Vagharshapat ( hy, Վաղարշապատ ) is the 4th-largest city in
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 ...
and the most populous municipal community of
Armavir Province
Armavir ( hy, wikt:Արմավիր, Արմավիր, ), is a administrative divisions of Armenia, 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 n ...
, located about west of the capital
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 ...
, and north of the closed Turkish-Armenian border. It is commonly known as Ejmiatsin (also spelled Echmiadzin or Etchmiadzin, , ), which was its official name between 1945 and 1995. It is still commonly used colloquially and in official bureaucracy (
dual naming
Dual naming is the adoption of an official place name that combines two earlier names, or uses both names, often to resolve a disagreement over which of the two individual names is more appropriate. In some cases, the reasons are political. Some ...
).
The city is best known as the location of
Etchmiadzin Cathedral
Etchmiadzin Cathedral) or simply Etchmiadzin. Alternatively spelled as Echmiadzin, Ejmiatsin, and Edjmiadsin. ( hy, Էջմիածնի մայր տաճար, Ēǰmiatsni mayr tačar) is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, located i ...
and
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the center of 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 ...
. It is thus unofficially known in Western sources as a "
holy city
A holy city is a city important to the history or faith of a specific religion. Such cities may also contain at least one headquarters complex (often containing a religious edifice, seminary, shrine, residence of the leading cleric of the religi ...
" and in Armenia as the country's "spiritual capital" (). It was one of the major cities and a
capital
Capital may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** List of national capital cities
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences
* Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
of
the ancient Kingdom of Greater Armenia. Reduced to a small town by the early 20th century, it experienced large expansion during the Soviet period becoming, effectively, a suburb of Yerevan.
Its population stands just over 37,000 based on 2016 estimates.
Etymology
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 an ...
, the area of Vagharshapat was known as ''Artimed'' (Արտիմէդ), derived from the
ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
deity
Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...
. Later, it was renamed ''Avan Vardgesi'' (, "Town of Vardges") or ''Vardgesavan'' () by Prince Vardges Manouk who rebuilt the settlement near the shores of
Kasagh River
Kasagh () is a river in the west-central region of modern Armenia which flows north to south. It originates near Mount Aragats in Aragatsotn province, flows south into Armavir province and into the Metsamor, which itself is a tributary of the ...
, during the reign of King
Orontes I Sakavakyats
Orontes I Sakavakyats was a legendary king of Armenia, who was the personification of the Orontid dynasty.
In historiography
Orontes appears in both in the ''Cyropaedia'' of the Greek soldier and historian Xenophon (died 354 BC) and the '' Histo ...
of Armenia (570–560 BC). However, in his first book, ''Wars of Justinian'', the Byzantine historian
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea ( grc-gre, Προκόπιος ὁ Καισαρεύς ''Prokópios ho Kaisareús''; la, Procopius Caesariensis; – after 565) was a prominent late antique Greek scholar from Caesarea Maritima. Accompanying the Roman gener ...
refers to the city as ''Valashabad'' (Balashabad), named after king
Vologases I of Armenia
Vologases I of Armenia () or Vagharsh I was a Parthian prince who ruled Armenia from 117 to 140. He was apparently an Arsacid and is described as the "son of Sanatruces" (King of Armenia 88–110) by Cassius Dio. He became king following the end ...
. The name evolved into its later form by the shift of the medial ''l'' into a ''gh'', which is common in the Armenian language.
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 an ...
mentioned that the town of Vardges was entirely rebuilt and fenced by King Vagharsh I to become known as ''Norakaghak'' (, "New City") and later ''Vagharshapat''.
''Ejmiatsin'' (''Etchmiadzin'', ''Ēĵmiacin'') literally means "the descent of the Only-Begotten" or "the Only-Begotten descended" (from “the descent” and “the Only-Begotten”), referring to how St.
Gregory had a vision of Jesus (the Only-Begotten Son of God) descending to the place and marking it as where Gregory should erect churches.
History
Early history
The territory of ancient Vagharshapat was inhabited since the 3rd millennium BC. Many sites, such as
Metsamor Castle, Shresh hill and Mokhrablur hill date back to the
neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
period. The first written records about Vagharshapat were found in the inscriptions left by the
Urartian
Urartian or Vannic is an extinct Hurro-Urartian language which was spoken by the inhabitants of the ancient kingdom of Urartu (''Biaini'' or ''Biainili'' in Urartian), which was centered on the region around Lake Van and had its capital, Tushpa, ...
king
Rusa II
Rusa II was king of Urartu between around 680 BC and 639 BC. It was during his reign that the massive fortress complex, Karmir-Blur, was constructed.Ian Lindsay and Adam T. Smith, ''A History of Archaeology in the Republic of Armenia'', Journal ...
(685–645 BC), where it was mentioned as ''Kuarlini'' (Կուարլինի). The inscription found in the archaeological site of ancient Vagharshapat cites to a water canal opened by king Rusa II, between Ildaruni river (
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 ...
) and the valley of Kuarlini.
According to 5th-century writer
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 an ...
, the oldest name of Vagharshapat was ''Artimed'' (Արտիմէդ), derived from the
ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
deity
Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...
. Later, it was renamed ''Avan Vardgesi'' (Աւան Վարդգէսի, "Town of Vardges") or ''Vardgesavan'' (Վարդգէսաւան) after being rebuilt by prince ''Vardges Manouk'' near the shores of
Kasagh River
Kasagh () is a river in the west-central region of modern Armenia which flows north to south. It originates near Mount Aragats in Aragatsotn province, flows south into Armavir province and into the Metsamor, which itself is a tributary of the ...
, during the reign of king
Orontes I Sakavakyats
Orontes I Sakavakyats was a legendary king of Armenia, who was the personification of the Orontid dynasty.
