Kotayk ( hy, Կոտայք, ), is a

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

('' 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 ''Ox ...

. It is located at the central part of the country. Its capital is

Hrazdan Hrazdan ( hy, wikt:Հրազդան, Հրազդան), is a town and urban municipal community in Armenia serving as the administrative centre of Kotayk Province, located northeast of the capital Yerevan. As of the 2011 census, the population of the ...

and the largest city is

Abovyan Abovyan or Abovian ( hy, Աբովյան), is a town and urban municipal community in Armenia within the Kotayk Province. It is located northeast of Yerevan and southeast of the province centre Hrazdan. As of the 2011 census, the population of ...

. It is named after the Kotayk canton of the historic

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 of

Ancient Armenia Ancient Armenia refers to the history of Armenia during Antiquity. It follows Prehistoric Armenia and covers a period of approximately one thousand years, beginning at the end of the Iron Age with the events that led to the dissolution of the King ...

. Kotayk is bordered by Lori Province from the north,

Tavush Province Tavush ( hy, Տավուշ, ) is a province of Armenia located at the northeast of Armenia, bordered by Georgia from the north and Azerbaijan from the east. Internally, Tavush borders the Gegharkunik Province from the south, Kotayk Province from ...

from the northeast,

Gegharkunik Province Gegharkunik ( hy, Գեղարքունիք, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. Its capital and largest city is Gavar. Gegharkunik Province is located at the eastern part of Armenia, bordering Azerbaijan. It includes the exclave of Artsvas ...

from the east,

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 ...

from the west, and

Ararat Province Ararat ( hy, Արարատ, ), is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. Its capital and largest city is the town of Artashat. The province is named after the biblical Mount Ararat. It is bordered by Turkey from the west and Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan ...

and 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 ...

from the south. Kotayk is the only province in Armenia that has no borders with foreign countries. The province is home to many ancient landmarks and tourist attractions in Armenia including the 1st-century

Temple of Garni The Temple of Garni ( hy, Գառնիի տաճար, ''Gaṙnii tačar'') is the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded building in Armenia and the former Soviet Union. Built in the Ionic order, it is located in the village of Garni, in central Armen ...

, the medieval

Bjni Fortress Bjni Fortress ( hy, Բջնի Բերդ), is a medieval Armenian fortress located in the village of Bjni in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. It sits upon the top and along the sides of a mesa that divides the village nearly in half. The larger por ...

, 11th-century

Kecharis Monastery Kecharis Monastery (), is a medieval Armenian monastic complex dating back to the 11th to 13th centuries, located 60 km from Yerevan, in the ski resort town of Tsaghkadzor in Armenia. Nestled in the Pambak mountains, Kecharis was founded by a ...

and the 13th-century monastery of

Geghard Geghard ( hy, Գեղարդ, meaning "spear") is a medieval monastery in the Kotayk province of Armenia, being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with enhanced protec ...

. Kotayk is also home to the popular winter sports resort and the spa-town of

Tsaghkadzor Tsaghkadzor ( hy, Ծաղկաձոր) is a spa town and urban municipal community, as well as one of the most popular health resorts in Armenia, located north of the capital Yerevan in the Kotayk Province. According to the 2011 census, the town has a ...

and the mountain resort of

Aghveran Aghveran ( hy, Աղվերան) is a mountain resort in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, within the municipality of Arzakan village, located to the north of Buzhakan village. It is situated on the Hrazdan River's right-side tributary of Dalar ( hy ...

Etymology and symbol

Kotayk Province is named after the historic Kotayk canton of the historic

province of

, directly ruled by the royal

Arsacid dynasty 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 conque ...

. Kotayk was first mentioned as an Armenian region by Ptolemy as Kotakene. 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 name Kotayk is derived from an ancient nearby settlement called Kutis. The symbol of Kotayk is the ''lion of Geghard'' depicted on the coat of arms of the province, standing on a traditional Armenian

sundial A sundial is a horological device that tells the time of day (referred to as civil time in modern usage) when direct sunlight shines by the apparent position of the Sun in the sky. In the narrowest sense of the word, it consists of a flat ...

from

, surround by a bunch of Armenian

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years ago, ...

s from both sides. The decorative statue of the lion of Geghard was erected in 1958 among the mountains of Kotayk, on the way to the 4th-century

monastery. It is derived from the decorative lions carved on the walls of the monastery. The 1st-century pagan

is also depicted on the coat of arms of Kotayk.

