Aragatsotn Province

Description

For the village, see Aragatsotn .

Aragatsotn (Armenian: Արագածոտն, Armenian pronunciation: [ɑɾɑɡɑˈt͡sɔtən] ) is a province (marz) of Armenia. It is located at the western part of the country. The capital and largest city of the province is the town of Ashtarak. The National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia (ARMSTAT) reported its population was 132,925 in the 2011 census.

Etymology

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Literally meaning "the foot of Aragats" (the highest mountain of the Republic of Armenia), it is named after the Aragatsotn canton of the historic Ayrarat province of Ancient Armenia, ruled by the Amatuni noble family under the reign of the Arsacid Dynasty.

Geography

Aragatsotn Province occupies the northwestern part of Armenia and covers an area of 2,756 km² (9.3% of total area of Armenia). It has domestic borders with Shirak Province from the north, Lori Province from the northeast, Kotayk Province from the east, Armavir Province from the south and the city of Yerevan from the southwest. The Akhurian River at the west separates Aragatsotn from the Kars Province of Turkey.

Historically, the current territory of the province mainly occupies parts the Aragatsotn, Nig and Shirak cantons of Ayrarat province of Ancient Armenia.

The northern part of the province are dominated by the Aragats mountain range. At the northeast and the east, it approximates the mountains of Pambak and Tsaghkunyats respectively. The mountains of Arteni dominate over the northeastern and the central eastern parts of the province. The tiny Akhurian valley occupies the eastern edge of Aragatsotn. At the south and the southeast, Aragatsotn occupies the northwestern parts of the Ararat plain.

The altitude of the province ranges between 950 and 4090 meters above sea level.

Mount Aragats (4090 m.) is the highest peak of Aragatsotn and the Republic of Armenia.

Besides the Akhurian river, the rivers of Kasagh, Gegharot and Amberd, are the main water resources in the province. Mountain lakes including Lake Kari, Lessing, Amberd, Tagavor and Kuraghbyur are found on Mount Aragats. Between 1962 and 1967, the Aparan reservoir was built on the Kasagh river.

The climate of Aragatsotn is deeply diversified due to the wide range of diffidence in the altitude of the region. The annual precipitation level ranges between 400 mm (16 in) at the lower areas and 1,000 mm (39 in) at the mountainous territories.

History

According to Movses Khorenatsi, Aramaniak -the son of the patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation Hayk- along with his clan, settled in the area of modern-day Aragatsotn. The cemeteries of Verin Naver archaeological site -located 3 km west of Ashtarak- are dating back to the period between the 24th and 14th centuries BC.

Being situated at the heart of the Ayrarat province at the centre of the Armenian Highland, Aragatsotn was among the most strategic regions in the history of Armenia, especially since the establishment of the Kingdom of Armenia in 331 BC by the Orontid Dynasty. Later in 190 BC, the Artaxiad dynasty took over the reign of the Armenian Kingdom. During the 2nd century AD, the towns of Casala (the Hellenized version of Kasagh, now Aparan), and Talina (now Talin) were mentioned by Ptolemy during the reign of the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia. The territory of Nig canton including the area of Aparan was under the administration of the Gntunyan Armenian noble family, while the territory of Aragatsotn canton including the area of Ashtarak was ruled by the Amatuni noble family.

Following the partition of Armenia by the Byzantine Empire and Sassanid Persia in 387 and in 428, Eastern Armenia including Aragatsotn became under the rule of Sassanid Persia. The 4th-century Holly Cross Basilica of Kasagh located at the outskirts of modern-day Aparan, is among the earliest surviving samples of the Armenian church architecture.

In 658, Armenia was conquered by the Arab invaders. At the end of the 9th century, Aragatsotn became part of the newly established Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia. The Armenian noble families of Kamsarakan and Pahlavuni ruled over Aragatsotn under the Bagratid kings.

However, between the 11th and 15th centuries, Aragatsotn along with the rest of the historic territories of Armenia suffered from the Seljuk, Mongol, Ag Qoyunlu and Kara Koyunlu invasions, respectively. At the beginning of the 16th century, Aragatsotn became part of the Erivan Beglarbegi within the Safavid Persia. During the first half of the 18th century, Aragatsotn became part of the Erivan Khanate under the rule of the Afsharid dynasty and later under the Qajar dynasty of Persia. It remained under the Persian rule until 1827-1828, when Eastern Armenia was ceded by the Russian Empire as a result of the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28 and the signing of the Treaty of Turkmenchay.

