The Kond, Yerevan’s oldest place to visit – Hidden treasures in Yerevan

Today we will talk about another hidden treasure of Yerevan: Kond. While you’ll likely spend most of your time in the center of Yerevan, you should also appear in the Kond, a considerably smaller district on the city’s western side. This is one of the best sites in Yerevan to go for an aimless hike. It is also considered one of the exceptional tourist attractions of the city. So, if you are in Yerevan, Kond is a must-see attraction.

Historically, Kond was one of the three main areas of Yerevan. During the Persian rule, the district was known as Tepebashi. Moreover, the well-known Melik-Aghamalyan family (Aghamalyan Dynasty) lived in Kond in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In the absence of an official old town, the accolade of Yerevan’s oldest area goes to Kond. The neighborhood is elevated on a hillside and can be reached either by a steep street or via any one of the thin staircases that lead up from the main road. Kond is mainly residential with a mixture of character-filled, tumbledown houses, overgrown gardens, and patched-up sheds. If you appreciate architecture and street photography, this is a great place to get lost for a couple of hours.

While in Kond, don’t miss the Saint Sarkis Cathedral, a humble church made from orange tuff stone sourced from Ani.

The Tepebashi Mosque

The destructions of the Tepebashi Mosque located in Kond. However, we cannot talk of this establishment as a well-preserved heritage. The mosque was built in 1687 and served as a spiritual complex for years up until the 20th century when the Muslims left Yerevan. The dome of the Tepebashi mosque tumbled in 1988 on account of the Spitak`s Earthquake. Today, it is still possible to observe the Persian architectural features of the structure. Yet, unfortunately, the structure is in a state of neglect.

Where is Kond located?

When you’re in Yerevan, accessing Kond is very easy. It is situated between Proshyan, Saryan, Paronyan, and Leo streets. The easiest way to get there is to take the stairs that lead up to it on Pavstos Buzand Street, right off the very hip and popular Martiros Saryan Street.
Exploring Kond is easy from there. And we highly advise you to take a little break from the hustle and bustle of the city to walk around these fantastic old streets.

 

Walk through the Kond Pedestrian Tunnel!

The Kond Pedestrian Tunnel is one of the numerous hidden treasures in Yerevan. Constructed during the Soviet era, the long pedestrian walkway trims under the Kond neighborhood, merging the city center with Hrazdan Gorge.

Sections of the dimly lit 500-metre tunnel are decorated with graffiti and street art. On any given afternoon you’ll find the tunnel full of couples walking arm in arm, families out for a stroll and kids riding their bicycles.