Geography

Situated at the central part of modern-day Armenia, Kotayk covers an area of (7% of total area of Armenia). It is bordered by

from the east,

from the northeast, Lori Province from the north,

from the west,

from the south and the capital

from the southwest. Historically, the current territory of the province mainly occupies parts of the ''Aragatsotn'', ''Kotayk'', ''Varazhnunik'' and ''Mazaz'' cantons of

province of Ancient Armenia. Հատիս

Kotayk occupies the northeastern part of the Ararat plain. The Kotayk plain located between Hrazdan and Azat rivers has a height 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 ...

. It is dominated by the

Gegham mountains Gegham mountains (or Gegham Ridge, ISO 9985: Geġam), hy, Գեղամա լեռնաշղթա (''Geghama lernasheghta'') are a range of mountains in Armenia. The range is a tableland-type watershed basin of Sevan Lake from east, inflows of rivers ...

from the northeast including the mountains of Azhdahak, Hatis and

Gutanasar Gutanasar or Gut'anasar ( hy, Գութանասար) is a mountain in the Kotayk Province near Fantan in Armenia. It is a 7,543 ft (2,299 m) high. A small Surb Astvatsatsin Church is located below it. It is a volcano which last erupted 200 ...

. The province approximates the Pambak mountains at the north, while the Tsaghkunyats mountains lie at the west, and the Voghjaberd mountains at the southwest of Kotayk. Affected by the Gegham volcanoes, the land relief of Kotayk is covered with

lava Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a fracture in the crust, on land or un ...

and

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. ...

, Getar and

Azat Azat ( hy, ազատ; plural ազատք ''azatkʿ'', collective ազատանի ''azatani'') was a class of Armenian nobility; the term came to designate the middle and lower nobility originally, in contrast to the ''naxarark'' who were the great ...

are the 3 major rivers of the province. Lake Akna located at a height of , is the only lake in the province. The climate of the province is quite diversified. It ranges between arid and semi-arid climate at the south, and snowy climate at the centre and the north. Annual precipitation levels are less than at the dry areas, while it ranges between 400 and at the heights in the centre and the north of the province.

History

The earliest records about the region date back to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. According to

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importanc ...

, Kotayk was directly ruled by the Arsacid kings of Armenia. However, during the 4th and the 5th centuries, the territories were granted to the

Varazhnuni Varazhnuni () was a noble house of old Armenia that ruled the district of Varazhnunik. See also *List of regions of old Armenia This is a list of regions and or districts of ancient Armenia. A *Aghdznik *Aliovit * Amatunik *Angl * Andzevaciq * A ...

noble family who governed the forests and lands used as a hunting ground by the kings of the Arsacid kings. Later between the 5th and 7th centuries, the region was granted to the

Kamsarakan Kamsarakan ( hy, Կամսարական) was an Armenian noble family that was an offshoot of the House of Karen, also known as the Karen-Pahlav. The Karens were one of the Seven Great Houses of Iran and were of Parthian origin. In the Byzantine- ...

and

Amatuni Amatuni ( hy, Ամատունի) is an ancient Armenian noble family, known from the 4th century in the canton of Artaz, between lakes Van and Urmia, with its center at Shavarshan (latter-day Maku), and subsequently also at Aragatsotn, west of ...

families, under the Persian rule. Between the 7th and 9th centuries, Armenia suffered from the Arab Islamic occupation. Bjni Fortress

By the end of the 9th century, the region became part of the newly established

Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia The Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia, also known as Bagratid Armenia ( xcl, Բագրատունեաց Հայաստան, or , , 'kingdom of the Bagratunis'), was an independent Armenian state established by Ashot I Bagratuni of the Bagratuni dynasty ...

. Between the 11th and 15th centuries, the region suffered from the Seljuk, Mongol,

Ag Qoyunlu The Aq Qoyunlu ( az, Ağqoyunlular , ) was a culturally Persianate,Kaushik Roy, ''Military Transition in Early Modern Asia, 1400–1750'', (Bloomsbury, 2014), 38; "Post-Mongol Persia and Iraq were ruled by two tribal confederations: Akkoyunlu (Wh ...

and

Kara Koyunlu 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 ...

invasions, respectively. At the beginning of the 16th century, the territory of modern-day Kotayk became part of the ''Erivan Beglarbegi'' within the

Safavid Persia Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...

