Dilijan
Encyclopedia
Dilijan is a spa town
in Armenia
, located in the northern Armenian province of Tavush
. It is one of the most important resort
s of Armenia
, situated in Dilijan National Park
. The forested and reclusive city is home to numerous Armenian
artists, composers, and filmmakers and features some traditional Armenian architecture. The Sharambeyan street in the centre, has been preserved and maintained as an "old town," complete with craftsman's workshops, a gallery
and a museum
. Hiking
, mountain biking
, and picnicking are popular recreational activities. The city's population is steadily declining from the 23,700 reported in the 1989 census, to 14,846 in the 2001 census, with an estimated 15,600 by 2009.
It is planned by the Armenian government to turn Dilijan into a financial capital of the whole region.
Dilijan town lies on the banks of Aghstev River with a length of more than 20 kilometers and at a height of 1500 meters above sea level. The valley is surrounded with the Lesser Caucasus mountains from the north, and the Semyonovka
mountain pass from the south. The mountainous areas are all covered with thick forests which occupy a territory of more than 34,000 hectares. Reaching the highest peaks of the mountains, the forests turn to Alpine meadows. In addition to Aghsdev River, two more streams are flowing through Dilijan, Golovinka and Dilijanka rivers.
Nestled in the heart of the forests of northern Armenia, Dilijan is the epitome of quaint. Home to many famous composers, artists and cinematographers, this reclusive town of 23,000 boasts a historic refurbished city center with rows of houses with typical early twentieth century interiors and others displaying handicrafts or musical instruments. This popular vacation destination is like a piece of Switerzerland sequestered within the Armenian highlands.
According to some archaeological researches conducted in the 70s of the 19th century, the human kind has been living in the region since the Late Bronze and the Early Iron Ages. During the ancient times, the territory of Dilijan was known with the name of Hovk. Hovk was a favourite forest for the Arsacid
kings to show their abilities in hunting. It is known that a settlement called Bujur Dili was founded in the 13th century, not far away from the current area of Dilijan town. In 1666, the name Dilijan was first mentioned in the notes of the French traveller Jean Chardin
.
Starting from 1801, under the Russian rule, the town witnessed a major growth in its population.
The first Armenian school in Dilijan was opened in 1868, while the first Russian school was opened in 1894. The town inaugurated its public library in 1908.
For the enrichment of the natural life of Dilijan, State Forest Reserve has been organized in 1958 by the decision of the Armenian SSR
government. Later on in 2002 Dilijan National Park has been created on its basis. The woodland covers 94 percent of the park territory and it has about 40 types of trees and 18 types of bushes. Main tree types are oak
, beech
, hornbeam
and many types of broad-leaved tree
s such as maple
s, willow
s, linden
s, elm
s and others.
The national park has a very rich fauna
. Here one can meet mammals such as brown bear
, wolf, marten
, otter
, lynx
, sylvan cat, Persian squirrel, sylvan dormouse, hedgehog
, chamois
, european red deer, wild hog and other types. Typical avifauna representatives are pheasant
s, quail
s, common partridges, caspian turkeys, culver
s, bald eagle
s, lammergeyers, pygmy eagles, golden eagle
s, hawk
s and others.
The Lake Parz
is one of Dilijan's most attractive natural sites. It is situated in the northern part of the town at a height of 1400 meters. It has an area of 2 hectares and an average depth of 8 meters. To the east of the Lake Parz, at a distance of 3 kilometers from Gosh
village, the Lake of Tzlka (Gosh) is located at a height of 1500 meters.
The Aghstev River with its tributaries gives peculiar charm to the general town landscape.
.
Dilijan's most popular religious site is the Haghartsin Monastery
, which is 12 kilometers east of the city and consists of three churches and a dining hall. The monastery was built in the Middle Ages
. The oldest of the monastery's churches, St. Gregory, was built in the 10th century. The other churches, St. Stepanos and St. Astvatsatsin, date back to the 13th century. There are a number of khachkars in the complex.
