Shoghakat ( hy, Շողակաթ) is a village and a rural community in the Gegharkunik Province 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 ''Ox ...

, located near Lake Sevan, northwest of the Artanish Peninsula. The village was founded in the 1810s by Mordvins exiled from Russia. At the beginning of the 20th century Turks settled in the village. In 1988-1989 Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan settled in the village.

Toponymy

The village was formerly known as ''Nadezhdino'', ''Shordzhalu'' and later ''Shorzha'' ( hy, Շորժա) until November 2017.

Historical sites

A 17th-century chapel and cemetery are located along the southern outskirts of the village. On the hill overlooking Shoghakat, there are the ruins of another chapel. Remains of an

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 ...

fort can be seen in same area.

Nature

The Artanish peninsula of Lake Sevan with a hill of the same name, is located close to the village. Sea-buckthorn (''

Hippophae ''Hippophae'' is the genus of sea buckthorns, deciduous shrubs in the family Elaeagnaceae. The name sea buckthorn may be hyphenated to avoid confusion with the unrelated true buckthorns (''Rhamnus'', family Rhamnaceae). It is also referred to a ...

'') with wild-growing edible sour berries grow at the shores of Lake Sevan. Planted after the lowering of the level of Lake Sevan in the Soviet period. The vicinity of the village hosts 111 species of butterflies and is recognized as the Prime Butterfly Area "Artanish-Shoghakat". Also the area is known as one of the key birding sites of Armenia.

Infrastructure

The village can be accessed via Armenian road M14 (repaired in 2020-21) running along the north-east shore of Lake Sevan either from Tsovagyugh village (in the northwest of Shoghakat) or from Vardenis (in the south-east). Another road connects it to the town of Chambarak in the north-west. In summer, passenger trains of South Caucasus Railways commute from

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Y ...

, via the towns of Hrazdan and Sevan.

Recreation

The shores of Lake Sevan near the village hosts several popular camping sites. Most popular is perhaps the camping site called "Whishup" (a wordplay with '' Vishap'', "dragon" in Armenian) located between the road and lakeshore at about 1.5 km from the village towards Tsovagyugh. Various water sports, like

wakeboarding Wakeboarding is a water sport in which the rider, standing on a wakeboard (a board with foot bindings), is towed behind a motorboat across its wake and especially up off the crest in order to perform aerial maneuvers. A hallmark of wakeboardin ...

, kiteboarding, are practiced there and some equipment is available for rent along a sandy beach with a cafe. In summer evenings concerts are held at the stage on the beach. On the opposite side of the Artanish peninsula, the yachting clubs " Ayas" and "Armenian camp" can be found. Sailing and

paddling Paddling with regard to watercraft is the act of manually propelling a boat using a paddle. The paddle, which consists of one or two blades joined to a shaft, is also used to steer the vessel. The paddle is not connected to the boat (unlike in r ...

equipment can be rented there and guided tours on a sailing ship can be booked. A copy of a medieval Armenian sea vessel is placed there. Built in the 90's and named ''Cilicia'' (referring to

Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (Middle Armenian: , '), also known as Cilician Armenia ( hy, Կիլիկեան Հայաստան, '), Lesser Armenia, Little Armenia or New Armenia, and formerly known as the Armenian Principality of Cilicia ( hy, ...

, where such vessels were built and used) it sailed round Europe, and was brought back to Lake Sevan. There is also a diver's club located nearby.

Municipal administration

After administrative reforms in November 2017, the name of the village was changed from Shorzha to Shoghakat and it was assigned as the administrative centre of the same-name rural municipality including the villages of

Aghberk Aghberk ( hy, Աղբերք; az, Ağbulaq, anglicized: ''Aghbulag'') is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The village was populated by Azerbaijanis before the exodus of Azerbaijanis from Armenia after the outbreak of the Nagorno-Ka ...

Artanish Artanish ( hy, Արտանիշ; az, Ardanış) is a village in the Shoghakat Municipality of the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. The village was populated by Azerbaijanis before the exodus of Azerbaijanis from Armenia after the outbreak of the ...

Drakhtik Drakhtik ( hy, Դրախտիկ) is a village in the Shoghakat Municipality of the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. Etymology The village was previously known as ''Tokhluja'' (; ; ). The current name of the village, Drakhtik, means "little para ...

, Jil and

Tsapatagh Tsapatagh ( hy, Ծափաթաղ) is a resort village in the Shoghakat Municipality of the Gegharkunik Province in Armenia, on the northeastern shore of Lake Sevan. Geography and nature The village is located in the vicinity of the Tandzut ri ...

Gallery

Shorzha Chapel.JPG, 17th-century chapel on the outskirts of the village Artanish.jpg, Hilltop of Artanish peninsula Շորժա, համայնապատկեր 4.jpg, Shoghakat as viewed from atop the adjacent hill with chapel ruins Railroad station in Shorzha (Gegarkunik, Armenia).jpg, Railroad station Շորժա, հուշարձան նվիրված Արցախյան պատերազմին.jpg, Monument to the fallen in the

First Nagorno-Karabakh War The First Nagorno-Karabakh War, referred to in Armenia as the Artsakh Liberation War ( hy, Արցախյան ազատամարտ, Artsakhyan azatamart) was an ethnic and territorial conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in th ...

Շորժայի գյուղապետարան.jpg, Municipality building

References

External links

* * {{portal bar, Geography Populated places in Gegharkunik Province Erivan Governorate