Aragatsotn (, ) is a

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

(''

marz Marz may refer to: People * Marz (surname), notable people surnamed either Marz or März * Marz (rapper), American rapper * Marz Lovejoy, American hip hop musician and rapper Places * Marz, Austria, a town in the district of Mattersburg, Burgenla ...

'') of

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

. It is located in the western part of the country. The capital and largest city of the province is the town of

Ashtarak Ashtarak ( ) is a town in the Ashtarak Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, located on the left bank of Kasagh River along the gorge, 20 kms northwest of the capital Yerevan. It is the administrative centre of the province and an i ...

. The

Statistical Committee of Armenia The Statistical Committee of Armenia (), or ArmStat in short, is the national statistical agency of Armenia. History The statistical institution started its main activities on 7 January 1922 and was previously known as the Statistical Departme ...

reported its population was 128,941 in the 2022 census.

Etymology

Literally meaning "the foot of

Aragats Mount Aragats (, ) is an isolated four-peaked volcano massif in Armenia. Its northern summit, at above sea level, is the highest point of the Lesser Caucasus and Armenia. It is also one of the highest points in the Armenian Highlands. The Ara ...

" (the highest mountain of

), it is named after the Aragatsotn canton of the historic

Ayrarat Ayrarat () was the central province of the ancient kingdom of 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, Vagharsha ...

province of

Ancient Armenia Ancient Armenia refers to the history of Armenia during Classical antiquity, 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 dis ...

, ruled by the

Amatuni The House of Amatuni () 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 Lake Se ...

noble family under the reign of the

Arsacid dynasty The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power centered in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe ...

Geography

Aragatsotn Province occupies the northwestern part of Armenia and covers an area of 2,756 km² (9.3% of the total area of Armenia). It has internal borders with

Shirak Province Shirak (, ) is a provinces of Armenia, province () of Armenia. It is located in the north-west of the country, bordering the provinces of Lori Province, Lori to the east and Aragatsotn Province, Aragatsotn to the south and southeast, and the cou ...

from the north,

Lori Province Lori (, ) is a provinces of Armenia, province (''Administrative divisions of Armenia, marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the north of the country, bordering Georgia (country), Georgia. Vanadzor is the capital and largest city of the province. ...

from the northeast,

Kotayk Province Kotayk (, ), is a provinces of Armenia, province (''Administrative divisions of Armenia, marz'') of Armenia. It is located at the central part of the country. Its capital is Hrazdan and the largest city is Abovyan. It is named after the Kotayk c ...

from the east,

Armavir Province Armavir (, ), 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 north, the province's capital is the tow ...

from the south and the city of

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

from the southwest. The

Akhurian River The Akhuryan () or Arpachay () is a river in the South Caucasus. It originates in Armenia and flows from Lake Arpi, along the closed border with Turkey, forming part of the geographic border between the two states, until it flows into the Aras ...

at the west separates Aragatsotn from the

Kars Province Kars Province (; Azerbaijani: Qars Rayonu; ; ) is a province of Turkey, located in the northeastern part of the country. It shares part of its closed border with Armenia. Its area is 10,193 km2, and its population is 274,829 (2022). The pr ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

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

province of Ancient Armenia. Arteni Volcano2

The northern part of the province is dominated by the

mountain range. At the northeast and the east, it approximates the mountains of Pambak and Tsaghkunyats, respectively. The mountains of Arteni dominate the northeastern and the central eastern parts of the province. The tiny Akhurian valley occupies the eastern edge of Aragatsotn. Aragatsotn occupies the northwestern parts of the Ararat plain in the south and the southeast. The altitude of the province ranges between 950 and 4,090 meters above sea level.

Mount Aragats Mount Aragats (, ) is an isolated four-peaked volcano massif in Armenia. Its northern summit, at above sea level, is the highest point of the Lesser Caucasus and Armenia. It is also one of the highest points in the Armenian Highlands. The Ar ...

(4,090 m.) is the highest peak of Aragatsotn and Armenia. Besides the Akhurian river, the rivers of Kasagh, Gegharot, and Amberd are the main water resources in the province. Mountainous lakes including

Lake Kari Lake Kari () is a freshwater lake in Armenia located on the slopes of Mount Aragats. It is located 3,185 m above sea level and has a perimeter of 1,150 m. Its depth is up to 8 m, its volume is 375,000 m2, and it has a surface ...

