Vanadzor
Encyclopedia
Industry
The chemical industries have a deep root in the city's history. The first chemial plant was founded in 1929 and started to introduce its products in 1932.
In 1999, Russian chemical giants started to enter the Armenian chemical industrial market through investing in Vanadzor plants. After 2001, the chemical and the thermal plants of the city regained their highest capacities of production after a decade of interruption due to the economical collapse in Armenia in the 1990s.
Tourism
Vanadzor is known as a resort city due to its mild climate, clean air, mineral springs, and people's hospitality. There are some resorts nearby the city.Education and Religion
- Vanadzor has several educational institutions that serve not only the city of Vanadzor, but all the citizens of Lori and TavushTavushTavush 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...
regions. It has two major higher educational centers: the Vanadzor State Pedagogical Institute named after Hovhannes TumanyanHovhannes TumanyanHovhannes Tumanyan , is considered to be one of the greatest Armenian poets and writers. His work was mostly written in tragic form, often centering on the harsh lives of villagers in the Lori region.-Biography:...
and Mkhitar Gosh Armenian-Russian International University. Branches of Yerevan State UniversityYerevan State UniversityYerevan State University is a university in Yerevan, Armenia. Founded on May 16 1919, it is the largest university in the country with 110 departments. Of its 3,150 employees, 1,190 comprise the teaching staff which includes 25 academicians, 130 professors, 700 docents , and 360 assistant lecturers...
are also operating in the city. 6 technical intermediate colleges, 32 public education schools and 20 nurseries are currently operating (2009). Vanadzor is the home of the Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Centre (ACRPC) NGO, the leading human rights educational NGO in Armenia. The first ACRPC Human Rights Library Network (HRLN) library was established in Vanadzor in 1996. Being one of the prominent cultural centres of Armenia, the city has a municipal art gallery, a Dramatic Theatre (named after Hovhannes Abelyan) and several cultural institutions.
- The vast majority of the population belongs to the Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic ChurchThe Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
. Vanadzor is the seat of the Diocese of GougarkDiocese of GougarkThe Diocese of Gougark is located in Northern Armenia and encompasses the regions of Lori and Tavush. In ancient times the region of Lori was referred to as Gougark. The Diocesan Headquarters is located in Vanadzor...
of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which includes Lori and Tavush provinces. The church of the Holy Mother of God or Karakilisa (meaning Black church) is one of the oldest preserved churches in the city. The groundbreaking service for the new cathedral of the diocese of Gugark took place in May 2002. Later in 2003, His Holiness Karekin IIKarekin IICatholicos Karekin II is the current head of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church.He was born as Ktrij Nersessian in Voskehat, Armenia, on August 21, 1951. He entered the Gevorkian Theological Seminary at Echmiadzin in 1965 and graduated with honors in 1971. He was ordained to the diaconate deacon...
, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, conducted the blessing service for the foundation of the cathedral. The construction of the cathedral was completed in 2005 and named after Saint Gregory of Narek, in the honour of the thousandth anniversary of his Book of Lamentations. The city is home to a small Russian Orthodox community served by the church of the Nativity of Virgin Mary.
Notable people
- Stepan Zoryan, an Armenian writer
- Suren AghababyanSuren AghababyanSuren Bardughi Aghababyan was a Soviet Armenian literary critic and Doctor of Philology.He was an author of many works including biographies of Yeghishe Charents and Axel Bakunts, and the History of Soviet Armenian Literature .-External links:*...
, a literary critic - Artavazd Peleshyan, a documentary film-maker
- Shavarsh KarapetyanShavarsh KarapetyanShavarsh Vladimirovich Karapetyan is a retired Soviet Armenian finswimmer, 13-times European Champion and seven-times USSR Champion, who saved 20 lives when a trolleybus fell into the Yerevan reservoir....
, a Soviet Armenian finswimmer - Vic DarchinyanVic DarchinyanVakhtang "Vic" Darchinyan is an Armenian professional boxer discovered by HyeFighters. He is a three-division world champion, having won eight titles in three different weight classes. He is a former IBF Flyweight World Champion and a former Undisputed WBA, WBC & IBF Super Flyweight World...
, World unified boxing champion and the IBF, WBO, WBC champion - Gor MkhitarianGor MkhitarianGor Mkhitarian , , is an Armenian singer and songwriter living in Los Angeles. He started his solo career in 2001 with the album Yeraz.- Biography :...
, an Armenian rock-musician - Tigran SargsyanTigran SargsyanTigran Sargsyan has been the Prime Minister of Armenia since 9 April 2008.Tigran Sargsyan was born in Kirovakan, Armenian SSR . From 1980 to 1983, he attended Leningrad's Voznesenski Financial and Economic Institute. From 1983 to 1987 his postgraduate education ended in obtaining PhD degree...
, Prime Minister of Armenia
Sister cities
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, United States
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