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Aragatsotn ( hy, Արագածոտն, ) is a
province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...
(''
marz Marz may refer to: People * Marz (surname), notable people surnamed either Marz or März * Marz (rapper), American rapper * Marz Lovejoy, American hip hop musician and rapper Places * Marz, Austria, a town in the district of Mattersburg, Burgen ...
'') of
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ...
. It is located in the western part of the country. The capital and largest city of the province is the town of
Ashtarak Ashtarak (Armenian: ), is a town and urban municipal community in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, located on the left bank of Kasagh River along the gorge, northwest of the capital Yerevan. It is the administrative centre of the Aragatsotn pro ...
. The
Statistical Committee of Armenia The Statistical Committee of Armenia ( Armenian: Հայաստանի վիճակագրական կոմիտե) is the national statistical agency of Armenia. History The statistical institution started its main activities on 7 January 1922 and wa ...
reported its population was 132,925 in the 2011 census.


Etymology

Literally meaning "the foot of Aragats" (the highest mountain of
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ...
), it is named after the Aragatsotn canton of the historic Ayrarat province of Ancient Armenia, ruled by the Amatuni noble family under the reign of the Arsacid Dynasty.


Geography

Aragatsotn Province occupies the northwestern part of Armenia and covers an area of 2,756 km2 (9.3% of the total area of Armenia). It has internal borders with
Shirak Province Shirak ( hy, Շիրակ, ) is a province (''marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the north-west of the country, bordering Turkey to the west and Georgia to the north. Its capital and largest city is Gyumri, which is the second largest city in ...
from the north,
Lori Province Lori ( hy, Լոռի, ), is a province (''marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the north of the country, bordering Georgia. Vanadzor is the capital and largest city of the province. Other important towns include Stepanavan, Alaverdi, and Spit ...
from the northeast, Kotayk Province from the east,
Armavir Province Armavir ( hy, Արմավիր, ), is a province (''marz'') in the western part of Armenia. Located in the Ararat plain dominated by Mount Ararat from the south and Mount Aragats from the north, the province's capital is the town of Armavir whi ...
from the south and the city of
Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and ...
from the southwest. The Akhurian River at the west separates Aragatsotn from the
Kars Province Kars Province ( tr, Kars ili; ku, Parêzgeha Qersê; hy, Կարսի նահանգ) is a province of Turkey, located in the northeastern part of the country. It shares part of its closed border with Armenia. The provincial capital is the city of ...
of
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
. Historically, the current territory of the province mainly occupies parts the ''Aragatsotn'', ''Nig'' and ''Shirak'' cantons of Ayrarat province of Ancient Armenia. The northern part of the province is dominated by the Aragats mountain range. At the northeast and the east, it approximates the mountains of Pambak and Tsaghkunyats, respectively. The mountains of Arteni dominate the northeastern and the central eastern parts of the province. The tiny Akhurian valley occupies the eastern edge of Aragatsotn. Aragatsotn occupies the northwestern parts of the Ararat plain in the south and the southeast. The altitude of the province ranges between 950 and 4,090 meters above sea level. Mount Aragats (4,090 m.) is the highest peak of Aragatsotn and Armenia. Besides the Akhurian river, the rivers of Kasagh, Gegharot, and Amberd are the main water resources in the province. Mountainous lakes including Lake Kari,
Lessing Lessing is a German surname of Slavic origin, originally ''Lesnik'' meaning "woodman". Lessing may refer to: A German family of writers, artists, musicians and politicians who can be traced back to a Michil Lessigk mentioned in 1518 as being a lin ...
, Amberd, Tagavor, and Kuraghbyur are found on Mount Aragats. Between 1962 and 1967, the Aparan reservoir was built on the Kasagh river. The climate of Aragatsotn is deeply diversified due to the wide range of altitudes of the region. The annual precipitation level ranges between at the lower areas and at the mountainous territories.


