June 2026. Gyumri. Armenia.
Pubs, art, weird food, churches….what else is there ?
Armenia certainly has the churches, and a fair few folk (FFF) have questioned whether what there is to do if you don’t like touring monasteries.
Gyumri’s classic is the rebuilt St. All Saviours,
the orange and black exterior dominating the central square.
The interiors are impressive, but less ornate than you might expect, and the most interesting church has almost no interior at all.
I literally stumbled upon abandoned St. Arsenius, apparently the largest Russian orthodox church in Armenia, which I suspect is almost as impressive as being the biggest Wetherspoons in Wales.
There’s a padlocked gate blocking my exploration, but when I see a lady squeeze through the gate carrying two bags of pomegranates I breathe in and follow her lead (not her).
The door creaks open to reveal a crumbling shell, the pews long gone (probably bought my Antic Pubs).
“Undergoing a slow but steady renovation” says Armenia Explorer, the emphasis on slow.
It’s harder squeezing out than in.
Mrs RM, who’s just noticed I’ve been gone two hours, sees the photos and is both jealous and relieved she missed the trip.
retiredmartin 