Vayots Dzor ( hy,
Վայոց Ձոր, ) 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 out ...
(''marz'') 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 ''O ...
. It lies at the southeastern end of the country, bordering the
Nakhchivan exclave of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
to the west and the
Kalbajar District of Azerbaijan to the east. It covers an area of . With a population of only 52,324 (2011 census), it is the most sparsely populated province in the country. The capital and largest city of the province is the town of
Yeghegnadzor.
The province is home to many ancient landmarks and tourist attractions in Armenia including the
Areni-1 cave complex
The Areni-1 cave complex ( hy, Արենիի քարանձավ) is a multicomponent site, and late Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age ritual site and settlement, located near the Areni village in southern Armenia along the Arpa River.
Findings
In ...
and
Areni-1 winery of the
Chalcolithic
The Copper Age, also called the Chalcolithic (; from grc-gre, χαλκός ''khalkós'', "copper" and ''líthos'', "Rock (geology), stone") or (A)eneolithic (from Latin ''wikt:aeneus, aeneus'' "of copper"), is an list of archaeologi ...
period, the 8th-century
Tanahat Monastery, the 10th-century fortress of
Smbataberd, and the 13th-century monastery of
Noravank. Vayots Dzor is also home to the spa-town of
Jermuk.
The village of
Gladzor
Gladzor ( hy, Գլաձոր) is a village and the center of the Gladzor Municipality of the Vayots Dzor Province in Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands ...
in Vayots Dzor was home to the 13th and 14th-century
University of Gladzor
University of Gladzor ( hy, Գլաձորի համալսարան, translit=Gladzori hamalsaran) was a medieval Armenian university, one of the two "great centres of learning" along with the University of Tatev () that were "essentially of a singl ...
.
Etymology
The province is named after the Vayots Dzor canton of historic
Syunik, the ninth province of
Ancient Armenia. The exact etymology of the name Vayots Dzor is unknown, although it is popularly understood to mean ''valley'' or ''canyon of sorrows'' (''vay'' is an exclamation of sorrow or pain in Armenian, a cognate of the word "woe").
According to folk tradition, the region received this name after a powerful earthquake struck the area.
Historian
Grigor Ghapantsyan considers it more likely that the name Vayots Dzor derives from the name of an ancient tribe or ethnic group with the name ''Vay'', perhaps connected with ''Biaini'', the endonym of the ancient kingdom of
Urartu
Urartu (; Assyrian: ',Eberhard Schrader, ''The Cuneiform inscriptions and the Old Testament'' (1885), p. 65. Babylonian: ''Urashtu'', he, אֲרָרָט ''Ararat'') is a geographical region and Iron Age kingdom also known as the Kingdom of V ...
.
Geography
Situated at the southeastern end of modern-day Armenia, Vayots Dzor covers an area of 2,308 km² (7.8% of total area of Armenia). It the most sparsely populated province in the country. It borders the
Nakhchivan exclave of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
from the west and the
Kalbajar District of Azerbaijan from the east (administered as the
Shahumyan Region of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic between 1993 and 2020). Domestically, it is bordered by the
Gegharkunik Province from the north,
Ararat Province from the northwest and
Syunik Province from the southeast.
Historically, the current territory of the province occupies most of the ''Vayots Dzor'' canton of the historic
Syunik province of
Ancient Armenia.
Vayots Dzor is a mountainous region. It is mainly divided into 3 mountain ranges: the Vardenis mountain range at the north, the Arpa range in the middle and the Vayk range at the south. At a height of 3522 meters, the Vardenis volcano in the north is the highest point in the province, while the Areni valley, at a height of 850 meters, is the lowest point. The 2586 meters-high ''Vayots Sar''
volcanic cone is located almost at the centre of the province.
Vayots dzor has many rivers, mountains springs and mineral water, with the
Arpa River being the most significant of them. It flows 92 km in the territory of Vayots Dzor, through the settlements of
Jermuk,
Vayk
Vayk ( hy, Վայք) is a town and the center of the Vayk Municipality of the Vayots Dzor Province in southern Armenia.
As per the 2016 official estimate, Vayk had a population of around 4,700. However, as of the 2011 census, the population of ...
,
Yeghegnadzor, and
Areni, among others. It originates in Vayots Dzor from the northwest part of the Syunik plateau at a height of 3260 meters, and flows into the
Araks river. It has a number of tributaries that form waterfalls such as the Jermuk and the Herher.