History

According to
Movses Khorenatsi Movses Khorenatsi (ca. 410–490s AD; hy, Մովսէս Խորենացի, , also written as ''Movses Xorenac‘i'' and Moses of Khoren, Moses of Chorene, and Moses Chorenensis in Latin sources) was a prominent Armenian historian from the late a ...
, Aramaniak -the son of the patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation Hayk- along with his clan, settled in the area of modern-day Aragatsotn. The cemeteries of ''Verin Naver'' archaeological site -located 3 km west of Ashtarak- date back to the 24th and 14th centuries BC. Being situated at the heart of the Ayrarat province at the centre of the Armenian Highland, Aragatsotn was among the most strategic regions in the history of Armenia, especially since the establishment of the Kingdom of Armenia in 331 BC by the
Orontid Dynasty The Orontid dynasty, also known as the Eruandids or Eruandunis, ruled the Satrapy of Armenia until 330 BC and the Kingdom of Armenia from 321 BC to 200 BC. The Orontids ruled first as client kings or satraps of the Achaemenid Empire and after t ...
. Later in 190 BC, the Artaxiad dynasty took over the reign of the Armenian Kingdom. During the 2nd century AD, the towns of ''Casala'' (the Hellenized version of ''Kasagh'', now
Aparan Aparan ( Armenian: ), is a town and urban municipal community in Armenia, located in the Aragatsotn Province, about 50 kilometers northwest of the capital Yerevan. As of the 2011 census, the population of the town was 6,451. As per the 2016 offi ...
), and ''Talina'' (now Talin) were mentioned by
Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of import ...
during the reign of the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia. The territory of Nig canton, including the area of Aparan, was under the administration of the ''Gntunyan'' Armenian noble family, while the territory of Aragatsotn canton, including the area of Ashtarak, was ruled by the Amatuni noble family. Following the partition of Armenia by the
Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantin ...
and
Sassanid Persia The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the History of Iran, last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th cen ...
in 387 and in 428,
Eastern Armenia Eastern Armenia ( hy, Արևելյան Հայաստան ''Arevelyan Hayastan'') comprises the eastern part of the Armenian Highlands, the traditional homeland of the Armenian people. Between the 4th and the 20th centuries, Armenia was partitioned ...
including Aragatsotn became under the rule of Sassanid Persia. The 4th-century Holly Cross Basilica of Kasagh located at the outskirts of modern-day Aparan, is among the earliest surviving samples of the
Armenian church architecture Armenian church architecture is the architectural style of the Armenian church buildings created since the Apostolic era of Christianity in the Armenian Highland during the 1st century. It was developed over the last 1900 years. According to profes ...
. In 658, Armenia was conquered by the
Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...
invaders. At the end of the 9th century, Aragatsotn became part of the newly established Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia. The Armenian noble families of
Kamsarakan Kamsarakan ( hy, Կամսարական) was an Armenian noble family that was an offshoot of the House of Karen, also known as the Karen-Pahlav. The Karens were one of the Seven Great Houses of Iran and were of Parthian origin. In the Byzantine- ...
and Pahlavuni ruled over Aragatsotn under the Bagratid kings. However, between the 11th and 15th centuries, Aragatsotn along with the rest of the historic territories of Armenia suffered from the Seljuk, Mongol, Ag Qoyunlu and
Kara Koyunlu The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu ( az, Qaraqoyunlular , fa, قره قویونلو), also known as the Black Sheep Turkomans, were a culturally Persianate, Muslim Turkoman "Kara Koyunlu, also spelled Qara Qoyunlu, Turkish Karakoyunlular, E ...
invasions, respectively. At the beginning of the 16th century, Aragatsotn became part of the ''Erivan Beglarbegi'' within the Safavid Persia. During the first half of the 18th century, Aragatsotn became part of the
Erivan Khanate The Erivan Khanate ( fa, خانات ایروان, translit=Xānāt-e Iravān; hy, Երեւանի խանութիւն, translit=Yerevani xanut'iwn; az, ایروان خانلیغی, translit=İrəvan xanlığı), also known as Chokhur-e Sa'd, was ...
under the rule of the Afsharid dynasty and later under the
Qajar dynasty The Qajar dynasty (; fa, دودمان قاجار ', az, Qacarlar ) was an IranianAbbas Amanat, ''The Pivot of the Universe: Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar and the Iranian Monarchy, 1831–1896'', I. B. Tauris, pp 2–3 royal dynasty of Turkic origin, ...
of Persia. It remained under the Persian rule until 1827–1828, when Eastern Armenia was ceded to the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the List of Russian monarchs, Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended th ...
as a result of the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28 and the signing of the
Treaty of Turkmenchay The Treaty of Turkmenchay ( fa, عهدنامه ترکمنچای; russian: Туркманчайский договор) was an agreement between Qajar Iran and the Russian Empire, which concluded the Russo-Persian War (1826–28). It was second o ...
. After the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917, the Armenian, Georgian and Muslim leaders of
Transcaucasia The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Arme ...
united to form the Transcaucasian Federative Republic and proclaimed
Transcaucasia The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Arme ...
's
secession Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics l ...
. However, it was a fragile short-lived federation that collapsed in May 1918, while the Turkish army was advancing towards Eastern Armenia through
Gyumri Gyumri ( hy, Գյումրի, ) is an urban municipal community and the second-largest city in Armenia, serving as the administrative center of Shirak Province in the northwestern part of the country. By the end of the 19th century, when the city w ...
, Aragatsotn, and Sardarapat. On May 21, 1918, the Turkish forces attacked through
Aparan Aparan ( Armenian: ), is a town and urban municipal community in Armenia, located in the Aragatsotn Province, about 50 kilometers northwest of the capital Yerevan. As of the 2011 census, the population of the town was 6,451. As per the 2016 offi ...
in Aragatsotn trying to reach
Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and ...
. The Turks were opposed by the Armenian forces under the command of Dro at the outskirts of Aparan. After three days of fierce fighting, the Armenians launched a counter-attack on 25 May, and the Turkish troops were forced to retreat back to the north on 29 May. As a result of the decisive victories over the Turks in the battles of Sardarabad, Abaran, and Gharakilisa, the Armenians declared independence on May 28, 1918. After 2 years of brief independence, Armenia became part of the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
in December 1920. From 1930 until 1995, modern-day Aragatsotn was divided into 3
raion A raion (also spelt rayon) is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet states. The term is used for both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is from the French (meaning 'honeycomb, department'), and is co ...
s within the
Armenian SSR The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic,; russian: Армянская Советская Социалистическая Республика, translit=Armyanskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika) also commonly referred to as Soviet A ...
: ''Talin raion'', ''Aparan raion'', and ''Ashtarak raion''. With the territorial administration reform of 1995, the 3 raions were merged to form the Aragatsotn Province.


