The second largest city in Armenia, Gyumri is well worth a visit for anyone heading to the country for the first time. Perhaps the best place from which to enjoy the sights of Gyumri is from the Black Fortress on the hill that overlooks the city, while the massive Mother Armenia statue can also be found nearby. Many of the most important cultural institutions of Armenia are in Gyumri, such as the Dzitoghtsyan Museum of Social Life and National Architecture of Gyumri, as well as the Aslamazyan Sisters House-Museum and the Sergey Merkurov House-Museum.