Lessing Lessing is a German surname of Slavic origin. The original Sorbian form, ''Lěsnik'', means either "forest dweller" or "woodman", ''lěs'' meaning "wood forest". People with the surname Lessing include a German family of writers, artists, musicians ...

, 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 altitudes of the region. The annual precipitation level ranges between at the lower areas and at the mountainous territories. Peaks of Aragats

History

According to

Movses Khorenatsi Movses Khorenatsi ( 410–490s AD; , ) was a prominent Armenians, Armenian historian from late antiquity and the author of the ''History of Armenia (book), History of the Armenians''. Movses's ''History of the Armenians'' was the first attempt at ...

, Aramaniak -the son of the patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation

Hayk Hayk (, ), also known as Hayk Nahapet (, , ), is the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation. His story is told in the ''History of Armenia'' attributed to the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi and in the ''Primary History'' ...

- 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- date back to the 24th and 14th centuries BC. Being situated at the heart of the

province at the centre of the

Armenian Highland The Armenian highlands (; also known as the Armenian upland, Armenian plateau, or Armenian tableland) Hewsen, Robert H. "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquit ...

, 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 The Orontid dynasty, also known as the Eruandids or Eruandunis, ruled the Satrapy of Armenia until 330 BC and the Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity), Kingdom of Armenia from 321 BC to 200 BC. The Orontids ruled first as client kings or satraps of t ...

. Later in 190 BC, the

Artaxiad dynasty The Artaxiad dynasty (also Artashesian) ruled the Kingdom of Armenia from 189 BC until their overthrow by the Romans in 12 AD. It was founded by Artaxias I, who claimed kinship with the previous ruling dynasty of Armenia, the Orontids. Their ...

took over the reign of the Armenian Kingdom. During the 2nd century AD, the towns of ''Casala'' (the Hellenized version of ''Kasagh'', now

Aparan Aparan ( , colloquially ) is a town in the Aparan Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, about 50 kilometers northwest of the capital Yerevan. As of the 2011 census, the population of the town was 6,451. As per the 2016 official esti ...

), and ''Talina'' (now

Talin Talin may refer to: Places * Talin, Armenia, a city * Tálín, a municipality and village in the Czech Republic *Tallinn, capital of Estonia * Talin, Iran, a village in West Azerbaijan Province * Talin, Syria, a village in Tartus Governorate Other ...

) were mentioned by

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...

during the reign of the

Arsacid dynasty of Armenia The Arsacid dynasty, called the Arshakuni () in Armenian, ruled the Kingdom of Armenia (with some interruptions) from 12 to 428 AD. The dynasty was a branch of the Arsacid dynasty of Parthia. Arsacid kings reigned intermittently throughout the ...

. 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

noble family. Following the partition of Armenia by the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

and

Sassanid Persia The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...

in 387 and in 428,

Eastern Armenia Eastern Armenia (Armenian: Արևելյան Հայաստան, ''Arevelyan Hayastan'') refers to the eastern portion of the Armenian Highlands, historically inhabited by the Armenian people. Throughout history, Eastern Armenia has been contested and ...

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 Armenian church architecture is the architectural style of the Armenian church buildings created since the Apostolic era of Christianity in the Armenian Highland during the 1st century. It was developed over the last 1900 years. According to profe ...

In 658, Armenia was conquered by the

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

invaders. At the end of the 9th century, Aragatsotn became part of the newly established

Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia Bagratid Armenia was an independent Armenian state established by Ashot I of the Bagratuni dynasty in the early 880s following nearly two centuries of foreign domination of Greater Armenia under Arab Umayyad and Abbasid rule. With each of t ...

. The Armenian noble families of

Kamsarakan The House of Kamsarakan () 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-Sasanian era ...

and

Pahlavuni Pahlavuni (; classical orthography: Պահլաւունի) was an Armenian noble family, a branch of the Kamsarakan, that rose to prominence in the late 10th century during the last years of the Bagratuni monarchy. Origins The Pahlavunis (a ...

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 Seljuk (, ''Selcuk'') or Saljuq (, ''Saljūq'') may refer to: * Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia * Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities * S ...

