Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia, is a city rich in history and culture. The city has been inhabited for thousands of years, and its past is reflected in the many historical landmarks and museums that can be found throughout the city. One such museum is the Yerevan History Museum, which is located just a short walk away from the Hayasa Hotel Yerevan.
The Yerevan History Museum was founded in 1931 and was initially called the Communal Museum. It was later renamed the Yerevan History Museum in 1936. The museum has had several locations throughout its history, but it is now located in a newly-built building of the Municipality of Yerevan, making a unified architectural ensemble.
The museum houses an impressive collection of about 94,000 items that range from ancient times to the present day. The collections include archaeological artifacts, numismatic items, fine art pieces, written materials, photos, and much more. Some of the standout items in the collection are the obsidian tools, which are more than 100,000 years old and were discovered in the cave of Yerevan. There are also remnants of cereal crops that are about 6,000 years old and were dug in one of the well-known ancient settlements of Asia, Shengavit, dating back to the 4th-3rd millennium BC.
The museum’s archaeological collection is also known for its beer ceramic jugs found at Karmir Blur (Red Hill) and the rich collection dug at the settlement of Karmir Berd (Red Fortress) dating as far back as the 1st-2nd century BC. This collection includes bronze belts, ceramics, stone idols, arrowheads, knives, jewelry, and items representing the Hellenic culture of the city, which were dug in Avan Arinj.
In addition to its impressive archaeological collections, the museum also has remnants of ruined medieval churches of Yerevan such as frescoes, ritual jugs, curtains, a bell, and the 13th-century miniature model of the Catoghike church. The museum also has items related to the families that contributed to the development of the city management, trade, and industry, such as the Melik-Aghmalyans, Geghamyans, Afrikyans, and Ter-Avetikyans.
The Yerevan History Museum also has an impressive fine arts collection that includes works by prominent Armenian painters such as Martiros Saryan, Panos Terlemezyan, Sarkis Arakelyan, and Gagik Gyurjyan. The museum also has a stamp collection that represents the centuries-old culture and spiritual life of Armenia.
If you’re interested in learning more about the rich history of Yerevan, the Yerevan History Museum is a must-visit destination. And if you’re staying at the Hayasa Hotel Yerevan, you’re just a short walk away from this fascinating museum.