Gegharkunik
Encyclopedia
Gegharkunik is a province (marz
) of Armenia
. Gegharkunik was named after Gegham. Gegham was a Haykazuni King and fifth generation after Hayk. Gegham was the father of Sisak of Syunid nobles and Arma the grandfather of Ara the Beautiful
. Geghama mountains
and Geghama lake, presently Lake Sevan
, were named after Gegham. References: ^ Movses of Chorene, "The History of Armenia" (in Armenian) ^ Movses of Chorene, "The History of Armenia" (in Russian) ^ Movsēs Xorenac'i, "Storia della Grande Armenia" (in Italian) ^ History of the Armenians, Moses Khorenats'i.
Gegharkunik Province is in the east of Armenia
, bordering Azerbaijan
. At 5,348 km², Gegharkunik is the largest province in Armenia by area. However, approximately 1,278 km² of its territory is covered by Lake Sevan
, the largest lake in the Caucasus
and a major tourist attraction of the region. It has a exclave inside Azerbaijan
, Artsvashen
, which came under Azerbaijani control during the Nagorno-Karabakh War
. Its capital is Gavar
.
The longest rivers are Gavaraget (47 km) and Masrik (45 km). Masrik is of great importance, since its a spawning place for such endemic species as the Gegharkunik trout (Salmo ishchan gegarkuni), the Sevan koghak (Capoeta capoeta sevangi) and the Sevan beghlu (Barbus geokschaikus). The young fish of these species live in these rivers till they are 1 year of age. The Sevan trout (Salmo ischchan) and Sevan beghlu are included in the Red Book of Armenia.
, the administrative subdivisions of Armenia before 1995. There are also settlements such as Chichakli
.
Administrative divisions of Armenia
Armenia is subdivided into eleven administrative divisions. Of these, ten are provinces, known as marzer or in the singular form marz in Armenian....
) of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. Gegharkunik was named after Gegham. Gegham was a Haykazuni King and fifth generation after Hayk. Gegham was the father of Sisak of Syunid nobles and Arma the grandfather of Ara the Beautiful
Ara the Beautiful
Ara the Beautiful is a legendary Armenian hero. He is notable in Armenian literature for the popular legend in which he was so handsome that the Assyrian queen Semiramis waged war against Armenia just to get him.He is sometimes associated with the historical king of Ararat known as Arame who...
. Geghama mountains
Geghama mountains
The Geghama mountains , are mountains in Armenia. is a tableland-type watershed basin of Sevan Lake from east, inflows of rivers Araks and Razdan from north and west, Azat and Vedi rivers from south-west and Arpachai river from south...
and Geghama lake, presently Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world.Lake Sevan is situated in the central part of the Republic of Armenia, inside the Gegharkunik Province, at the altitude of 1,900m above sea level...
, were named after Gegham. References: ^ Movses of Chorene, "The History of Armenia" (in Armenian) ^ Movses of Chorene, "The History of Armenia" (in Russian) ^ Movsēs Xorenac'i, "Storia della Grande Armenia" (in Italian) ^ History of the Armenians, Moses Khorenats'i.
Gegharkunik Province is in the east of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, bordering Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. At 5,348 km², Gegharkunik is the largest province in Armenia by area. However, approximately 1,278 km² of its territory is covered by Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world.Lake Sevan is situated in the central part of the Republic of Armenia, inside the Gegharkunik Province, at the altitude of 1,900m above sea level...
, the largest lake in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
and a major tourist attraction of the region. It has a exclave inside Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, Artsvashen
Artsvashen
Artsvashen , also Romanized as Artzvashen, is an exclave of Armenia's Gegharkunik province which has been controlled by the Azerbaijani army since 1992. The official Azerbaijani name for the village is Bashkand. Its size is about 40 square kilometers, and it is completely surrounded by the...
, which came under Azerbaijani control during the Nagorno-Karabakh War
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
. Its capital is Gavar
Gavar
Gavar , is a city and the provincial capital of the Armenian province of Gegharkunik. It was known as Nor Bayezet or Novyi Bayazet until 1959, then Kamo until 1996...
.