Demographics


Population

According to the
1989 Soviet census The 1989 Soviet census (russian: Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989, lit=1989 All-Union Census), conducted between 12 and 19 January of that year, was the last one that took place in the Soviet Union. The census found ...
, the Aragatsotn Province (then part of the
Aparan Aparan ( Armenian: ), is a town and urban municipal community in Armenia, located in the Aragatsotn Province, about 50 kilometers northwest of the capital Yerevan. As of the 2011 census, the population of the town was 6,451. As per the 2016 offi ...
, Aragats,
Ashtarak Ashtarak (Armenian: ), is a town and urban municipal community in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, located on the left bank of Kasagh River along the gorge, northwest of the capital Yerevan. It is the administrative centre of the Aragatsotn pro ...
, and Talin districts in 1930–1995) had a population of 141,611. 24,277 or 17.14% of which was urban, distributed in the city of Ashtarak, and 117,334 or 82.86% were rural, distributed in the districts of Aparan (21,654), Aragats (13,401), Ashtarak (42,701), and Talin (39,578). According to the 2011 official census, Aragatsotn has a population of 132,925 (66,738 men and 66,187 women), forming around 4.4% of the entire population of Armenia. The urban population is 31,376 (23.6%) and the rural is 101,549 (76.4%). Aragatsotn has the highest percentage of rural population in Armenia. The province has 3 urban and 111 rural communities. The largest urban community is the provincial centre of Ashtarak, with a population of 19,615. The other urban centres of Aparan and Talin have a population of 6,451 and 5,310 respectively. With a population of 4,780, the village of Oshakan is the largest rural municipality of Aragatsotn.