Yeghegis river is the main tributary of Arpa. It flows into a valley that is protected by the government as a wildlife sanctuary.
Most of the rivers in Vayots Dzor are characterized by swift flow, deep fall and inclination. A large project was completed during the Soviet period to transfer the water of Arpa river to
Lake Sevan. Thus, an underground water tunnel was opened in 1981 that starts from the basin of the
Kechut reservoir to transfer the flow of the Arpa river into Kake Sevan.
A number of small lakes are also found in the valley of the Herher river.
History
Vayots Dzor is first mentioned in the
''History of Armenia'' by
Movses Khorenatsi. The region has been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times. Archaeological investigations have uncovered many sites and objects dating back to the
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός '' palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...
Era and the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
, including carvings on cliffs depicting scenes of hunting and animals. The
Areni-1 cave complex
The Areni-1 cave complex ( hy, Արենիի քարանձավ) is a multicomponent site, and late Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age ritual site and settlement, located near the Areni village in southern Armenia along the Arpa River.
Findings
In ...
—including the 6,100-year-old
Areni-1 winery—discovered in archaeological excavations conducted between 2007 and 2011, revealed that the region was settled during the
5th millennium BC (Late
Chalcolithic
The Copper Age, also called the Chalcolithic (; from grc-gre, χαλκός ''khalkós'', "copper" and ''líthos'', "Rock (geology), stone") or (A)eneolithic (from Latin ''wikt:aeneus, aeneus'' "of copper"), is an list of archaeologi ...
Age). The winery consists of
fermentation
Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food p ...
vats, a
wine press, storage jars, pottery sherds, and is believed to be the earliest known winery in history.
[Maugh II, Thomas H.]
Ancient winery found in Armenia
" ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
''. January 11, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2011.[Santini, Jean-Louis.]
Scientists find 'oldest ever' winery in Armenia
" ''Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency.
AFP has regional headquarters in Nicosia, Montevideo, Hong Kong and Washington, ...
''. January 11, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2011.[Owen, James.]
Earliest Known Winery Found in Armenian Cave
" ''National Geographic
''National Geographic'' (formerly the ''National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as NAT GEO) is a popular American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. Known for its photojournalism, it is one of the most widel ...
''. January 10, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2011. A 5500-year-old leather
shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from cultur ...
, the oldest known piece of leather footwear, has also been found in Areni-1.
As early as the 8th century BC, the area of modern-day Vayots Dzor was part of the Kingdom of
Urartu
Urartu (; Assyrian: ',Eberhard Schrader, ''The Cuneiform inscriptions and the Old Testament'' (1885), p. 65. Babylonian: ''Urashtu'', he, אֲרָרָט ''Ararat'') is a geographical region and Iron Age kingdom also known as the Kingdom of V ...
. Later, it became part of the
Kingdom of Armenia forming the ''Vayots Dzor'' canton of the
Syunik Province.
Many churches, monastic complexes, bridges and
caravanserai
A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was a roadside inn where travelers ( caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across the network of trade routes covering ...
s were built between the 10th and 13th centuries, when Vayots Dzor was part of the
Kingdom of Syunik
Kingdom of Syunik ( hy, Սյունիքի թագավորություն), also known as the Kingdom of Baghk and sometimes as the Kingdom of Kapan, was a medieval dependent Armenian kingdom under the rule of the
Siunia dynasty.
During the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, the
Silk Road
The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and rel ...
passed through the area of Vayots Dzor, particularly the road that currently links the town of
Martuni with
Yeghegnadzor. Vayots Dzor was home to one of the earliest higher educational centres of medieval Armenia, the
University of Gladzor
University of Gladzor ( hy, Գլաձորի համալսարան, translit=Gladzori hamalsaran) was a medieval Armenian university, one of the two "great centres of learning" along with the University of Tatev () that were "essentially of a singl ...
; founded around 1280 by Nerses of
Mush.
The period between the 15th and 17th centuries is considered to be the darkest period in the history of Vayots Dzor. The region became a frequent battlefield between the invading troops of the Turkic and Iranian tribes. As a result, many monuments and villages were destroyed and the population was displaced. It later became part of the
Khanate of Nakhchivan and was known as ''Daralagez'' (also spelled Daralagyaz, Daralayaz).