. During the first half of the 18th century, the territory became part of the

Erivan Khanate The Erivan Khanate ( fa, خانات ایروان, translit=Xānāt-e Iravān; hy, Երեւանի խանութիւն, translit=Yerevani xanut'iwn; az, ایروان خانلیغی, translit=İrəvan xanlığı), also known as Chokhur-e Sa'd, was ...

under the rule of the

Afsharid dynasty The Afsharid dynasty ( fa, افشاریان) was an 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 eth ...

and later under the

Qajar dynasty The Qajar dynasty (; fa, دودمان قاجار ', az, Qacarlar ) was an IranianAbbas Amanat, ''The Pivot of the Universe: Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar and the Iranian Monarchy, 1831–1896'', I. B. Tauris, pp 2–3 royal dynasty of Turkic peoples ...

of Persia. It remained under the Persian rule until 1827–1828, when Eastern Armenia was ceded to the

Russian Empire 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 Russo-Persian War of 1826–28 and the signing of the

Treaty of Turkmenchay The Treaty of Turkmenchay ( fa, عهدنامه ترکمنچای; russian: Туркманчайский договор) was an agreement between Qajar Iran and the Russian Empire, which concluded the Russo-Persian War (1826–28). It was second o ...

. With the fall of the

and after the decisive Armenian victories over the Turks in the battles of Sardarabad, Abaran, and Gharakilisa, the region became part of the independent Armenia in May 1918. After 2 years of brief independence, Armenia became part of the

Soviet Union 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 December 1920. After the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Kotayk witnessed major growth and development under the soviet rule. Many new urban settlements and industrial centres were established in the region, including the towns of Byureghavan (1945), Charentsavan (1947),

Nor Hachn Nor Hachn ( hy, Նոր Հաճն), is a town and urban municipal community in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, founded in 1953. The town is located on the right bank of Hrazdan River, to the west of the Arzni canyon, on the immediate proximity of th ...

(1953),

(1959) and

(1963). Thus Kotayk had gradually become a major industrial region within the

Armenian SSR The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic,; russian: Армянская Советская Социалистическая Республика, translit=Armyanskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika) also commonly referred to as Soviet A ...

. Between 1930 and 1995, modern-day Kotayk was divided into 3

raion A raion (also spelt rayon) is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet states. The term is used for both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is from the French (meaning 'honeycomb, department'), and is co ...

s: ''Kotayk raion'', ''Nairi raion'', and ''Hrazdan raion''. With the territorial administration reform of 1995, the 3 raions were merged to form the Kotayk Province.

Demographics

Population

According to the 1989 Soviet census, the Kotayk Province (then part of the Kotayk,

Nairi Nairi ( classical hy, Նայիրի, ''Nayiri'', reformed: Նաիրի, ''Nairi''; , also ''Na-'i-ru'') was the Akkadian name for a region inhabited by a particular group (possibly a confederation or league) of tribal principalities in the Armen ...

, and

districts in 1930–1995) had a population of 301,737. 153,410 or 50.84% of which was urban, distributed in the cities of Abovyan (58,671), Hrazdan (60,839), and Charentsavan (33,900), and 148,327 or 49.16% were rural, distributed in the districts of Kotayk (63,099), Nairi (56,325), and Hrazdan (28,903). ZOVUNI

According to the 2011 official census, Kotayk has a population of 254,397 (123,524 men and 130,873 women), forming around 8.4% of the entire population of Armenia. The urban population is 137,481 (54%) and the rural is 116,916 (46%). The province has 7 urban and 60 rural communities. The largest urban community is the town of Abovyan, with a population of 43,495. The other urban centres are Hrazdan, Charentsavan, Yeghvard, Byureghavan, Nor Hachn, and Tsaghkadzor. With a population of 7,198, the village of

Jrvezh Jrvezh ( hy, Ջրվեժ), meaning "waterfall", is a major village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, located at the eastern outskirts of the capital Yerevan. The village is 45 km south of the provincial capital Hrazdan, and 9 km from the town of ...

is the largest rural municipality of Kotayk.