Ethnic groups and religion

The province is primarily inhabited by
Armenians Armenians ( hy, հայեր, '' hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diaspora ...
who migrated from Moush, Manzikert,
Sasun Sason ( hy, Սասուն, translit=Sasun, ku, Qabilcewz, ar, قبل جوز; formerly known as Sasun or Sassoun) is a district and town in the Batman Province of Turkey. It was formerly part of the sanjak of Siirt, which was in Diyarbakır vi ...
,
Kars Kars (; ku, Qers; ) is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. Its population is 73,836 in 2011. Kars was in the ancient region known as ''Chorzene'', (in Greek Χορζηνή) in classical historiography ( Strabo), part of ...
,
Khoy Khoy ( Persian and az, خوی; ; ; also Romanized as Khoi), is a city and capital of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2012 census, its population was 200,985. Khoy is located north of the province's capital and largest cit ...
, and Alashkert in the 19th and 20th centuries as well as a minority of Armeno-Tat who belong to the
Armenian Apostolic Church , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...
. The regulating body of the church is the Diocese of Aragatsotn, headed by Bishop Mkrtich Broshyan. The Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church of Oshakan of is the seat of the diocese. There is also a significant presence of
Yazidis Yazidis or Yezidis (; ku, ئێزیدی, translit=Êzidî) are a Kurmanji-speaking endogamous minority group who are indigenous to Kurdistan, a geographical region in Western Asia Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the wester ...
in the province. The 20 following villages of Aragatsotn are almost entirely populated by Yazidis: Alagyaz, Arevut,
Avshen Avshen ( hy, Ավշեն; until 1978, Chobanmaz and Chobangerekmaz) is a town in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. See also *Aragatsotn Province *Yazidi people A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes ...
,
Charchakis Charchakis ( hy, Ճարճակիս) is a village in the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It was originally known as Charchakes and Jarjaris. Between 1978 and 2006 the village was known as ''Derek''. Derek means spring ...
, Ddmasar, Hako,
Jamshlu Jamshlu or Jamushvan ( hy, Ջամշլու or Ջամուշվան; ku, Camuşlû) is a village in the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The town is mostly populated by Kurds ug:كۇردلار Kurds ( ku, کورد ...
, Kanch,
Kaniashir Kaniashir ( hy, Կանիաշիր) is a village in the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The village is mostly populated by Yezidi Yazidis or Yezidis (; ku, ئێزیدی, translit=Êzidî) are a Kurmanji-speaki ...
, Metsadzor,
Mijnatun Mijnatun ( hy, Միջնատուն) is a village in the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It is mostly populated by Yazidis Yazidis or Yezidis (; ku, ئێزیدی, translit=Êzidî) are a Kurmanji-speaking end ...
, Mirak, Otevan, Rya Taza, Sadunts, Shamiram, Shenkani, Sipan, Sorik and Tlik. The villages of Arteni, Oshakan, Vardenut and Voskevaz have a significant Yazidi population as well. Yazidis are also found in the towns of
Aparan Aparan ( Armenian: ), is a town and urban municipal community in Armenia, located in the Aragatsotn Province, about 50 kilometers northwest of the capital Yerevan. As of the 2011 census, the population of the town was 6,451. As per the 2016 offi ...
and Talin. The village of Alagyaz is also home to a small number of
Kurds ug:كۇردلار Kurds ( ku, کورد ,Kurd, italic=yes, rtl=yes) or Kurdish people are an Iranian peoples, Iranian ethnic group native to the mountainous region of Kurdistan in Western Asia, which spans southeastern Turkey, northwestern Ir ...
.


Administrative divisions

As a result of the administrative reforms completed during 2019, Aragatsotn is currently divided into 9 municipal communities (''hamaynkner''), of which 3 are urban and 69 are rural: *''A cross denotes a town (urban settlement), otherwise, the settlements are villages (rural settlements).'' Many villages in Aragatsotn are currently abandoned or uninhabited, including Arum, Buravet, Karmrashen, Kasagh,
Kyalashbek Kyalashbek is an abandoned village in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. See also * Aragatsotn Province References * Former populated places in Aragatsotn Province {{Aragatsotn-geo-stub ...
, Lusaghbyur,
Nigatun Nigatun ( hy, Նիգատուն) is an abandoned village in the Ashtarak Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. References *Report of the results of the 2001 Armenian Census Former populated places in Aragatsotn Province {{Ar ...
, Shenik,
Verin Kalakut Verin Kalakut (also, Verkhniy Kalakut), is an abandoned settlement in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. See also *Aragatsotn Province Aragatsotn ( hy, Արագածոտն, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the weste ...
and Zovuni.