, Mongol,

Ag Qoyunlu The Aq Qoyunlu or the White Sheep Turkomans (, ; ) 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: ...

and

Kara Koyunlu The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu (, ; ), also known as the Black Sheep Turkomans, were a culturally Persianate, Muslim Turkoman "Kara Koyunlu, also spelled Qara Qoyunlu, Turkish Karakoyunlular, English Black Sheep, Turkmen tribal federation th ...

invasions, respectively. At the beginning of the 16th century, Aragatsotn became part of the ''Erivan Beglarbegi'' within the

Safavid Persia The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the beg ...

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

Erivan Khanate The Erivan Khanate (), also known as , was a Khanates of the Caucasus, khanate (i.e., province) that was established in Afsharid dynasty, Afsharid Iran in the 18th century. It covered an area of roughly 19,500 km2, and corresponded to most o ...

under the rule of the

Afsharid dynasty The Afsharid dynasty () was an Iran, Iranian dynasty founded by Nader Shah () of the Qirqlu clan of the Turkoman (ethnonym), Turkoman Afshar people, Afshar tribe, ruling over the Afsharid Empire. List of Afsharid monarchs Family tree ...

and later under the

Qajar dynasty The Qajar family (; 1789–1925) was an Iranian royal family founded by Mohammad Khan (), a member of the Qoyunlu clan of the Turkoman-descended Qajar tribe. The dynasty's effective rule in Iran ended in 1925 when Iran's '' Majlis'', conven ...

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 that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

as a result of the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28 and the signing of the

Treaty of Turkmenchay The Treaty of Turkmenchay (; ) was an agreement between Qajar Iran and the Russian Empire, which concluded the Russo-Persian War (1826–1828). It was second of the series of treaties (the first was the 1813 Treaty of Gulistan and the last, the ...

After the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917, the Armenian, Georgian and Muslim leaders of

Transcaucasia The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and West Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Armenia, ...

united to form the Transcaucasian Federative Republic and proclaimed

secession Secession is the formal withdrawal of a group from a Polity, political entity. The process begins once a group proclaims an act of secession (such as a declaration of independence). A secession attempt might be violent or peaceful, but the goal i ...

. However, it was a fragile short-lived federation that collapsed in May 1918, while the Turkish army was advancing towards Eastern Armenia through

Gyumri Gyumri (, ) is an urban municipal community and the List of cities and towns in Armenia, second-largest city in Armenia, serving as the administrative center of Shirak Province in the northwestern part of the country. By the end of the 19th centur ...

, Aragatsotn, and Sardarapat. On May 21, 1918, the Turkish forces attacked through

in Aragatsotn trying to reach

. 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 The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

in December 1920. From 1930 until 1995, modern-day Aragatsotn 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 c ...

s within the

Armenian SSR The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ArSSR), also known as Soviet Armenia, or simply Armenia, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union, located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Soviet Armenia bordered the Soviet republics ...

: ''Talin raion'', ''Aparan raion'', and ''Ashtarak raion''. With the territorial administration reform of 1995, the 3 raions were merged to form the Aragatsotn Province.

Demographics

Population

According to the

1989 Soviet census The 1989 Soviet census (), conducted between 12 and 19 January of that year, was the final census carried out in the Soviet Union. The census found the total population to be 286,730,819 inhabitants. In 1989, the Soviet Union ranked as the third ...

, the Aragatsotn Province (then part of the

, and

districts in 1930–1995) had a population of 141,611. 24,277 or 17.14% of which was urban, distributed in the city of Ashtarak, and 117,334 or 82.86% were rural, distributed in the districts of Aparan (21,654), Aragats (13,401), Ashtarak (42,701), and Talin (39,578). Oshakan Village

According to the 2011 official census, Aragatsotn has a population of 132,925 (66,738 men and 66,187 women), forming around 4.4% of the entire population of Armenia. The urban population is 31,376 (23.6%) and the rural is 101,549 (76.4%). Aragatsotn has the highest percentage of rural population in Armenia. The province has 3 urban and 111 rural communities. The largest urban community is the provincial centre of Ashtarak, with a population of 19,615. The other urban centres of Aparan and Talin have a population of 6,451 and 5,310 respectively. With a population of 4,780, the village of Oshakan is the largest rural municipality of Aragatsotn.

Ethnic groups and religion

The province is primarily inhabited by

Armenians Armenians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the Armenian highlands of West Asia.Robert Hewsen, Hewsen, Robert H. "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiq ...

who migrated from Moush,

Manzikert Malazgirt (; ; ), historically known as Manzikert (), is a town in Muş Province in Turkey. It is the seat of Malazgirt District.Sasun Sason is a town in the Batman Province of Turkey. It is the seat of the Sason District.İl ...

