Do you want to visit the center of Armenian humor? In this country, all roads lead to Gyumri, residents of which are famous for their sense of humor. It is hard to find such cheerful people in many parts of the world, and the Armenian city is proud of this fact. Besides that, Gyumri is one of the oldest cities in Armenia famous for its rich heritage and ancient monasteries. Finally, it is impossible to fail to mention the picturesque nature of this region that has always inspired and keeps inspiring local poets and painters. There are still old settlements and villages not far from this city. A visit to them is like a journey to the past, to the time when the history of Armenia and its people just started. According to historians, first settlers in the territory of modern Gyumri appeared yet in the 6th century BC. However, first mentions of town in this area appeared only in the 8th century when a rebellion against Arabian rulers started here. Gyumri had another name at that time – Kumayri. In the Middle Ages, this was already a large town that kept growing in size and expanding. Kumayri became a part of Persia in the middle of the 16th century. A war between Persian and Russian people started at the beginning of the 19th century and lasted nine years. Russian troops came to the Armenian town and captured it. In the 30s of the 19th century, Russians built a fortress in the city. After this, the Russian tsar Nikolai I visited Kumayri and changed its name to
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