Hrazdan ( hy,
Հրազդան), is a town and urban municipal community in
Armenia serving as the administrative centre of
Kotayk Province, located northeast of the capital
Yerevan. As of the 2011 census, the population of the town is 41,875. It has lost a significant number of inhabitants since the 1989 census reported 59,000 people.
During the
Soviet period, Hrazdan was one of the highly industrialized centres of 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 ...
.
The prelacy of the
Diocese of Kotayk
Diocese of Kotayk ( hy, Կոտայքի թեմ ''Kotayki t'em''), is a diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church covering the Kotayk Province of Armenia. The name is derived from the historic ''Kotayk canton'' of Ayrarat province of Armenia Major.
...
of the
Armenian Apostolic Church is headquartered in Hrazdan.
Etymology
The town is named after the
Hrazdan River
The Hrazdan ( hy, Հրազդան գետ, ) is a major river and the second largest in Armenia. It originates at the northwest extremity of Lake Sevan and flows south through the Kotayk Province and Armenia's capital, Yerevan; the lake in turn is f ...
which flows through the town from north to south. The name ''Hrazdan'' itself is derived from the
Middle-Persian name ''Frazdān'' which is related to the
Zoroastrian mythology. ''Frazdān'' is the name of the lake mentioned in the
Avesta while referring to
Goshtasb's war with two of its enemies.
Armenians were predominantly Zoroastrian before embracing Christianity, and Zoroastrian names were maintained in the geography of Armenia.
History
Ancient history and Middle Ages
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Historically, the territory of Hrazdan is associated with the historic Kotayk canton of
Ayrarat province of
Ancient Armenia. According to
Ptolemy, Kotayk was directly ruled by the
Arsacid kings of Armenia
The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe in conqueri ...
during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Later between the 5th and 7th centuries, the region was granted to the
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-S ...
and
Amatuni families, under the Persian rule. Between the 7th and 9th centuries, Armenia suffered from the Arab Islamic occupation.
By the end of the 9th century, the region became part of the newly established Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia. Between the 11th and 15th centuries, the region suffered from the
Seljuk Seljuk or Saljuq (سلجوق) may refer to:
* Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia
* Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities
* Seljuk (warlord) (di ...
, Mongol,
Ag Qoyunlu
The Aq Qoyunlu ( az, Ağqoyunlular , ) was a culturally Persianate,Kaushik Roy, ''Military Transition in Early Modern Asia, 1400–1750'', (Bloomsbury, 2014), 38; "Post-Mongol Persia and Iraq were ruled by two tribal confederations: Akkoyunlu (Wh ...
and
Kara Koyunlu invasions, respectively.
16th to 19th centuries
At the beginning of the 16th century, the territory became part of the ''Erivan Beglarbegi'' within the
Safavid Persia
Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...
. During the first half of the 18th century, the territory 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 peoples ...
of Persia. It remained under the Persian rule until 1827-1828, when Eastern Armenia was ceded to the
Russian Empire as a result of the
Russo-Persian War of 1826–28 and the signing of the
Treaty of Turkmenchay.
20th century and beyond
With the fall of the
Russian Empire and as a result of the decisive Armenian victory over the Turks in the battles of
Sardarabad,
Abaran, and
Gharakilisa, the region became part of the
independent Armenia in May 1918. After 2 years of brief independence, Armenia became part of the
Soviet Union in December 1920.
Hrazdan is among the towns that were founded and developed during the
Soviet rule. The former village of ''Akhta'' (or ''Nerkin Akhta'') -covering the southern parts of present-day Hrazdan- was the centre of the ''Akhta raion''; an administrative territory of the Armenian SSR formed in 1930. In 1959, The village of Akhta was incorporated into an
urban-type settlement known as Hrazdan. ''Akta raion'' was also renamed as ''Hrazdan raion''.
The original urban development plan of Hrazdan was introduced in 1961-63 by architects M. Grigoryan and E. Altunyan. Upon the January 12, 1963 decision of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR on the territorial changes in the state, the villages of Vanatur, Jrarat, Kakavadzor and
Makravan
Makravan is a district of the town of Hrazdan and a former village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. Upon the 12 January 1963 decision of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR on the territorial changes in the state, the villages of Atarbekyan, ...
have been merged within Hrazdan to become a town of republican subordination. In fact, the town of Hrazdan was formed through the merger of a group of separate villages and settlements.