Kars Kars ( or ; ; ) is a city in northeast Turkey. It is the seat of Kars Province and Kars District.� ...

Khoy Khoy (, ) is a city in the Central District (Khoy County), Central District of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan province, West Azerbaijan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Occupied since Medes, Median times, ...

, and Alashkert in the 19th and 20th centuries as well as a minority of

Armeno-Tat Armeno-Tats ( – ''hay-tater'') are a distinct group of Christian Tat-speaking Armenians that historically populated eastern parts of the South Caucasus, in what constitutes the modern-day Republic of Azerbaijan. Most scholars researching the Ta ...

who belong to the

Armenian Apostolic Church The Armenian Apostolic Church () is the Autocephaly, autocephalous national church of Armenia. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy, it is one of the most ancient Christianity, Christian churches. The Armenian Apostolic Church, like the Armenian Catholic ...

. The regulating body of the church is the Diocese of Aragatsotn, headed by Bishop Mkrtich Broshyan. The

Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church () is an Armenian Apostolic church in Oshakan that contains the grave of Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the Armenian alphabet. It is one of Armenia's better known churches and a pilgrimage site. Pilgrims visit the ch ...

of Oshakan of is the seat of the diocese. There is also a significant presence of

Yazidis Yazidis, also spelled Yezidis (; ), are a Kurdish languages, Kurdish-speaking Endogamy, endogamous religious group indigenous to Kurdistan, a geographical region in Western Asia that includes parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran. The major ...

in the province. The 20 following villages of Aragatsotn are almost entirely populated by Yazidis:

Alagyaz Alagyaz (; ) is a village and centre of the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. Most of the population are Yazidi Kurds . The village is located along the Aparan-Spitak highway. History The settlement was founded in th ...

Arevut Arevut (), known as ''Duzkend'' until 1935 and ''Barozh'' until 2006, is a village in the Arevut Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The town is mostly populated by Yazidis. References * *Brady Kiesling (1999), ''Rediscovering A ...

, Avshen,

Charchakis Charchakis () is a village in the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It was originally known as Charchakes and Jarjaris. Between 1978 and 2006 the village was known as ''Derek''. Derek means spring or source in Kurmanji ...

Ddmasar Ddmasar () is a village in the Arevut Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The town is mostly populated by Yazidis Yazidis, also spelled Yezidis (; ), are a Kurdish languages, Kurdish-speaking Endogamy, endogamous religious ...

, Hako,

Jamshlu Jamshlu or Jamushvan (; ) is a village in the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The town is mostly populated by Kurds Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. T ...

Kanch Kanch () is a village in the Arevut Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is ...

, Kaniashir,

Metsadzor Metsadzor () is a village in the Metsadzor Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. Most inhabitants are Yezidis – the town's name means "waterless" in Kurdish Kurdish may refer to: *Kurds or Kurdish people *Kurdish language ** No ...

Mijnatun Mijnatun () is a village in the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It is mostly populated by Yazidis Yazidis, also spelled Yezidis (; ), are a Kurdish languages, Kurdish-speaking Endogamy, endogamous religious gro ...

, Mirak,

Otevan Otevan () is a village in the Metsadzor Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The village is home to a 12th-century ruined Armenian church as well as the ruins of a fortress and is mostly populated by Yezidis. See also *Genocide ...

, Rya Taza,

Sadunts Sadunts () is a village in the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The town is mostly populated by Yazidis Yazidis, also spelled Yezidis (; ), are a Kurdish languages, Kurdish-speaking Endogamy, endogamous religiou ...

, Shamiram, Shenkani, Sipan,

Sorik Sorik () is a village in the Arevut Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, mostly populated by Yazidis Yazidis, also spelled Yezidis (; ), are a Kurdish languages, Kurdish-speaking Endogamy, endogamous religious group indigeno ...

and

Tlik Tlik () is a village in the Arevut Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, near the Armenia–Turkey border. The majority of the inhabitants are Yezidi Yazidis, also spelled Yezidis (; ), are a Kurdish-speaking endogamous rel ...

. The villages of

Arteni Arteni () is a village in the Aragatsavan Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region an ...

, Oshakan,

Vardenut Vardenut () is a village in the Aparan Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and i ...

and

Voskevaz Voskevaz () is a village in the Ashtarak Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region an ...

have a significant Yazidi population as well. Yazidis are also found in the towns of

and

. The village of Alagyaz is also home to a small number of

Kurds Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...

