Ararat), Türkiye - a snow capped & dormant compound volcano in eastern most Türkiye, consist of two major volcanic cones, Greater Ararat & Little Ararat, stunning & magnificent view as seen from Khor Virap Monastery.
7) A stopover at a country town car repair workshop for a minor repair (front bumper, paint touch up & polishing etc) for our rental car, Toyota Camry which we had been driving & criss- crossing Georgia & Armenia for the last 11 days !
8) Chicken & turkey rearing at the backyard of the car workshop - one for the album !
9) Our group bought persimmons & an assortment of fresh vegetables (AMD 1120) ie cauliflower, big onions, capsicums etc from a mini market operating by the side of a main trunk road.
10) Scenic country roads take me home to the place where Areni-1 Cave (oldest winery in the world) belongs - long & winding mountainous roads via the Noravank Canyon (ideal for sport climbing) before arriving at the destination !
11) Areni-1 Cave - a multicomponent site, a late Chalcolithic / Early Bronze Age ritual site & settlement located near the Areni village in southern Armenia along the Arpa River, intersting to note that the area was reported to be used as a winery about 6,000 years ago hence Areni Cave is now recognised as the oldest world winery in the world ! Admission fee 1,000 AMD (Rm11.60).
