Kond – why should you visit here?

In the very center of Yerevan, on a small hill between Saryan Street and Proshyan Street, there is a mysterious Kond. This is a Yerevan legend full of mysteries. It seems that here time flows differently and space is different. Yerevan residents rarely enter these crooked streets, preferring shady boulevards and luxurious avenues for walking. In addition, the inhabitants of Kond are considered harsh people, albeit hospitable to guests. On the very edge of Kond you will see several mansions of the 2000s – these will immediately attract attention with their pomposity.

And the whole Kond consists of old, old houses, built many years ago and without observing strict architectural canons. They are over a hundred years old, and their inhabitants live in the fifth or sixth generation. The houses were built by their great-grandfathers, grandfathers, if possible, added rooms – above the old house or next to it. That’s why Kond turned out so unusual, and as if he lives in another dimension.

I must say that once, at the beginning of the twentieth century, Kond was not at all an exotic area. Wealthy citizens lived here, there were enough administrative buildings. But after Sovietization, the houses were taken away from the rich, other people were moved in here, government buildings were also given for resettlement – the remnants of former luxury can be determined by an attentive tourist by the special height of the walls and the decoration with good stone: tuff or basalt.

By the way, the old water supply system, built back in 1890, is almost completely preserved here. From it remained thin metal taps with square tanks. They have clean tap water, to get drunk you need to turn the valve on the tap. They stand right on the crooked streets of Kond. Some of the houses have been demolished, and you can look into their ruins from the street. Old arches and a piece of brick walls are visible. But it’s better not to climb here – the houses are fragile and often fall through, and the basements here are quite deep. Yes, and the locals do not really like those who jump over the ruins of their neighbors’ houses. The streets are sometimes so narrow that you can rest your hands on the walls of houses on the right and left. The car, of course, will not pass here.

Kond looks like a very poor area and at the same time surprises with cleanliness. Women themselves sweep not only their yards, but also part of the street adjacent to their house. During the day you will find several ladies drinking coffee under vine awnings. Their harsh husbands or sons will carefully examine you and look at you. A couple of old people banging backgammon might not even turn around – they’re too busy. And if they turn around and talk, maybe they will tell a couple of legends about local celebrities.

If a huge building appeared in the distance, then this is most likely a new huge HOTEL HAYASTAN .. It was rebuilt on the site of the old Soviet hotel “Dvina” several years ago. The residents of Yerevan were very sad about the demolition of the old Dvin, but they still could not defend it. Not far from it stands the Church of St. John – Surb Hovhannes, one of the oldest churches in Yerevan.

And now Proshyan street is noisy. Behind it is a wooded hill and, as it were, a completely different world. Entering Kond and exiting Kond is like taking a short journey into a mysterious dimension. This is how Yerevan has its own Narnia.

Choose our excursions in Armenia, and we will definitely walk with you through this mysterious district of Yerevan.