The social program includes

• Welcome Reception – Sunday evening, October 6, at 20:00-22:00, free of charge, included in the registration fee
  
  
• Excursion to the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory and Social Dinner – Wednesday, October 9, at 17:00-22:00, free of charge, included in the registration fee
  
  
• Symposium Banquet – Friday, October 11, at 19:00-22:00, 40 Euros
  
  
• Excursions to Armenian sightseeing – Sunday, October 6 and Saturday, October 12, all excursions include lunch

Some excursions may be cancelled if there is not enough number of participants, typically 15 persons. Other tours will be offered instead. Otherwise, a participant may cancel his/her tour without any cancellation fees.

EXCURSIONS

YEREVAN CITY TOUR
	Sunday, October 6 and Saturday, October 12 (8 hours, 36 Euros, including lunch and museums entrance fees). The tour will start with the Republic Square, which is the centre of the city. Here there are Government House, Hotel Marriott Armenia, several ministries, museums, Art Gallery of Armenia with a collection of over 16,000 paintings. The excursion will continue with Matenadaran (a unique museum of ancient manuscripts), Ararat Cognac (Brandy) Factory on the bank of the river Hrazdan, a lunch break in one of the nice Ring Park restaurants, Central Market, Tzitzernakaberd Park, Sports and Concert Complex, Erebouni Fortress (782 B.C.). On the way, the visitors will see many monuments and may do shopping. The excursion will end at the Opera House.

GARNI and GEGHARD   (Show map)
	Sunday, October 6 and Saturday, October 12 (8 hours, 36 Euros, including lunch and entrance fees). The Sun Temple of Garni (built in the Roman style, very like the Greek Parthenon) is 28 km from Yerevan. There is an architectural complex of the 3rd century B.C. The temple itself was built in the 1st century A.D. by the Armenian King Tiridates. It was destroyed in 1679 in an earthquake, but was reconstructed in Soviet times. This was the summer residence of the Armenian kings. Archaeologists are still working on the Garni complex. Near the temple, down to the gorge you can see the junction two rivers, Azat and Geghard. 6 km from Garni there

is a fantastic sample of medieval Armenian architecture, the Geghard Cave Monastery. Its first mention is to be found in the 4th century, but the main cathedral was built in 1215. The structures inside and outside the mount are one, compositionally and stylistically. The visitors will have lunch at Geghard in the open air.

AMBERD, TEGHER, and ORGOV   (Show map)
	Sunday, October 6 and Saturday, October 12 (8 hours, 40 Euros, including lunch). There are wonderful sightseeing in the Ashtarak District, around Byurakan. The mausoleum of Armenian Arshakouni kings, built in 364 by Armenian sparapet (military leader) Vasak Mamikonian is in front of Byurakan (opposite bank of Amberd river), in historical Aghts village. A little higher from it, there is famous Tegher St. Astvatzatzin temple, with standing buildings since 1213. A little higher from Tegher there is famous picturesque Amberd fortress. In 10-11 centuries   it   was  a  well-built  settlement  and  one  of  the  important  military  strong  points  of  the  Armenian

Bagratouni kings. Here in 1026, the St. Astvatzatzin church was built. Amberd is at a height of 2,300 metres above sea level. The institute of Radiometric Measurements is located in Orgov. Its main instrument is a 54 m Spherical Radio telescope, which is correlated with a 2.6 m optical telescope, working as a radio-optical telescope (ROT-54/2.6). The institute has also a 16 m radio dish, time service, etc.