In historiography
Orontes appears in both in the ''Cyropaedia'' of the Greek soldier and historian Xenophon (died 354 BC) and the '' Histo ...
of Armenia (570–560 BC).
In the first half of the 1st century AD, under the reign of the Armenian
Arsacid
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 conquer ...
king
Vagharsh I of Armenia (117–144), the old town of Vardgesavan was renovated and renamed ''Vagharshapat'' (Վաղարշապատ). In his first book ''Wars of Justinian'', the Byzantine historian
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea ( grc-gre, Προκόπιος ὁ Καισαρεύς ''Prokópios ho Kaisareús''; la, Procopius Caesariensis; – after 565) was a prominent late antique Greek scholar from Caesarea Maritima. Accompanying the Roman gener ...
has cited to the city as ''Valashabad'' (Balashabad), named after king ''Valash'' (Balash) of Armenia. The name evolved into its later form by the shift in the medial ''L'' into a ''Gh'', which is common in the Armenian language.
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 an ...
mentioned that the Town of Vardges was entirely rebuilt and fenced by king Vagharsh I to become known as ''Noarakaghak'' (Նորաքաղաք, "New City") and later Vagharshapat.
![Zvartnots3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Zvartnots3.jpg)
Vagharshapat has served as the capital of the Arsacid
Kingdom of Armenia between 120 AD and 330 AD. After embracing Christianity as a state religion in Armenia in 301, Vagharshapat was gradually called ''Ejmiatsin'' ( hy, Էջմիածին), after the name of the
Mother Cathedral; the seat of the Armenian Catholicosate, which is considered one of the oldest religious organizations in the world. As a spiritual centre of the entire Armenian nation, Vagharshapat has grown up rapidly and developed as an important centre of education and culture. The city was home to one of the oldest educational institutions in Armenia founded by
Mesrop Mashtots Mesrob or Mesrop ( hy, Մեսրոպ) is an Armenian given name.
Mesrob / Mesrop may refer to:
*Mesrop Mashtots, also Saint Mesrop, Armenian monk, theologian and linguist. Inventor of the Armenian alphabet
**Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manu ...
.
The political capital of the Armenian kingdom was transferred to the city of
Dvin in 336.
Middle Ages
![Grigory Gagarin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Grigory_Gagarin._Escarmouche_de_Persans_et_de_Kurdes.jpg)
Vagharshapat maintained its status as the country's most important city until the fall of the Arsacid Kingdom in 428. The city gradually lost its importance under the Persian rule, specifically when the seat of the Catholicosate was transferred to
Dvin in 452. However, the first manuscript library in Armenia was founded in 480 in Vagharshapat.
The Armenian Church rejected the
Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon (; la, Concilium Chalcedonense), ''Synodos tēs Chalkēdonos'' was the fourth ecumenical council of the Christian Church. It was convoked by the Roman emperor Marcian. The council convened in the city of Chalcedon, Bith ...
(451) because they believed the Chalcedonian
christology
In Christianity, Christology (from the Ancient Greek, Greek grc, Χριστός, Khristós, label=none and grc, wiktionary:-λογία, -λογία, wiktionary:-logia, -logia, label=none), translated literally from Greek as "the study of Chr ...
was too similar to
Nestorianism
Nestorianism is a term used in Christian theology and Church history to refer to several mutually related but doctrinarily distinct sets of teachings. The first meaning of the term is related to the original teachings of Christian theologian ...
; however, some Armenian bishops who were present in the territories of
Roman Armenia
Roman Armenia refers to the rule of parts of Greater Armenia by the Roman Empire, from the 1st century AD to the end of Late Antiquity. While Armenia Minor had become a client state and incorporated into the Roman Empire proper during the 1st ce ...
signed the Council's documents and also accepted
Pope Leo I
Pope Leo I ( 400 – 10 November 461), also known as Leo the Great, was bishop of Rome from 29 September 440 until his death. Pope Benedict XVI said that Leo's papacy "was undoubtedly one of the most important in the Church's history."
Leo was ...
's 458
encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Roman Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop. The word comes from the Late Latin (originally from ...
mandating adherence to the
Chalcedonian Definition
The Chalcedonian Definition (also called the Chalcedonian Creed or the Definition of Chalcedon) is a declaration of Christ's nature (that it is dyophysite), adopted at the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451. Chalcedon was an early centre of Chris ...
. In
Persarmenia
Sasanian Armenia, also known as Persian Armenia and Persarmenia ( hy, Պարսկահայաստան – ''Parskahayastan''), may either refer to the periods in which Armenia ( pal, 𐭠𐭫𐭬𐭭𐭩 – ''Armin'') was under the suzerainty of ...
, the
Persian Nestorian Church supported the spread of Nestorianism, which the Armenian Church had previously declared heretical and saw as a threat to the independence of their Church.
Peter the Iberian
Peter the Iberian ( ka, პეტრე იბერი, tr) (c. 417-491) was a Georgian royal prince, theologian and philosopher who was a prominent figure in early Christianity and one of the founders of Christian Neoplatonism. Some have claimed ...
, a
Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
prince, also strongly opposed the Chalcedonian Creed. Thus, in 491, Catholicos
Babken I of Armenia, along with the
Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
and
Iberian bishops met in Vagharshapat and issued a condemnation of the Chalcedonian Definition.
In 587 during the reign of
emperor Maurice
Maurice ( la, Mauricius or ''Mauritius''; ; 539 – 27 November 602) was Eastern Roman emperor from 582 to 602 and the last member of the Justinian dynasty. A successful general, Maurice was chosen as heir and son-in-law by his predecessor Tib ...
