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ARMENIA , Europe

Planning to travel armenia 18 things you need to know.

I think it’s fair to say Armenia is pretty off the beaten track. Which is why knowing these 18 things before you travel there is pretty useful!

Indeed before I adventured here, there were just a handful of bloggers writing about this country online.

So, after my amazing time there, I wanted to post an article that would give other travellers thinking of heading here a bit of heads up about what to expect.

Because it’s hard to know what to expect from Armenia isn’t it?!

The first nation in the world to adopt Christianity as its state religion, a former Soviet state and situated between Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan, it’s fair to say Armenia isn’t easy to pigeonhole!

Positioned at a long-standing travel nexus, straddling the border between both Europe and Asia, Armenia is something of a puzzle… and all the more amazing for it I say!

So if you’re planning on heading to this lovely little country, first of all, congrats and second of all, strap in for this ride through the 18 things to know before you travel Armenia…

Related Posts

• 21 Amazing Things to Do in Yerevan, Armenia
• Top 25 Things To Do in the Caucasus Region
• 21 Best Things to Do in Georgia

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#1 Visas for Armenia

The first thing you need to know if you want to travel Armenia is if you can!

And by that I mean, do you need to get a visa?

If you’re travelling from the UK, the EU, Australia, New Zealand, the US or Canada, then the great news is that you don’t need a visa to visit Armenia and can just get a stamp on arrival, either at a land crossing or at the airport.

This is also true for the citizens of many other Middle Eastern nations, but do check before you travel as the rules can always change.

#2 Crossing Into Armenia By Land

Unsurprisingly many travellers combine the Caucasus countries together when they travel and, as such, lots of people cross into Armenia via the land border with Georgia.

There’s primarily 2 reasons for this:

#1 Flights from Europe to this part of the world are generally cheaper when they land in Georgia, especially if you get a budget airline flight to the city of Kutaisi. As always, use Skyscanner to find the best deal.

#2 Armenia does not have open land borders with 2 of its neighbours, namely Turkey (semi-frosty relations, although flights do run between these 2 countries) and Azerbaijan (severely frosty relations and disputed territory issues).

As such, the only countries you can cross in Armenia from / to by land are Georgia and Iran, and it’s obvious, which the more frequently travelled country of those 2 is.

In relation to point 2, you also need to watch if you have an Azerbaijani stamp in your passport, as sometimes this can cause problems when entering Armenia.

That said, I’ve heard that the Armenian immigration officials are way more chilled than the Azerbaijani ones, so I do recommend heading to Azerbaijan first, followed by Georgia and then Armenia if you’re hitting up the 3 all in one trip.

I made the land crossing with Georgia myself when exiting Armenia and can happily attest to the fact it was one of the easiest border crossings I’ve ever made in my life.

Local minivans (mushrutkas) regularly ply the route between the 2 capitals of Yerevan and Tbilisi in a hurtling and hair-raising 7 hour journey through the countryside that costs around 7000 Armenian Dram … enjoy!

#3 Arriving By Air

Otherwise, if you’re arriving into Armenia via a flight, like I did, you’ll be arriving into the country’s only international airport just outside of the capital of Yerevan.

The cheapest flights generally arrive here from Dubai and Istanbul, so check out FlyDubai and Pegasus Airlines via Skyscanner if you’re looking to score a well-priced ticket.

The airport is small, but clean and efficient.

Pass immigration, grab your bag, use the ATM for some local currency and even get a SIM card if you need one – more about this in #18 of this article.

You can then grab a taxi to the city centre / your accommodation, but do not pay more than 4000 Armenian Dram.

Alternatively, use an Armenian ride-sharing app to get to the centre – more in #7.

#4 Best Time to Visit Armenia?

Armenia has a crazy climate, in that it goes from freezing cold in the winter to boiling hot in the summer!

I guess that’s the reality of being a landlocked, mountainous country!

As a result of the climate variation, I honestly think the perfect time to travel Armenia is during the northern hemisphere spring and autumn, namely April through June and September through October respectively.

In this way, the best time to travel Armenia is similar to that of the Middle East.

Travelling during these months means you avoid the freezing conditions of the bleak winter, but you don’t risk burning to a crisp in the summer temperatures and humidity!

