The Areni 1 Cave, located in Vayots Dzor Region, has a history spanning millennia, but today it is being reborn as a unique center for tourism and cultural heritage preservation.
Armine Adamyan, who has been working as a guide at Areni 1 Research Foundation for 5 years, shared that archaeological excavations in the area have uncovered numerous valuable artifacts. "The origins of wine production begin here, in the Areni 1 Cave. Evidence of this includes the world's oldest leather shoe, a wine production press, and many valuable archaeological materials and finds discovered during excavations from 2007-2014, which are still being studied," said Armine Adamyan.
Since 2024, Areni 1 Research Foundation has been collaborating with Strategic Development Agency NGO. Within the frameworks of "Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia" (LILA) and "Digitalization of Sectors for Competitiveness" (RECONOMY) projects, Armine Adamyan, along with other program beneficiaries, visited the Republic of Moldova in 2024 to exchange experiences. "We visited famous wineries, familiarized ourselves with tourism routes, rural economies, wine production technologies, and methods. They shared their tourism experiences and digital solutions implemented in their museums," Adamyan said. She intends to apply the acquired knowledge and skills at the Areni 1 Cave, where they plan to establish a wine tasting hall and museum.
Five years ago, foundation staff discovered wild grape samples in the Areni gorge, considered prototypes of the current Areni grape. This unique grape variety will be the main attraction of the wine tasting hall opening in the cave with the support of LILA project. "A few years ago, we found traces of wild grapes in Gnishikadzor. These are wild grape seedlings climbing on trees, rocks, and bushes. This grape variety cannot be removed from its natural environment for replanting. Unfortunately, they are in small quantities, and consequently, only a small amount of wine is produced. It differs from wines served in current rural economies and well-known wineries. Our goal is not only to produce this wine but also to present it to visitors as an exceptional taste experience. We intend to brand the wine and present it as a product to our visitors right here in the Areni 1 Cave," Armine said.
A cave-museum is planned, where valuable artifacts discovered in Areni 1 Cave will be displayed. Through special technological solutions, animated videos, and digital reproductions, visitors will be able to see wine production processes from ancient times.
Armine is confident that this project will positively impact the tourism development of the Areni community and surrounding settlements. "This will not only bring more visitors but will also increase the community's recognition, stimulate the work of wine producers, and create new jobs," she noted.
The "Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia" (LILA) project is funded by the Swiss government through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by the Caucasus and Armenian offices of WWF in conjunction with Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO.
March 26, 2025 at 17:29