EJMIATZIN, SARDARAPAT and ZVARTNOTS   (Show map)
	Sunday, October 6 and Saturday, October 12 (8 hours, 40 Euros, including lunch and entrance fees). This excursion takes you to an old city Ejmiatzin (Vagharshapat), the former capital of the Kingdom of Armenia (in the II-IV centuries). Ejmiatzin is 20 km from Yerevan, in the Ararat Valley – the granary of Armenia. The Cathedral is Ejmiatzin’s main attraction. Legend has it that it was here that Jesus Christ descended from heaven to show where he wanted a church built. It was subsequently named Ejmiatzin, which means “The Coming of the Only Begotten”. Ejmiatzin is the centre of the Armenian Apostolic Church and all the Armenian   eparchies.   There   are  also   churches  of  the  Holy Virgin of Hripsime

(or St. Hripsime, 618 A.D.), St. Gayane (630 A.D.) and the ruins of the church Zvartnots (VII c., about 2 km from Ejmiatzin). Ejmiatzin was the centre for world attention in 2001 during the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of adoption of Christianity in Armenia, first country adopting Christianity as state religion. Sardarapat Memorial is a memorial complex to the Battle of Sardarapat located in the village of Araks, in the Armavir Province of Armenia, 11 kilometers southwest of Armavir town. In 1968 during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Sardarapat (May 22–26, 1918) a memorial park was laid out on the spot of the battlefield.

LAKE SEVAN   (Show map)
	Sunday, October 6 and Saturday, October 12 (10 hours, 50 Euros, including lunch and dinner). Lake Sevan, the gem of Armenia, is a wonder of nature, located 60 km from Yerevan up a highway which cuts northward through mountains and rocks. Sevan fills a gigantic depression situated at a height of almost 2,000 metres above sea level. The poet once said of its waters that they were like a piece of sky that had descended to the earth among the mountains. The average temperature of Sevan’s water in summer is +20-22°C in the afternoon. Though the water is expected to be cold in October, the visitors may enjoy swimming if there is no wind. Sevan has always been famous for its fish, especially trout, called Ishkhan («prince-fish»), a fish which graced many great lords’ tables in times of old. There are several sightseeing on the way to Sevan and around the lake, too, including medieval monasteries and the Noratus Cemetery, a place with numerous Armenian khach-kars (cross-stones).

KHOR VIRAP, NORAVANK, and KARAHUNGE   (Show map)
	Sunday, October 6 and Saturday, October 12 (full day, 55 Euros, including lunch and dinner). A trip to south from Yerevan. Khor Virap is one of the closest points to the biblical Mt. Ararat (5165m), which is considered as one of the highest mountains by its relative height (from foot to top), and has a fascinating view. Khor Virap is famous because it is where Grigor Lusavorich (St. Gregory the Illuminator) was imprisoned for 13 years before curing King Trdat III of a disease. After  this  Armenia  became  the  first  Christian  nation  in  the  world  in 301. Noravank is a nice

church (XII-XIV c.), where you reach through a picturesque canyon from the highway. The trip will take you farther to the Sisian region, to Karahunge. This ancient religious monument and observatory (also known as Zorats Karer) is the Armenian Stonehenge, and surprisingly, the name is quite similar by its meaning: kar means stone, and hunge sounds similar to henge, which has several explanations. There are several estimations of the age of Karahunge going back to 7600 years. There are numerous holes in the standing stones indicating the directions of rise and set of some bright stars when you look through any two of them.

NORTH ARMENIA Haghpat, Sanahin, Odzun, Haghartzin etc.   (Show map)
	The monastery of Haghpat (the name is registered in the list of World Heritage of UNESCO since 1996) is a monastic complex, centre of medieval education (tenth century) in the same region as that of Sanahin, 6 km from it. The monastery is located in the homonym village founded by the queen Khosrovanush in 976, dedicated to their children Sembat Gurgoan, represented in a face of Holy Sign church. Sanahin Monastery is a medieval monastic complex. It is in the north of the country, in the province of Lori, on

a high plateau on the right bank of the river Debed. The name Sanahin in Armenian means “older than that” evoking that it is older than the nearby Haghpat monastery. Odzun is a fairly large village in the Lori region situated on a high plateau of Debed River, just 6 miles south of the city of Alaverdi, which is famous for its church. Odzun temple is one of the oldest  in  the country (580).

