Armenia: The Bradt Travel Guide

This new Bradt guide will be the first English-language guide to cover the Caucasian country of Armenia in depth. Armenia was the world's first nation to adopt Christianity as the official state religion (in 301 A.D.), resulting in an astonishingly well-preserved legacy of monastic buildings, often set in magnificent locations--such as clinging to the side of steep gorges. Other historic attractions include Bronze Age standing stones, believed to have been used for astronomical observations and medieval castles. These are just some of the wonders of a country which for much of the last 2,000 years has been ruled by outsiders, with Persians, Ottomans, Arabs, and Russians all having left their imprint. Armenia is more than an add-on country for visitors to Georgia or Azerbaijan. Author Nicholas Holding shows that Armenia is a destination worth visiting in its own right. His guide has thorough coverage of accommodations, eating out, and sightseeing in the capital, including half-day and full-day excursions from Yerevan, visits to the enclave of Nagorno Karabagh, plus both an introduction to the natural history and an in-depth section on the history of Armenia.