Goshavank
Monastery (or Nor Getik) of the 12th century was one of Armenia's prominent theological centres in the Middle Ages. It is 23 kilometers away from Dilijan.
Jukhtak Monastery of the 12 century, is 3 kilometers north-west of Dilijan. It has two separate churches, Surp Astvatsatsin and Surp Grigor with their surrounding cemeteries. The half-ruined Matosavank Monastery (12-13th centuries) is located near Jukhtak Monastery deep in the forested areas.
According to the officials, a considerable amount of operations of the Central Bank of Armenia will move the northern town-resort of Dilijan starting from 2013. Currently, many significant financial and cultural institutions are under construction such as the Dilijan regional financial and banking centre, the International School of Dilijan, the Old Dilijan-Tufenkian Centre and the modern building of Dilijan theatre.
Dilijan is among the most favorite destinations for tourists who are visiting Armenia. It has numerous luxury hotels and sanatorium
s of high level, which create the chance to enjoy the beauty of nature and the historical sites. The town is also rich in its mineral curing water fountains.
There is an outdoor amphitheatre in the centre of Dilijan.
is the venue of the Armenian Premier League
club Impuls FC Dilijan's home games.
The town has 5 public education schools and 6 kindergartens with 2250 students and 350 children respectively. A school of musics and another one for arts are also operating. Dilijan has a branch of Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts and a branch of Yerevan University of Management and Information Technologies. There are 3 state intermediate colleges as well (medical, arts and crafts).
The third Human Rights Library Network (HRLN) library of the Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Centre (ACRPC) was established in Dilijan in 1998.
"Dilijan International School of Armenia" is scheduled to be one of the greatest investments of the educational system in Armenia. It was announced that around US$ 100 million are to be invested. Dilijan International School is intended to become the first top level international boarding school in Armenia.
.
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Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, located in the northern Armenian province of Tavush
Tavush
Tavush is a province of Armenia. The marz of Tavush is located in the north of Armenia and borders on Georgia and Azerbaijan.It is well known for its mountains. The most part of its territory is situated 800-1,000 m above sea level...
. It is one of the most important resort
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
s of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, situated in Dilijan National Park
Dilijan National Park
Dilijan National Park, occupying 24,000 ha, is located in the North-Eastern part of the Republic of Armenia, in Tavush province . Dilijan National Park is well known for its forest landscapes, rich biodiversity, medicinal mineral water springs, natural and cultural monuments...
. The forested and reclusive city is home to numerous Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
artists, composers, and filmmakers and features some traditional Armenian architecture. The Sharambeyan street in the centre, has been preserved and maintained as an "old town," complete with craftsman's workshops, a gallery
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
and a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
. Hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, and picnicking are popular recreational activities. The city's population is steadily declining from the 23,700 reported in the 1989 census, to 14,846 in the 2001 census, with an estimated 15,600 by 2009.
It is planned by the Armenian government to turn Dilijan into a financial capital of the whole region.
General information
Semyonovka
Semyonovka, also spelled Semenovka or Semënovka , may refer to:*Semyonovka, Armenia, a village in Armenia*Semënovka, Azerbaijan, a village in Azerbaijan*Semyonovka, name of the town of Arsenyev, Russia, from 1895 to 1952...
mountain pass from the south. The mountainous areas are all covered with thick forests which occupy a territory of more than 34,000 hectares. Reaching the highest peaks of the mountains, the forests turn to Alpine meadows. In addition to Aghsdev River, two more streams are flowing through Dilijan, Golovinka and Dilijanka rivers.
Nestled in the heart of the forests of northern Armenia, Dilijan is the epitome of quaint. Home to many famous composers, artists and cinematographers, this reclusive town of 23,000 boasts a historic refurbished city center with rows of houses with typical early twentieth century interiors and others displaying handicrafts or musical instruments. This popular vacation destination is like a piece of Switerzerland sequestered within the Armenian highlands.
