There’s a saying among Gyumretsis, locals of Gyumri, about the city and the attention, or lack thereof, it receives, which can be spotted hanging on a stone wall in the city’s historic district:

“Gyumri is thetrue center of the world, but manycountries pretend it does not exist.”

The bitter humor of this saying can easily be lost if one is notversed in local history and Gyumretsis’ contributions to Armenia’s artistic and cultural life. Originally known as Kumayri, this area is first mentioned in Urartian inscriptions, an Iron Age kingdom that ruled the Armenian Highlands between the 9th-6th centuries BCE. Like much of Armenia, Kumayri was shuffled between the hands of foreign kingdoms and empires during the Middle Ages, with various waves of depopulation and resettlement adding layer upon layer of memory and tradition to an already diverse strata of cultural and historical heritage.

By the early 19th century, the city found itself under Russian imperialist rule, and was renamed Alexandropol. It’s during this period when most of its iconic Art Nouveau buildings, at once authentically Armenian and reminiscent of Imperial Russia, were built. Then came the Russian revolution and the iron curtain of the Soviet Union. Despite communist repressions, Gyumri, renamed Leninakan in honor of Vladimir Lenin, maintained its distinct character as Armenia’s cultural capital. The city was already known for its varpets [vahr-pet], or masters who brought various crafts, trades, performing arts, foods, and other traditions from different parts of Western Armenia (a historic region of the Armenian Highlands today part of the Republic of Turkey) over the centuries. Gyumri also saw significant industrialization during this period, but a devastating 1988 earthquake epicentered in the nearby town of Spitak claimed the lives of over 30,000 and leveled much of Armenia’s second largest city.

The earthquake is seared in local memory, and changed the face of the city to this day. But Gyumretsis have retained their unique character, described as being direct, quick-witted, humor-loving, charming, and warm. Today, Gyumri is emerging as an intriguing cultural destination in Armenia for both local and international travelers.

This guide will help you discover Gyumri and all there is to do there. Welcome.