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Hrazdan has gone through major development during the 1960s and 1970s when many large industrial plants were opened by the Soviet government, including the "HrazdanMash" machine tool plant, cement factory, Jrarat milk factory and the prefabricated concrete panels plant. Another urban development plan was introduced in 1978-80, where it was envisaged to accommodate 120,000 residents in Hrazdan by the end of 2010. However, the plan was eventually abandoned with the
dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union, also negatively connoted as rus, Разва́л Сове́тского Сою́за, r=Razvál Sovétskogo Soyúza, ''Ruining of the Soviet Union''. was the process of internal disintegration within the Sov ...
.
Modern-day Hrazdan is divided into 3 major parts:
*Northern, including the districts of Jrarat and Mikroshrjan, as well as the Hrazdan industrial district.
*Central, including the districts of Kochor,
Vanatur, Kentron, and
Makravan
Makravan is a district of the town of Hrazdan and a former village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. Upon the 12 January 1963 decision of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR on the territorial changes in the state, the villages of Atarbekyan, ...
.
*Southern, including the districts of Spandaryan and Aghbyurak along with the Hrazdan reservoir.
In December 1995, Hrazdan became the centre of the newly formed Kotayk Province.
Geography and climate
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The town of Hrazdan is located in the northeastern part of Armenia, within the
Kotayk Province. It is bordered by the Pambak mountains range from the north and the
Tsaghkunyats Mountains from the southwest. The borders of the town extended east across the
Geghama mountains
Gegham mountains (or Gegham Ridge, ISO 9985: Geġam), hy, Գեղամա լեռնաշղթա (''Geghama lernasheghta'') are a range of mountains in Armenia. The range is a tableland-type watershed basin of Sevan Lake from east, inflows of rivers ...
reaching up to the top of
Mount Gutanasar
Gutanasar or Gut'anasar ( hy, Գութանասար) is a mountain in the Kotayk Province near Fantan in Armenia. It is a 7,543 ft (2,299 m) high. A small Surb Astvatsatsin Church is located below it. It is a volcano which last erupted 200 ...
. While passing through the town,
Hrazdan River
The Hrazdan ( hy, Հրազդան գետ, ) is a major river and the second largest in Armenia. It originates at the northwest extremity of Lake Sevan and flows south through the Kotayk Province and Armenia's capital, Yerevan; the lake in turn is f ...
receives its tributaries; Marmarik and Aghveran rivers.
Hrazdan town has an average elevation 1675 meters above
sea level. The town has a warm-summer
humid continental climate (
Köppen climate classification ''Dfb''). The average temperature is 4,8 °C (-9 °C in January to 16,8 °C in August). The annual precipitation is between 715 and 730 mm.
Demographics
Population
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The residents of Hrazdan are originally from the regions of
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 ...
and
Mush of
Western Armenia, and the regions of
Maku,
Salmast and
Khoy of present-day
Iran, who arrived in Soviet Armenia between 1926 and 1929. During the repatriation process, citizens from other regions of Armenia and Armenians from Diaspora were also resettled in Hrazdan.
Here is the population timeline of Hrazdan since 1959:
Religion
The residents of Hrazdan are mainly Christians who belong to the
Armenian Apostolic Church. The church is regulated by the
Diocese of Kotayk
Diocese of Kotayk ( hy, Կոտայքի թեմ ''Kotayki t'em''), is a diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church covering the Kotayk Province of Armenia. The name is derived from the historic ''Kotayk canton'' of Ayrarat province of Armenia Major.
...
.
Present-day Hrazdan is home to many churches dating back to the Middle Ages as well as the modern periods. The Surp Stepanos (Saint Stephen) Monastic Complex of Aghbyurak -currently in ruins- dates back to the 10th and 12th centuries. As of 2016, the town is home to the following churches:
*
Makravank Monastery
Makravank ( hy, Մաքրավանք) is an Armenian church-complex located in the Makravan district of Hrazdan, the capital of Kotayk Province, Armenia. Hasratyan, Murad. ''Մաքրավանք'' (Mak'ravank'). Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia. vol. vii ...