Location
Gegharkunik (Göyçə mahalı) is situated in the East of the territory of the Republic of Armenia, surrounding the Lake Sevan. It borders RA Lori and Tavush marzes from the North, from the East it borders the state border of Azerbaijan, from the South – RA Vayots Dzor marz, from South-West – RA Ararat marz and from the West – RA Kotayk marz. The longest extension of the marz from the North- West to the South-East comprised 115 km, from the West to the East – 85 km, the deepest landslide is the canyon of the Getik river (village of Dsoravank, 1325 m), the highest peak – Ajdahak mountain (3598 m). Yerevan-Sevan-Dilijan highway of republican importance runs through the territory of the marz. “South-North” highway passing through the mountain of Selim is being constructed.Demographics
Demographics: Total population – 240.1 ths. (7.4% of the total population of Armenia) of which 160.6 ths. are rural population and 79.5 ths. urban. There are 5 towns and 87 rural communities.Climate
The climate of Gegharkunik is mild mountainous. The winter is cold, snowy. The summer is warm, few clouds, comparatively humid weather. The Sevan Lake mitigates the winter frost and summer heat. Because of the lake, the average temperature in January is alsmost the same as in Yerevan. Precipitation is not abundant, 400-450mm on the lake surface, up to 1000 in the mountains.Water Resources
Lake Sevan (1260 km2, 1898 m above sea level) is located in Gegharkunik marz. It is the largest pool of fresh water of the Southern Caucasus. The lake has vital influence not only on balance of environment protection but on economy of the whole marz as well. Other lakes are the comparatively small crater lakes of Ajdahak and Aghmaghani, up to 50 m in diameter and with a depth of 15 m.The longest rivers are Gavaraget (47 km) and Masrik (45 km). Masrik is of great importance, since its a spawning place for such endemic species as the Gegharkunik trout (Salmo ishchan gegarkuni), the Sevan koghak (Capoeta capoeta sevangi) and the Sevan beghlu (Barbus geokschaikus). The young fish of these species live in these rivers till they are 1 year of age. The Sevan trout (Salmo ischchan) and Sevan beghlu are included in the Red Book of Armenia.
Sevan National Park
Sevan National Park was established in 1978 to protect Lake Sevan. It occupies the territories of the Lake Sevan comprising the bed of intermontane concavity of Sevan and those freed from its bed. The area comprises 1501 square kilometers, of which 24.9 thousand hectares are lakeside land. It is surrounded with the slopes of mountain chains of Areguni, Geghama, Vardenis, Pambak and Sevan. Some 1600 plant and 330 animal species are found here. The park is divided into 3 zones: a reserve, a recreation zone, and a zone for economic use.Akhnabad Yew Grove State Reservation
Akhnabad Yew Grove State Reservation was established in 1958. It is located on Mt. Tsaghkot of the Miapor mountain range near Aghavnavank. The main species of the reservation is yew (taxus baccata L.). On the territory of the reservation yew grows in the mixed forest (beech, oak, maple etc.). Trees 300–400 years old, 25 m high and with 70–90 cm trunk diameter can be found there.Getik State Reservation
Getik State Reservation was established in 1971. Main protected objects are forest fauna.Juniper Forest State Reservation
Juniper Forest State Reservation was established in 1958. Main protected object is relict juniper, as well as other numerous species.Communities
The province of Gegharkunik consists of the following 92 communities (hamaynkner), of which 5 (bold in the table) are considered urban and 87 are considered rural. The division below is by raionRaion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
, the administrative subdivisions of Armenia before 1995. There are also settlements such as Chichakli
Chichakli
Chichakli is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.Chichakli is a small mountainous town in Armenia, et high on Aragats Lerr mountain and dates back to the 14th Century. Chichakli is also known by the name "Kizilvank".The town was named after the famous Armenian family "Chichakli" which...