Ethnic groups and religion

The majority of Kotayk Province 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 Kotayk, headed by Archbishop Arakel Karamyan. The

is the seat of the diocese. However, small communities of Yazdis in

Zovuni Zovuni ( hy, Զովունի), is a major village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, located just north of the capital Yerevan. As of the 2019 census, the population of the village is 6251.Bjni Bjni ( hy, Բջնի), is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. It is situated in a valley between canyon walls and a small river. The village is one of the prominent centers of education and culture of ancient and medieval Armenia. It is ...

, Getamej, and

Dzoraghbyur Dzoraghbyur ( hy, Ձորաղբյուր) is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. "Dzoraghbyur" translates roughly to English as "Canyon Fountain". It is located 10 km east of Yerevan and 35 km south of the regional centre Hrazdan. ...

. Zovuni and

Alapars Alapars ( hy, Ալափարս) is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. The village has 860 dwellings, a school, house of culture, and library. The population is entirely Armenian. Toponymy The village was previously known as ''Aylaberk' ...

have a significant number of

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

Molokan The Molokans ( rus, молокан, p=məlɐˈkan or , "dairy-eater") are a Spiritual Christian sect that evolved from Eastern Orthodoxy in the East Slavic lands. Their traditions—especially dairy consumption during Christian fasts—did not ...

Hankavan Hankavan ( hy, Հանքավան); is a village and a summer resort in the Kotayk Province of Armenia along in the Marmarik River below the Pambak mountains range. It is notable for its mineral springs, which were used as part of a sanitarium indust ...

has a majority of

Greeks The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...

, while the village of

Arzni Arzni ( hy, Արզնի, aii, ܐܪܙܢܝ, Russian language, Russian: Арзни), is a resort village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia located on in the Hrazdan canyon. Modern village was founded on the place of old Armenian village called Arzni ...

is predominantly populated by Assyrians. Minor communities of Russian Molokans, Yazidis, Kurds, Assyrians and Greeks are also found in Abovyan and Byureghavan.

Administrative divisions

As a result of the administrative reforms took place on 9 June 2017, Kotayk is currently divided into 42 municipal communities (''hamaynkner''), of which 7 are urban and 35 are rural: During the recent years, many rural settlements in Kotayk became abandoned, including the village of Saranist.

Culture

The Hrazdan Drama Theatre was founded in 1953. The Hrazdan branch of the

National Gallery of Armenia The National Gallery of Armenia ( hy, Հայաստանի ազգային պատկերասրահ, ''Hayastani azgayin patkerasrah'') is the largest art museum in Armenia. Located on Yerevan's Republic Square, the museum has one of the most prominent ...

and the Geological Museum of Hrazdan are also among the prominent cultural institutions in the province. The urban centres of Kotayk have their own cultural centres and public libraries. The House-museum of Brothers Orbeli in Tsaghkadzor, is dedicated to the Armenian scientists Ruben, Levon and

Joseph Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

Orbeli. The town of Yeghvard has a number of historic structures dating back to classical antiquity and the medieval period, including the "Seghanasar" ancient settlement from the 2nd millennium BC, the ruins of a 4th-century church surrounded with more than 30 khachkars dating back to the 12th century, the ruins of the 5th to 6th-centuries Katoghike Church, and the well-preserved Holy Mother of God Church of 1301.

Fortresses and archaeological sites

*Darani Cyclopean fortress, 2nd millennium BC, *Seghanasar ancient settlement of Yeghvard, 2nd millennium BC, *

fortress, 2nd millennium BC, *

Garni Temple The Temple of Garni ( hy, Գառնիի տաճար, ''Gaṙnii tačar'') is the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded building in Armenia and the former Soviet Union. Built in the Ionic order, it is located in the village of Garni, in central Arme ...

of the 1st century AD, *

of the 9th century, *Astghaberd fortress of

Hatis Hatis ( hy, Հատիս), formerly known as Kyankyan, is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. The village is populated by mostly Armenians with Kurds being a minority (about 8%). See also *Kotayk Province Kotayk ( hy, Կոտայք, ...