, Vagharshapat (then called Valarshapat) and much of Armenia came under Roman administration after the Romans defeated the
Sassanid Persian Empire
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 last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
at the
battle of the Blarathon
The Battle of the Blarathon, also known as the Battle of Ganzak, was fought in 591 near Ganzak between a combined Byzantine–Persian force and a Persian army led by the usurper Bahram Chobin.
Background
In 590, Sasanian Shah Hormizd IV grew e ...
.
In 658 AD, Vagharshapat, along with the rest of the Armenian highland, was conquered by the Arabs. The city was briefly revived between the 9th and 11th centuries under the
Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia, before being overrun by the
Byzantines in 1045 and later by the
Seljuks
The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; fa, سلجوقیان ''Saljuqian'', alternatively spelled as Seljuqs or Saljuqs), also known as Seljuk Turks, Seljuk Turkomans "The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes
by the Turk ...
in 1064.
In the middle of the 13th century, Vagharshapat became part 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, ...
of the
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...
. During the last quarter of the 14th century the
Aq 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 ...
Sunni
Oghuz Turkic
The Oghuz languages are a sub-branch of the Turkic language family, spoken by approximately 108 million people. The three languages with the largest number of speakers are Turkish, Azerbaijani and Turkmen, which, combined, account for more t ...
tribe took over Armenia, including Vagharshapat.
In 1400, when
Timur
Timur ; chg, ''Aqsaq Temür'', 'Timur the Lame') or as ''Sahib-i-Qiran'' ( 'Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction'), his epithet. ( chg, ''Temür'', 'Iron'; 9 April 133617–19 February 1405), later Timūr Gurkānī ( chg, ''Temür Kür ...
invaded Armenia and Georgia many districts including Vagharshapat were depopulated under the rule of the
Timurid Empire
The Timurid Empire ( chg, , fa, ), self-designated as Gurkani ( Chagatai: کورگن, ''Küregen''; fa, , ''Gūrkāniyān''), was a PersianateB.F. Manz, ''"Tīmūr Lang"'', in Encyclopaedia of Islam, Online Edition, 2006 Turco-Mongol empire ...
. In 1410, Armenia fell under the control of the
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, En ...
Shia Oghuz Turkic tribe. Under the Turkic-Mongol rule, Vagharshapat was known to the Turks as ''Uchkilisa'' (Üçkilise, "three churches" in Turkic).
The influence of Vagharshapat waned between 1045 and 1441, when the seat of the Armenian Catholicosate was transferred from the
Cilicia
Cilicia (); el, Κιλικία, ''Kilikía''; Middle Persian: ''klkyʾy'' (''Klikiyā''); Parthian: ''kylkyʾ'' (''Kilikiyā''); tr, Kilikya). is a geographical region in southern Anatolia in Turkey, extending inland from the northeastern coa ...
n city of
Sis back to
Etchmiadzin
Vagharshapat ( hy, Վաղարշապատ ) is the 4th-largest city in Armenia and the most populous municipal community of Armavir Province, located about west of the capital Yerevan, and north of the closed Turkish-Armenian border. It is comm ...
.
Early modern period
Between 1502 and 1828, Armenia became part of the Persian state under the rule of
Safaavid,
Afsharid
Afsharid Iran ( fa, ایران افشاری), also referred as the Afsharid Empire was an Iranian empire established by the Turkoman Afshar tribe in Iran's north-eastern province of Khorasan, ruling Iran (Persia). The state was ruled by the ...
and
Qajar
Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially the Sublime State of Iran ( fa, دولت علیّه ایران ') and also known then as the Guarded Domains of Iran ( fa, ممالک م ...
dynasties, with short periods of
Ottoman rule between 1578 and 1603 and later between 1722 and 1736.
In 1828, after the
Russo-Persian War, Vagharshapat —as a 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 ...
— was handed over to the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the 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 the Great Northern War. ...
as a result 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 ...
signed on 21 February 1828.
In their 1833 book
Eli Smith
Eli Smith (born September 13, 1801, in Northford, Connecticut, to Eli and Polly (Whitney) Smith, and died January 11, 1857, in Beirut, Lebanon) was an American Protestant missionary and scholar. He graduated from Yale College in 1821 and from Andov ...
and
H. G. O. Dwight described Vagharshapat, then a village, as follows: "It presents nothing but a crowded collection of mud cabins, perhaps 500 in number."
With the establishment of the
Erivan Governorate
The Erivan Governorate was a province (''guberniya'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty (1801–1917), Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, with its centеr in Erivan (present-day Yerevan). Its area was 27,830 sq. kilometеrs, roughly correspondin ...
in 1850, Vagharshapat became the centre of the newly formed
Echmiadzinsky Uyezd.
Present day
![Monument for dead peoples in 2 War in Ejmiacin 03](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Monument_for_dead_peoples_in_2_War_in_Ejmiacin_03.JPG)
Armenia enjoyed a short period of independence between 1918 and 1920 before falling to the
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
11th Red Army
The 11th Army was a field army of the Red Army during the Russian Civil War, which fought on the Caspian-Caucasian Front. It took a prominent part in the sovietization of the three republics of the southern Caucasus in 1920–21, when Azerbaijan, ...
and becoming part of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
.
In 1925, the new plan of rebuilding the modern town was introduced by architect
Alexander Tamanian
Alexander Tamanian (, March 4, 1878 – February 20, 1936) was a Russian-born Armenian neoclassical architect, well known for his work in the city of Yerevan.
Life and work
Tamanian was born in the city of Yekaterinodar in 1878 in the family ...
