The national symbols of Armenia have a long history and encompass thousand-year-old traditions of the Armenian people, as well as Armenian heraldic, musical and artistic traditions. This page provides an incomplete list of those symbols.
Image | Name | Description | Date |
---|---|---|---|
The flag of Armenia is consisted out of three colour stripes of the same width: red, blue, orange, from top to bottom, the width-length ratio of the flag is 1:2. Red symbolises the Armenian highlands, the Armenian people continuous struggle for survival, maintenance of the Christian faith, Armenian freedom and independence. Blue symbolises the will of Armenian people to live under the peaceful skies, and the orange symbolises the hard-working nature and the creative talent of the people of Armenia. [1] | Adopted on 15 June 2006 | ||
The coat of arms of Armenia is a rendition of the coat of arms of the First Republic of Armenia, which existed between 1918 and 1920. On the shield in the center, the mount Ararat is depicted with the Noah's Ark on top, which is one of the symbols of modern Armenia. The four Armenian royal dynasties are depicted in clockwise direction from top-left: Bagratids, Arsacids, Rubenids and Artaxiads. There is a lion to the right of the shield and an eagle to the left. In the bottom there is a sword, a branch of a tree, a bundle of spikes, a chain and a ribbon. Armenian coat of arms has the colors of Armenian flags. | Adopted on 19 April 1992 | ||
The anthem of the Republic of Armenia is called "Mer Hayrenik"/"Our Fatherland". It is the slightly modified version of the Anthem of the First Republic of Armenia, and based on the poem by Michael Nalbandian with the music composed by Barsegh Kanachian. | Adopted on 1 July 1991 |
Image | Name | Category | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Hayk Nahapet | National founder | Considered the traditional founder of Armenia, to which he gave his namesake (Hayk/Hayastan) and occasionally considered as the ancestor to all Armenians. | |
Gregory the Illuminator | Patron saint | Founder and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. | |
Mount Ararat | National mountain | Ararat is a sacred mountain for Armenians. Armenians believe that Noah's Ark landed on it and became the foundation of the Armenian nation. It is one of the most recognizable and iconic national symbols of Armenia. [2] | |
Duduk | National musical instrument | The duduk is an Armenian national instrument hailing out of the Kingdom of Urartu. The original name for this instrument is tsiranapokh, which roughly translates as an "apricot tube". Duduk's are made solely out of apricot wood, since it gives it a distinct sound. [2] | |
Apricot | National fruit | The academic name for apricot is "Prunus Armeniaca" due to the suspected Armenian origin, as Alexander the Great originally brought the fruit from Rome. The fruit plays an enormous role in Armenian culture and folklore. The Armenian national musical instrument, duduk, is made from apricot tree wood. [2] | |
Khachkars | Armenian cross stone | Cross-stones or khachkars is an ancient Armenian symbol unique to Armenian culture of the great architectural value. Khachkars are made on variety of occasions: victory in a war, death of a person, completion of construction of a temple or a bridge and et. cetera. Every khachkar differs from one another, so it is almost impossible to find an identical one. | |
Forget-me-not | National flower | Forget-me-not is a symbol of the commemoration of the Armenian genocide and appeared following its Centennial. The yellow part symbolizes the memorial of Tsitsernakaberd, and the purple colour denotes the recognition and the condemnation of the genocide. [3] | |
Lion | National animal | The lion is an Armenian national animal and was the symbol of various Armenian dynasties from the Bagratids to Rubenids. Currently, however, lions are not present on the territory of Armenia. | |
Arevakhach | Armenian cross | Roughly translating as "sun-cross", Arevakhach is an ancient Armenian symbol with its origins hailing from the Kura–Araxes culture. [3] | |
Eagle of Taron | National animal | Symbol of Tseghakronism. An eagle with a sword in one claw and a cut snake in another one. | |
Dragon of Hayk | National animal | Symbol of Hayk Nahapet and Haykaznuni dynasty. Often depicted seven-headed dragon. | |
Armenian dram | National currency | The historical currency of Armenia. | |
Armenian Taraz | National dress | Histotical dress of Armenia |
The swastika is a symbol used in various Eurasian religions and cultures, and it is also seen in some African and American ones. In the Western world, it is more widely recognized as a symbol of the German Nazi Party who appropriated it for their party insignia starting in the early 20th century. The appropriation continues with its use by neo-Nazis around the world. The swastika was and continues to be used as a symbol of divinity and spirituality in Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It generally takes the form of a cross, the arms of which are of equal length and perpendicular to the adjacent arms, each bent midway at a right angle.
Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Most scholars today identify Bartholomew as Nathanael, who appears in the Gospel of John.
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the national church of Armenia. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy, it is one of the most ancient Christian institutions. The Kingdom of Armenia was the first state in history to adopt Christianity as its official religion under the rule of King Tiridates III, of the Arsacid dynasty in the early 4th century.
"Our Fatherland" is the national anthem of Armenia. It was arranged by Barsegh Kanachyan; the lyrics were written by Mikayel Nalbandian. First adopted in 1918 as the anthem of the short-lived First Republic of Armenia, it was subsequently banned after the country was invaded by then incorporated into the Soviet Union. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the restoration of sovereignty in 1991, the song was re-adopted as the national anthem, albeit with slightly modified lyrics.
Mount Ararat or Mount Ağrı is a snow-capped and dormant compound volcano in Eastern Turkey. It consists of two major volcanic cones: Greater Ararat and Little Ararat. Greater Ararat is the highest peak in Turkey; Little Ararat's elevation is 3,896 m (12,782 ft). The Ararat massif is about 35 km (22 mi) wide at ground base. The first recorded efforts to reach Ararat's summit were made in the Middle Ages, and Friedrich Parrot, Khachatur Abovian, and four others made the first recorded ascent in 1829.
A solar symbol is a symbol representing the Sun. Common solar symbols include circles, crosses, and spirals. In religious iconography, personifications of the Sun or solar attributes are often indicated by means of a halo or a radiate crown.
The national coat of arms of Armenia was adopted on April 19, 1992, by resolution of the Armenian Supreme Council. On June 15, 2006, the Armenian Parliament passed the law on the state coat of arms of Armenia.
The following is a list of public holidays in Armenia.
The Armenian dram is the currency of Armenia. It was historically subdivided into 100 luma. The Central Bank of Armenia is responsible for issuance and circulation of dram banknotes and coins, as well as implementing the monetary policy of Armenia.
A prayer rug or prayer mat is a piece of fabric, sometimes a pile carpet, used by Muslims, some Christians, especially in Orthodox Christianity and some followers of the Baháʼí Faith during prayer.
Armenian chant is the melismatic monophonic chant used in the liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Catholic Church.
Vardavar or Vartavar is a festival in Armenia where people drench each other with water.
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south. Yerevan is the capital, largest city and financial center.
Christianity is the predominant religion in Georgia. The wide variety of peoples inhabiting Georgia has meant a correspondingly rich array of active religions in the country.
The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 50 million members worldwide. The Oriental Orthodox Churches adhere to the Nicene Christian tradition. Oriental Orthodoxy is one of the oldest branches in Christianity.
The Armenian dram sign is the currency sign of the Armenian dram. In Unicode, it is encoded at U+058F֏ARMENIAN DRAM SIGN.
The Armenian eternity sign or Arevakhach is an ancient Armenian national symbol and a symbol of the national identity of the Armenian people. It is one of the most common symbols in Armenian architecture, carved on khachkars and on walls of churches.
Etiuni was the name of an early Iron Age tribal confederation in northern parts of Araxes River, roughly corresponding to the subsequent Ayrarat Province of the Kingdom of Armenia. Etiuni was frequently mentioned in the records of Urartian kings, who led numerous campaigns into Etiuni territory. It is very likely it was the "Etuna" or "Etina" which contributed to the fall of Urartu, according to Assyrian texts. Some scholars believe it had an Armenian-speaking population.