Oshakan (Armenia)

With its 5000 inhabitants, Ochakan is a small sleepy town, between Ashtarak and Etchmiadzine. In its volcanic basin, with its cliffs and bare winding hills at the foot of Mount Aragats, Ochakan benefits from being a pleasant place. It's true that its airy habitat, with its houses equipped with gardens, is pleasant, but it was the numerous traces from the past that made the biggest impression on me when, on a stiflingly hot summer day when I had to get out of Yerevan, I discovered the town.

In the early middle ages, Ochakan was at the heart of the Armenian state and prospered. On the days of religious festivals, many pilgrims flock to Ochakan where the Saint Mesrop Mashtots cathedral can be found: it's here that the creator of the Armenian alphabet rests, who the country absolutely worships. This 19th century church is very beautiful and surrounded by enthusiasm. Close by, the memorial to the Armenian alphabet is also very visited by the country's visitors.

But two sites made an even bigger impression on me in Ochakan. Firstly, the delightful little Sion Church, in the uplands, which dates from the 17th century. But above all, the Tukh Manuk shrine, perched on its hill, surrounded by an old cemetery imprinted with serenity, with its ancient tombs and a remarkable khatckhars, a typically Armenian ornate cross. A site of real beauty.