Culture

The 17th-century bridge of Ashtarak on Kasagh River is among the interesting sites of the Aragatsotn Province. The urban settlements of the province are home to cultural palaces and many public libraries. The house-museum of novelist
Perch Proshyan Perch Proshian ( hy, Պերճ Պռոշյան, Hovhannes Ter-Arakelian, , Ashtarak – 23 November 1907, Baku) was an Armenian writer. Biography Proshian was born in a tailor's family in Ashtarak. His education included parish school (1849–52) ...
founded in 1948, is located in the town of Ashtarak within the Proshyan family house. It was last restored in 2008. Aragatsotn is also home to the Armenian Alphabet park located near the town of Aparan. The Ashtarak Walnut Festival is taking place every year during the month of October to promote the famous walnut of Ashtarak. It was first celebrated in 2012. Talin has its local "Talin Ashkharh" weekly newspaper.


Fortresses and archaeological sites

*
Ushiberd Ushiberd ( hy, Ուշիբերդ) is an Iron Age fortress located upon a hill just outside the village of Ushi in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It has almost completely collapsed except for portions of the walls that once surrounded the f ...
fortress of the
Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
, * ''Verin Naver'' archaeological site, 24th-14th centuries BC * Amberd fortress of the 7th century, * Dashtadem Fortress of the 9th century.


Churches and monasteries

* The Arshakid Kings Mausoleum and Basilica of the 4th century, *
Kasagh Basilica The Kasagh Basilica (Քասաղի բազիլիկա), formally known as the Holy Cross Church (Սուրբ Խաչ եկեղեցի, ''Surb Khach yekeghetsi''), is an early medieval Armenian church in the town of Aparan in the Aragatsotn Province of ...
of the 4th century, * Astvatsenkal Monastery, 4th-5th centuries, * Saint Paul and Peter Church of Zovuni, 4th-5th centuries, * Church of Saint John of Mastara, 5th century, * Saint George Church of Garnahovit of the 7th century, * Aruchavank Cathedral of the 7th century *
Saint Christopher Monastery Saint Christopher Monastery ( hy, Սուրբ Քրիստափորի վանք; meaning the ''Monastery of Saint Christopher''), is a restored Armenian church of the 7th century, located in a cemetery southeast of the outskirts of Dashtadem villag ...
of the 7th century, * Artavazik Church monastery of the 7th century, *
Cathedral of Talin The Cathedral of Talin ( hy, Թալինի Կաթողիկե եկեղեցի) is a seventh-century Armenian cathedral located in the cemetery of Talin, in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. Talin Cathedral Architecture Talin's Katoghike Chur ...
of the 7th century, * Surp Hovhannes Church of Voskevaz, 7th century * Tukh Manuk chapel of Lusagyugh, 7th century *
Saint Sarkis Monastery of Ushi Saint Sarkis Monastery ( hy, Սուրբ Սարգիս Վանք or Ուշի Վանք; also Surp Sarkis Vank) is a large monastic complex, just outside the village of Ushi in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It sits at the far side of what w ...
, 7th century * Yeghipatrush Church of the 10th century, * Surp Hovhannes Church of Byurakan of the 10th century, * Vahramashen Church of the 11th century, * Tukh Manuk Chapel of
Kuchak Kuchak ( hy, Քուչակ) formerly known as Alikuchak, is a village in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It was founded in 1829-30 and named after Nahapet Kuchak, a 16th-century Armenian poet.Kiesling, ''Rediscovering Armenia'', p. 22, availab ...
, 12th-13th centuries * Tukh Manuk Shrine of Oshakan, 12-13th centuries, * Hovhannavank Monastery of 1216, * Tegher Monastery of the 13th century, * Saghmosavank Monastery of the 13th century, * Kosh fortress and churches, 13th-14th centuries, * Saint Gevork Monastery of Mughni of the 14th century, * Surp Astvatsatsin Church of Karbi, 17th century, * Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church of 1879 in Oshakan, * The churches of Spitakavor, Karmravor, Tsiranavor, Saint Mariane and Saint Sarkis in
Ashtarak Ashtarak (Armenian: ), is a town and urban municipal community in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, located on the left bank of Kasagh River along the gorge, northwest of the capital Yerevan. It is the administrative centre of the Aragatsotn pro ...
.