Administrative divisions

As a result of the administrative reforms completed during 2019, Aragatsotn is currently divided into 9 municipal communities (''hamaynkner''), of which 3 are urban and 69 are rural: *''A cross denotes a town (urban settlement), otherwise, the settlements are villages (rural settlements).'' Many villages in Aragatsotn are currently abandoned or uninhabited, including

Arum ''Arum'' is a genus of plants in the Araceae family; they are native to Europe, northern Africa, and western and central Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region. Frequently called arum lilies, they are not closely ...

, Buravet, Karmrashen, Kasagh,

Kyalashbek Kyalashbek is an abandoned village in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Tu ...

, Lusaghbyur,

Nigatun Nigatun () is an abandoned village in the Ashtarak Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus ...

, Shenik, Verin Kalakut and Zovuni.

Culture

The 17th-century bridge of Ashtarak on

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 ...

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 Ushiberd () is an Iron Age fortress located upon a hill just outside the village of Ushi in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It ...

fortress of the

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

, * ''Verin Naver'' archaeological site, 24th-14th centuries BC *

Amberd Amberd () is a 10th-century fortress located above sea level, on the slopes of Mount Aragats at the confluence of the Arkashen and Amberd rivers in the province of Aragatsotn, Armenia. The name translates to "fortress in the clouds" in Armenian ...

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 The Kasagh Basilica (), formally known as the Holy Cross Church (, ), is an early medieval Armenian church in the town of Aparan in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in ...

of the 4th century, * Astvatsenkal Monastery, 4th-5th centuries, * Saint Paul and Peter Church of Zovuni, 4th-5th centuries, * Church of Saint John of Mastara, 5th century, * Saint George Church of Garnahovit of the 7th century, *

Aruchavank Aruchavank or the Cathedral of Aruch (; also Surb Grigor) is situated on a rocky plateau at the western foot of Mount Aragats in the village of Aruch in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. According to wall inscriptions on the east wall and manusc ...

Cathedral of the 7th century *

Saint Christopher Monastery Saint Christopher Monastery () is a restored Armenian church of the 7th century, located in a cemetery southeast of the outskirts of Dashtadem village and Dashtadem Fortress in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. Adjacent to the church (north ...

of the 7th century, * Artavazik Church monastery of the 7th century, *

Cathedral of Talin The Cathedral of Talin () is a seventh-century Armenian cathedral located in the cemetery of Talin, in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. Talin Cathedral Architecture Talin's Katoghike Church sits central to the town cemetery and dominates ...

of the 7th century, *

Surp Hovhannes Church of Voskevaz Surp Hovhannes (Armenian: Սուրբ ՅովհաննԷս Եկեղեցի; meaning '' Saint John'') or Voskevaz Church (Armenian: Ոսկեվազ եկեղեցի) is a 7th- to 12th-century basilica located in the village of Voskevaz in the Aragatsotn ...

, 7th century * Tukh Manuk chapel of Lusagyugh, 7th century *

Saint Sarkis Monastery of Ushi Saint Sarkis Monastery (; also Surp Sarkis Vank) is a large monastic complex, just outside the village of Ushi in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It sits at the far side of what was once a settlement site from the 3rd - 1st millennia BC. The ...

, 7th century * Yeghipatrush Church of the 10th century, * Surp Hovhannes Church of Byurakan of the 10th century, *

Vahramashen Church The Vahramashen Church (), also commonly referred to as Vahramashen Surp Astvatsatsin or the Church of Amberd) was built for Prince Vahram Pahlavuni of the Pahlavuni family. An inscription on the inside lintel of the north portal to the church d ...

of the 11th century, * Tukh Manuk Chapel of

Kuchak Kuchak () is a village in the Aparan Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is ...

, 12th-13th centuries *

Tukh Manuk Shrine of Oshakan The Tukh Manuk Shrine of Oshakan is located in the town of Oshakan in Aragatsotn Marz, Armenia. ''Tukh Manuk'' literally translates to "dark baby" or "dark-skinned youth." References * External links About the Tukh Manuk Cult
{{coord mis ...

, 12-13th centuries, *

Hovhannavank Hovhannavank, also Yovhannavank‘ () is a medieval monastery located in the village of Ohanavan in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The monastery stands on the edge of the Kasagh River canyon, and its territory is adjacent to the village of ...