It’s also wildflower season during spring and conditions are perfect for hiking, which you should definitely do when you travel Armenia.

I visited this country in June, and because I’m a sunshine-fan, loved the warm climate, long sunny days and green countryside backed by snowy mountains I found.

Here’s my perfect packing list for Armenia if you’re also travelling there in the spring / summer months.

#5 How Long to Travel Armenia For?

As a small country, most people allow between 2 days to 2 weeks to travel Armenia.

With 2 days, you’ll hardly see anything, with 2 weeks, you’ll see everything, so pitch it according to your travel style and how thorough you like to be!

For more info, including a day-to-day travel schedule, check out my Armenia itinerary , which gives you 5 options for a great trip here.

#6 Money in Armenia

The currency is Armenia is the Armenian Dram… but you knew that right!

ATMs are widespread in the cities here and easy to use with both Mastercard and Visa accepted.

However life gets very rural in Armenia very quickly, so if you’re heading out to the countryside at all, I definitely suggest taking all the cash you’ll need with you.

At the time of publication, the Armenian Dram was worth approximately…

£1 = 600 Dram

$1 USD = 450 Dram

1 Euro = 550 Dram

Yeah big numbers, annoying from my poor maths brain too!

When it comes to paying for things in Armenia, you want to ensure you’re not being charged overseas transaction fees or getting poor exchange rates when using your card abroad, which is why I always take my Wise card away with me wherever I travel.

The easy way to spend abroad with real exchange rates, no markups and no sneaky transaction fees, you can use your Wise card just like a debit card here… and it links easily with Google and Apple pay – sold! Grab yours here .

#7 Getting Around Armenia

Due to a lack of tourist infrastructure and some poor road conditions in parts, getting around Armenia can be a little tricky.

Public minivans, known as marshrutkas, are the cheapest way to go, but they only ply main roads and generally operate only to and from the capital.

To make matters a little more complicated, there are 6 marshrutka stations across Yerevan and finding out which buses leave from which stations is an adventure in itself!

Check out this useful website , which had the most current info I found online, otherwise ask where you’re staying for the latest details, as the often buses often change stations!

To combat the confusing minivan situation however, the good news is that hitchhiking is easy and commonplace across rural Armenia – often you’ll be picked up on the street without even having to stick your thumb out!

Otherwise, ride-sharing apps such as Yandex can be used to grab cheap taxi rides for shorter distances and make communicating across any language barriers much easier.

In Yerevan, there’s also an extremely cheap metro system.

Failing all of the above, guided day trips or private taxis will happily shuttle you to most major tourist sites around the country. If you can get a group together this can be a surprisingly cost-effective option. Check out these well-priced Armenia tours for some ideas.

#8 Travel Highlights in Armenia

There are 2 primary attractions across the whole of Armenia and they are… monasteries and mountains… and often they are combined!

Yes situated in the Caucasus region, Armenia is an undulating, elevated country which boasts beautiful mountain landscapes within its own borders, as well as the famous snow-capped peak of Mount Ararat (now situated within Turkey) that makes for an amazing backdrop.

As the oldest official Christian state in the world, Armenia also has a huge number of Orthodox Monasteries, that are often set in stunning locations and are adorned with beautiful frescos. Hundreds of years old, they are all very much living monasteries – regular worshippers still attend them and religion very much forms a large part of local life here.

In addition to the mountains and the monasteries, Armenia also boasts a beautiful lake – Lake Seven and offers several cable car experiences, namely at Tsaghkadzor and the longest one in the world at Tatev!

There’s Roman ruins at Garni , wine production in Areni and who can forget about all the amazing fresh produce and local food production that scatters the country.

For more information and ideas about what to see, check out my list of the top 10 things to do in Armenia .

#9 Hiking in Armenia

Hiking is a key thing to do when you travel Armenia and there’s no way any time here would be complete without a few good walks to take in the stunning views, ancient tracks and lungful’s of clean, fresh air.

Hiking trails can be found almost anywhere in country, mostly as ancient routes to and from villages, rather than purposefully constructed trails.

As such, it’s always a good idea to download the maps.me guide before you set out.

