Another unattainable travel direction is already a reality. Hamshen Tour’s group visited Iraq to discover the heritage of ancient civilizations and enjoy the magnificent nature. Iraq is interesting and different. The center of our exclusive visit was the north of Iraq, from Dohuk to Rawanduz, from Erbil to Amediye and many other interesting places, where we saw Armenian, Assyrian, Yezidi, Arab and Kurdish traces. We had 6 wonderful days and memories to last a lifetime.
One of the highlights of this fantastic visit was Lalesh, the main Yazidi shrine. This unique and valuable shrine is located in the Dohuk area of the autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq. This sanctuary, which has reached us from the depths of history, can only be visited barefoot, which was an interesting experience for our group members. We also mingled with hundreds of Yazidis in national costumes who had come to Lalesh for a vow. Surrounded by these hospitable people, this ancient sanctuary was even more impressive.
Another important goal was to see Rawanduz. Many historians place the main Urartian temple, Musasir/Mutsatsir, in this place, which turned this magnificent corner of nature into a historical treasure. Rawanduz has exceptional beauty: canyons, waterfalls, mountains, breathtaking views. Our group was able to see the spring colors of Rewanduz, as well as enjoy the gorges of Rewanduz with breathtaking views of the mountains of Cilo/Jilo (Kordvats).
Amedie is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a center of several religions. We also went to discover this miracle in detail. From Ezekiel's tomb to a synagogue, from churches to historic mosques, from Zoroastrian temples to other monuments. It was very impressive.
Erbil, a fast-growing and wealthy city, is the center of Iraqi Kurdistan, welcoming its visitors with both a rich history and a vision to become the new Dubai. In the Christian Ankawa district of Erbil is the recently built St Khach Armenian Church, which conveys interesting feelings. In the evening, the fortress located in the center of Erbil and with a history of thousands of years was waiting for us.
In Dohuk also is a newly built Armenian church, St. Nerses Shnorhali, which was built by the local Kurdish government and handed over to the local Armenian community.
Separately, we should mention our visit to the Shanidar cave with a rich historical past, which is considered to be the place with the oldest evidence of a ritual burial. This place served as an Assyrian church in the Middle Ages.
The crossing over the River Tigris was particularly impressive, where Mount Judi-Ararat is right next to the Iraqi-Turkish border, with which the biblical episode of Noah's Ark is connected.
Thus, crossing the Tigris and visiting the wonders of Vaspurakan on the way: Van, Khoshab Fortress, St. Bartholomew's Monastery, St. Etchmiadzin Church, as well as Kars, Alashkert, Sgherd, we made our trip even more interesting.