Monastery of 1216, *

Tegher Monastery Tegher Monastery (; also Tegheri Vank) is an early 13th-century Armenian monastery and church located on the southeastern slopes of Mount Aragats near the modern village of Tegher, and across the gorge from the village of Byurakan in the Aragats ...

of the 13th century, *

Saghmosavank Monastery The Saghmosavank (, Literal translation, lit. "monastery of the Psalms") is a 13th century, 13th-century Armenian architecture, Armenian monastic complex located in the village of Saghmosavan in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. Like the Hovhann ...

of the 13th century, * Kosh fortress and churches, 13th-14th centuries, *

Saint Gevork Monastery of Mughni Saint Gevork Monastery or Saint George's Monastery of Mughni (Armenian: Սուրբ Գեւորգ Եկեղեցի or Սուրբ Գեւորգ Վանք; pronounced ''Surp Gevork'') is located just off of the main road that runs through the village of ...

of the 14th century, * Surp Astvatsatsin Church of Karbi, 17th century, *

of 1879 in Oshakan, * The churches of Spitakavor, Karmravor, Tsiranavor, Saint Mariane and Saint Sarkis in

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.

Economy

Agriculture

The rural population of the province is 3 times bigger than the urban. Thus, the majority of the population is involved in agriculture, including farming and cattle breeding. Being a major agricultural region, Aragatsotn contributes 9.7% of the annual total agricultural product of Armenia. Around 79% (2,178 km²) of the total area of the province are

arable land Arable land (from the , "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 purposes of a ...

s, out of which 25% (542 km²) are ploughed. With an approximate areա of of farmlands are occupied by grains and dry seeds. Around 40% of the of orchards in Aragatsotn are occupied by grapes. Potato farms occupy around , while vegetables are spread over of farms. Around the highlands of Mount Aragats, particularly in the regions of Aparan and Talin, cattle breeding is more common in rural communities. Beekeeping farms are also found in higher woodlands. The village of Voskehat is home to the "Ashtarak Dzu" poultry farm, while the Aragats village is home to the "Aragats Poultry farm".

Industry

Aragatsotn has a poor industrial structure compared to other provinces in Armenia. It has only a share of 2% of the annual total industrial product of Armenia. The existing industrial firms are mainly based on food processing, dairy products, production of alcoholic drinks, water bottling, and building materials production. *Ashtarak is home to the "Ashtarak-Kat" company (founded in 1995), the leading ice-cream and dairy products manufacturer in Armenia. The town is also home to the "Gourmet Dourme" chocolate factory founded in 2007, the "P & D Group Armenia" for plastic containers founded in 2007, as well as the "Milen Art" plant, and the "Kharam Cooperative" for building materials production. *Aparan is home to the "Nig" factory for electrical products founded in 1964, the "Aparan Cheese Factory" founded in 1982 (privatized in 1995), and the "Aparan Group LLC" for bottled water, soft drinks, and dairy products, founded in 2006, and the "Gntunik" plant for bakery and dairy products. *Aragatsotn is a major centre for dairy products and dried fruits. Talin is home to the "Bonilat" factory for dairy products founded in 2005, based on the former Talin cheese factory. Other producers of dairy products include the "Gloria Cheeses" factory founded in 2005 in Aragatsavan, the "Anulik" factory of Nigavan, the "Mastarchedo" plant of

Mastara Mastara () is a village in the Talin Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The 5th-century Armenian Church of S. Hovhannes is situated in the northeastern half of the village, while the church of S. Stepanos Nakhava sits on a hil ...

. The "Tamara Fruit" plant of Karbi (founded in 1985), the "Gyughi Tatik" plant of Oshakan (founded in 2002), the "Astghunk" plant of Aghdzk, and the "Byurakan Chir" plant of Byurakan specialize in dried-fruits production. Other notable food-processing plants of Aragatsotn include the "Village House" meat-processing plant in Agarak, the "Meat Art" for meet products in Getap, the "Avetsiyan Aghek" plant for soft drinks in Talin, the "Aparani Lavash" for bakery products in Davtashen, *Aragatsotn has many large industrial firms for alcoholic drinks production, including the

Voskevaz Winery Voskevaz () is a village in the Ashtarak Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region an ...

founded in 1932 in

(privatized in 2004), the ArmAs Winery founded in 2007 in Nor Yedesia, the Armenia Wine Winery founded in 2008 in Sasunik, the "Hayasy Group" for brandy, vodka, beer and juices founded in 2011 in

, the Wine House Winery founded in 2011 in

Aghdzk Aghdzk () is a village in the Ashtarak Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It is home to the Arshakid Mausoleum, a large grave monument complex and basilica of the 4th to 5th centuries. King Shapur II of Persia exhumed the bones of ...

