This temple Garni in Armenia was built before the country adopted Christianity in 301 AD. That is why it is fundamentally different from all other religious buildings in Armenia.
Bikers Sylvia Leimgruber and Susanne Huth are exploring very beautiful country in the Caucasus - Armenia. This film tells us about Armenia’s nature, wildlife, ecotourism opportunities, Armenian hospitality and culture.
More than twenty years WWF is helping to protect Caucasus natural regions under threat from people and to make these areas available to the public for sustainable tourism.
Namus meaning “honor” is a 1925 silent film by Hamo Beknazarian which denounces the harsh rites and customs of Caucasian families. It is widely recognized as the first Armenian feature film.
Based on the 1885 novel of the same name by the Armenian playwright and novelist Alexander Shirvanzade. Namus was first premiered in Yerevan’s Nairi Theatre on April 13, 1926. A few months later it was presented in Moscow. A poster in Leningrad called Namus the “biggest blockbuster of the season” The film had incredible success and brought Beknazarian to fame in the Soviet Union, which helped him in his later works, making him the founder of Armenian cinematography.
The story is set in the Caucasian city of Shemakh, which was a provincial town in pre-revolutionary Russia. The love story involves Seyran, a son of a potter, who secretly meets with Susan, to whom he is engaged. The Armenian customs didn’t tolerate this and strictly prohibited such behavior. When asked about the film, Hamo Beknazarian said
“I wanted to set the power of custom in the pillory, that stupid force of the concept of father’s honour”
Faces of political demonstration Portraits made at one of the Armenian electional meetings of opposition.
Political corruption in Armenia is a widespread and growing problem in Armenian society. Armenia is facing problems by being bullied into decisions by the Russian federation. Armenia is often described as the country in exile as its borders are one of the most closed in the world. Turkey and Azerbaijan lead an aggressive genocidal policy towards Armenia backed by our northern neighboring country Georgia as their ally. Armenia has also faced in the past hundred years Genocide, Invasion by Soviet, Multiple massacres by the Azeri and Soviet regime. Economic, cultural and political abuse by Soviet, Collapse of the Soviet Union, earthquake, war with neighboring Azerbaijan, a decreasing population and an inability to maintain a democratic society. This only the past hundred years, beforehand Armenia and Armenians were heavily abused, neglected, raped, mistreated and persecuted by Ottomans, Seljuk’s, Turks, Kurds, Arabs and have had from less to none freedom both in a political and cultural, spiritual and individual sense in the one thousand years
Photographs taken by the very talented Suren Manvelyan
The bridge over the Akhurian river, flowing from Arpi lake dates either from the tenth century or thirteenth century. It is a good example of medieval Armenian architecture and engineering. The bridge’s single arch which spanned over thirty metres has fallen due to neglect and war during the Ottoman empire. Only the tall bridge endings have remained which were possibly part of a fortified gate. Nineteenth century traveller reported a gaurdhouse next to the bridge, but this aswell has now vanished. This medieval bridge in the ruined medieval Armenian capital Ani. Ani stood on various trade routes and its many religious buildings, palaces, and fortifications were amongst the most technically and artistically advanced structures in the world.
Next to the bridge is the Monastery of the Virgins. A small monastery from the eleventh century that stands on a rocky hill, isolated from the rest of the city and overlooking the Akhurian bridge. It was named after the virgin martyrs of Saint Hripsime, and may have contained a community of nuns.
Bordering the enclosure of the wall is a long and spacious stairway with a vaulted roof, partly cut into the natural rock. It leads down to the Akhurian river. It most likely contained a roadway leading to the bridge. In the valley below the Monastery of the Virgins are various structures. These include a tiny, single naved chapel and a rectangular structure. This may have been a watchtower to control movement along the river bank. Like most ancient and medieval Armenian sites within current Turkish borders, the bridge is off limits to any visitors, therefore much information and research is missing. Several medieval bridges once existed over the Akhurian River.
