#20 gyumri
As the second city of Armenia, Gyumri encapsulates the troubled history and cultural riches of this beautiful region.
Located 1509 m above sea level, it served as a Russian military base, a refuge for Armenians escaping genocide, bore the names of Alexandrapol and Leninankan, to be reborn as Gyumri. An emerging centre of music and arts, the city hosts and trains excellent musicians, to be introduced through the InterUrban series: its Children’s Choir, excellent pianist Lusine Grigoryan and duduk master Gevorg Dabaghyan. Perhaps nothing encapsulates the spirit of Armenia more eloquently, than the dreamy sound of the duduk, a reed instrument enlisted on UNESCO’s heritage list. Enchanting melodies from the Caucasus, musical expression reveal new aspects of an ancient culture anchored in writing and Christianity.