, and the "Van Ardi Winery founded in 2013 in Sasunik. *The province has many large firms for the production of building materials, including the "Aragats Perlite" plant for crushed stone founded in 1961 in Aragatsavan, the "Arus" company for stone structures in Parpi, and the "Levadan LLC" for building materials. Other notable firms within the province include the "SKIFF" enterprise for paintwork materials founded in 2008 in Sasunik and the "Diamotech" factory for gemstones in Talin.

Tourism

Aragatsotn is a major centre for

ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of nature-oriented tourism intended to contribute to the Ecological conservation, conservation of the natural environment, generally defined as being minimally impactful, and including providing both contributions to conserv ...

and the lovers of

extreme tourism Extreme tourism, also often referred to as danger tourism or shock tourism (although these concepts do not appear strictly similar) is a niche in the tourism industry involving travel to dangerous places (mountains, jungles, deserts, caves, can ...

. Aragats is the highest mountain in modern-day Armenia. It is a single extinct volcano consisting of 4 peaks: the northern (4090 m.), western (4080 m.), eastern (3916 m.), and southern (3879 m.) peaks. Thus, it frequently attracts hikers and

adventure travel Adventure travel is a type of tourism, involving exploration or travel with a certain degree of risk (real or perceived), and which may require special skills and physical exertion. In the United States, adventure tourism has seen growth in l ...

ers, with its mountain lake of Kari situated at a height of 3250 meters. The well-preserved ancient monasteries and medieval fortresses are also among the main attractions of the province. Luxury hotels are found in

Byurakan Byurakan () is a village in the Ashtarak Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, located on the slope of Mount Aragats. The village is home to several historical sites including the 7th-century Artavazik Church, the 10th-century bas ...

Aghtsk Aghdzk () is a village in the Ashtarak Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It is home to the Arshakid Mausoleum, a large grave monument complex and basilica of the 4th to 5th centuries. King Shapur II of Persia exhumed the bones of ...

and

. Byurakan is also home to the

Byurakan Observatory The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, or Byurakan Observatory () is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the Armenian Academy of Sciences. It is located on the slope of Mount Aragats in the village of Byurakan in Armenia. History ...

. The

and

are among the touristic destinations of the province. The government protects the area as a wildlife sanctuary named

Aragats Alpine Sanctuary Mount Aragats (, ) is an isolated four-peaked volcano massif in Armenia. Its northern summit, at above sea level, is the highest point of the Lesser Caucasus and Armenia. It is also one of the highest points in the Armenian Highlands. The Ara ...

. The Abaran Battle Memorial and the Armenian Alphabet Park near Aparan are also among the most visited locations in Aragatsotn.

Education

As of the 2015-16 educational year, Aragatsotn Province has 123 schools, out of which 119 are operated by the province administration, while 4 are under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Education and Science. The total number of the schools includes the 20 schools that are designated for the ethnic Yazidi and Kurdish minorities. As of the end of 2015, the number of students in the province's schools is 17,010. There is also one school for special needs in the province. The town of Ashtarak is home to 2 major research institutions: the

Mikael Ter-Mikaelian Institute for Physical Research The Institute for Physical Research () of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia is a physics research institute located in Armenia. History Institute for Physical Research (IPR) was founded in 1967 by a prominent Armenian scientist Mika ...

and the Institute of Radiophysics and Electronics. The village of

is home to the

operated by the

Armenian National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (NAS RA) (, ''Hayastani Hanrapetut’yan gitut’yunneri azgayin akademia'') is the Armenian national academy, functioning as the primary body that conducts research and coordinates activ ...

. The house-museum of novelist Perch Proshyan founded in 1948 in Ashtarak, is among the most significant cultural centres of the province.

Sport

Football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

is the most popular sport in Aragatsotn. The province was represented at the

Armenian Premier League The Armenian Premier League (, known as the Armenian Fastex Premier League for sponsorship reasons) is the top association football, football competition in Armenia. From 1936 to 1991, the competition was held as a regional tournament within th ...