During the first half of the 19th century, following the
Russo-Persian War of 1826-28 and the resulting
Treaty of Turkmenchay signed in 1828, Vayots Dzor passed from
Iranian
Iranian may refer to:
* Iran, a sovereign state
* Iranian peoples, the speakers of the Iranian languages. The term Iranic peoples is also used for this term to distinguish the pan ethnic term from Iranian, used for the people of Iran
* Iranian lan ...
to
Russian rule. In the same year that the territory came under Russian rule, it was incorporated into the newly-established
Armenian Oblast. In 1849, the
Erivan Governorate
The Erivan Governorate was a province ('' guberniya'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, with its centеr in Erivan (present-day Yerevan). Its area was 27,830 sq. kilometеrs, roughly corresponding to what is now most of central ...
was founded including Vayots Dzor, while in 1870, the governorate was further divided into
uyezds. Consequently, Vayots Dzor became part of the
Sharur-Daralagezsky Uyezd
The Sharur-Daralayaz uezd was a county ('' uezd'') of the Erivan Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the governorate's Erivan and Nor Bayazet ''uezds'' to the north, the Nakhichevan uezd to the south, the ...
of the Erivan Governorate.
Between 1918 and 1920, the region was included within the short-lived
Republic of Armenia. After the Sovietization of Armenia, Vayots Dzor became one of the regions that resisted Soviet Communist rule and formed the unrecognized
Republic of Mountainous Armenia under the leadership of
Garegin Nzhdeh. However, after falling to the Bolsheviks in July 1921, Vayots Dzor became part of the
Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic
The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic,; russian: Армянская Советская Социалистическая Республика, translit=Armyanskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika) also commonly referred to as Soviet A ...
.
During the Soviet period, modern-day Vayots Dzor was divided into the raions of
Yeghegnadzor and
Azizbekov. After the independence of Armenia, the 2 raions were merged during the 1995 administrative reform to form the Vayots Dzor Province.
Demographics
Population
According to the
1989 Soviet census, the Vayots Dzor Province (then part of the
Vayk
Vayk ( hy, Վայք) is a town and the center of the Vayk Municipality of the Vayots Dzor Province in southern Armenia.
As per the 2016 official estimate, Vayk had a population of around 4,700. However, as of the 2011 census, the population of ...
and
Yeghegnadzor districts in 1930–1995)
had a population of 60,357. 10,234 or 16.96% of which was urban, distributed in the city of Jermuk, and 50,123 or 83.04% were rural, distributed in the districts of Vayk (13,680) and Yeghegnadzor (36,443).
The population and density in Vayots Dzor is the least among the provinces of Armenia. According to the 2011 official census, Vayots Dzor has a population of 52,324 (25,740 men and 26,584 women), forming around 1.7% of the entire population of Armenia. The urban population is 18,449 (35.26%) and the rural is 33,875 (64.74%). The province has 3 urban and 41 rural communities. The largest urban community is the provincial centre of Yeghegnadzor, with a population of 7,944. The other urban centres of Vayk and Jermuk have a population of 5,877 and 4,628 respectively.
With a population of 4,460, the village of
Malishka
Malishka ( hy, Մալիշկա) is a village and rural municipal community of the Yeghegnadzor Municipality of the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in ...
is the largest rural municipality of Vayots Dzor.
Ethnic groups and religion
The majority of the Vayots Dzor Province 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 Vayots Dzor
Diocese of Vayots Dzor ( hy, Վայոց Ձորի թեմ ''Vayots Dzori t'em''), is one of the newest dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church covering the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia. The diocesan headquarters are located in the town of Yegh ...
, headed by Archbishop Abraham Mkrtchyan. The Holy Mother of God Cathedral (known also as Surp Sarkis) in
Yeghegnadzor is the seat of the diocese.
A percentage of the population in Vayots Dzor have their ancestors migrated from the
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
ian towns of
Salmas and
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 ci ...
in 1829 and 1830.
Administrative divisions
As a result of the administrative reforms concluded by June 17, 2016, October 8, 2016, and June 9, 2017, Vayots Dzor is currently divided into 8 municipal communities (''hamaynkner'')
*''A cross denotes a town (urban settlement), otherwise, the settlements are villages (rural settlements).''
File:Djermuk.JPG, Jermuk
File:Arevik Stadium, Vayk.jpg, Vayk
File:Yeghegnadzor landscape3.jpg, Yeghegnadzor
File:Areni Village, Armenia.jpg, Areni
File:2014 Prowincja Wajoc Dzor, Gladzor, Widok wsi z drogi H47 (03).jpg, Gladzor
File:Malishka Village, Armenia.jpg, Malishka
File:Yeghegis.jpg, Yeghegis
Culture
The people of Vayots Dzor are mainly conservative. They celebrate the religious and traditional feasts, including
Trndez and
Vardavar
Vardavar or Vartavar ( hy, Վարդավառ, Homshetsi: ''Vartevor'' or ''Behur'')) is an Armenian festival in Armenia where people drench each other with water. Origin
Vardavar's history dates back to pagan times. The ancient festival is tradi ...
