Jermuk Waterfall (Panorama by 360° Stories)
Jermuk Waterfall tumbles from a height of over 70m into the Arpa River. Locals have nicknamed this mesmerizing body of water “Mermaid’s hair”. According to legend, a princess lived in a castle with her father at the top of the waterfall. The princess refused to marry any of the suitors her father suggested since she was in love with the son of a shepherd. Every evening she would throw a rope down from out of her window for the shepherd’s son to climb. One day the princess’s father found the rope, took it, and told his daughter that if she ever saw the shepherd’s son again she would turn into a mermaid. The next night, the princess threw her hair instead of the rope down to her true love, and she immediately transformed into a mermaid, with her hair turning into the waterfall. Stop on the scenic bridge to snap some great photographs of this legendary natural wonder.
If you walk along the road that leads to the Jermuk waterfall, you’ll come across another natural wonder: the “Arch of Fortune” is a low-hanging, arch-like structure that spans across a narrow river bend. Local myths suggest that if you cast a wish as you walk past the arch, your wish will come true.
Jermuk Waterfall (Photo by Vahe Darbinyan, My Armenia Program, Smithsonian Institution and USAID)
Jermuk Waterfall and "Arch of Fortune"
Natural Attractions
Ethnography Story:
Pulpulaks
Throughout Armenian villages you will find pulpulaks, stone water fountains spouting fresh, chilled water. Pulpulaks are spaces where locals can relax, convene, and drink water from natural springs.They also serve as spaces to remember the deceased. Sometimes, families are assigned to the upkeep and renovation of a particular pulpulak, and the decorative fountain becomes a favorite meeting spot for relatives to gather at particular times during the week.