, consisted of 2 churches: the Holy Saviour's church of the 10th century and the Holy Mother of God church of the 13th century,
* Holy Cross Church of Kochor originally built in 1854-61, rebuilt in 2013,
* Holy Mother of God Church of Vanatur, opened in 1883,
* Blue Cross Chapel of Vanatur, built in 1993-96,
* Tukh Manuk Church, opened in 2003,
* Saint George's Church, opened in 2013.
Hrazdan is also home to many ruined churches and monasteries dating back to the medieval period, protected by the government of Armenia:
* Kakavadzor Upper Chapel, Hrazdan, 4-7th centuries,
* Surp Stepanos Church of Aghbyurak, 10-12th centuries,
* Holy Right Monastery, 10-14th centuries,
* Kakavadzor Chapel, Hrazdan, 18-19th centuries
* Surp Karapet Church of Jrarat, 1831.
Culture
The Hrazdan Drama Theatre was founded in 1953. The Hrazdan branch of the
National Gallery of Armenia and the Geological Museum of Hrazdan are also among the prominent cultural institutions in the town. The History Museum in Hrazdan founded by Armen Aivazyan, features more than 4000 historical remnants and valuable pieces.
Media
Hrazdan TV
Hrazdan TV Company (Armenian: Հրազդան հեռուստաընկերություն) is a private TV company in Hrazdan, Armenia, founded by the family of Harutyunyan within the framework of "Sirak" Limited Liability Company. The family also pub ...
is a private TV company in Hrazdan, founded by the family of Harutyunyan. The family also publishes a private newspaper and runs a radio company named known as ''Hrazdan Radio''. The number of the Hrazdan TV viewers is around 220,000. The TV is broadcasting its programmes since 1 September 1991, covering the
Kotayk Province and some parts of the
Gegharkunik Province.
Transportation
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Hrazdan is an important transport junction between the capital Yerevan and the northern provinces of Armenia. The M-4 Motorway that connects Yerevan with northern Armenia, passes through the southwestern edge of the town. As a provincial centre, Hrazdan is connected with the rest of Kotayk through a well-developed network of roads.
The town is also an important railroad station on the
South Caucasus Railway (
Yerevan to
Shorzha and Yerevan to
Dilijan
Dilijan ( hy, Դիլիջան) is a spa town and urban municipal community in the Tavush Province of Armenia. The town is one of the most important resorts in Armenia, situated within the Dilijan National Park. The forested town is home to numer ...
lines).
Economy
Hrazdan is one of the highly industrialized towns in Armenia. The town is home to many large plants including:
*Hrazdan hydroelectric power plant: built between 1954 and 1959 in the Aghbyurak district of Hrazdan, as part of the
Sevan–Hrazdan Cascade
Sevan–Hrazdan Cascade () is a complex of hydroelectric power plants on the Hrazdan River and its tributaries between the Lake Sevan and Yerevan in Armenia. They use irrigation water flow from the Lake Sevan and streams waters of Hrazdan River. T ...
. It has two turbines with a total installed capacity of 81.6 MW.
Its nominal annual generation is 375 GWh, but the factual generation for the last years has been about 40 GWh. The water reservoir has an area of 1.7 km² with a capacity of 5,6 million m³.
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*
Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant
Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant (Hrazdan TPP, hy, Հրազդանի ջերմաէլեկտրակայան) is a natural gas-fired power plant in the north-western part of Hrazdan in Armenia. It is one of the largest power plants in Armenia. This power ...
(RazTES OJSC): is one of the largest thermal power plants in Transcaucasia. It was built in 1963–1974, and the first unit became operational in 1966. In 2013, a new unit was added. 4 older units of the plant are owned and operated by the Hrazdan Energy Company, a subsidiary of
Inter RAO UES, while the new 5th unit is owned and operated by
Gazprom Armenia. In 2015, Inter RAO UES sold the Hrazdan Energy Company to the Cyprus-registered Liormand Holdings Ltd., a part of the Tashir Group owned by
Samvel Karapetyan.
