UNIQUE PLACES

Hrazdan Gorge is one of the unique landmarks of Yerevan. This wonderful natural resource is one of the most important cultural, tourist, sports and entertainment places of the city.

Yerevan is one of the coastal cities of the Hrazdan River, which has been inhabited since ancient times, as evidenced by the caves discovered in the river gorge with working tools belonging to ancient people and other finds. The Hrazdan or Zangu (Urartian: Ildaruni) River is the left tributary of the Araks, which originates from Lake Sevan.

A large section of the river, about 15 km, flows through the territory of the capital Yerevan. Beautiful views of the gorge are visible from different points of the city. In the middle part of the Hrazdan Gorge is the New Arabkir Park, and in the area adjacent to the Kievyan Bridge is the Tumanyan Park or Tumo Park, which is a wonderful place for family recreation with various entertainment and sports zones. The park offers a magnificent view of the Hrazdan Gorge.

The river in the gorge can be reached both through Tumo Park and from the small center of Yerevan, from the end of Diana Abgar Park (from Saryan Street). Through the tunnel located here, in 10 minutes you can find yourself in one of the picturesque places of the Hrazdan Gorge, in the territory of the Yerevan Children's Railway. The area serves as a recreation area, and the station building and several old rolling stock are a great place for taking photos. One of the trains is still operating today, in warm weather you can travel along the Hrazdan Gorge. The park also has many other attractions and entertainment venues.

The Hrazdan Gorge is also home to the Hrazdan Gorge public outdoor sports ground, as the locals call it, “Chrik” – a place of flowing water – or “Bidzu Gyol” (a place of running water), as it is where the capital’s healthy lifestyle enthusiasts like to gather, exercise and simply have a good time.

In the section of the gorge adjacent to Admiral Isakov Avenue is Lake Yerevan, an artificial reservoir in the southwest of Yerevan. In the area adjacent to the lake are the “Yerevan 1” cave, the Shengavit settlement, an Early Bronze Age monument in the southwest of Yerevan, and the ancient site of the Urartian city of Teyshebain or Karmir Blur on the left bank of the Hrazdan River. In 1986, archaeologists discovered the Karmir Berd (Red Fortress) on the right bank of the Hrazdan River, which flows through the city, dating back to the 2nd millennium BC.

Thus, dozens of centuries ago, emerging from the caves, people built fortresses and settlements on the highlands of the Hrazdan Gorge, traces of which have been preserved and reached our days. Later, the settlement spread to the highlands of Hrazdan. This is how the city arose and gradually expanded.

Once upon a time, the two banks of the river in Yerevan were connected by the Red Bridge in the Hrazdan Gorge, which has been thoroughly restored. The bridge is called "red" because it is built of red tuff. The total length of the bridge was 80 meters, and the height was 11 meters. It has 4 arches: two in the middle and inclined, the other two on the banks of the Hrazdan River. For centuries, the Red Bridge provided economic connections between the Yerevan Fortress (on the site of the Ararat Cognac-Wine-Vodka Factory in Yerevan), Echmiadzin, and the Ararat Valley. The road entering the city from the south, which passed over this bridge, was not very wide: only two carts could pass side by side. The bridge is included in the list of historical and cultural monuments of Yerevan and is a worthy testimony to the history of medieval Yerevan. Today, three bridges are in operation across the Hrazdan River: Davtashen, Kievyan, and Haghtanak.

In the Middle Ages, in the new period of the city's history, small economic enterprises in the form of dings operated in the Hrazdan Gorge. These were small enterprises for the processing of rice and cotton, for the operation of which the water of the Hrazdan River was used.

In the 19th century, during the process of transforming the city, when drawing up the master plans, the Hrazdan Gorge was preserved as a natural green space for recreation and entertainment. This approach continued even after the establishment of Soviet rule in Armenia. Yerevan residents would come here with their families and spend their holidays. Escaping the heat of Yerevan, they would relax and enjoy nature and the wonderful view of the Hrazdan River.