, medieval period

Churches and monasteries

monastery, founded in the 4th century, *Surp Kiraki church in Arzni of the 6th century, *

Ptghnavank Ptghnavank ( Armenian: Պտղնավանք) or Ptghni temple ( Armenian:Պտղնի Վանք) is located in the village of Ptghni in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. Architecture The temple is a domed single-nave basilica type completed in the 6 ...

monastery, 6th to 7th centuries, *Teghenyats Monastery, 6th to 7th centuries, *Artavaz Monastery of the 7th century, *

Gharghavank Gharghavank (also, Zoravor Church, hy, Զորավոր եկեղեցի) is a ruined Armenian Apostolic church located on the outskirts of the village of Zoravan, at the lower slopes of Mount Ara in Kotayk Province, Armenia. To get to the church, tu ...

monastery of the 7th century, * Dzagavank Monastery of the 7th century, * Mayravank Monastery of the 7th century, * Neghuts Monastery of the 10th century, *

Makravank Monastery Makravank ( hy, Մաքրավանք) is an Armenian church-complex located in the Makravan district of Hrazdan, the capital of Kotayk Province, Armenia. Hasratyan, Murad. ''Մաքրավանք'' (Mak'ravank'). Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia. vol. vii ...

, *Holy Mother of God church in Bjni of 1031 *

, 11th to 13th centuries, *

Havuts Tar Havuts Tar ( hy, Հավուց Թառ Վանք; also Havuts Tar Vank; translates to the "All Savior Monastery") is an 11th to 13th century walled monastery, situated upon a promontory along the Azat River Valley across from the villages of Goght a ...

monastery, 11th to 13th centuries, *

Mashtots Hayrapet Church of Garni Mashtots Hayrapet ( hy, Մաշտոց Հայրապետ եկեղեցի; also Pok'r meaning "Little") is a church located within the village of Garni in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. It was built in the 12th century at the site of what was a pagan ...

of the 12th century, * Tejharuyk Monastery of the

Georgian Orthodox Church The Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამოციქულო ავტოკეფალური მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესია, tr), commonly ...

, opened in 1199, * Yeghvard Church of 1301, *Kaptavank Church of 1349, *Holy Mother of God church in Arinj of the 15th century, *Surp Hovhannes church of Abovyan opened in 2013. *Surb Karapet church in Rndamal (Djrarat) village, 10th to 12th centuries, reconstructed and reopened in 2008

Transportation

The M-4 Motorway connects the province with the rest of Armenia. The local urban and rural settlements are connected to each other with a well-developed network of roads. Being very close to the capital Yerevan, the towns of Kotayk are regularly connected with the capital city with minu bus trips operating throughout the day.

Economy

Agriculture

Kotayk is a major centre for agricultural products and cattle-breeding in Armenia, forming 6% of the annual total agricultural product of Armenia. Around 74% (1,546.4 km²) of the total area of the province are

arable land Arable land (from the la, arabilis, "able to be ploughed") is any land capable of being ploughed and used to grow crops.''Oxford English Dictionary'', "arable, ''adj''. and ''n.''" Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2013. Alternatively, for the ...

s, out of which 24.4% (378 km²) are ploughed. A total of 36,125 farms in Kotayk are operated by the private sector or through cooperatives. The agricultural products of the province are divided as follows: 40% provided by cattle-breeding 40%, 14% by tobacco processing, 10% by fruits, 8% by vegetables, 28% by other products including grains and dry grains. The orchards mainly produce grapes, apricot, peach and apple. Around 40% of the farmlands are irrigated, mainly through the Kanaker Hydroelectric Power Station canal and the Kotayk canal of Sevan–Hrazdan Cascade. Kotayk has the 3 largest poultry farms in Armenia including the farms of Lusakert (in

Nor Geghi Nor Geghi ( hy, Նոր Գեղի) is a major village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, located around 22 km north of the capital Yerevan, near the town of Nor Hachen. As of the 2011 census, the population of the village is 5,319. Archaeolog ...

and Getamej.

Industry

Kotayk was a major industrial centre during the Soviet period. The towns of Byureghavan, Charentsavan, Nor Hachn, Hrazdan and Abovyan were founded by the

USSR 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 nationa ...

government between the 1940s and the 1960s to promote the industrial capacity of the

. However, many industrial plants have been revived after the independence of Armenia, mainly during the first decade of the 21st century. Currently, the province has a contribution of 13.5% in the annual total industrial product of Armenia. Food-processing, alcoholic beverages and building materials production are the prevailing sectors in the industry of the province. Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant Armenia 02

*Hrazdan is the most industrialized town of Kotayk. The Hrazdan Hydro Power Plant opened in 1959, the Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant opened in 1966, and the