Arsacid Dynasty of Armenia
The Arsacid dynasty or Arshakuni dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Armenia from 54 AD to 428 AD. Formerly a branch of the Iranian Parthian Arsacids, they became a distinctly Armenian dynasty. Arsacid Kings reigned intermittently throughout the chaotic years following the fall of the Artaxiad Dynasty...
kings to show their abilities in hunting. It is known that a settlement called Bujur Dili was founded in the 13th century, not far away from the current area of Dilijan town. In 1666, the name Dilijan was first mentioned in the notes of the French traveller Jean Chardin
Jean Chardin
Jean Chardin , born Jean-Baptiste Chardin, and also known as Sir John Chardin, was a French jeweller and traveller whose ten-volume book The Travels of Sir John Chardin is regarded as one of the finest works of early Western scholarship on Persia and the Near East.-Life and work:Chardin was born in...
.
Starting from 1801, under the Russian rule, the town witnessed a major growth in its population.
The first Armenian school in Dilijan was opened in 1868, while the first Russian school was opened in 1894. The town inaugurated its public library in 1908.
For the enrichment of the natural life of Dilijan, State Forest Reserve has been organized in 1958 by the decision of the Armenian SSR
Armenian SSR
The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet...
government. Later on in 2002 Dilijan National Park has been created on its basis. The woodland covers 94 percent of the park territory and it has about 40 types of trees and 18 types of bushes. Main tree types are oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
, hornbeam
Hornbeam
Hornbeams are relatively small hardwood trees in the genus Carpinus . Though some botanists grouped them with the hazels and hop-hornbeams in a segregate family, Corylaceae, modern botanists place the hornbeams in the birch subfamily Coryloideae...
and many types of broad-leaved tree
Broad-leaved tree
A broad-leaved tree or broad-leaf tree or broadleaf tree is any tree that has wide leaves, rather than slim, needle-like leaves as found in conifers...
s such as maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
s, willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
s, linden
Tilia
Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The greatest species diversity is found in Asia, and the genus also occurs in Europe and eastern North America, but not western North America...
s, elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
s and others.
The national park has a very rich fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
. Here one can meet mammals such as brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
, wolf, marten
Marten
The martens constitute the genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae.-Description:Martens are slender, agile animals, adapted to living in taigas, and are found in coniferous and northern deciduous forests across the northern hemisphere. They have bushy tails, and large...
, otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
, lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
, sylvan cat, Persian squirrel, sylvan dormouse, hedgehog
Hedgehog
A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera, found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand . There are no hedgehogs native to Australia, and no living species native to the Americas...
, chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, european red deer, wild hog and other types. Typical avifauna representatives are pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
s, quail
Quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
s, common partridges, caspian turkeys, culver
Culver
- Places :United Kingdom*Culver Down, Isle of WightUnited States:*Culver, Indiana*Culver, Kansas*Culver, Kentucky*Culver, Oregon*Culver Township, Minnesota*Culver City, California- People :...
s, bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s, lammergeyers, pygmy eagles, golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
s, hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
s and others.
The Lake Parz
Lake Parz
Lake Parz is a small lake located in the Dilijan National Park east of Dilijan in Armenia....
is one of Dilijan's most attractive natural sites. It is situated in the northern part of the town at a height of 1400 meters. It has an area of 2 hectares and an average depth of 8 meters. To the east of the Lake Parz, at a distance of 3 kilometers from Gosh
Gosh, Armenia
Gosh is a village located in the Tavush Province of Armenia. It is named after Mkhitar Gosh who took part in the re-building of the older monastery of Nor Ghetik during the 12th-13th centuries, which had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1188. The newly built monastery was later named Goshavank...
village, the Lake of Tzlka (Gosh) is located at a height of 1500 meters.
The Aghstev River with its tributaries gives peculiar charm to the general town landscape.
Cultural heritage
Dilijan has a rich historical and cultural heritage. During excavations in the prehistoric cemeteries of Golovino and Papanino near Dilijan, bronze items of almost three thousand years old were found, including armours, daggers, pitchers, ear-rings and others were found. All those items could be found either in Dilijan museum or in the Hermitage MuseumHermitage Museum
The State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,...
.