.
| Gavar | Sevan | Chambarak | Martuni | Vardenis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chkalovka Chkalovka is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town was renamed in honor of test pilot Valeri Chkalov.... Ddmashen Ddmashen is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.The village hosts 7th century St. Thaddeus Church.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com*... Geghamavan Geghamavan , also Romanized as Gegamavan; until 1946, Shagriz and Shahriz) is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town was founded in the 1830s from migrants from the Maku region of Persia.- References :... Lchashen Lchashen is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The settlement dates back more than 5000 years. The town has a 13th century church, a Urartian Iron Age fort, and a Bronze Age cemetery.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Norashen, Gegharkunik Norashen is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town was founded in 1920 on the site of the former village of Rahmankendi. The town has a church and a cemetery.... Semyonovka, Armenia Semyonovka is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town was founded by Russians in 1849.... Sevan (city) Sevan is a city and a popular resort in Armenia, in the Gegharkunik Province, lies on the northern shores of Lake Sevan. The town is founded on a height of over 1900 meters above sea level, 66 kilometers north-east of the capital Yerevan, and 40 kilometers north of Gavar, the administrative... Tsaghkunk, Gegharkunik Tsaghkunk is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Tsovagyugh Tsovagyugh formerly, Karatap and Chibukhly; is a town in the Gegharkunik province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Varser Varser is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town is first mentioned in the 9th century, and was a gift of Ashot II.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Zovaber, Gegharkunik Zovaber is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... |
Aghberk Aghberk is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Artanish Artanish is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. On a hill just to the west are the ruins of cyclopean fortresses, and nearby is a church and cemetery.... Artsvashen Artsvashen , also Romanized as Artzvashen, is an exclave of Armenia's Gegharkunik province which has been controlled by the Azerbaijani army since 1992. The official Azerbaijani name for the village is Bashkand. Its size is about 40 square kilometers, and it is completely surrounded by the... Aygut Aygut is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. There are seven small lakes nearby.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Chambarak Chambarak is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. Chambarak was founded in 1835-40 on the Getik River by Russian immigrants, with the name Mikhaylovka... Dprabak Dprabak is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Drakhtik Drakhtik is a small town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Dzoravank Dzoravank is a small village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Jil, Armenia Jil is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia founded in the 12th century. 2 km north of the village is the Dashti-ler fort.... Kalavan Kalavan is a small village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The Kalavan community also includes the nearby town of Barepat.... Martuni (village) Martuni is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The village is named in honor of Alexander Myasnikian, the first Soviet premier of Armenia, whose nom de guerre was "Martuni". There are medieval forts and the 10th c. castle of Aghjkaghala nearby.... Shorzha Shorzha is a village located along Lake Sevan northwest of the Artanish Peninsula in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. There is a 17th century chapel and cemetery on the south edge of the village. On the hill overlooking the village, there are the ruins of a chapel, and somewhere in the... Ttujur, Gegharkunik Ttujur is a small town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town has the Kotrats church and a nearby ruined settlement of Tsak Kar.On May 6, 2010, the "Monument of Glory and Immortality" was erected in the village dedicated to the German-Soviet War, where 61 Armenians form Ttujur were... Vahan, Armenia Vahan is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. When the town was founded in 1925, it was named in honor of Soviet politician and politburo member, Sergo Ordzhonikidze. Nearby upon a hill towards the eastern end of the town is a Early Iron Age cyclopean fort.- References :* –... |
Artsvanist Artsvanist is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. In the gorge south of the village is the early 10th century monastery of Vanevan and large but broken medieval khachkar monument nearby.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Astghadzor Astghadzor is a small town in the Gegharkunik province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Geghhovit Geghhovit is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town was founded in the 15th century. The Geghhovit community includes the villages Lernahovit and Yangh.- References : * – World-Gazetteer.com... Lichk Lichk is a village located south of Lake Sevan in the Gegharkunik province of Armenia. Although the village was founded in 1830, there are ruins of earlier habitation including remains of a medieval town. There are also the ruins of the early Tsaghkavank which sit adjacent to the church of S.... Madina, Armenia Madina is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia and was founded in 1922. Just west of town is Mount Armaghan, an extinct volcano 450m higher than the plain, that has a small lake in its center.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Martuni, Armenia Martuni is a city located in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. It is near Lake Sevan which is a largest lake in the Caucasus. Its population is estimated to be 11,987 as of 2008... Tsakkar Tsakkar is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Tsovinar, Armenia Tsovinar is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The name roughly translates to "beach beside the sea". East of the village is the Urartian city of Teyseba founded by Rusa I, with a cuneiform inscription nearby. It is considered to be the best preserved Urartian site in the Sevan basin... Vaghashen Vaghashen is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town has two 16th century churches, and nearby are ruins of ancient forts.