Tour to Armenia’s Particle Accelerator

This tour takes you inside one of the most remarkable scientific sites of Soviet Armenia — the Yerevan Physics Institute Synchrotron.
In a country best known for ancient monasteries and volcanic landscapes, few expect to find a particle accelerator. Yet Armenia holds its own place in the history of high-energy physics.
Better known as YerPhI, this Soviet-era research complex hides a massive underground accelerator once used for advanced experiments in nuclear and particle physics. Today, it offers a rare opportunity to explore a place where science, history, and mystery come together.

Brief information

Founded in 1943 by renowned physicists Abraham Alikhanov and Artem Alikhanyan, the institute quickly became a key center of scientific research. In the 1960s, construction began on a major underground accelerator complex. By 1965, the LU-75 linear accelerator was completed, followed in 1967 by a 6 GeV synchrotron.

This complex was once among the most advanced in the USSR, operating over 5,000 hours annually at its peak.

The Arus synchrotron, with a diameter of around 70 meters and a circumference of about 220 meters, accelerated electrons to near light speed. It also generated polarized photon beams used in precise particle interaction experiments.

Itinerary

1. Pick-up & Drive

Your tour begins with a comfortable pick-up from your location in Yerevan.

A short drive brings us to what was once the outskirts of the city, where the accelerator was built in the 1960s.

2. Arrival at YerPhI

We then enter the main building and step into the control room, where vintage panels look straight out of a sci-fi film. An elevator takes us four floors underground. The atmosphere shifts instantly.

3. The Underground Complex

Explore the depths of this Cold War-era facility, where cutting-edge research once took place in complete isolation.

• Massive reinforced concrete structures

• Thick, lead-lined doors for radiation shielding

• A true hidden “scientific bunker”

• A network of pipes and complex machinery ensuring cooling and stable operation of the accelerator

4. The Particle Accelerator

At the core of the visit lies the circular synchrotron:

• 70 meters in diameter

• Built in 1967

• Designed to accelerate electrons to near light speed

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Why This Tour?

This is not a typical tourist experience.

It’s designed for those who want something different — a mix of science, Soviet heritage, and underground exploration.

If you’re tired of standard routes and want a story few people know, this tour delivers exactly that.

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Key Information

• Duration: 3–4 hours

• Tour Price: 50,000 AMD

• Entrance Fee: 20,000 AMD (per group up to 4 people — same price whether you are alone or 4)

• Pick-up & Drop-off: Included (from your address)

The tour is conducted in a Mitsubishi Pajero 4

Note that the tour can also be combined with visits to other Soviet-era scientific sites, such as ROT54 or the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, for an additional fee.

For more details or to book a tour, feel free to contact me directly via WhatsApp or Telegram for a quick response!