Why tuff houses are built in Armenia and they consider it a national feature

Have you been to Armenia? If you walk along the streets of Yerevan, you will notice an architectural resemblance to the development of post-Soviet cities in Russia. For almost 60 years, Armenia was part of the USSR, having received a legacy in the form of Soviet architecture. But if you look closely, Armenian buildings become unique and different from their Russian counterparts.

Their uniqueness lies in the material from which they are built.
The Republic of Armenia is a deposit of tuff, a volcanic porous rock with excellent sound insulation and heat resistance. Armenian tuff can rightfully be called a national stone. People have been using it for centuries and build absolutely everything from it, from inexpensive houses to luxury hotels. Tuff is even used in the construction of churches.

You may have heard that Yerevan is called the "pink city". This comparison comes from the color of the stone from which most of the capital of Armenia is built.

Tuff arises as a result of oxidative processes of the rock and has a natural color. At dawn and dusk, the city takes on its brightest hues, and then changes color, depending on the location of the sun.

Also, the Armenians mine and use black, red, yellow and orange tuff.
Why is tuff so attractive? The fact is that it is very lightweight and durable. The ability of the material to "breathe" provides natural ventilation to buildings. Tuff is homogeneous and flat slabs of the same size are produced from it.

Today, fashionable hotels, sculptures and even jewelry are made from volcanic stone. Tuff for the Armenian people is not just a building material, but national pride, a reminder of a warm home and memory of ancestors.

Have you met tuff houses in Russia? According to the local people, the export of this building material is expensive and not very common for the buyer.