HIKEArmenia , who have an office in Yerevan, can provide you with a huge range of free information. Find them on Vardanants Street in the capital. They are open Mon-Sat 10am -7pm.

Some of the best hiking in the country can be found in the south, around the city of Goris, and in the Garni, Geghard, Goght area just outside of Yerevan.

#10 Visiting Monasteries

If you fancy seeing a good monastery, then trust me, Armenia is the country to come to!

From those UNESCO-listed ones in the north of country around the town of Alaverdi, to the picture-postcard Khar Virab, or the famous Tatev, Geghard or Noravank Monasteries, there’s a lot to choose from!

Great news for budget travellers is that all the monasteries are free to enter.

Suitable clothing must be worn to enter any Orthodox Monastery, which for women in particular, means long trousers / skirt and a headscarf. Thankfully, there are usually free garments at each church door you can borrow to enter.

If you are lucky, you may get to catch an Orthodox Sunday service at one of them, or at the very least some wonderful singing /chanting.

#11 Visiting Yerevan

Yerevan is where most people begin and end their time in Armenia and, in my opinion you can’t miss it.

There’s a few key sites to see in the capital, namely the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex, the Cascade Comple, the Vernissage Market and the Republic Square.

While these are all fascinating places, the real beauty of Yerevan for me, was just the peaceful atmosphere of this city, which is celebrated in every corner – from the benches of its green parks to the cafes and wine bars that line its streets, along with its quirky antique and famous carpet shops.

Fresh fruit, vegetable and nut stalls line the pavements and you can’t walk more than 20m without stumbling across a coffee cart!

No surprise then that I loved this city and found it the perfect introduction to Armenian culture.

You can learn more in my article that covers the 21 amazing things to do in Yerevan .

#12 Where to Stay in Armenia?

Many travellers who are pushed for time find it easy to base themselves in Yerevan and simply day trip around Armenia from there.

Throughout my time in the capital I stayed at the wonderful MGA Hostel which, along with their sister property, Retro Hostel , I can highly recommend – central locations and great, English-speaking staff.

Otherwise, you may wish to consider Envoy Hostel who run their own tours, both within Armenia and to Georgia, and who offer guests a discount on these if they stay with them.

Outside of Yerevan, the fabulous 3G’s camping and guesthouse , run by the lovely Sandra, is well worth stopping by to enjoy the many sights, hikes and local life in this area. Situated between the Geghard Monastery and Garni Temple this place is perfect for sightseeing, but also chilling by the amazing pool and meeting other guests in the huge and well-equipped kitchens.

In Dilijan, I recommend Old Dili , or head to either Granby Hostel or Art Guest House.

In Goris you can stay at Yeghevnut Hotel – a traveller favourite.

#13 Armenian Food

And now we come to eating, one of the best things to do when you travel Armenia!

And it is any surprise given the amount of amazing, fresh produce they can grow in this fertile land?!

From vegetables to nuts, fruit to honey, cheese to bread, almost anything fresh you buy in Armenia will have been grown and / or produced here and it tastes all the more amazing for it.

Local streetsellers hawk their delicious goods on almost any street corner, otherwise, small farm stalls line the road sides and market places.

Don’t miss the sight of the traditional lavash bread being made either – you can spot this by Geghard Monastery as well as many other places in the country.

Seriously, don’t miss out on trying as much food as you can in Armenia!

#14 Drinking in Armenia

Ok so I lied, eating isn’t the real national pastime in Armenia… drinking is!

From mountain water to coffee to wine, Armenians love nothing more than a sit, a chat and a drink.

The water across the country is potable, thanks to all those beautiful mountain springs, which produce the most delicious water.

Fill your reusable metal water bottle from any tap in the country for free, or try the mountain water from any of the hundreds of free, public drinking fountains you see scattered around.

Next up, it’s the coffee, which is brewed here like Turkish / Arabic coffee. Traditionally served strong, black and with lashings of sugar, this is the perfect way to kick start your hiking!

Independent coffee carts litter the country serving up heaps of this delicious stuff for next to nothing.

And who, of course, can forget the wine?!

One of Armenia best produces, wine-drinking here is engrained into the culture and indulged in by just about every citizen.