After the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917, the Armenian, Georgian and Muslim leaders of Transcaucasia united to form the Transcaucasian Federative Republic and proclaimed Transcaucasia's secession. However, it was a fragile short-lived federation that collapsed in May 1918, while the Turkish army was advancing towards Eastern Armenia through Gyumri, Aragatsotn and Sardarapat. On May 21, 1918, the Turkish forces attacked through Aparan in Aragatsotn trying to reach Yerevan. The Turks were opposed by the Armenian forces under the command of Dro at the outskirts of Aparan. After three days of fierce fighting, the Armenians launched a counter-attack on 25 May, and the Turkish troops were forced to retreat back to the north on 29 May. As a result of the decisive victories over the Turks in the battles of Sardarabad, Abaran, and Gharakilisa, the Armenians declared independence on May 28, 1918.

After 2 years of brief independence, Armenia became part of the Soviet Union in December 1920. From 1930 until 1995, modern-day Aragatsotn was divided into 3 raions within the Armenian SSR: Talin raion, Aparan raion, and Ashtarak raion. With the territorial administration reform of 1995, the 3 raions were merged to form the Aragatsotn Province.

Culture

The 17th-century bridge of Ashtarak on Kasagh River is among the interesting sites of the Aragatsotn Province.

The urban settlements of the province are home to cultural palaces and many public libraries. The house-museum of novelist Perch Proshyan founded in 1948, is located in the town of Ashtarak within the Proshyan family house. It was last restored in 2008.

Aragatsotn is also home to the Armenian Alphabet park located near the town of Aparan.

The Ashtarak Walnut Festival is taking place every year during the month of October to promote the famous walnut of Ashtarak. It was first celebrated in 2012.

Talin has its local "Talin Ashkharh" weekly newspaper.

Fortresses and archaeological sites

Ushiberd fortress of the Iron Age,
Verin Naver archaeological site, 24th-14th centuries BC
Amberd fortress of the 7th-century,
Dashtadem Fortress of the 9th-century.

Churches and monasteries

The Arshakid Kings Mausoleum and Basilica of the 4th century,
Kasagh Basilica of the 4th century,
Astvatsenkal Monastery, 4th-5th centuries,
Church of Saint John of Mastara, 5th century,
Saint Paul and Peter Church of Zovuni, 5th-6th centuries,
Saint George Church of Garnahovit of the 7th century,
Aruchavank Cathedral of the 7th century
Saint Christopher Monastery of the 7th century,
Artavazik Church monastery of the 7th-century,
Cathedral of Talin of the 7th-century,
Surp Hovhannes Church of Voskevaz, 7th century
Tukh Manuk chapel of Lusagyugh, 7th century
Saint Sarkis Monastery of Ushi, 7th-13th centuries
Yeghipatrush Church of the 10th century,
Surp Hovhannes Church of Byurakan of the 10th century,
Vahramashen Church of the 11th century,
Tukh Manuk Chapel of Kuchak, 12th-13th centuries
Hovhannavank Monastery of 1216,
Tegher Monastery of the 13th-century,
Saghmosavank Monastery of the 13th-century,
Kosh fortress and churches, 13th-14th centuries,
Saint Gevork Monastery of Mughni of the 14th-century,
Surp Astvatsatsin Church of Karbi, 17the century,
Saint Mesrop Mashtots Cathedral of 1879 in Oshakan,
Tukh Manuk Shrine of Oshakan,
The churches of Spitakavor, Karmravor, Tsiranavor, Saint Mariane and Saint Sarkis in Ashtarak.

Transportation

The province is connected with the capital Yerevan through the Ashtarak highway.

The M-1 Motorway connects Aragatsotn with northwestern Armenia, including the city of Gyumri, while the M-3 Motorway connects the province with northeastern Armenia up to the Georgian border.

Communities

The province of Aragatsotn consists of the following 114 communities (hamaynkner), of which 3 are considered urban and 111 are considered rural.

Urban communities

Image City (town) Province Founded Land area (km2) Population
(2011 census) Population
(2016 estimate) Aparan Aragatsotn 2nd century (first mentioned) 3.5 6,451 6,300 Ashtarak Aragatsotn 9th century (first mentioned) 7.5 18,834 18,000 Talin Aragatsotn 2nd century (first mentioned) 7 5,310 4,800