Ararat city in Armenia: what to see and how to get there

We are launching a series of articles about the cities of Armenia with a story about the main attractions, features and a short digression into history. We are always happy to supplement the materials with your impressions and recommendations - do not hesitate to leave comments.

Ararat is a picturesque city located in the Ararat region of Armenia, just 48 kilometers southeast of Yerevan. As you can easily guess, the city got its name thanks to the sacred Mount Ararat of the same name, which is located 7 kilometers from the city, on the Ararat plain. 

Contents

1. History of the city of Ararat
2. How to get to the city?
3. Places of interest

History of the city of Ararat

Here, in the Ararat valley, there were large settlements of Armenia throughout its history. In 1935, the settlement merged with the village of Davalu in connection with the construction of a large number of housing for the workers of the new cement plant. And in 1939 he received the official status of the working settlement of Araratavan. In 1962, by order of the Soviet government of Armenia, Ararat was given the status of a city.

The city of Ararat is known for its heavy industry - for a long time a cement plant and a gold ore processing factory functioned here. These industrial facilities have a significant impact on the region's ecology, causing environmental concern due to cement dust and cyanide emissions. In this regard, the city hosts international environmental projects aimed at protecting the environment and sustainable development. At present, Ararat is a city of republican subordination within the Ararat region.

How to get to Ararat

Ararat is an important transport hub, as the M-2 motorway passing through it connects Yerevan with the southern regions of Armenia and reaches the border with Iran. The city also has a railway station from where trains depart to Yerevan and Yeraskh. A taxi ride from the city center will cost you approximately 7000-9000 drams. You can also get to Ararat by bus or minibus, which run from the bus station. If you decide to rent a car, you can use the service Move2Car.

Places of interest

Despite environmental problems, the city of Ararat has a unique nature and is also rich in cultural attractions. The study of its architectural heritage and the surrounding area is of great interest to tourists.

Mount Ararat

The main attraction of the city is Mount Ararat, which was once an active volcano. It was here, according to the biblical story, that Noah's ark landed. Big and Small Ararat are two peaks of the mountain that make up the highest part of the Armenian Highlands.

Temple Khor Virap

An architectural monument and one of the symbols of Armenia - the temple of Khor Virap is located in the village of Pokr Vedi. The temple was built over the royal underground prison, in which St. Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for Christian sermons.

Khosrov forest

Not far from the city is the Khosrov forest reserve with a total area of about 30 thousand hectares. More than 1500 species of plants can be found in the reserve, many of which grow only in this region and are listed in the Red Book.

Ancient city of Dvin

The city was first mentioned in 330 BC. Today, the ancient city of Dvin is a large number of ruins and ruins. Thanks to archaeological excavations on the territory, a large number of household items, housing and outbuildings were discovered.

If you are planning a trip to Ararat and have any questions, write to our support team @move2armenia_official. They will find answers to everything there.