Dilijan's most popular religious site is the Haghartsin Monastery
Haghartsin Monastery
Haghartsin is a 13th century monastery located near the town of Dilijan in the Tavush Province of Armenia. It was built between the 10th and 14th century ; much of it under the patronage of the Bagratuni Dynasty....
, which is 12 kilometers east of the city and consists of three churches and a dining hall. The monastery was built in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. The oldest of the monastery's churches, St. Gregory, was built in the 10th century. The other churches, St. Stepanos and St. Astvatsatsin, date back to the 13th century. There are a number of khachkars in the complex.
Goshavank
Goshavank
Goshavank is a 12-13th century Armenian monastery located in the village of Gosh in the Tavush Province of Armenia. Today the monastery is not a functioning religious complex, although it remains a popular tourist destination and has recently undergone some light restoration...
Monastery (or Nor Getik) of the 12th century was one of Armenia's prominent theological centres in the Middle Ages. It is 23 kilometers away from Dilijan.
Jukhtak Monastery of the 12 century, is 3 kilometers north-west of Dilijan. It has two separate churches, Surp Astvatsatsin and Surp Grigor with their surrounding cemeteries. The half-ruined Matosavank Monastery (12-13th centuries) is located near Jukhtak Monastery deep in the forested areas.
Tourism and Economy
The Armenian government has applied a new vital plan since 2009 to turn Dilijan into a developed financial centre for the region.According to the officials, a considerable amount of operations of the Central Bank of Armenia will move the northern town-resort of Dilijan starting from 2013. Currently, many significant financial and cultural institutions are under construction such as the Dilijan regional financial and banking centre, the International School of Dilijan, the Old Dilijan-Tufenkian Centre and the modern building of Dilijan theatre.
Dilijan is among the most favorite destinations for tourists who are visiting Armenia. It has numerous luxury hotels and sanatorium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
s of high level, which create the chance to enjoy the beauty of nature and the historical sites. The town is also rich in its mineral curing water fountains.
There is an outdoor amphitheatre in the centre of Dilijan.
Sports and education
Dilijan has a municipal football stadium with a capacity of 2,000 spectators. The stadium which is called Dilijan City StadiumDilijan City Stadium
Dilijan City Stadium is an all-seater stadium in Dilijan, Armenia. It is the only stadium in the city and is currently used for football matches and considered the home ground of Impuls FC Dilijan which competes in the Super league of Armenian football...
is the venue of the Armenian Premier League
Armenian Premier League
The Armenian Premier League is the top football competition in Armenia. From 1936 to 1991, the competition was held as a regional tournament within the USSR. After independence, the Football Federation of Armenia has been the unit in charge. The seasons run from spring to fall...
club Impuls FC Dilijan's home games.
The town has 5 public education schools and 6 kindergartens with 2250 students and 350 children respectively. A school of musics and another one for arts are also operating. Dilijan has a branch of Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts and a branch of Yerevan University of Management and Information Technologies. There are 3 state intermediate colleges as well (medical, arts and crafts).
The third Human Rights Library Network (HRLN) library of the Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Centre (ACRPC) was established in Dilijan in 1998.
"Dilijan International School of Armenia" is scheduled to be one of the greatest investments of the educational system in Armenia. It was announced that around US$ 100 million are to be invested. Dilijan International School is intended to become the first top level international boarding school in Armenia.
In popular culture
Dilijan is mentioned as the hometown of Roobik Khachikyan (Frunzik Mkrtchyan) in the 1977 Soviet comedy MiminoMimino
Mimino , is a 1977 comedy film by Soviet Georgian director Georgi Daneliya produced by Mosfilm and Gruziya-film, starring Vakhtang Kikabidze and Frunzik Mkrtchyan. Anatoliy Petritskiy served as the film's Director of Photography. The Soviet era comedy won the 1977 Golden Prize at the Moscow...
.
Gallery
External links
- http://www.hotels.am/Tavush/tavush_hotels.php
- DILI VILLA B&B in Dilijan
- Armeniapedia article on Dilijan
- Dilijan guide on Haykland