Yerevan History Museum Yerevan

Older than Rome

Arpi from Yerevan

"The "Yerevan History Museum" is a great starting point for exploring the city. You can't tell from the modern buildings just how old it really is..."

I find this museum extremely important for Yerevan because of many reasons. Yerevan was founded in 782 B.C. and there is the Urartian cuneiform and the ancient fortress to prove it. Indeed, Yerevan also shared the dramatic fate of the Armenian nation. In the middle ages, it was divided between Iran and Turkey. In 1679 it experienced a disastrous earthquake that razed all the buildings to the ground. In the 19th century, it became a part of the Russian Empire when this part of Armenia fell under Russia. In 1924, its modern plan was approved and the city was subjected to radical transformation. I started mentioning all these facts to show you that Yerevan has a very rich history and it is supposed to have all these historical layers.

While Armenians like to boast that Yerevan is 29 years older than Rome, a modern tourist can only find the ancient fortress of Erebuni and mainly Soviet buildings here. The huge historical gap is obvious. That’s why I felt happy when I discovered this museum, because it can give one a comprehensive understanding of all the historical periods, starting from the prehistoric Paleolithic age. One of my favorite artifacts of the museum are the illustrated maps of Yerevan from the 17th century made by French traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier and a pre-Soviet model of the city as well. You can also explore the interior decoration of 19th century Yerevan houses.

Well, I think that this museum is a good start to exploring Yerevan. Enjoy!

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Yerevan Spotter Arpi

About me I am a tour guide and I love my job very much because I like multicultural environements and my job gives me the chance to experience different cultures without even leaving my country. That's why I chose to become a Spotter. Honestly, I am concerned with the idea that my country is being misinterpreted and misrepresented, because the regular touristic places give very limited insight about Armenia. Spotted by Locals is a unique chance for me to reveal more aspects of my country and help visitors explore it from different angles. I have been living in Yerevan since ...

About this spot

Argishti 1

Ticket:

AMD

500

Website

10568185

Social

Oct 5, 2025

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