By Sophie Holloway
Yerevan celebrated its 2,806th birthday on Sunday.
From 12am until 11pm, the city put on a show for locals and tourists alike, drawing in crowds with its music and variety of food and drink stalls.
“It’s a very special day for us,” said Adoor Kouyoumjyan, who works at Like Cafe in Yerevan. “We hope that anyone who comes to see Yerevan, loves Yerevan, and will want to visit again.”
Wine is emerging as an emblem of Armenia. All along Northern Avenue, dozens of wine-producers had the opportunity to showcase their wine, offering tasters and information to the public.
Eduardo Sabolev is one of these wine-makers. His brand, the Ijevan Wine-Brandy Factory, was founded in 1951 and is located in Armenia’s northern Tavush region. They specialize in various types of wine, including fruit and sparkling, as well as cognac.
This birthday festival is great for promoting Armenia to the world – and boosting its reputation for wine-making, Sabolev explained. “It’s the birthday of my favorite city,” he said. “Yerevan is becoming more touristic, more international. It’s a very comfortable city, and the people here are very kind and tolerant.”
Alongside the ample wine stalls, the city was also alive with music, including performances by the Malkhas Jazz Trio, featuring the legendary jazz pianist Levon Malkhasyan. Stages were set up at the Cascade, outside the Opera Theatre, in Missak Manouchian Park and in Republic Square, where the finale took place at 9pm.
Armenia’s capital is one of the oldest cities in the world, with parts of it dating back to the 8th century BC. The name ‘Yerevan’ actually derives from the word, Erubuni, a Urartian military fortress built in 782 BC.
It has been nicknamed ‘the Pink City’ for its architecture’s signature ‘tuff’ stone, a smooth, volcanic stone made from pumice and ash.
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