The eye-catching Blue Mosque of Yerevan

Many people may know that Armenia was the first country that adopted Christianity in 301, and till now it is a Christian country and has a huge cultural Christian heritage, among which are the medieval monastery complexes of Tatev, Sanahin and Haghpat, Haghartsin, Noravank, Khor Virap, Goshavank, Geghard, and many more. Having a huge number of cultural heritage sites beyond the borders of Armenia as well (Turkey, Iran, and so on), Armenians know how important it is to take care of historic sites built by the representatives of other nationalities. Iran has inscribed in the list of UNESCO Cultural Heritage Sites several Armenian churches, that had been constructed by Iranian Armenians. The same way, Armenians are more than happy to take care of Iranian heritage within the territory of our country. One of those highlights is located on Mashtots Street of Yerevan, and it is named “Blue Mosque” that thanks to its colors immediately catches the eye of anyone who passes by. 

Blue Mosque, Yerevan

Mesrop Mashtots Ave, Yerevan, Armenië

The Blue Mosque was constructed in the 18th century. Back in Soviet times, the mosque served as a History Museum of Yerevan. The thing is that the authorities of the Soviet Union were disseminating atheism, and any kind of religion had to step back, including Christianity. After the collapse of the Union, the government of Armenia decided to renovate the mosque. However, the government of Iran asked for permission to do it on their own expenses and with the help of their specialists, who are proficient in reconstructing mosques. 

Today, we have a fantastic Blue Mosque, which is the only active one in the town. It has a central location and is in just a five-minute walk from the Republic Square. I find it a very interesting place to visit for travelers from different countries. It occupies a huge area and has several halls. Besides, inside you can find a nice open-air garden. It is worth knowing that one has to take off his/her shoes to enter the Blue Mosque. Besides, women have to wear clothes that fully cover their bodies. It is not a big deal to do so, especially when you know that you are going to see this beauty from inside. 

I assume that the mosque is called blue since its facade is decorated with a beautiful mosaic that has different shades of blue in it. It is really eye-catching because its architectural style and colors are very different from all the other buildings you can find in Yerevan. After exploring the Blue Mosque, do not forget that there is another must-see place at the end of the same street called “Matenadaran”, where ancient manuscripts are kept.