. It was finally completed between 1939 and 1943. In 1945, the town of Vagharshapat was officially renamed ''Etchmiadzin'' by the Soviet government.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the town has witnessed a massive wave of construction, including residential buildings and industrial plants. By the end of the 1960s, the historical monuments of the town; including the religious complex of the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin,
Saint Hripsime Church
Saint Hripsime Church ( hy, Սուրբ Հռիփսիմե եկեղեցի, ''Surb Hřip’simē yekeghetsi''; sometimes ''Hripsimeh'') is a seventh century Armenian Apostolic church in the city of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), Armenia. It is one of t ...
,
Saint Gayane Church
The Saint Gayane Church ( hy, Սուրբ Գայանե եկեղեցի; pronounced ''Surb Gayane'') is a 7th-century Armenian church in Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), the religious center of Armenia. It is located within walking distance from the Etch ...
and the surrounding area of
Zvartnots Cathedral
Zvartnots Cathedral ( hy, Զուարթնոց ( classical); ( reformed), sometimes rendered in scholarly works as Zuart'nots' or Zuart'noc' ; literally 'celestial angels cathedral') is a medieval Armenian cathedral near Vagharshapat (Ejmiatsin) ...
, were entirely rehabilitated.
After the independence of Armenia, the town was officially renamed Vagharshapat in 1995. However, the town is still popularly known as Ejmiatsin.
In October 2018, Diana Gasparyan, who was nominated by the
Civil Contract Party, was elected mayor of the city and the country's first ever female mayor.
Geography and climate
![Map of Etchmiadzin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Map_of_Etchmiadzin.gif)
Vagharshapat is the largest satellite-city of Yerevan and the 4th largest in Armenia by population. It is located to the west of Yerevan in the basin of the
Kasagh River
Kasagh () is a river in the west-central region of modern Armenia which flows north to south. It originates near Mount Aragats in Aragatsotn province, flows south into Armavir province and into the Metsamor, which itself is a tributary of the ...
, in the northeastern extremity of
Ararat plain, and very close to
Zvartnots International Airport
Zvartnots International Airport ( hy, Զվարթնոց միջազգային օդանավակայան, translit=Zvart'nots' mijazgayin ōdanavakayan) is located near Zvartnots, west of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. It acts as the main ...
.
According to Moses of Chorene's ''History of Armenia'' and as a result of several archaeological researches conducted in the area, the most probable location of the ancient city of Vagharshapat is the area of ''Shresh Hill'' near Kasagh River.
''Shresh Hill'' or the ''Kond of Ghugo'', as it was called by the local population, is only away to the northeast of modern-day Vagharshapat, on the way to
Oshakan
Oshakan ( hy, Օշական) is a major village in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia located 8 kilometers southwest from Ashtarak. It is well known to historians and pilgrims of the Armenian Apostolic Church as the site of the grave of Mesrop Mas ...
. It is an artificial hill and has a diameter of long. It was first excavated in 1870. In 1913 and 1928, the area was excavated by archaeologist
Yervand Lalayan. Large-scale excavations were conducted around the hill and the nearby sites of Metsamor and Mokhrablur between 1945 and 1950.
Historically, Vagharshapat is at the heart of the
Armenian Highland, in Aragatsotn canton (Armenian: Արագածոտն գաւառ ''Aragatsotn gavar'', not to be confused with the current
Aragatsotn Province
Aragatsotn ( hy, Արագածոտն, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the western part of the country. The capital and largest city of the province is the town of Ashtarak. The Statistical Committee of Armenia reported ...
) of
Ayrarat
Ayrarat () was the central province of the ancient kingdom Armenia, located in the plain of the upper Aras River. Most of the historical capitals of Armenia were located in this province, including Armavir, Yervandashat, Artashat, Vagharshapat ...
province, within
Armenia Major.
The city has an average elevation of
above sea level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''.
The comb ...
. The climate is
cold semi-arid (
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''BSk'').
Demographics
![Vagharshapat, S](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Vagharshapat%2C_S._Astvatsatsin_-_panoramio.jpg)
Vagharshapat is the largest urban community of Armavir Province. However, the population of the town has gradually declined since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The majority of the town's population are ethnic Armenians 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 Armavir
Diocese of Armavir ( hy, Արմավիրի թեմ ''Armaviri t'em''), is a diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church covering the Armavir Province of Armenia. The name is derived from the historic city of Armavir which served as the capital of the ...
based in the nearby town of Armavir. Between 1996 and 2014, the
Holy Mother of God Church of Vagharshapat has served as the seat of the diocese. Opened in 1767 by Catholicos
Simeon I, the church is located at the centre of Vagharshapat, north of the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Here is a population timeline of Vagharshapat since 1830:
Landmarks
The Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is found in the complex surrounded with many other structures built throughout the centuries. Most buildings are of great architectural significance, such as the old and new Pontifical Residences, the Chancellery or the ''Divanatoon'', the Gate of King
Trdat, Alex and Marie Manoogian Treasury Museum (1982), Khrimian Museum, Yeremian Monastic cells, the old Seminary building, the Clock Tower, the Bookstore, etc.
Gevorgian Seminary is a theological college of 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 ...
founded by Catholicos
Gevork IV in 1874 within the complex of the Mother See. Apart from the Mother Cathedral, Vagharshapat is home to many other important Armenian churches and cathedrals. The Cathedral of Etchmiadzin, the Churches of Saint Hripsimé, Saint Gayane and Saint Shoghakat, and the archaeological site of Zvartnots are listed among the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
s.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Etchmiadzin Cathedral
Etchmiadzin Cathedral) or simply Etchmiadzin. Alternatively spelled as Echmiadzin, Ejmiatsin, and Edjmiadsin. ( hy, Էջմիածնի մայր տաճար, Ēǰmiatsni mayr tačar) is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, located i ...
