Yerevan

The capital of Armenia, Yerevan is built largely of pink and orange tufa stone from local volcanic quarries, giving the city a distinctive warm hue that intensifies at sunset. The city center around Republic Square is a well-preserved Soviet-era ensemble of neoclassical tufa buildings, and on clear days Mount Ararat — the national symbol, located across the border in Turkey — dominates the southwestern horizon from multiple points in the city. The Cascade complex, a monumental stairway and sculptural installation climbing a hillside above the city center, offers a layered perspective on Yerevan's skyline.