Gyumri

城市概覽

Much of the city's historic center dates to the days when Gyumri was Alexandrapol (in honor of the wife of Czar Nicholas I), an outpost of the Russian Empire in the Southern Caucasus, and the architecture reflects that. The buildings, of dark black stone with pink-orange accents, are primarily 1800s Russian in style, with Armenian touches. The aftermath of the 1988 Spitak earthquake, which devastated the region, is still felt in the city; the rebuilding efforts are very much ongoing. It is said by the locals that the quake "leveled Leninakan (the name of the city in Soviet times) but left Alexandrapol standing" - the Soviet housing blocks folded on themselves, while the older buildings largely survived. There are also Russian churches and cemeteries. George Gurdjieff, a well-known early 20th-century mystic, philosopher, spiritual teacher, and composer was born in Gyumri.

Gyumri Visitors Bureau, ☏ +374 55 59 15 53, +374 312 5 51 65, [email protected]. Offers tours, guide and translation services, transportation, and free information and tourist maps. There are also themed tours of Gyumri and Shirak region. (updated Sep 2019)

如何抵達

By plane 1 Shirak Airport (LWN IATA) (about 5 km from the centre of Gyumri.). Pobeda from Moscow–Vnukovo. Ryanair flies from Memmingen, Germany and seasonally from Athens. Ural Airlines flies seasonally from Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, and Volgograd.

By marshrutka Gyumri Transport Center, ☏ +374 31255129. (updated Oct 2019) From specific destinations:

Yerevan – They depart for Gyumri from a parking lot next to Sasuntsi David subway station between 08:00 and 20:00. There is no schedule - whenever one fills up, it departs. Travel time is about 2-2.5 hr. On the way back, the last one is at 19:00, so plan accordingly. These are cheap, at 1,500 dram, but often crowded or uncomfortable. They are, however a great way to meet locals. Shared taxis depart from the same location and are usually faster and more comfortable. Regular taxis can be taken from anywhere in Yerevan, and will cost around 10,000-12,000 dram (for up to 4 people). Tbilisi – Marshrutkas leave daily at 10:30 from the Ortachala bus terminal in Tbilisi. The trip costs 40 lari and takes 4-5 hr (depending on how long passport control takes). To get from Tbilisi city centre to Ortachala you can take various busses from Bartatshvili street. The marshrutka drives through the centre of Gyumri, so you can get off either in the centre of town or at the Gyumri bus terminal. The city used to be called Leninakan and this may be the name displayed in the marshrutka windscreen.

By train 2 Gyumri station (at the end of Tigran Mets Avenue, east of the city centre). (updated Sep 2019) Train options used to be limited to 2 daily departures from Yerevan, one leaving mid afternoon and one early evening around 18:00, with journey time 3 hr 10 min and the cost 1,000 dram. However, starting in March 2018, there is now a once-a-day express operating on weekends (F-Su) with brand new rolling stock, departing Yerevan for Gyumri at 10:00 (return trip at 15:00), making the run in just under 2 hr; tickets are 2,500 d

當地交通

Gyumri's historic town center is quite walkable, and fun to explore, but beyond that it is a bit of a sprawling town, and to see everything it has to offer in a day, a car is needed. If you haven't come with your own, taxis are cheap and easy to order using ga-app. If you care to try to figure out the numbers of the local van routes (marshrutka), you can have quite an adventure. It may be hard to make it to some of the fringe sites though in a marshrutka, like the fortress.

必看景點

1 Town Square. Huge square in the middle of town, with a church, a cathedral, a massive government building, fountains, restaurants, and all adjacent to the old town with great architecture and some small museums. Surb Amenaprkitch church – The iconic black and orange stone church known as "Holy Saviour's Church" in English towers over the adjacent town square. Almost completely destroyed by the 1988 earthquake, the outside has been rebuilt but as of December 2019 interior renovations have not been completed. 2 Black Fortress. The big, round, black fortress on the top of the hill overlooking Gyumri is a good spot to take in the view. It once protected the Russian Empire from the Ottoman Empire. Nearby is the huge "Mother Armenia" statue. 3 Russian Church. If you're spending a few days in Gyumri, make your way over to this church, which is a bit different from the norm. 4 Museum of National Architecture and Urban Life. This museum is nearer the highway to Yerevan, and has beautiful traditional architecture, interesting rooms, and a cool dining room where you can order a meal ahead of time. 1,000 dram. (updated Nov 2020) 5 Gallery of Mariam and Eranuhi Aslamazyan Sisters, Abovyan street 242. Tu-Su 10:30 - 17:00, Saturdays till 18:00. This gallery houses over 620 original paintings, ceramics, and graphics by Mariam and Yeranuhi Aslamazyan—Armenia’s pioneering female artists. Being well-integrated into Soviet political establishment, the sisters were able to travel a lot, which is reflected in both artists’ colorful works, in a fusion of Armenian heritage with global influences. 1000 dram. (updated Dec 2025)

6 Marmashen Monastery. The most visited site in the Gyumri vicinity, some of the buildings here stood the test of time, some have been painstakingly restored by an Italian-Soviet joint team, and some buildings only have left behind their foundations to remind us of their past presence. Alongside a river, many Armenians come here for barbecues (khorovats), especi

體驗活動

Walk around the center, including the old town with its distinctive architecture of black stone buildings. Visit the beautiful early medieval Marmashen monastery, about 15 km out of town. You can get there either by marshrutka or taxi. To go by marshrutka, ask around at the bus terminal in town. To go by taxi simply go up to any taxi driver in town, it should cost no more than 6,000 dram for a return trip, with the driver waiting while you explore the monastery. In both cases, remember to say you are going to Marmashen monastery, not Marmashen village. The monastery is a short distance away from the village of the same name. Explore Gyumri’s architectural history with City Research Center, 12 Gai street, Gyumri, ☏ +374 94 844 425, +374 312 52 011, [email protected]. Meet your guide at the City Research Center before starting your tour around the city of Gyumri. Despite a catastrophic earthquake in 1988 and the social and economic hardships that followed, Gyumri has maintained a strong cultural identity and charm, including a well-preserved old town. Strolling through the narrow streets of Gyumri’s historic district, visitors will find buildings and works of art that are both traditional and new, signaling the city’s rebirth. (updated Sep 2021) Visit a Vardanyans studio and explore Gyumri with a local artist (The house-studio is in Akhuryan village