A journey through the highlands where the echoes of Noah’s ark still resonate, and where ancient traditions thrive amidst the currents of modernity.
Mount Ararat, long associated with myth, memory, and Armenian identity.
Today, Armenia is often associated with war, conflict, and genocide. Yet the country also holds a rich and layered history that offers valuable insight into how our civilization has developed and how the societies we live in today came into being.
Growing up in Norway, I knew little of this. I carry an Armenian surname, but for a long time I regarded it as little more than a curiosity. I knew very little about my Armenian family history. They had lived in Constantinople, today known as Istanbul, before the Armenian Genocide of 1915.
It was not until the war in Iraq in 2003, when I began trying to understand how the modern world had taken shape, that my interest in the region often referred to as the Fertile Crescent, or the cradle of civilization, truly awakened. With that, my interest in Armenia also grew.
Ancient History
Recent studies suggest that Armenians originate from what has traditionally been known as the Armenian Highlands. This region encompasses the most central and elevated of the three plateaus that together form the northern part of Southwest Asia. It lies between the Caucasus to the north, the Taurus Mountains to the west, the Zagros Mountains to the east, and Mesopotamia to the south.
It was within this broader region that some of the world’s earliest megalithic structures were built. One notable example is Göbekli Tepe in present-day Turkey, which in Armenian tradition is also referred to as Portasar. The site is regarded as the oldest known megalithic temple in the world and is closely linked to the emergence of agriculture and animal domestication during the Neolithic Revolution.
The historical origins of the Armenian state can be traced back to the Iron Age kingdom of Urartu, known in the Bible as Ararat and associated with the story of Noah’s Ark. Following its collapse in the sixth century BCE, the region gradually evolved into what became known as Armenia.
The Armenian Kingdom existed as a sovereign monarchy from 331 BCE to 428 CE and reached its greatest extent under King Tigranes II. Armenia was also the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion, officially in the year 301 CE.
Modern Armenia
Throughout history, Armenia has existed at the crossroads of great empires. Once far larger than it is today, the country has been shaped by centuries of war, conquest, genocide, and displacement, resulting in the Armenia we recognize in the present.
After becoming part of the Soviet Union, Armenia declared independence in 1991. While much of the Armenian population lives in the diaspora, those within Armenia continued to develop their national and cultural identity throughout the Soviet period and beyond.
The Armenian Genocide
The memory of the Armenian Genocide plays a central role in Armenian identity. During the First World War, the Armenian people were systematically destroyed within the Ottoman Empire, along with much of their cultural and historical presence.
Each year on April 24, Armenians gather at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan to honor the victims. The act of remembrance remains a defining element of Armenian collective memory.
Tourism
Despite its turbulent past and ongoing regional tensions, Armenia today is a peaceful country with relatively low crime rates. Visitors are drawn to its rich cultural heritage, dramatic landscapes, and vibrant capital city.
Most travelers begin their journey in Yerevan before venturing to destinations such as Tsaghkadzor, Jermuk, and Dilijan. For some, a visit coincides with April 24, adding a deeper historical and emotional dimension to their experience.