Transportation

The province is connected with the capital Yerevan through the Ashtarak highway. The M-1 Motorway connects Aragatsotn with northwestern Armenia, including the city of Gyumri, while the M-3 Motorway connects the province with northeastern Armenia up to the Georgian border.


Economy


Agriculture

The rural population of the province is 3 times bigger than the urban. Thus, the majority of the population is involved in agriculture, including farming and cattle-breeding. Being a major agricultural region, Aragatsotn contributes 9.7% of the annual total agricultural product of Armenia. Around 79% (2,178 km2) of the total area of the province are
arable land Arable land (from the la, arabilis, "able to be ploughed") is any land capable of being ploughed and used to grow crops.''Oxford English Dictionary'', "arable, ''adj''. and ''n.''" Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2013. Alternatively, for th ...
s, out of which 25% (542 km2) are ploughed. With an approximate areա of of farmlands are occupied by grains and dry seeds. Around 40% of the of orchards in Aragatsotn are occupied by grapes. Potato farms occupy around , while vegetables are spread over of farms. Around the highlands of Mount Aragats, particularly in the regions of Aparan and Talin, cattle-breeding is more common in the rural communities. Beekeeping farms are also found at higher woodlands. The village of Voskehat is home to the "Ashtarak Dzu" poultry farm, while the Aragats village is home to the "Aragats Poultry farm".


Industry

Aragatsotn has a poor industrial structure compared to other provinces in Armenia. It has only a share of 2% in the annual total industrial product of Armenia. The existing industrial firms are mainly based on food-processing, dairy products, production of alcoholic drinks, water bottling, and building materials production. *Ashtarak is home to the "Ashtarak-Kat" company (founded in 1995), the leading ice-cream and dairy products manufacturer in Armenia. The town is also home to the "Gourmet Dourme" chocolate factory founded in 2007, the "P & D Group Armenia" for plastic containers founded in 2007, as well as the "Milen Art" plant and the "Kharam Cooperative" for building materials production. *Aparan is home to the "Nig" factory for electrical products founded in 1964, the "Aparan Cheese Factory" founded in 1982 (privatized in 1995), and the "Aparan Group LLC" for bottled water, soft drinks, and dairy products, founded in 2006, and the "Gntunik" plant for bakery and dairy products. *Aragatsotn is a major centre for dairy products and dried fruits. Talin is home to the "Bonilat" factory for dairy products founded in 2005, based on the former Talin cheese factory. Other producers of dairy products include the "Gloria Cheeses" factory founded in 2005 in
Aragatsavan Aragatsavan ( hy, Արագածավան) is a village in the Aragatsavan Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands o ...
, the "Anulik" factory of Nigavan, the "Mastarchedo" plant of
Mastara Mastara ( hy, Մաստարա) is a village in the Talin Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The 5th-century Armenian Church of S. Hovhannes is situated in the northeastern half of the village, while the church of S. Stepanos Na ...
. The "Tamara Fruit" plant of Karbi (founded in 1985), the "Gyughi Tatik" plant of Oshakan (founded in 2002), the "Astghunk" plant of Aghdzk, and the "Byurakan Chir" plant of Byurakan specialize in dried-fruits production. Other notable food-processing plants of Aragatsotn include the "Village House" meat-processing plant in Agarak, the "Meat Art" for meet products in Getap, the "Avetsiyan Aghek" plant for soft drinks in Talin, the "Aparani Lavash" for bakery products in Davtashen, *Aragatsotn has many large industrial firms for alcoholic drinks production, including the Voskevaz Winery founded in 1932 in Voskevaz (privatized in 2004), the
ArmAs Winery The Arma people are an ethnic group of the middle Niger River valley, descended from Moroccan invaders of the 16th century . The name, applied by other groups, derives from the word ''ar-rumah'' ( ar, الرماة) "fusiliers". N. Levtzion, "N ...
founded in 2007 in Nor Yedesia, the Armenia Wine Winery founded in 2008 in Sasunik, the "Hayasy Group" for brandy, vodka, beer and juices founded in 2011 in Voskevaz, the Wine House Winery founded in 2011 in Aghdzk, and the "Van Ardi Winery founded in 2013 in Sasunik. *The province has many large firms for the production of building materials, including the "Aragats Perlite" plant for crushed stone founded in 1961 in Aragatsavan, the "Arus" company for stone structures in Parpi, and the "Levadan LLC" for building materials. Other notable firms within the province include the "SKIFF" enterprise for paintwork materials founded in 2008 in Sasunik and the "Diamotech" factory for gemstones in Talin.