. A key celebration is the harvest festival, that is celebrated every year in Yeghegnadzor on the second Sunday of October. Locals from all villages take part in the parade on cars decorated with flowers, bringing their own crops, berries typical to their territories. Theatrical shows and concerts are being held during the festival.
Another popular celebration in the province is the wine festival, which is celebrated annually during the month of October, in the village of
Areni.
The traditional Armenian
lavash and
gata are still baked in traditional
tandoors at the villages of Vayots Dzor. Local dishes include sour banjar, kyalaglosh, shorva with ghavurma, rabbit kofta, portridge shorva, rosted quail and kid barbecue.
Yeghegnadzor is the cultural centre of Vayots Dzor Province. It has a cultural palace, a public library and an archaeological museum. The town's public park is home to a
vishapakar (dragon stone) dating back to the 2nd millennium BC.
Fortresses and archaeological sites
*
Areni-1 cave complex
The Areni-1 cave complex ( hy, Արենիի քարանձավ) is a multicomponent site, and late Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age ritual site and settlement, located near the Areni village in southern Armenia along the Arpa River.
Findings
In ...
and the
Winery of the
Chalcolithic
The Copper Age, also called the Chalcolithic (; from grc-gre, χαλκός ''khalkós'', "copper" and ''líthos'', "Rock (geology), stone") or (A)eneolithic (from Latin ''wikt:aeneus, aeneus'' "of copper"), is an list of archaeologi ...
age,
*
Smbataberd fortress of the 10th century,
*
Proshaberd fortress of the 13th century,
*
Ertij Fort
Ertij is a fort built during the 13th century. It is situated upon a hill adjacent to the village of Arpi in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia. Nearby in the gorge carved by the Arpa River is the cave shrine
A shrine ( la, scrinium "case ...
of the 13th century,
*
Agarakadzor bridge of the 13th century,
*
Orbelian's Caravanserai
Orbelian's Caravanserai ( hy, Օրբելյանների Քարվանսարա; also known as Sulema Caravanserai and Selim Caravanserai, hy, Սելիմ), is a caravanserai in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia. It was built along the Vardenyats ...
of 1332.
Churches and monasteries
*
Tanahat Monastery of 735,
*
Saint Sion Monastery of the 8th century,
*
Shativank monastery of the 10th century,
*
Khotakerats Monastery of the 10th century,
*
Tsakhats Kar Monastery
Tsaghats Kar Monastery ( hy, Ցաղաց քար Վանք) is a monastic complex located along the mountain foothills overlooking the Yeghegis River, between the villages of Yeghegis (6 km northeast) and Horbategh in the Vayots Dzor Province of Ar ...
, 10th-11th centuries,
*
Noravank monastery, 10th-13th centuries,
*
Gndevank monastery, 10th-13th centuries,
*Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Yeghegnadzor, 12th century,
*
Noravank monastery of 1205,
*
Spitakavor Monastery of 1321,
*
Areni Church
Surb Astvatsatsin of Areni ( hy, Սուրբ Աստուածածին եկեղեցի; meaning the "Holy Mother of God Church"; also Areni Church hy, Արենիի եկեղեցի) is a single-nave two-aisled domed church completed in the year 1321. It ...
of 1321.
Media
''Vardadzor'' monthly is the regional newspaper of Vayots Dzor. It has been published in Yeghegnadzor since 15 November 2002. It covers political, economical and regional news. It also has a literary supplement.
Transportation
The M-2 Motorway that connects Armenia from north to south, passes through the province. On the other hand, the towns of Yeghegnadzor are domestically connected through a number of well-developed roads.
The Jermuk airstrip is located near Jermuk, adjacent to the Kechut Reservoir.
Economy
Agriculture and viticulture
Vayots Dzor has the poorest agricultural index among the Armenian provinces, forming 2.2% of the annual total agricultural product of Armenia. Around 82.5% (1,903 km²) of the total area of the total area of the province
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 only 8.5% (162 km²) are ploughed.