Historically, the focal point of the town is the
Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, ( hy, Մայր Տաճար Սուրբ Էջմիածին ''Mayr Tachar Surp Ejmiatsin'') which is one of the oldest churches in the world. It was first built by Saint
Gregory the Illuminator
Gregory the Illuminator ( Classical hy, Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչ, reformed: Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչ, ''Grigor Lusavorich'';, ''Gregorios Phoster'' or , ''Gregorios Photistes''; la, Gregorius Armeniae Illuminator, cu, Svyas ...
as a vaulted
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...
in 301–303, when Armenia had just adopted Christianity as a state religion (the first such in world history).
The church was enlarged in many occasions, notably in 480, 618 and 1658.
Saints Vartan and Hovhannes Baptistery is a three-domed chapel located north of the Mother Cathedral and designated for baptism ceremonies. It was designed by architects Jim Torosyan and Romeo Julhakyan and consecrated on 26 September 2008, while the construction was funded by the British-Armenian philanthropist Armen Sarkissian.
The
Church of the Holy Archangels was built between 2009 and 2011 and located in the yard of Gevorkian Seminary building. The single-domed church was consecrated on 5 November 2011. It was designed by architect Jim Torosyan. The construction work was funded by the Armenian philanthropist Gagik Galstyan.
Saint Hripsime Church
Saint Hripsime Church ( hy, Սուրբ Հռիփսիմե եկեղեցի, ''Surb Hřip’simē yekeghetsi''; sometimes ''Hripsimeh'') is a seventh century Armenian Apostolic church in the city of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), Armenia. It is one of t ...
Built in 618, the Church of Saint Hripsimé has basically survived almost unchanged. It is considered one of the oldest surviving churches in Armenia, known for its fine architecture of the classical period, which influenced many other Armenian churches. It was erected in 618 by Catholicos
Gomidas atop the original mausoleum, built by Catholicos
Sahak the Great
Isaac or Sahak of Armenia (354–439) was Catholicos of All Armenians, Catholicos (or Patriarch) of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He is sometimes known as "Isaac the Great," and as "Sahak the Parthian" (Armenian language, Armenian: Սահակ ...
in 395, which contained the remains of the martyred Saint
Hripsimé. According to the 17th century Armenian historian
Arakel of Tabriz
Arakel Davrizhetsi or Arakel of Tabriz (; 1590s–1670) was a 17th-century Armenian historian and clergyman from Tabriz. His ''History'' is an important and reliable source for the histories of the Safavid and Ottoman empires, Armenia, Azerba ...
, the church was renovated during 1651–1653 by Catholicos
Philip I Philip(p) I may refer to:
* Philip I of Macedon (7th century BC)
* Philip I Philadelphus (between 124 and 109 BC–83 or 75 BC)
* Philip the Arab (c. 204–249), Roman Emperor
* Philip I of France (1052–1108)
* Philip I (archbishop of Cologne) (1 ...
. Repairs were made on the roof, top of the dome, the walls and bases. A cross was placed on top of the roof, and a small portico was added to the western side. It is one of the few churches in Armenian that remained active during the
Soviet
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, ...
period.
Saint Gayane Church
The Saint Gayane Church ( hy, Սուրբ Գայանե եկեղեցի; pronounced ''Surb Gayane'') is a 7th-century Armenian church in Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), the religious center of Armenia. It is located within walking distance from the Etch ...
Built in 630 by Catholicos
Ezra I, Saint Gayane Church is distinguished by its harmonious proportions. It is a three-
nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
domed
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...
with an octagonal
drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...
resting on four internal pillars that divide the interior of the church into three. Its design remained unchanged despite partial renovations of the dome and some ceilings in 1652.
Shoghakat Church
The Church of Shoghakat ( hy, Շողակաթ եկեղեցի; meaning "drop of light" because of the ray of light that came down from heaven upon Hripsime's martyrs) was erected in 1694 by Prince Aghamal Sorotetsi during the reign of Catholicos Na ...
Meaning ''drop of light'', Shoghakat Church is a single-nave domed basilica, built and completed in 1694 by prince Aghamal Sorotetsi during the period of Catholicos
Nahabed I. It is built with red and black
tufa
Tufa is a variety of limestone formed when carbonate minerals precipitate out of water in unheated rivers or lakes. Geothermally heated hot springs sometimes produce similar (but less porous) carbonate deposits, which are known as travertine. ...
stones, erected on the remains of a 6th-century basilica. The remains of a 4th-century small chapel could be seen at the southwestern end of Saint Shoghakat Church.
Zvartnots Cathedral
Zvartnots Cathedral ( hy, Զուարթնոց ( classical); ( reformed), sometimes rendered in scholarly works as Zuart'nots' or Zuart'noc' ; literally 'celestial angels cathedral') is a medieval Armenian cathedral near Vagharshapat (Ejmiatsin) ...
Zvartnots is a 7th-century ruined circular church built upon the order of Catholicos
Nerses III the Builder ::''There was also a Caucasian Albanian Catholicos Nerses III, who ruled in 1235–1262.''
Nerses III the Builder ( hy, Ներսես Գ Շինող ''Nerses 3 Shinogh'') was the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church between 641 and 661. He ...
between 641 and 653. It is at the eastern edge of modern-day Vagharshapat. Zvartnots was a majestic cathedral famous for its unique design, dedicated to
Saint George
Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...
, built at the place where a meeting between king
Tiridates III and Saint
Gregory the Illuminator
Gregory the Illuminator ( Classical hy, Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչ, reformed: Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչ, ''Grigor Lusavorich'';, ''Gregorios Phoster'' or , ''Gregorios Photistes''; la, Gregorius Armeniae Illuminator, cu, Svyas ...
was supposed to have taken place. In 930, the church was ruined by an earthquake and remained buried until it was rediscovered in the early 20th century by architect
Toros Toramanian
Toros Toramanian ( hy, Թորոս Թորամանեան; 1864 – March 1, 1934) was a prominent Armenian architect and architectural historian. He is considered "the father of Armenian architectural historiography."