Hrazdan Cement Hrazdan Cement CJSC is a closed joint-stock company located in the town of Hrazdan, the provincial centre of Kotayk Province, Armenia. Founded in 1970 as "Hrazdan Cement Factory" by the Soviet government, the plant was privatized in 2001 to become ...

factory opened in 1970, are among the largest plants in Armenia. The Qualitech Machinery machine tool-plant was founded in 1999. The town has also minor industrial firms including Hidro Storm metal-plastic manufacturing plant founded in 2009, as well as Arjermek and Hakobyan plants for building materials. *Charentsavan is another major industrial centre in Kotayk. The town is home to many types of industries including Dzulakentron metal casting plant founded in 1962, Charentsavan Precision Tool-Making Plant founded in 1964, Khorda Hydroturbines Manufacturing Enterprise founded in 2006, Bjni and Noy mineral waters factory founded in 2010, and Lubawa Armenia safety equipments production founded in 2014. *Yeghvard has many major industrial plants, including Yeghvard Wine-Brandy Factory founded in 1966, Nairishin building materials plant founded in 1986, Yeghvard sport shoes factory founded in 1987, Yeghvard yeast plant founded in 1991, Yeghvard Combined Feed Factory founded in 1993, Semur & Co steel and metal manufacturing plant founded in 2003, and Shahnazaryan Wine-Brandy House founded in 2005. In 2016, the "Armoil" company for petroleum has built an oil refinery in Yeghvard. The town is also home to the "65 Military Factory" specialized in military products. *Byureghavan is major industrial centre since the Soviet period. The town's largest firms were opened during the Soviet days, including Arzni Group mineral water plant founded in 1925 in Arzni and relocated to Byureghavan in 1974, Glass World enterprise for glass manufacturing founded in 1947, Almaqar stone-processing enterprise founded in 1971, and Sunenergashin reinforced concrete columns manufacturers founded in 1973. During the 1990s, Byuregh Alco Winery for wine, brandy and vodka (founded in 1996), and Varat stone crushing plant (founded in 1997) were opened. *Abovyan has an industrial district located to the south of the town. It is home to Suardi Armenia factory for building materials since 1963, Samkon Brandy Factory since 1970 (privatized in 1998), the famous

Kotayk Brewery Kotayk Brewery ( hy, «Կոտայք» գարեջրի գործարան ), is a brewing company founded in 1974 in Abovyan, Kotayk Province, Armenia. History Kotayk Brewery was founded in 1974, as a state-owned enterprise by the government of the ...

founded in 1974, Poli-Serv factory for polymer products since 2001, Ginevan Winery for wine, brandy, beer and canned food since 2011, and Italasphalt LLC for asphalt and concrete production since 2015. Other major firms include Tamara factory for dairy products and sweets since 1988, Luma factory for meet products and chips since 1995, Armstone plant for building materials since 1996, Sipan canned food and soft drinks plant since 2003, and Tamara Food for convenience food since 2007. *Nor Hachn is famous for its diamond cutting plants with many enterprises, including Shoghakn plant founded in 1958, Andranik plant founded in 1994, Arevakn plant founded in 2000, and Agates plant founded in 2001. *Being located at the eastern suburbs of Yerevan, the village of Jrvezh is home to a large number of industrial firms, including Arega Cannery since 1995, Garni Crystalline water manufacturers since 1999, Jrvezh Meat Factory since 2006, Javale" factory for plastic products since 2008, and T-Pharma pharmaceuticals plant since 2017. *The village of Balahovit is also home to several industrial firms, including Argishty mechanical enterprise since 1989, Saranist factory for glass containers since 1989, and Filishin LLC for concrete since 2007. Other major industrial firms located in the villages of Kotayk include: Chanakh dairy factory founded in 1991 in

Zovk Zovk ( hy, Զովք), is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. See also *Kotayk Province Kotayk ( hy, Կոտայք, ), is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located at the central part of the country. Its capital is Hrazdan a ...

, Glanzh Alco Winery for cognac and wine founded in 2003 in Aramus, Nicola International Armenia for canned food in Aramus (since 2003), Ptghni Gold Winery for wine and liquor founded in 1996 in

Ptghni Ptghni ( hy, Պտղնի), is a village located in the Kotayk Province of Armenia along the left bank of the Hrazdan River. It was founded in 1831 in the vicinity of an abandoned dwelling. The village has a school, kindergarten, house of culture, a ...