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Vardadzor Vardadzor is a town in the Gegharkunik province of Armenia. The town was founded in 1828. An Urartian inscription dating to 722-705 BC was found at Vardadzor.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Vardenik Vardenik is a town in the Gegharkunik province of Armenia. The town sits on the Vardenis river, and was founded in 1828.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Verin Getashen Verin Getashen is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Yeranos Yeranos is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town has a church dating to 1215.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Zolakar Zolakar is a village in the Gegharkunik province of Armenia. Within Zolakar are the Tukh Manuk and S. Sargis churches, Bronze Age cemeteries and at the center of the village is a funerary monument.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... |
Akhpradzor Akhpradzor is a small village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Akunk Akunk is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. It was founded on the site of a Bronze Age settlement and has a fort dating from the 6th-4th century BC. There are two Tukh Manuk pilgrimage sites in the village as well. West of Akunk is the Klor Dar cyclopean fort.- References :* ... Areguni Areguni is a small village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Arpunk Arpunk is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. 3 km southeast of the village is a 15th century church.... Avazan Avazan is a small village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Ayrk Ayrk is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The village has a church of S. Astvatsatsin dated to 1181 and the Katoghike S. Gevorg church nearby dating to the 13th century. Both churches have large graveyards adjoining, and between them are remains of the massive stone walls of an... Azat, Armenia Azat is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The village has a heavily ruined 11th century church and a pair of medieval khachkars.The village was the birthplace of the celebrated Azeri folklore poet Ashig Alasgar .... Daranak Daranak is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town was founded in 1921.... Geghakar Geghakar is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Geghamabak Geghamabak is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Geghamasar Geghamasar is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town's church dates to the 16th century.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Jaghatsadzor Jaghatsadzor is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Kakhakn Kakhakn is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town has 13th to 16th century khachkars.... Karchaghbyur Karchaghbyur is a town in the Gegharkunik province of Armenia. A walled settlement abandoned in the 1st century BCE, of the Persian or Hellenistic period, is being excavated.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Khachaghbyur Khachaghbyur is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town has a ruined Iron Age fort and a 13th century church.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Kut, Armenia Kut is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Kutakan Kutakan is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The Kutakan community also includes the nearby town of Aghyokhush.... Makenis Makenis is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The Makenyats Vank in the town was a major cultural and educational center of medieval Gegharkunik, which churches dating to the 10th to 13th century.... Mets Masrik Mets Masrik is a town in the Gegharkunik province of Armenia. The town has been inhabited since the 7th century and has a khachkar dated 881, two shrines from the 12th and 13th centuries, and a 17th century church. Nearby is Pokr Masrik .... Nerkin Shorzha Nerkin Shorzha is a small hamlet in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. Nerkin Shorzha and nearby Verin Shorzha are both reached by a short drive from Ayrk.... Norabak Norabak is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Norakert, Gegharkunik Norakert is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. Norakert was founded in 1927 as a state farm.... Pambak, Gegharkunik Pambak is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town has churches, a caravanserai, and cemeteries.... Pokr Masrik Pokr Masrik is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town has a 12th century church. Mets Masrik is nearby.... Shatjrek Shatjrek is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Shatvan Shatvan is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The town's cemetery dates to the 15th century.... Sotk Sotk is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.-History:At the end of the 19th century Zod was a village with 1100 Tatar inhabitants . It grew into a town during the region's industrialization in the 1960 and 1970s, primarily due to the exploitation of the Zod gold mines. There is now a... Torfavan Torfavan is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Tretuk Tretuk is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia, near the border with Azerbaijan. It was previously known as Inakdagh and Inakdag, and from 1978-1988 it was Yenikend.It had a population of 183 in 2001.... Tsapatagh Tsapatagh is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Tsovak Tsovak is a town in the Gegharkunik province of Armenia. The town is the site of a large iron age fort atop a hill with a cuneiform inscription of Sarduri II .- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com... Vanevan Vanevan is a town in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.... Vardenis Vardenis .The town of Vardenis occupies the south-eastern corner of Gegharkunik province of the Republic of Armenia. The town is located in the valley of the Masrik river, on the territory of the Masrik artesian basin at a height of 1943 meters above sea level. It is 170 km from the capital... Verin Shorzha Verin Shorzha is a small hamlet in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. Verin Shorzha and the nearby Nerkin Shorzha are both reached by a short drive from Ayrk.... |