Biography
Toramanian was bor ...
. The site was excavated between 1900 and 1907, uncovering the foundations of the cathedral as well as the remains of the Pontifical palace and a winery.
File:Ejmiadzin Cathedral.jpg, Etchmiadzin Cathedral, opened in 303
File:S. Hripsime.JPG, Saint Hripsimé Church, opened in 618
File:Gayane6.jpg, Saint Gayane Church, opened in 630
File:Shoghakat.jpg, Shoghakat Church, opened in 1694
File:Zvartnots cathedral ruins.jpg, Zvartnots Cathedral, opened in 652
Culture
Vagharshapat is the cultural center of Armavir and one of the important centers of the entire republic. The Komitas Palace of Culture is operating in the town since 1957, while the Ejmiatsin National Gallery is operating since 1970.
The town is also home to a number of museums including the Vagharshapat Ethnographic Museum, Khoren Ter-Harutyunyan Museum and Gallery, Mher Abeghian Museum and Gallery, and Hovhannes Hovhannisyan House-museum. However, the most prominent museums of Vagharshapat are located within the Mother See complex, including:
*Etchmiadzin Cathedral Museum opened in 1869 by Catholicos
George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...
,
*The Catholicosal Museum within the old pontifical residence or ''Hin Veharan'' built in 1738–1741 and serves as Catholicosal Museum since 1968.
*Khrimian Museum: built and opened in 1896 by Catholicos
Mkrtich I of Van. It was recently renovated to become a museum of art.
*Alex and Marie Manoogian Treasury House: opened on 11 October 1982, designed by architect
Baghdasar Arzoumanian
Baghdasar Arzoumanian (1916 - 2001) ( hy, Բաղդասար Արզումանյան, also Bagdasar, Paghtasar, Paghtassar, Baghdik, Bagdik, Arzumanian, Arzoumanyan, Arzumanyan) was an Armenian architect and designer based in Yerevan, Armenia. He was ...
. The museum is home to treasures of the Armenian Church throughout history.
*Ruben Sevak Museum: opened in 2013 within the Ghazarapat building of the Mother See.
The Mother See is also home to the Pontifical Bookstore operating since 1962, and the *Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Manuscript Depository opened in 2012.
The town celebrates the "Ejmiatsin Day" annually since 2008 in Vagharshapat on 8 October. According to the old Armenian tradition,
Mesrop Mashtots Mesrob or Mesrop ( hy, Մեսրոպ) is an Armenian given name.
Mesrob / Mesrop may refer to:
*Mesrop Mashtots, also Saint Mesrop, Armenian monk, theologian and linguist. Inventor of the Armenian alphabet
**Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manu ...
brought the newly created
Armenian alphabet
The Armenian alphabet ( hy, Հայոց գրեր, ' or , ') is an alphabetic writing system used to write Armenian language, Armenian. It was developed around 405 AD by Mesrop Mashtots, an Armenian linguist and wikt:ecclesiastical, ecclesiast ...
to Vagharshapat on 8 October 405.
Transportation
![New buses of Vagarshapat 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/New_buses_of_Vagarshapat_2.jpg)
Vagharshapat is connected with Yerevan and southern Armenia through the M-5 Motorway, while the M-3 Motorway connects the town with northern Armenia.
The
Zvartnots International Airport
Zvartnots International Airport ( hy, Զվարթնոց միջազգային օդանավակայան, translit=Zvart'nots' mijazgayin ōdanavakayan) is located near Zvartnots, west of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. It acts as the main ...
of Yerevan is located only east of Vagharshapat.
Being located 20 km west of the capital
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 ...
, Vagharshapat is connected with the capital city with public vans, locally-known as ''
marshrutka
''Marshrutka''[GAZelle
A gazelle is one of many antelope species in the genus ''Gazella'' . This article also deals with the seven species included in two further genera, ''Eudorcas'' and ''Nanger'', which were formerly considered subgenera of ''Gazella''. A third f ...](_blank)
vans with 13 seats, having regular trips between the two cities throughout the day. Since 2018, some new buses are also having regular trips to Yerevan. There are also 2 smart stops in the city that will soon be eight.
Economy
Industry
Vagharshapat was home to the 1st paper factory in the history of Armenia. In 1780, Catholicos
Simeon I of Yerevan
Simeon I of Yerevan or Simeon Yerevantsi ( hy, Սիմէոն Ա Երեւանցի; 1710 – July 26, 1780) was the Catholicos of All Armenians from 1763 to 1780. In 1771, he founded a printing press at the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, the first in Armenia. ...
founded the
Etchmiadzin Paper Factory
The Etchmiadzin Paper Factory was built in 1775 by Catholicos of All Armenians, Catholicos Simeon I of Yerevan in Vagharshapat, Etchmiadzin. The factory operated for approximately six years, but shut down after his death in 1780. It was rebuilt thr ...
which served for 6 years.
Under the Soviet rule, the town was turned into an important industrial centre. It was home to 4 major industrial firms specialized in the production of military technology. However, the productivity of the plants declined after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Currently, the industry of the town is mainly based on food-processing. The largest industrial firms of the town are the Ejmiatsin Instrument Making Factory founded in 1966, the E.P.G. Ejmiatsin Cannery founded in 1969, the Ejmiatsin Kat dairy factory founded in 1997, the Sonimol plant for grains founded in 2001, the Ejmiatsin wine brandy and vodka factory founded in 2005, and the Ekologia V.K.H. biological waste destruction plant founded in 2009.