Tourism

Aragatsotn is a major centre for
ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...
and the lovers of extreme tourism. Aragats is the highest mountain of modern-day Armenia. It is a single extinct volcano consisting of 4 peaks: the northern (4090 m.), western (4080 m.), eastern (3916 m.), and southern (3879 m.) peaks. Thus, it frequently attracts
hikers Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A His ...
and
adventure travel Adventure travel is a type of niche tourism, involving exploration or travel with a certain degree of risk (real or perceived), and which may require special skills and physical exertion. In the United States, adventure tourism has grown i ...
ers, with its mountain lake of Kari situated at a height of 3250 meters. The well-preserved ancient monasteries and medieval fortresses are also among the main attractions of the province. Luxury hotels are found in Byurakan, Aghtsk and
Ashtarak Ashtarak (Armenian: ), is a town and urban municipal community in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, located on the left bank of Kasagh River along the gorge, northwest of the capital Yerevan. It is the administrative centre of the Aragatsotn pro ...
. Byurakan is also home to the Byurakan Observatory. The Mount Aragats and Lake Kari are among the touristic destinations of the province. The government protects the area as a wildlife sanctuary named
Aragats Alpine Sanctuary Mount Aragats ( hy, Արագած, ) is an isolated four-peaked volcano massif in Armenia. Its northern summit, at above sea level, is the highest point of the Lesser Caucasus and Armenia. It is also one of the highest points in the Armenia ...
. The Abaran Battle Memorial and the Armenian Alphabet Park near Aparan are also among the most visited locations of Aragatsotn.


Education

As of the 2015-16 educational year, Aragatsotn Province has 123 schools, out of which 119 are operated by the province administration, while 4 are under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Education and Science. The total number of the schools includes the 20 schools that are designated for the ethnic Yazidi and Kurdish minorities. As of the end of 2015, the number of students in the province's schools is 17,010. There is also one school for special needs in the province. The town of Ashtarak is home to 2 major research institutions: the Mikael Ter-Mikaelian Institute for Physical Research and the Institute of Radiophysics and Electronics. The village of Byurakan is home to the Byurakan Observatory operated by the
Armenian National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (NAS RA) ( hy, Հայաստանի Հանրապետության գիտությունների ազգային ակադեմիա, ՀՀ ԳԱԱ, ''Hayastani Hanrapetut’yan gitut’yunneri az ...
. The house-museum of novelist
Perch Proshyan Perch Proshian ( hy, Պերճ Պռոշյան, Hovhannes Ter-Arakelian, , Ashtarak – 23 November 1907, Baku) was an Armenian writer. Biography Proshian was born in a tailor's family in Ashtarak. His education included parish school (1849–52) ...
founded in 1948 in Ashtarak, is among the most significant cultural centres of the province.