I was recently inspired to write a song for the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh). These people have lived on those lands for thousands of years. They have struggle but also great beauty written on their forheads. The whimsical appropriation of land by an empire (Stalin) placed them under Azerbaijan. They have since gained their independence and have lived a prosperous existence for the last 20 or so years. I do not believe in wars and ultimately borders but i deeply believe in self determination and life without oppression. Therefor it is time for the world to recognize them as the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh). - Serj Tankian
Translated Lyrics (English)
We’ve always lived on these lands, Reaped and Harvested these fields, Generations sprung from your rivers, Children born from your mountains,
The public mask of tradition, The struggle for liberation or death, The enemy’s gaze at your terrain, Our smiles at your bosom, At your bottomless will.
We’re going to sing with our fists With the tricolor flag of justice, Humanitarian love of peace With the holy blessing of a child’s face, We are going to prevail with culture We are going to prevail with culture We are going to prevail by being Armenian.
Armenia, Armenians and our Armenian brothers and sisters in Artsakh, although headed into a brighter future are constantly reminded of the bleak and dark past. Sometimes the present seems to resemble the past all too well. One thing that is most certainly the same is the fire in the people of Artsakh that burns for freedom. And that will never change, or be broken.
Photographs by Giorgi Tsagareli of Armenians in Artsakh(Nagorno-Karabakh)
1.Protest meeting, with local police on the Armenian citizens’ side, Stepanakert, 1989.
2. Armenian school, set-up by an Armenian couple from Lebanon – Shusha, 1994.
3.Funeral of an Armenian soldier – Stepanakert, 1994.
4.Boy with a toy gun in a ruined building – Stepanakert, 1994.
Armenian medieval poet. One of the first bards of the Caucasus. Kuchak is one of the brightest figures in the medieval Armenian lyrical poetry
A memorial manuscript tells us that Nahapet Kuchak was born in the Kharakonis village near the city of Van. He later married a women named Tangiatun. The poet lived his entire life near the Lake Van area until his death in 1592. Kuchak was buried in the cemetery of Kharakonis St. Theodoros Church and his grave became pilgrimage site.
Kuchak wrote airens (հայրեն) Armenian writing style of songs consisting of quatrains in which each line has fifteen syllables and is divided by a caesura into seven and eight syllables. He brought this ancient form of Armenian verse to its pinnacle. Most of his airens are concerned with love—earthly and free from any dogmas. But the poet saw the people’s suffering and social inequality, grieved for the Armenian exiles (the “airens of wandering”), and philosophically considered the events and fates of men (the “airens of meditation”). Democratic and humanistic in its essence, antifeudal in its orientation, the poetry of Kuchak was a challenge to medieval dogmatism. By later poets, the hayrens of Kuchak have been praised as works of true lyricism and great individual creativity.
“My soul left my body, I sat down to lament: ‘My soul, if you leave me my life is spent!’ And my soul replied: ‘Where is your wisdom, pray? When a house is collapsing why should its master stay?’
Some of his work can be heard beautifully sung by Lilit Danelian. The album is a collection of musical pieces inspired by Nahapet Kuchak’s Hayrens.
The month of March has begun and with it marks the end of winter. Life will yet again prevail and find a way. Let us celebrate this years winter in Armenia with beautiful photography by the amazing Suren Manvelyan and with the poem ‘The Snow’ by the great Paruyr Sevak.
I love the snow, when it falls down from the invisible sky down to the sidewalks. And swiftly, slowly there you go to wander. Without knowing yourself, you go on to dream. That, in life, is noble and flawless.
Սիրում եմ ես ձյունը, Երբ որ նա իջնում է Անտես երկինքներից այս մայթերին, Եվ մեծաքա՜յլ , դանդա՜ղ դու շրջում ես, Ինքդ էլ չիմանալով անրջում ես Այն, ինչ կյանքում վեհ է և անթերի:
“This rug represents the village carpet-weaving tradition of the Caucasus that was contemporaneously with court production in Ottoman Turkey and Safavid Iran. While rugs produced in royal workshops had flowing, floral patterns, those from provincial weaving centers retained a strongly geometric character. The motif of highly stylized dragons, which are depicted here, gave the name "Dragon Carpet” to this type of rug which was produced in Trans-Caucasia.“