Tourism
Being the spiritual centre of the Armenian nation worldwide, Vagharshapat is a major tourist destination for Armenians as well as foreign visitors. It is home to the
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
s of
Etchmiadzin Cathedral
Etchmiadzin Cathedral) or simply Etchmiadzin. Alternatively spelled as Echmiadzin, Ejmiatsin, and Edjmiadsin. ( hy, Էջմիածնի մայր տաճար, Ēǰmiatsni mayr tačar) is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, located i ...
,
Zvartnots Cathedral
Zvartnots Cathedral ( hy, Զուարթնոց ( classical); ( reformed), sometimes rendered in scholarly works as Zuart'nots' or Zuart'noc' ; literally 'celestial angels cathedral') is a medieval Armenian cathedral near Vagharshapat (Ejmiatsin) ...
,
Saint Hripsime Church
Saint Hripsime Church ( hy, Սուրբ Հռիփսիմե եկեղեցի, ''Surb Hřip’simē yekeghetsi''; sometimes ''Hripsimeh'') is a seventh century Armenian Apostolic church in the city of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), Armenia. It is one of t ...
,
Saint Gayane Church
The Saint Gayane Church ( hy, Սուրբ Գայանե եկեղեցի; pronounced ''Surb Gayane'') is a 7th-century Armenian church in Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), the religious center of Armenia. It is located within walking distance from the Etch ...
and
Shoghakat Church
The Church of Shoghakat ( hy, Շողակաթ եկեղեցի; meaning "drop of light" because of the ray of light that came down from heaven upon Hripsime's martyrs) was erected in 1694 by Prince Aghamal Sorotetsi during the reign of Catholicos Na ...
, grouped overall as the Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots.
The ''Machanents Touristic Centre'' of Vagharshapat provides a unique facility for the visitors of the town. The complex houses a cultural centre with small theatre, pub and jazz club, traditional cuisine, and a boutique hotel. The ''Zvartnots'' hotel and casino complex is located at the eastern entrance of the town.
Education
Gevorkian Theological Seminary
Gevorkian Theological Seminary ( hy, Գևորգյան Հոգևոր Ճեմարան ''Gevorkyan Hogevor Č̣emaran''), also known as Gevorkian Seminary ( hy, Գևրգյան Ճեմարան ''Gevorkyan Č̣emaran'', ), is a theological university-ins ...
is one of the most significant educational institutions of Armenia. Other educational institutions include the ''Grigor Lusavorich University'' and the intermediate college of vocational education.
![Garegin A center](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Garegin_A_center.jpg)
The
Karekin I Centre of Theology and Armenology is also functioning in the town since 2000.
, Vagharshapat is home to 14 public secondary schools, 8 kindergartens and 2 musical academies.
The new complex of
Eurnekian School
Eurnekian School ( hy, Էօրնեկեան հանրակրթական դպրոց), is a public school in Vagharshapat, Armavir Province, Armenia, affiliated with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin which is the regulating body of the Armenian Apostol ...
of the Mother See was opened in September 2017.
Sport
FC Vagharshapat
FC Vagharshapat ( hy, Ֆուտբոլային Ակումբ Վաղարշապատ), is a defunct Armenian football club from the town of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), Armavir Province.
History
The club was founded in 2003 as FC Vagharshapat, and pa ...
was the town's only football club, made its debut in 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 association football, football competition in Armenia. From 1936 to 1991, the compet ...
as Zvartnots Echmiadzin in 1992. However, it was dissolved in early 2006 and is currently inactive from professional football. The
Etchmiadzin Stadium
Etchmiadzin Stadium ( hy, Էջմիածին Մարզադաշտ), is an abandoned football stadium in Vagharshapat, Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highland ...
located immediately to the south of the Mother See complex, is able to hold up to 3,000 spectators.
In October 2016, the
Football Federation of Armenia
The Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) ( hy, Հայաստանի Ֆուտբոլի Ֆեդերացիա, ''Hayastani Futboli Federats’ia'') is the governing body of association football in Armenia. Its headquarters are located in Yerevan.
The Fe ...
has launched the construction of a football academy at the southern suburb of the town, on the Vagharshapat-
Margara motorway. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on 12 April 2017, was attended by President
Serzh Sargsyan
Serzh Azati Sargsyan ( hy, Սերժ Ազատի Սարգսյան, ; born 30 June 1954)[Of ...](_blank)
,
UEFA
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs f ...
President
Aleksander Čeferin
Aleksander Čeferin (, born 13 October 1967) is a Slovenian lawyer and football administrator. Between 2011 and 2016, he was president of the Football Association of Slovenia. Since September 2016, he has been the president of UEFA.
Career
Afte ...
and FFA President Ruben Hayrapetyan. With an approximate cost of US$2 million, the complex will occupy an area of and is expected to be completed by October 2017. The project is being jointly financed by the
FFA,
UEFA
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs f ...
and
FIFA
FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...
.
A new sport school is currently under construction in Vagharshapat since 2015, with a cost of more than US$1 million. The project is due to be completed in 2019.
The nearby village of
Aknalich
Aknalich (or Aknalitch, hy, Ակնալիճ; formerly, Aygherlich) is a village in the Armavir Province of Armenia. The village is situated on a lake, after which it is named, to the east of Metsamor.
Aknalich village is the site of the only Yaz ...
(10 km south of Vagharshapat) is famous for the ''Ara and Aytsemnik'' equestrian centre.
International relations
Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin) has been a member of the
Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) since 2007.
Twin towns – sister cities
Vagharshapat is
twinned with:
*
Fresno
Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...
, United States (2009)
*
Hadrut,
Republic of Artsakh
Artsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh () or the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (),, is a list of states with limited recognition, breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan ...