Traditional wines flavoured with fruits are common, otherwise regular style red and whites are great, cheap and should be sampled in abundance when you travel Armenia!

#15 Costs of Travelling Armenia

Great news for those who wish to travel Armenia… this country is cheap as chips!

While accommodation and tours are pitched at an international market and therefore probably slightly more than you might expect, local food, drink and transport is extremely cheap and monasteries and hiking are free!

In light of all this, I’d suggest a budget of around 30 euros per day if you want to travel Armenia – this includes staying in private rooms in budget guesthouses / hostels, many meals out and some day tours.

If you only took public minivans / hitched and either camped or stayed in dorms, you could easily travel Armenia on between 10-20 euros a day.

Learn about the full cost breakdown of my trip to Armenia here .

#16 Safety in Armenia

I’m happy to report that my travel Armenia experience was definitely one of the safest ever.

Even as a solo female hitchhiking and hiking alone, I felt incredibly safe in this country with local people seemingly not able to do enough to help me.

In all honestly, I’d often be picked up when walking along the roadside and not even attempting to hitchhike!

And I was also given countless amounts of free food and drink.

I really felt Armenian people were so happy to have tourists visiting their country that their engrained hospitality and deeply religious values came into fullforce!

If you want to learn more, then check out the specific article I wrote about safety and my experience of travelling as a solo female in Armenia.

Alternatively, if you’re a long-term traveller, digital nomad or frequent remote worker seeking travel health cover, check out Safetywing’s Nomad Insurance policies.

#17 Armenian Culture

And that’s because I truly believe Armenian people are some of the friendliest going.

For them, it seems, welcoming strangers is part of an almost religious duty and they apparently can’t do enough to help you or make you feel welcome in their country.

Situated at a geographical crossroads, one that trading empires and migrating people have traversed for centuries, it Armenians appear to be tolerant and open people.

Like their Middle Eastern neighbours, there’s no doubt the Armenians are late night people too with little open, even in Yerevan, before 10am and bars still pumping every night of the week at 3am!

While many younger people, especially in the capital speak English, do be aware that many older people / those outside of the capital don’t speak English. If you know a bit of Russian, this may come in handy!

#18 Telecommunications

As I mentioned in the #3 airport arrival section of this article, Armenian SIM cards can easily be bought at the airport arrivals hall in Yerevan.

If you’re coming from Georgia or Iran however and need to buy a SIM car when you cross the border I highly recommend Beeline, who I used throughout my travels in Armenia.

With good coverage across the country, as well as 3G data packages for next to nothing, this makes a great opinion when you travel Armenia, especially if you will be out hiking / travelling by yourself and would like extra piece of mind.

Just enter your email address below and I'll send it to you for FREE!

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Mini Travel Guide to Armenia

Recommended Tours in Armenia

Check out these fantastic tours of Armenia , which will help you see the best of this country.

5 Packing Essentials for Armenia

#1 Caucasus Lonely Planet – Still my go-to when it comes to guidebooks, the Caucasus Lonely Planet packs in a huge amount of information about travelling in Armenia, Georgia & Azerbaijan and will likely save you the cost of a guide in many of this country’s fabulous historical attractions.

#2 Good Camera – From the mountain landscapes to the village life, you’ll want a good travel camera to capture the best of Armenia and the Sony A6000 mirrorless ticks my box every time!

#3 Headscarf – If you’re heading to see any monasteries in Armenia, ladies will need to come prepared with a headscarf to enter, as well as a long skirt or pair of pants and a long-sleeved top.

#4 Hiking Shoes – No trip to Armenia would be complete without spending at least a day or two hiking in this country’s untouched rural landscape. Coming prepared with a pair of good walking shoes is essential therefore and Keen Targhee’s II always get my vote!

#5 Rain Jacket – I visited Armenia in June, technically the start of summer and the high season, but was amazed how storms suddenly blew in across this high altitude country. Having my North Face lightweight, windproof and waterproof jacket therefore saved my life!

Travel Insurance for Armenia

PIN IT TO PINTEREST!

So there you have it, the 18 things to know before you travel Armenia.

Have I convinced you to visit this amazing country yet?