FC Mika Sport Club Mika (), commonly known as Mika, is an Armenian football club from the capital Yerevan. It was owned by the Mika Corporation LLC headed by the Russia-based Armenian businessman Mikhail Baghdasarov. The club headquarters were located o ...

of Ashtarak until 2007 when they were relocated to

. The

Kasaghi Marzik Stadium Kasakhi Marzik Stadium () is a football stadium in Ashtarak, Armenia. It was opened in 1971 and is the former home ground of Mika, Ulisses, Aragats and Kasakh FC. The capacity of the stadium is 3,600. The administrator of the stadium is Armen ...

in Ashtarak is the largest sports venue in the province. The sports centres in Ashtarak were entirely renovated and opened in July 2017, with an approximate cost of US$1 million. Ashtarak is also home to the ''Ayrudzi'' horse racing club. It is planned to construct a modern sports complex in the village of

Parpi Parpi () is a village in the Ashtarak Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It is home to the 5th-century Tsiranavor Church, with 7th- and 10th-century modifications. There is also S. Grigor or S. Grigor Lusavorich (''Gregory the Ill ...

. The football stadium of the complex was opened in 2013. At the height of 2000 meters above sea level, the town of Aparan has a ski resort served with a ski lift.

Notable natives

Ghazar Parpetsi Ghazar Parpetsi (; ) was a fifth-to-sixth-century Armenian historian. He had close ties with the powerful Mamikonian noble family and is most prominent for writing a history of Armenia in the last years of the fifth century or at the beginning of ...

(circa 442-early 6th century), 5th to 6th-century Armenian chronicler and historian. * Gevorg I of Byurakan (?-795), Catholicos of All Armenians. *

Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan (June 2, 1305 – December 1, 1335; ), also spelled Abusaid Bahador Khan, Abu Sa'id Behauder (Modern , ''Abu sayid Baghatur Khan'', in modern Mongolian Cyrillic alphabet, Mongolian), was the ninth ruler (c. 1316 – 1335) ...

(1305–1335), 9th ruler of the

Ilkhanate The Ilkhanate or Il-khanate was a Mongol khanate founded in the southwestern territories of the Mongol Empire. It was ruled by the Il-Khans or Ilkhanids (), and known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (). The Ilkhanid realm was officially known ...

. * Nerses V of Ashtarak (1770–1857), Catholicos of All Armenians. * Perch Proshyan (1837–1907), Armenian writer. *

Smbat Shahaziz Smbat Shahaziz (, 1840 in Ashtarak, Armenia – January 5, 1908 in Moscow, Russia) was an Armenian educator, poet and publicist. Biography Born in a family of a priest, he was the youngest of six brothers. He was home schooled until the age 10 ...

(1840–1908), Armenian poet. * Norair Sisakian (1907–1966), Soviet Armenian biochemist. *

Gevorg Emin Gevorg Emin (, born Karlen Muradyan; September 30, 1919 – July 11, 1998) was an Armenian poet, essayist, and translator. Biography Emin, the son of a school teacher, was born in the town of Ashtarak. In 1927, his family moved to Yereva ...

(1918–1998), Armenian poet. *

Emil Gabrielian Emil Samsonovich Gabrielian (; January 31, 1931 – July 20, 2010) was an Armenian physician and academician. From 1971 to 1975, he served as the Rector of Yerevan State Medical Institute, and from 1975 to 1989, he was the Minister of Health of Ar ...

(1931–2010), Armenian physician. * Vardges Petrosyan (1932–1994), Armenian writer.

Gallery

File:Vahramashen Church of Amberd, Armenia.jpg, Vahramashen Surp Astvatsatsin Church of 1026 File:Saghmosavank kev.jpg,

, 13th century File:Mughni Monastery.jpg,

Saint Gevorg Monastery of Mughni Saint Gevork Monastery or Saint George's Monastery of Mughni (Armenian: Սուրբ Գեւորգ Եկեղեցի or Սուրբ Գեւորգ Վանք; pronounced ''Surp Gevork'') is located just off of the main road that runs through the village of M ...

, 14th century File:Amberd fortress and church 2009.jpg,

fortress and

File:Ամբերդ գետի հովիտը.jpg, Amberd river valley

References

External links

Aragatsotn guide with detailed descriptions, by Rick Ney

Aragatsotn Tourist Guide

Armenia news
{{Authority control Provinces of Armenia