Erebuni-Yerevan

 

The capital of Armenia is celebrating the 2792nd anniversary of its founding. The year of Yerevan's founding is considered to be the year of founding of the Urart city of Erebuni, located on the edge of the modern Yerevan. The founder is considered to be Tsar Argishti I.

In spite of its venerable age, Yerevan has only celebrated its City Day since 1968, when many guests from the USSR and foreign countries came for the celebration. This was the year when the poem "Erebuni-Yerevan" was written by Paruyr. Edgar Ovanisyan composed music to these lyrics which later became an anthem of the capital of Armenia.

The "Erebuni-Yerevan" celebration is celebrated openly, sincerely, quietly and warmly; and the most important thing is that it is without any politics. Last year the celebration spread itself particularly widely. The city center is open only to pedestrians. Many parades by students and athletes, theatrical performances, exhibitions and competitions take place on this day in Yerevan. Recently, concerts have also been organized. Concerts of classical, folk and pop music are conducted on stages installed in the city's parks. Jazz fans can enjoy the performance of Levon Malkhasyan. Exhibitions of old cars on France Square have became a good  tradition. The inhabitants of Yerevan and many foreign guests pay a lot of attention to the improvised "Artisan's Town" on Northern Avenue. 

The celebration ends on the Central Square of the Republic, where many musical stars from Armenia and foreign countries give a concert. At  the end people can enjoy fireworks.

Yerevan, with a population of 1.3 million people, continues to develop. The first stage of the city's development began in the 1920s, when the Soviet authorities reconstructed the city, making it an industrial, scientific, transport and cultural center. After several difficult post-Soviet years, Yerevan has become a European city. Many squares and streets have been reconstructed with the financial support of the Lincy foundation. The number of cafes keeps on growing. 

Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for VK.