Distinguished by its proportions it is different form almost all Armenian monuments built after V century and is very original. With its features of composition it refers to the period of formation of Armenian architecture of Middle Ages. The church of Odzun is a palace of a hall of three naves topped by a dome witnessing the early development of Armenian architects, preserved till today in excellent condition. Dilijan's most popular religious site is the Haghardzin Monastery (XII century), erected in the place of another 10th century monastery. It is situated in the gorge of the stream Haghardzin, Aghstev River tributary, in the woods, cut off from civilization.

SOUTH ARMENIA Jermuk, Goris, Knhdzoresk, Tatev, Kapan, etc.   (Show map)
	Tatev Monastery is one of the four most wonderful places of Armenia together with the monasteries of Sanahin, Noravank and Haghpat. Located 1600 high in the mountains, in Zangezur, Tatev Monastery forms an incredible harmony with the picturesque landscape creating an impression as if it were an inseparable part of that landscape. The monastery was founded in the fourth century at the site of a pagan temple. There was a church and a few monks.Jermuk resort city is situated on south-west of Armenia in the upper river Arpa. It is 173 km far from Yerevan. The area is at an altitude of 1980-2080 metres  above  sea level. Jermuk as both a

resort zone and as a living area is as ancient as Vayots Dzor highland itself. Despite 13 th century historian Stepanos Orbelian in his medieval manuscript has only mentioned Jermuk once in the list of tax-paying villages, nevertheless it is evidence that Jermuk was at the time more ancient and bigger, than the other villages of the region. In Goris there are many unusual towers, forts, pyramids, caves, and rocky wonders. The city is laid out in the Valley of the Vararak River, which is surrounded by mountains. Chronologically speaking, the city can be called New Goris since Old Goris or, as citizens call it Kyores, is four kilometers away. The rocky dwelling, which is under special maintenance, is not only historical, but important in terms of tourism. The first thing that lures tourists to Goris  is  the  Monastery  of  Tatev.  Those  who visit Goris are

amazed by the marvelous rocky pyramids and towering rocks. The monastery was founded in the 9th century. With its wildlife and lush forests Kapan has always been one of the most attractive cities of Armenia. Baghaberd Fort, which is about 10 km from Kapan, dates back to the 3rd century. It was built during the rule of the king Arshak II and was of great strategic importance. Vahanavanq is about 6 km from Kapan. It was founded in 911. Vahanavanq was the cultural and religious center of the historic Syunik Province.Shikahogh reserve covers about 100 km² (25,000 acres) of land. It is the second largest and the only intact forest reserve in Armenia. Shikahogh reserve is 25 km from Kapan. You need to get permission from the reserve director to get in.

ARTSAKH (KARABAGH)   (Show map)

Cities/sightseeing	From Yerevan		From
	km	min		km	min
Garni	28.0	38	-	-	-
Geghard	36.5	47	Garni	9.2	11
Amberd	53.1	57	Byurakan	18.3	19
Tegher	41.0	43	Byurakan	12.9	12
Orgov	39.9	42	Byurakan	6.3	6
Ejmiatzin	21.3	24	-	-	-
Sardarapat	47.2	45	Ejmiatzin	26.1	27
Zvartnots	16.6	19	Ejmiatzin	16.3	16
Sevan	65.8	52	-	-	-
Khor Virap	44.2	38	-	-	-
Noravank	119.0	97	Khor Virap	83.6	68
Karahunge	242.0	191	Noravank	138.0	111
Haghpat	185.0	146	Alaverdi	13.9	15
Sanahin	180.0	141	Alaverdi	1.0	2
Odzun	176.0	139	Alaverdi	13.2	16
Haghartzin	104.0	77	Dilijan	10.8	9
Jermuk	172.0	142	-	-	-
Goris	238.0	187	Jermuk	98.9	90
Khndzoresk	248.0	196	Goris	13.3	15
Tatev	253.0	198	Goris	35.4	31
Kapan	300.0	249	Goris	83.1	83
Stepanakert	329.0	262	Goris	94.5	81