However, agriculture -including farming and cattle-breeding- is the most common activity in the province. Agricultural crops include apricot, cherry, pear, peach, apple, quince, plum, melon, walnut, grapes and berries. Cattle-breeding includes wool-bearing, goat farming, poultry farming and bee-keeping. Vayots Dzor is among the leading provinces of Armenia in
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented grapes. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different ...
production in terms of grape cultivation and wine export (along with the provinces of Ararat and Armavir).
Industry
The industry of Vayots Dzor contributes 1% of the annual total industrial product of Armenia. Industry is mainly based on
water bottling,
alcoholic drinks production (mainly wine), food-processing and dairy products. The discovery of the 6100 year-old
Areni-1 winery has provided increased awareness of the ancient tradition of wine-making in Armenia and particularly in the region of ancient
Syunik.
*Wine production: Vayots Dzor has a large number of wine producers (mainly producing under the category of "Areni wine"), including:
**"Getap Wine Factory" (
Vedi Alco Winery
Vedi Alco (), is one of the leading producers of alcoholic drinks in Armenia, located in the village of Ginevet of Ararat Province. It was founded in 1956 as the ''Vedi Wine Factory'' by the government of the Armenian SSR, named after the ''Vedi ...
branch), opened in 1938 in
Getap.
**"Maran Winery", opened in 1992 in
Yeghegnadzor.
**"Areni Wine Factory", opened in 1994 in
Areni.
**"Old Bridge Winery", opened in 1998 in
Yeghegnadzor.
**"Getnatoun Winery" (wine, brandy), opened in 1999 in Yeghegnadzor.
**"Vayk Group Winery" (wine, vodka), opened in 2000 in
Vayk
Vayk ( hy, Վայք) is a town and the center of the Vayk Municipality of the Vayots Dzor Province in southern Armenia.
As per the 2016 official estimate, Vayk had a population of around 4,700. However, as of the 2011 census, the population of ...
.
**"Ginekar Winery", opened in 2000 in
Aghavnadzor.
**"Mets Syunik Winery" ("Matevosyan Wine"), opened in 2001 in
Aghavnadzor.
**"Zorah Wines", opened in 2001 in
Rind. The company's "2010 Zorah Karasi Areni Noir" was ranked in the 2012 Bloomberg's top 10 list.
**"Areni Wine Winery", opened in 2003 in Areni.
**"Hin Areni Vineyards", opened in 2007 in Areni.
**"Trinity Canyon Vineyards", opened in 2009 in
Aghavnadzor.
*Yeghegnadzor has many plants for cheese and other dairy products. The town is famous for its
goat cheese
Goat cheese, or chèvre ( or ; from French ''fromage de chèvre'' 'goat cheese'), is cheese made from goat's milk. Goats were among the first animals to be domesticated for producing food. Goat cheese is made around the world with a variety of ...
produced by the "Golden Goat" factory founded in 2000. It is also home to the "Selim LLC" for dairy products founded in 2002. Other industrial firms of the town include the "Rafelgrig" for electrical products founded in 1968, the "Izoton" company for oak-wood made barrels for wine and brandy aging founded in 2003, and the Yeghegnadzor Cannery operating since 2015.
*Vayk is home to the "WCW of Vaik" building materials factory founded in 1968, the "Arpi Mineral Waters Factory" founded in 1973, and the "Meg Ararat" factory for tea production founded in 2008.
*Jermuk is known for its
mineral water production. The town is home to the "Jermuk Group" CJSC, currently the main producer of
Jermuk mineral water. Founded in 1999, Jermuk Group acquired the original water producing factory known as "Jermuk Mayr Gortsaran" operating since 1951. Another water bottling factory known as "Jermuk Service Enterprise" was founded in 2014.
There are many small plants for building materials production in the villages of Areni, Agarakadzor and Yeghegis, while the village of Malishka is home to a jewelry plant.
Tourism
The cultural heritage and the natural monuments of the region attract a number of tourists.
Jermuk and the surrounding forests are a tourist attraction with many sanatoriums, spa resorts and its ropeway. It is considered one of the centres of
medical tourism
Medical tourism refers to people traveling abroad to obtain medical treatment. In the past, this usually referred to those who traveled from less-developed countries to major medical centers in highly developed countries for treatment unavailable a ...
in Armenia.
Some areas of the province are listed as protected wildlife sanctuaries, including the Herher Open Woodland Sanctuary, the Jermuk Forest Sanctuary, the Jermuk Hydrological Sanctuary, and the Yeghegnadzor Sanctuary.