(2010-2020)
*
Issy-les-Moulineaux
Issy-les-Moulineaux () is a commune in the southwestern suburban area of Paris, France, lying on the left bank of the river Seine. Its citizens are called ''Isséens'' in French. It is one of Paris' entrances and is located from Notre-Dame Cath ...
, France (1989)
*
Martakert
Martakert ( hy, Մարտակերտ, also , ) or Aghdara ( az, Ağdərə ) is a town ''de facto'' in the breakaway Republic of Artsakh as the administrative capital of its Martakert Province, ''de jure'' in the Tartar District of Azerbaijan, i ...
, Republic of Artsakh (2010)
*
Petrozavodsk
Petrozavodsk (russian: Петрозаводск, p=pʲɪtrəzɐˈvotsk; Karelian, Vepsian and fi, Petroskoi) is the capital city of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, which stretches along the western shore of Lake Onega for some . The population ...
, Russia (2004)
*
Sergiyev Posad
Sergiyev Posad ( rus, Се́ргиев Поса́д, p=ˈsʲɛrgʲɪ(j)ɪf pɐˈsat) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Sergiyevo-Posadsky District in Moscow Oblast, Russia. Population:
It was pre ...
, Russia (2010)
Friendly cities
Vagharshapat also cooperates with:
*
Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo ( bg, Велико Търново, Veliko Tărnovo, ; "Great Tarnovo") is a town in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province.
Often referred as the "''City of the Tsars''", Veliko Tarnovo ...
, Bulgaria (2013)
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Almelo
Almelo () is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie, and Bornerbroek.
Almelo has about 72,000 inhabitants in the middle of the rolling countryside of Twente, ...
, Netherlands (2020)
Notable people
*Zacharias II (?–1520), Catholicos of All Armenians 1515–1520
*Gregory XII (1498–1590), Catholicos of All Armenians 1576–1590
*David IV (?–1633), Catholicos of All Armenians 1590–1629
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Makar Yekmalyan
Makar Grigori Yekmalyan (also transliterated ''Ekmalian''; in Armenian Մակար Եկմալյան) (2 February 1856, Vagharshapat - 6 March 1905, Tiflis) was an Armenian composer.
Biography
Yekmalyan studied at the Echmiadzin seminary and later ...
(1856–1905), composer
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Hovhannes Hovhannisyan
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan ( hy, Հովհաննես Հովհաննիսյան, – 29 September 1929) was an Armenians, Armenian poet, linguist, translator and educator. He was a key contributor to the Ashkharabar (Modern Armenian) literature moveme ...
(1864–1929), poet
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Abraham Gyulkhandanyan (1875–1946), politician and historian
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Levon Manaseryan
Levon Manaseryan (; June 3, 1925 – September 12, 2019) was an Armenian artist and university professor.
Biography
Levon Manaseryan was born in the city Vagharshapat, Armenia.
1943–1944 Participated in the World War II.
1951 Artist at the ...
(1925), painter
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Aram Asatryan
Aram Asatryan ( hy, Արամ Ասատրյան; 3 March 1953 – 7 November 2006) was an Armenian singer and songwriter of Armenian pop and rabiz music, known for his energetic concerts. He is widely regarded as the pioneer of the "rabiz" music g ...
(1953–2006), singer
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Khoren Gevor
Khoren Gevor ( hy, Խորեն Գեվորգյան; born Khoren Gevorgyan on 16 March 1980) is an Armenian-German professional boxer. He is a former European middleweight champion and multiple time world title challenger.
Biography
Gevor was bor ...
(1980–), professional boxer
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Mihran Harutyunyan
Mihran Ediki Harutyunyan ( hy, Միհրան Էդիկի Հարությունյան, russian: Мигран Эдикович Арутюнян; born 25 March 1989) is an Armenian-Russian Greco-Roman wrestler and mixed martial artist. He competed at t ...
(1989-), wrestler, professional
MMA
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on strike (attack), striking, grappling and ground f ...
fighter and Olympic Silver Medalist
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Andranik Karapetyan
Andranik Karapetyan ( hy, Անդրանիկ Կարապետյան; born December 15, 1995 in Vagharshapat, Armenia), is an Armenian weightlifter.
Biography
Karapetyan won a gold medal at the 2016 European Weightlifting Championships snatching 170& ...
(1995-), European champion in weightlifting
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Arman Adikyan
Arman Adikyan ( hy, Արման Ադիկյան, born 10 November 1984) is an Armenian Greco-Roman wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestler.
He competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's Greco-Roman 66 kg, m ...
(1984-), Greco-Roman wrestler
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Siranush Andriasian (1986-), professional chess player and three time Armenian champion
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Sedrak Saroyan
Sedrak Firdusi Saroyan (; 3 September 1967 – 13 August 2022), also known as Seyran Saroyan, was an Armenian general and politician who served in the Parliament of Armenia from 2007 until his resignation in 2018. During his tenure, Saroyan was an ...
(1967–2022), general and MP
See also
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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 ...
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Arsacid dynasty of Armenia
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Echmiadzin Gospels
The Echmiadzin Gospels (Yerevan, Matenadaran, MS. 2374, formerly Etchmiadzin Ms. 229) is a 10th-century Armenian Gospel Book produced in 989 at the Monastery of Bgheno-Noravank in Syunik.
The book
The manuscript has 232 extant leaves which ...
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Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
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Vologases V
Vologases V ( xpr, 𐭅𐭋𐭂𐭔 ''Walagash'') was King of Kings of the Parthian Empire from 191 to 208. As king of Armenia (), he is known as Vologases II. Not much is known about his period of kingship of Armenia, except that he put his son ...
References
External links
Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO Collection on Google Arts and Culture
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{{Authority control
Former capitals of Armenia
Holy cities
Populated places in Armavir Province
Populated places established in the 7th century BC