If you have any more questions, please shoot them across in the comments box below…

Creator of Big World Small Pockets, Stephanie Parker is a travel addict! Originally from Jersey in the Channel Islands, Stephanie adventures the world collecting tips, advice and stories, to share with a smile

13 thoughts on “ Planning to Travel Armenia? 18 Things You Need to Know ”

Great adventures. I hope visit Armenia and Georgia something I have been in most of American and European countries so far, but Armenia is definitily one in my list. Greetings from Chile, I hpe you can visit this part of Sudamerica soon.

Hi Jamie, I hope to get back to South America and Chile soon indeed! In the meantime, enjoy Armenia and Georgia – they are certainly both worth a visit! Best, Steph

My daughter and I are going on our first trip to Armenia in the summer of 2020. I read your blog and look forward to my trip! Thank you, now I know more about Armenia! Great photos!

Hi Tori, great to hear you and your daughter are planning to travel to Armenia, I’m sure you’re going to love it. So happy the blog has proved helpful and wishing you a fab trip. Best, Steph 🙂

There is international airport in Gyoumri (LWN). You can fly to Athens etc so the one near Yerevan ain’t the only one:)

Thanks so much Jerry, wasn’t aware of this at all, so really appreciate the info. Best, Steph 🙂

Did you get up north to the Shirak Province and Gyumri?? I stayed at a beautiful little villa (Villa Kars) in Gyumri for a couple weeks doing conservation work and traveling around with the most knowledgeable/kind guide ever. Those old monasteries and basilicas are just breath-taking! And up north they are just in the middle of fields! With cows roaming around! Amazing. Wish more travelers took interest in the country. I’d love love love to go back sometime. Great article!!

Hi Lisa, so delighted you like the article and I totally agree, Armenia is absolutely underrated and I’d love to go back too. I didn’t spend much time in the north, but sounds idyllic and certainly hope to spend more time there on my next visit. Thanks for your comment and top tips, best Steph 🙂

Highly interesting and helpful article. Gives a clear view on this rather unknown country that is actually the cradle of western civilisation. Am planning to travel through Turkey, Georgia, Armenia and Iran on a spiritual quest. Passing on to India and China if things work out well. Thanks for sharing and caring :). Best, Annemarie

Hi Annemarie, this sounds like a fantastic and exciting journey. So glad you found the article interesting and helpful. Happy travel planning, Best Steph 🙂

Hi Stephanie, this is an incredible and informative article and yes, I am convinced and you’ve covered all of the basic questions I had 🙂 Will be reading all the related articles too. Once question though, I have kind of decided at the last hour that Armenia is the place I want to go and travel dates are Nov 23 – 30 or thereabouts. Would I be able to hike during this time or see the beautiful mountains etc or will it be a waste of a trip during this time of the year.

Hi Melanie, lovely to hear from you and delighted to learn you found the article helpful. Hopefully the others I have written about Armenia will prove just as useful!

In terms of dates, I don’t want to put you off, but the end of November might be a little late in the season to travel Armenia, especially if you want to enjoy some hiking. Things will be getting cold by then, especially up in the mountains, and snow may well hamper your trip. I honestly think Armenia (and all the Caucasus countries) are best visited in either April-May or Sept-Oct, so maybe save Armenia for next year if you really want to experience this country at its best.

Hope that’s helpful. Happy travels Steph 🙂

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El país cuyo alfabeto no solo sirve para escribir sino también para hacer cálculos complejos

• Autor, Sugato Mukherjee
• Título del autor, BBC Travel*
• 17 febrero 2024

Es una mañana de finales de otoño cuando partimos de Ereván, la capital de Armenia. Después de conducir durante aproximadamente media hora por las tierras altas del país, el conductor detiene el auto y mi guía, Sofya Hakobyan, me hace una señal para que nos bajemos del vehículo.

A mi izquierda, el macizo nevado de cuatro picos del monte Aragats se alza en la distancia, sus contornos confusos bajo el sol brumoso. Las tierras altas se extienden desde los bordes de la carretera hasta la base de la montaña más alta de Armenia.

El paisaje parece desolador: una extensión de tierras azotadas por el viento, de color marrón arenoso, salpicadas de arbustos marchitos.