The
Mozrov Cave was found in 1980 near the village of
Arpi. It is protected as a natural and cultural monument of Armenia.
Education
Vayots Dzor was home to the medieval Armenian
University of Gladzor
University of Gladzor ( hy, Գլաձորի համալսարան, translit=Gladzori hamalsaran) was a medieval Armenian university, one of the two "great centres of learning" along with the University of Tatev () that were "essentially of a singl ...
that was established around 1280 by Nerses of
Mush and operated until 1340 and "left behind a rich intellectual heritage".
Currently, the Yeghegnadzor branch of the
Armenian State University of Economics is operating in the province since 2008.
As of the 2015-16 academic year, Vayots Dzor was home to 50 public schools as well as 17 pre-school kindergartens: The number of the students was around 6,300, while the academic staff included around 1,100 teachers. Around 1,000 children attended the kindergartens.
Sport
Arpa FC Arpa FC hy, Արփա Ֆուտբոլային Ակումբ), is a defunct Armenian football club from Yeghegnadzor, Vayots Dzor Province
Vayots Dzor ( hy, Վայոց Ձոր, ) is a province (''marz'') of Armenia. It lies at the southeastern end o ...
of Yeghegnadzor -founded as Momik FC in 1992- used to represent the town 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 football competition in Armenia. From 1936 to 1991, the competition was held as a re ...
football competition. Like many other Armenian football clubs, Arpa FC was dissolved in early 2003 and is currently inactive from professional football. The towns of Vayk and Yeghegnadzor have a football stadium each with minor capacities.
Every year, during the month of August,
Jermuk hosts the
FIDE
The International Chess Federation or World Chess Federation, commonly referred to by its French acronym FIDE ( Fédération Internationale des Échecs), is an international organization based in Switzerland that connects the various national c ...
Grand Prix Jermuk chess tournament.
Notable natives
*
Ara Abramyan
Ara Abrahamyan (russian: Ара Аршавирович Абрамян; born 15 April 1957 in Malishka, Yeghegnadzor District, Armenia) ( hy, Արա Աբրահամյան) is a prominent philanthropist, social activist, and businessmen. He was b ...
, Armenian businessman based in Russia.
*
Narek Sargsyan
Narek Sargsyan ( hy, Նարեկ Ալբերտի Սարգսյան; born in 1959, Jermuk, Armenia) is the former Minister of Urban Development of Armenia and later Chairman of State Committee on Urban Development until 2018 October.
Narek Sargsyan f ...
, Armenian architect and politician.
*
Kamsar (Kamo Sahakyan)
Kamsar–Kamo Sahakyan (, born April 16, 1961 in Yeghegnadzor), is an Armenian painter.
Biography
Kamsar–Kamo Sahakyan was born in Yeghegnadzor, Armenia. 1971–1976, he studied at Yeghennadzor Art School, in Van Yeghyan's class, who played ...
, renowned Armenian painter.
*
Narine Dovlatyan, Armenian singer and actress.
Gallery
File:Noravank.JPG, Noravank, 1205 AD
File:Areni church.jpg, Areni Church
Surb Astvatsatsin of Areni ( hy, Սուրբ Աստուածածին եկեղեցի; meaning the "Holy Mother of God Church"; also Areni Church hy, Արենիի եկեղեցի) is a single-nave two-aisled domed church completed in the year 1321. It ...
, 1321 AD
File:Ջերմուկի անտառային արգելավայր (13).JPG, Jermuk Forest Sanctuary
File:Ջերմուկի ջրաբանական արգելավայր 2, Կեչուտի ջրամբար (4).JPG, Kechut reservoir
File:Jermuk Waterfall4.jpg, Jermuk Waterfall
See also
*
Areni-1 cave complex
The Areni-1 cave complex ( hy, Արենիի քարանձավ) is a multicomponent site, and late Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age ritual site and settlement, located near the Areni village in southern Armenia along the Arpa River.
Findings
In ...
*
Areni-1 winery
*
Geshin
*
Gharaghaya
*
Gyabut
*
Gyadikvank
*
Syunik (historic province)
*
Siunia dynasty
*
Sharur-Daralagezsky Uyezd
The Sharur-Daralayaz uezd was a county ('' uezd'') of the Erivan Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the governorate's Erivan and Nor Bayazet ''uezds'' to the north, the Nakhichevan uezd to the south, the ...
References
External links
Vayots Dzor Marz Tourist Guide
{{Authority control
Provinces of Armenia
1995 establishments in Armenia