, Bacon factory for meet products founded in 1995 in

, Multi Aquamarine for spring water since 2003 in Akunk, Aquastone spring water manufacturers in

Bjni Bjni ( hy, Բջնի), is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. It is situated in a valley between canyon walls and a small river. The village is one of the prominent centers of education and culture of ancient and medieval Armenia. It is ...

since 2012, Rukar Group for vodka and calvados since 2010 in Verin Ptghni, Helias Vineyards for wine production since 2013 in

, and Pacific Home for spring water production founded in 2014 in

Akunk Akunk ( hy, Ակունք) is a village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. History The village was founded on the site of a Bronze Age settlement and to the west of Akunk, there is a cyclopean masonry, cyclopean fort, ''Klor Dar'', dating ...

Tourism

spa town is a popular mountain resort in Kotayk with its several hotels and sanatoriums. The Tsaghkadzor ski resort is a major destination for the lovers of winter sports. Many 5-star luxury hotels and resorts serve the town during the summer and winter seasons including the Marriott Tsaghkadzor Hotel, Multi Rest House Hotel,

Golden Palace Hotel Golden Palace Hotel Resort and Spa, is a 5-star grand luxury hotel in Tsaghkadzor, a popular spa town and health resort in Kotayk Province, Armenia. It was opened in 2013 and is operated by the Australian ''Luxury Group'' organization. With 120 g ...

and Ararat Resort Tsaghkadzor Hotel. The "Senator Golden Palace" casino of Tsaghkadzor is among the largest entertainment centers in Armenia. The villages of

, Pyunik, Agveran,

and

are popular summer resorts and major destinations for

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 ...

The monastery of

located at the south of province is a

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 ...

, designated as the Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley. The pagan

and the medieval

are also among the attractive monuments of the province. The province has 3 nature protected areas: the

Arzakan-Meghradzor Sanctuary The Arzakan-Meghradzor Sanctuary is a protected area in the Armenian Kotayk Province. The sanctuary covers an area of 135.32 km² in the Hrazdan forest. It has a protection level of 4 according to the IUCN protection system. The sanctuary protects ...

, the Banks' Pine Grove Sanctuary, and the Hankavan Hydrological Sanctuary. Kotayk has many spa and mountain resorts that attract tourists, including: *

mountain resort, *

spa town, * Tsaghkadzor ski resort.

Education

Hrazdan is home to the Humanitarian University of Hrazdan. Owned by the private sector, the university has 3 faculties: law, pedagogy and economics. 2 major science institutions and research centres are located in Abovyan: the Republican Hospital of tuberculosis and the Institute of Biological Microbes of the

Armenian National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (NAS RA) ( hy, Հայաստանի Հանրապետության գիտությունների ազգային ակադեմիա, ՀՀ ԳԱԱ, ''Hayastani Hanrapetut’yan gitut’yunneri az ...

. The

Armenak Khanperyants Military Aviation University The Armenak Khanperyants Military Aviation University ( hy, Արմենակ Խանփերյանցի անվան ռազմական ավիացիոն համալսարան) is a higher educational institution of the Armenian Air Force functioning under t ...

is located near the town of Nor Hachn. As of the 2015-16 educational year, Kotayk has 103 public schools as well as 1 private school. The number of state pre-school kindergartens is 54.

Sport

Football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

and other Olympic sports including weightlifting and wrestling are popular in Kotayk.

FC Kotayk FC Kotayk ( hy, Ֆուտբոլային Ակումբ Կոտայք) is a defunct Armenian football club from the town of Abovyan, Kotayk Province. History Founded in 1955, Kotayk was one of the oldest football clubs in Armenia. After playing sever ...

founded in 1955, is one of the oldest football clubs in Armenia. Like many other football teams in the country, the club was forced to default from the Armenian football league and consequently from professional football since 2005, due to financial crisis. The short-lived King Delux FC of Abovyan played a single season in the Armenian First League of 2012–13. Other defunct football teams of Kotayk include FC Moush Charentsavan,

Hachn FC Hachn FC ( hy, Հաճն Ֆուտբոլային Ակումբ), is a defunct Armenian football club from Nor Hachn, Kotayk Province. They played under the name Sapphire FC in the 1996–1997 Armenian First League season. The club was dissolved in 19 ...