Pero una serie de esculturas de piedra de tamaño humano sobre las laderas le dan un toque misterioso al desolado terreno.

"Estamos en el Parque del Alfabeto . Fue construido en 2005 para conmemorar el 1.600 aniversario de nuestro alfabeto armenio", me explica Hakobyan.

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• “Qué pena con usted”: la expresión en Colombia que confunde a los extranjeros (y qué dice sobre los colombianos)

Final de Recomendamos

Las estatuas, talladas en piedra de color rosa descolorido, amarillo pastel y negro claro, están grabadas con flores y símbolos. Algunas de ellas están en grupos, otras solitarias, y mi guía me lleva a una estatua en forma de U con un delicado adorno en la parte inferior derecha.

"Esta es nuestra 'A' armenia en mayúscula", me dice con un amplio movimiento de la mano. "Lo que ves a nuestro alrededor son las otras letras de nuestro alfabeto, que fue inventado por ese hombre, Mesrop Mashtots, hace poco más de 1.600 años”.

Sigo su mirada hasta una majestuosa escultura de un anciano barbudo. Envuelta en una túnica suelta, la enorme estatua rosada tiene la expresión de un asceta: tranquilo y ligeramente hastiado. Me acuerdo del hombre. Hace dos días vi su estatua en la entrada de Matenadarán.

Lugar sagrado

Ubicada sobre una colina en el extremo norte de la avenida Mashtots en Ereván, la imponente estructura de basalto de Matenadarán parece una fortaleza, pero en realidad es un scriptorium (una biblioteca de manuscritos antiguos) que también funciona como instituto de investigación.

Había caminado de puntillas por la silenciosa solemnidad de las salas que exhibían muestras permanentes dispuestas por tema, que incluían literatura traducida, filosofía, teología, artes liberales con ciencias matemáticas y humanidades, poesía, derecho, historia y artes.

Fuente de la imagen, Getty Images

Emma Horopyan, directora de relaciones públicas de Matenadarán, me dijo que la biblioteca de manuscritos es uno de los depósitos más grandes del mundo de valiosos documentos de archivo y de los primeros libros impresos.

Aquí se ha conservado cuidadosamente una amplia gama de manuscritos medievales en idiomas como el griego, árabe, persa, siríaco, latín, etíope, georgiano y hebreo.

"Este es un lugar sagrado para nosotros", me dijo Grigor Stepanian.

Me encontré con Stepanian mientras me maravillaba con un mapa dibujado a mano del antiguo reino armenio en el gran Salón Central de Matenadarán, y ahora el afable arquitecto de Ereván me estaba guiando por la fachada rectangular de la estructura de cinco pisos, adornada con estatuas de filósofos, poetas y eruditos medievales que colectivamente han dado forma al legado literario y cultural de Armenia.

"Pero él (Masohtots) sigue siendo el más importante de todos", señala Stepanian.

La estatua de piedra inmaculadamente tallada de Mashtots se encontraba en la entrada, con las manos levantadas en la postura eterna de un maestro que aclara un punto a su discípulo (una estatua de piedra más pequeña) que escucha atentamente a sus pies.

Nueva identidad

Me daba curiosidad saber por qué la invención del alfabeto armenio por parte de Mashtots se encuentra entre los acontecimientos más importantes de la historia de Armenia.

"Mashtots diseñó el alfabeto para que pudiera usarse para traducir la Biblia al armenio ", me explicó Stepanian, mientras disfrutábamos de un espeso y fuerte café armenio en una cafetería cercana.

En el año 301 d.C., Armenia se convirtió en la primera nación del mundo en adoptar el cristianismo como religión oficial.

Pero casi durante un siglo después, los métodos para convertir a sus ciudadanos a esta religión, que desde hace un largo tiempo adoraban a la naturaleza, seguían siendo con frecuencia crueles, me explicó Stepanian.

Mashtots trabajaba como traductor en la cancillería real armenia en los últimos años del siglo IV d.C.

Él había sido testigo de las formas coercitivas y a menudo violentas de obligar al pueblo de esta nación caucásica a adoptar una fe patrocinada por el Estado, que era marcadamente diferente de su sistema de creencias politeísta.

