Yerevan (/ˌjɛrəˈvɑːn/, YE-rə-VAHN; Armenian: Երևան[a] [jɛɾɛˈvɑn] (About this sound listen), sometimes spelled Erevan)[b] is the capital and largest city of Armenia as well as one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.[12] Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country. It has been the capital since 1918, the thirteenth in the history of Armenia, and the seventh located in or around the Ararat plain.

The history of Yerevan dates back to the 8th century BC, with the founding of the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BC by king Argishti I at the western extreme of the Ararat plain.[13] Erebuni was "designed as a great administrative and religious centre, a fully royal capital."[14] By the late ancient Armenian Kingdom, new capital cities were established and Yerevan declined in importance. Under Iranian and Russian rule, it was the center of the Erivan Khanate from 1736 to 1828 and the Erivan G ... Читать дальше »