, FC Shinarar Hrazdan,

FC Yeghvard Yeghvard FC ( hy, Եղվարդ Ֆուտբոլային Ակումբ), is a defunct Armenian football club from the town of Yeghvard, Kotayk Province Kotayk ( hy, Կոտայք, ), is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located at the cen ...

FC Dinamo Yeghvard FC Dinamo Yeghvard ( hy, Ֆուտբոլային Ակումբ Դինամո Եղվարդ), is a defunct Armenian football club from Yeghvard, Kotayk Province Kotayk ( hy, Կոտայք, ), is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located at ...

and

FC Moush Kasagh FC Moush Kasagh ( hy, Ֆուտբոլային Ակումբ Մուշ Քասաղ), is a defunct Armenian football club from the village of Kasagh, Kotayk Province Kotayk ( hy, Կոտայք, ), is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is locate ...

Abovyan City Stadium Abovyan City Stadium ( hy, Աբովյանի Քաղաքային Մարզադաշտ) is an all-seater stadium, all-seater association football, football stadium in Abovyan, Armenia. Overview Abovyan City Stadium was opened in 1966 and currently ho ...

is the largest sports venue in the province. Stadiums with minor capacities are also found in Hrazdan, Nor Hachn, Charentsavan and Kasagh. The town of Tsaghkadzor is a major centre for sports in general, mainly winter sports. It has a large sports complex as well as a

ski resort A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. In Europe, most ski resorts are towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area – a mountainous area with pistes (ski trails) and a ski lift system. In North ...

. The Zepyur Football Training Camp is located in the village of Pyunik at the north of Kotayk. The Dzoraghbyur Training Centre owned by

FC Ararat Yerevan Football Club Ararat Yerevan ( hy, Ֆուտբոլային Ակումբ Արարատ Երևան), commonly known as Ararat Yerevan, is an Armenian association football, football club based in Yerevan that plays in the Armenian Premier League. Si ...

is also located in Kotayk, in the

village.

Notable natives

Grigor Magistros Grigor Magistros ( hy, Գրիգոր Մագիստրոս; "Gregory the ''magistros''"; ca. 990–1058) was an Armenian prince, linguist, scholar and public functionary. A layman of the princely Pahlavuni family that claimed descent from the dyn ...

(990–1058), Armenian scholar and linguist. *

Leon Orbeli Leon Abgarovich Orbeli ( hy, Լևոն Աբգարի Օրբելի, Levon Abgari Orbeli; russian: Леон Абгарович Орбели, Levon Abgarovich Orbeli; – 9 December 1958) was an Armenian physiologist active in the Russian SFSR ...

(1882–1958), Armenian physiologist. * Djivan Gasparyan, renowned Armenian musician. *

Armen Nazaryan Armen Nazaryan ( hy, Արմեն Նազարյան, bg, Армен Назарян, born 9 March 1974) is an Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler who later represented Bulgaria. Nazaryan is a two-time Olympic Champion (1996, 2000), a three-time World C ...

, Armenian judoka. *

Vanes Martirosyan Vanes Martirosyan ( hy, Վանես Մարտիրոսյան; born May 1, 1986) is a former Armenian-born American professional boxer from 2005 to 2019. He has challenged twice for a light middleweight world title in 2013 and 2016, and once for ...

, Armenian-American professional boxer. *

Masis Voskanyan Masis Voskanyan ( hy, Մասիս Ոսկանյան; born 11 July 1990) is an Armenian international footballer who plays for Sint-Eloois-Winkel in the Belgian First Amateur Division, as a midfielder. Club career Born in Abovyan, Armenian SSR, Vos ...

, Armenian footballer.

Gallery

File:Arzakan-Meghradzor Sanctuary 15.JPG, Arzakan-Meghradzor Sanctuary File:Geghard entrance-IMG 2525.JPG,

, 4th century, 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 ...

File:Ptghnavank monastery1.JPG, The remains of

monastery, dating back to the 6th and 7th centuries File:Zachatztor.JPG,

, 11th century File:Ազատի ջրամբար ու կղզիներ.JPG, The Azat Reservoir along the

Azat River The Azat ( hy, Ազատ) is a river in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. Its source is on the western slope of the Geghama mountains. It flows through Garni, Lanjazat and Arevshat. It flows into the Aras near Artashat. The main purpose of the Aza ...

References

External links

Kotayk Guide with detailed descriptions, by Rick Ney

Kotayk Marz Tourist Guide
{{Authority control Provinces of Armenia