"Lo que Mashtots hizo fue bastante ingenioso", me dijo Stepanian. El lingüista comprendió que la aversión de sus compatriotas al cristianismo se debía a su desconocimiento : las traducciones griega y siríaca de la liturgia y la teología cristianas, incluido el Nuevo Testamento, eran muy extrañas para los armenios, que habían sido introducidos a la Biblia y a la liturgia oralmente durante los servicios religiosos de los targmanicks (término que significa traductor y comentarista).

Mashtots creó su nuevo alfabeto en un estilo fonético , por lo que a los armenios les resultó fácil adaptarse a la forma escrita de un idioma que ya hablaban, señaló Stepanian.

"Las letras estaban diseñadas con formas muy distintivas, con un carácter independiente, muy diferente a las letras de otras lenguas escritas de la época", añadió.

Su lengua le dio así una nueva identidad a los armenios.

Por los siguientes 1.500 años, el alfabeto seguiría siendo un motivo de orgullo nacional en el centro de la identidad cultural armenia, un emblema de solidaridad para la tierra devastada por la guerra que fue casi continuamente gobernada y colonizada por fuerzas extranjeras: los romanos, los bizantinos, los persas y los turcos otomanos.

Esta saga casi continua e implacable de opresión y subyugación terminaría finalmente en 1991 , cuando el régimen soviético de 69 años colapsó y Armenia se convirtió en una república independiente.

"Sin nuestro alfabeto, habríamos sido un pueblo perdido", sostiene Stepanian.

Hakobyan coincide. "Nuestro país ha sido invadido, fragmentado y saqueado, una y otra vez", me dice mientras conduce a través del laberinto de letras dispuestas en medio de la naturaleza como un rompecabezas gigante y desordenado.

"Pero una de las razones por las que pudimos aguantar fue quizás porque siempre supimos que tenemos un hermoso lenguaje, encerrado por un hermoso conjunto de letras".

Mientras caminamos por el Parque del Alfabeto, el sol de media mañana brilla sobre las delicadas curvas de las letras, talladas a mano en roca de toba volcánica. En conjunto, me dice Hakobyan, la riqueza y flexibilidad de este hermoso grupo de letras han ayudado a sostener una tradición literaria ininterrumpida desde el inicio de su forma escrita.

Sabía que las formas estéticamente elocuentes de las letras armenias, con su uso prolongado en el arte popular, y la caligrafía están en las Listas del Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la Unesco.

Pero no tenía idea de que estos delicados y artísticos diseños también están imbuidos de códigos secretos y criptógrafos, y dotados de propiedades ocultas.

Cálculos y fechas

"Para empezar, el alfabeto formaba la estructura de un sistema numérico complejo pero sofisticado", dice Hakobyan, y me explica que las letras mashtotianas también se utilizaban para hacer cálculos matemáticos .

Además de ser parte del alfabeto, las 36 letras originales también tienen un valor numérico asignado según su orden en el alfabeto.

Cuando se organizan en cuatro columnas y nueve filas, las letras de cada columna representan respectivamente dígitos en unidades individuales, decenas, centenas y millares.

Incluso pueden usarse para determinar fechas según el calendario armenio, añade Hakobyan.

Terminamos nuestro recorrido cerca de la estatua de Mesrop Mashtots. Situado sobre un pequeño montículo, el sabio anciano observa sus pies, con una mirada bondadosa y contemplativa sorprendentemente realista.

Había llegado el momento de retomar nuestro viaje. Un fuerte viento soplaba sobre el valle iluminado por el sol y lentamente volvemos sobre nuestros pasos hacia el coche estacionado al costado de la carretera.

Antes de entrar, miro hacia atrás pensando en el increíble legado de este antiguo alfabeto. Espesas nubes suben por las laderas nevadas del monte Aragats.

Una familia armenia está llegando al parque. Dos niñas, vestidas con chaquetas de color amarillo limón, comienzan a revolotear juguetonamente entre las letras gigantes, un legado lingüístico y cultural que heredaron de un sagaz erudito, cuya estatua se encuentra a sólo unos metros de ellas en el paisaje azotado por el viento.

*Este artículo fue publicado en BBC Travel. Haz clic aquí para leer la versión original.

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