The plant has a total power of 1,110 MW (units 1-4) and 480 MW for the added 5th unit.
*
Hrazdan Cement
Hrazdan Cement CJSC is a closed joint-stock company located in the town of Hrazdan, the provincial centre of Kotayk Province, Armenia. Founded in 1970 as "Hrazdan Cement Factory" by the Soviet government, the plant was privatized in 2001 to beco ...
factory of Hrazdan: founded in 1970 as "Hrazdan Cement Factory" by the Soviet government. It was privatized in 2001 to become owned by "MIKA Ltd.". In July 2014, a new group of owners took over the factory lead by Nikolay Khachaturov of Khachaturov Group. Since then, the plant has undergone major changes by improving the production technology and becoming more environmentally friendly. The plant is one of the largest cement producers in Transcaucasia with an annual production capacity of 1.2 million tons and the only one in the region with wet production methodology.
*"Qualitech Machinery" machine tool plant is an Armenian-Canadian joint venture founded in 1999.
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The town has also minor industrial firms including the "Hidro Storm" metal-plastic manufacturing plant founded in 2009, as well as the "Arjermek" and "Hakobyan" companies for building materials.
Education
Hrazdan is home to the Humanitarian Institute of Hrazdan opened in 1996. Owned by the private sector, the university has 3 faculties: law, pedagogy and economics.
As of 2009, 13 public education schools, 13 nursery schools, 1 school for special needs and several musical and sport academies are operating in Hrazdan.
There is a research centre within the Hrazdan Zoological and Botanical Garden.
Sport
Football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
is the most popular sport in Hrazdan.
FC Shinarar
FC Shinarar ( hy, Շինարար Ֆուտբոլային Ակումբ), is a defunct Armenian football club from Hrazdan, Kotayk Province
Kotayk ( hy, Կոտայք, ), is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located at the central part of t ...
was the football club who represented the town during the Soviet years. The municipal stadium of Hrazdan was their home venue. However, the club was dissolved in 1992 due to financial difficulties.
Field hockey is also popular in the town. Hrazdan is home to the only field hockey venue of Armenia, with a capacity of 1,500 seats. ''Hrazdan Hockey Club'' occasionally represents Armenia in several regional and international tournaments. The Soviet-Armenian player and 1980 Olympic bronze medalist
Sos Hayrapetyan
Sos Hayrapetyan (also Airapetian, hy, Սոս Հայրապէտյան, born 12 September 1959) is a retired field hockey defender from Armenia. He won four Soviet Cups (1982, 1983, 1986, 1987), eight Soviet championships (1980–1987), two Europe ...
played for the club between 1988 and 1992.
[АЙРОПЕТЯН СОС ДЕРЕНИКОВИЧ]
sportufo.ru
Notable people born in Hrazdan
*
Mishik Kazaryan
Mishik Airazatovich Kazaryan (russian: Мишик Айразатович Казарян; 28 February 1948 – 7 April 2020) was a Russian-Armenian physicist specialising in laser physics and optics, the winner of the State Prize of the USSR in t ...
(1948-2020), world-known Russian-Armenian physicist specialising in laser physics and optics, the winner of the State Prize of the USSR in the field of science and technology (1980), foreign member of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, member of the A.M.Prokhorov Academy of Engineering Sciences, a creator of the sell-heating cooper vapor laser - the brightest repetitively pulsed laser in the visible region of the spectrum.
*
Armen Nazaryan
Armen Nazaryan ( hy, Արմեն Նազարյան, bg, Армен Назарян, born 9 March 1974) is an Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler who later represented Bulgaria. Nazaryan is a two-time Olympic Champion (1996, 2000), a three-time World C ...
(1982-), Armenian judoka
See also
*
Hrazdan River
The Hrazdan ( hy, Հրազդան գետ, ) is a major river and the second largest in Armenia. It originates at the northwest extremity of Lake Sevan and flows south through the Kotayk Province and Armenia's capital, Yerevan; the lake in turn is f ...
References
External links
Hrazdan city websiteMakravank MonasteryHrazdan TV
{{Portal bar, Geography
Populated places in Kotayk Province
Erivan Governorate