Sport

Football is the most popular sport in Aragatsotn. The province was represented at the
Armenian Premier League The Armenian Premier League ( hy, VBET Հայաստանի Պրեմիեր Լիգա, known as the VBET Armenian Premier League for sponsorship reasons) is the top football competition in Armenia. From 1936 to 1991, the competition was held as a r ...
by FC Mika of Ashtarak until 2007 when they were relocated to
Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and ...
. The
Kasaghi Marzik Stadium Kasakhi Marzik Stadium ( hy, Քասախի մարզիկ մարզադաշտ) is a football stadium in Ashtarak, Armenia. It was opened in 1971 and is the former home ground of Mika and former club Kasakh FC. The capacity of the stadium is 3,600. Th ...
in Ashtarak is the largest sports venue in the province. The sports centres in Ashtarak were entirely renovated and opened in July 2017, with an approximate cost of US$1 million. Ashtarak is also home to the ''Ayrudzi'' horse racing club. It is planned to construct a modern sports complex in the village of Parpi. The football stadium of the complex was opened in 2013. At the height of 2000 meters above sea level, the town of Aparan has a ski resort served with a ski lift.


Notable natives

* Ghazar Parpetsi (circa 442-early 6th century), 5th to 6th-century Armenian chronicler and historian. * Gevorg I of Byurakan (?-795), Catholicos of All Armenians. *
Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan (June 2, 1305 – December 1, 1335) ( Persian, Arabic: ), also spelt Abusaid Bahador Khan, Abu Sa'id Behauder ( mn, , ''Busayid Baghatur Khan'', ''Бусайд баатар хаан'' / ''Busaid baatar khaan'', in mod ...
(1305-1335), 9th ruler of the
Ilkhanate The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate ( fa, ایل خانان, ''Ilxānān''), known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (, ''Qulug-un Ulus''), was a khanate established from the southwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanid realm, ...
. * Nerses V of Ashtarak (1770-1857), Catholicos of All Armenians. *
Perch Proshyan Perch Proshian ( hy, Պերճ Պռոշյան, Hovhannes Ter-Arakelian, , Ashtarak – 23 November 1907, Baku) was an Armenian writer. Biography Proshian was born in a tailor's family in Ashtarak. His education included parish school (1849–52) ...
(1837-1907), Armenian writer. *
Smbat Shahaziz Smbat Shahaziz ( hy, Սմբատ Շահազիզ, 1840 in Ashtarak, Armenia – January 5, 1908 in Moscow, Russia) was an Armenian educator, poet and publicist. Biography Born in a family of a priest, he was the youngest of six brothers. He ...
(1840-1908), Armenian poet. *
Norair Sisakian Norair Martirosovich Sisakian (Sissakian) ( hy, Նորայր Մարտիրոսի Սիսակյան; russian: Норайр Мартиросович Сисакян, 12 January 1907 – 12 March 1966) was a Soviet Armenian biochemist, academic, one o ...
(1907-1966), Soviet Armenian biochemist. * Gevorg Emin (1918-1998), Armenian poet. * Emil Gabrielian (1931-2010), Armenian physician. * Vardges Petrosyan (1932-1994), Armenian writer.


Gallery

File:Vahramashen Church of Amberd, Armenia.jpg, Vahramashen Surp Astvatsatsin Church of 1026 File:Saghmosavank kev.jpg, Saghmosavank Monastery, 13th century File:Mughni Monastery.jpg,
Saint Gevorg Monastery of Mughni Saint Gevork Monastery or Saint George's Monastery of Mughni (Armenian: Սուրբ Գեւորգ Եկեղեցի or Սուրբ Գեւորգ Վանք ; pronounced ''Surp Gevork'') is located just off of the main road that runs through the village of ...
, 14th century File:Amberd fortress and church 2009.jpg, Amberd fortress and Vahramashen Church File:Ամբերդ գետի հովիտը.jpg, Amberd river valley


See also

* Mount Aragats *
Yazidis in Armenia Yazidis in Armenia (; ku, Êzîdiyên Ermenistanê) are Yazidis who live in Armenia, where they form the largest ethnic minority. Yazidis settled in the territory of modern-day Armenia mainly in the 19th and early 20th centuries, fleeing religi ...


References


External links


Aragatsotn guide with detailed descriptions, by Rick Ney

Aragatsotn Tourist Guide

Armenia news
{{Authority control Provinces of Armenia