Positioned in the middle of age-old Armenia, its capital city Yerevan has undergone profound cultural and physical changes in the past 30 years since the fall of the Soviet Union. The delicate cultural fabric that encompasses the expansive history of the city has gradually morphed to reflect multitudes of newer, more Westernized aspects of the country.
Those who have visited Yerevan in the past will note these stark physical changes in its evolving identity while taking solace in how the rich history and well-preserved traditions that have long defined Armenian culture remain as intact as ever. It is truly impressive how a city can grow in such modern ways and yet remain the powerful cultural and social capital of its mother country.
I visited Armenia for the first time this summer as part of my high school class trip. I was shocked to find how similar the architecture and city life of Yerevan was to my hometown of Los Angeles. Even our hotel, the Grand Hotel Yerevan, was as familiar and comfortable as any in America.
The towering banks and apartment complexes, for a moment, made me forget I was so far away from home. As I walked through city streets, my interest was piqued by the wide variety of shopping, entertainment, and culinary options, including popular American fast-food chains scattered throughout the city.
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The bustling life of the people around us as they went shopping, eating, and recreating was the antithesis of the stoic and somewhat quaint post-Soviet Armenia I had heard about from family members who visited in the 1990s.
At night, the Republic Square entertained us with musical fountains, reminiscent of those on display in Las Vegas, which I watched one evening from a rooftop restaurant as I dined on a battered chicken sandwich–a dish I never expected to see on a menu.
Although I was in a greatly westernized portion of the country, it was never absent of the palpable authenticity that characterizes the people and history of the land. True, compared to its past, where the lack of widespread internet access and transportation created an enclosure of people practically isolated from the external world, Yerevan had indeed evolved into a very different place.
However, the most rewarding aspect of the trip was experiencing firsthand how my Armenian heritage remained fully intact in the people, and therefore the city, in immutable ways. Its countless museums, churches, and cultural sites, such as the Komitas Pantheon or the Cascade, all silently conveyed how the memories and experiences of our ancient people live on.
Yerevan has succeeded, intentionally or by accidental fortune, in establishing a careful and considerate balance between remaining an esoteric land of almost exclusive importance to the Armenian people, and one that might sacrifice its cultural identity in exchange for a modernized, globally appealing society.
Today’s Yerevan, and Armenia as a whole, offer the fascinating, culturally enriching experience of one’s hopes while offering surprisingly modern and familiar comforts.
Sophia Dorian
