Aragatsotn ( hy, Արագածոտն, ) is a

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

('' marz'') of

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''O ...

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

Ashtarak Ashtarak (Armenian: ), is a town and urban municipal community in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, located on the left bank of Kasagh River along the gorge, northwest of the capital Yerevan. It is the administrative centre of the Aragatsotn pr ...

. The

Statistical Committee of Armenia The Statistical Committee of Armenia (Armenian language, Armenian: Հայաստանի վիճակագրական կոմիտե) is the national statistical government agency, agency of Armenia. History The statistical institution started its main ...

reported its population was 132,925 in the 2011 census.

Etymology

Literally meaning "the foot of Aragats" (the highest mountain of

), it is named after the Aragatsotn 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 ...

, ruled by the

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 ...

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 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 ...

Geography

Hovhannavank 2014-05-04 18-51-34 IMG 6588-2 (32575561382)

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 ( hy, Շիրակ, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the north-west of the country, bordering Turkey to the west and Georgia to the north. Its capital and largest city is Gyumri, which is the second largest city ...

from the north,

Lori Province Lori ( hy, Լոռի, ), is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the north of the country, bordering Georgia. Vanadzor is the capital and largest city of the province. Other important towns include Stepanavan, Alaverdi, and Sp ...

from the northeast,

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 and the largest city is Abovyan. It is named after the Kotayk canton of the historic Ayrarat province ...

from the east,

Armavir Province Armavir ( hy, Արմավիր, ), is a 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 town of Armavir wh ...

from the south and the city of

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and i ...

from the southwest. The

Akhurian River The Akhuryan ( hy, Ախուրյան ''Axuryan''; xcl, Ախուրեան ''Axurean''; russian: Арпачай or Ахурян), or Arpachay ( tr, Arpaçay) is a river in the South Caucasus. It originates in Armenia and flows from Lake Arpi, al ...

at the west separates Aragatsotn from the

Kars Province Kars Province ( tr, Kars ili; ku, Parêzgeha Qersê; hy, Կարսի նահանգ) is a province of Turkey, located in the northeastern part of the country. It shares part of its closed border with Armenia. The provincial capital is the city o ...

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...

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

province of Ancient Armenia. Arteni Volcano2

The northern part of the province is 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 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 ( hy, Արագած, ) 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 ...

(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 (Lake Qari, ) is a lake in Armenia located on the slopes of Mount Aragats. Most of its water comes from ice and snow. It is located 3,185 m above the sea level and has a perimeter of 1,150 m. From Byurakan village an asphalt automobile ro ...

Lessing Lessing is a German surname of Slavic origin, originally ''Lesnik'' meaning "woodman". Lessing may refer to: A German family of writers, artists, musicians and politicians who can be traced back to a Michil Lessigk mentioned in 1518 as being a lin ...

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

Hayk Hayk ( hy, Հայկ, ), 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 Moses of Chorene ( Movses Khorenats ...

- 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, 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 from 321 BC to 200 BC. The Orontids ruled first as client kings or satraps of the Achaemenid Empire and after t ...

. 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 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 (; 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 ...

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

noble family. Following the partition of Armenia by the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

and

Sassanid Persia The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...

in 387 and in 428,

Eastern Armenia Eastern Armenia ( hy, Արևելյան Հայաստան ''Arevelyan Hayastan'') comprises the eastern part of the Armenian Highlands, the traditional homeland of the Armenian people. Between the 4th and the 20th centuries, Armenia was partitione ...

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 profes ...

In 658, Armenia was conquered by the

Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

invaders. At the end of the 9th century, Aragatsotn 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 ...

. The Armenian noble families of

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

Pahlavuni Pahlavuni ( hy, Պահլավունի; 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. Orig ...

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 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, Aragatsotn 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, Aragatsotn became part of the Erivan Khanate under the rule of the

Afsharid dynasty The Afsharid dynasty ( fa, افشاریان) was an Iranian dynasty founded by Nader Shah () of the Qirqlu clan of the Turkoman Afshar tribe Afshar ( az, Əfşar افشار; tr, Avşar, ''Afşar''; tk, Owşar; fa, اَفشار, Āfshār) ...

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 origin ...

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 ...

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 Western Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Arme ...

united to form the Transcaucasian Federative Republic and proclaimed

secession Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics l ...

. 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 ( hy, Գյումրի, ) is an urban municipal community and the 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 century, when the city w ...

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

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

: ''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 Aragatsotn Province (then part of the Aparan, Aragats,

, 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 Oshakan ( hy, Օշական) is a major village in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia located 8 kilometers southwest from Ashtarak. It is well known to historians and pilgrims of the Armenian Apostolic Church as the site of the grave of Mesrop Mas ...

is the largest rural municipality of Aragatsotn.

Ethnic groups and religion

The province is primarily inhabited by

Armenians Armenians ( hy, հայեր, ''hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diaspora ...

who migrated from Moush,

Manzikert The Battle of Manzikert or Malazgirt was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Seljuk Empire on 26 August 1071 near Manzikert, theme of Iberia (modern Malazgirt in Muş Province, Turkey). The decisive defeat of the Byzantine army and th ...

Sasun Sason ( hy, Սասուն, translit=Sasun, ku, Qabilcewz, ar, قبل جوز; formerly known as Sasun or Sassoun) is a district and town in the Batman Province of Turkey. It was formerly part of the sanjak of Siirt, which was in Diyarbakır ...

Kars Kars (; ku, Qers; ) is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. Its population is 73,836 in 2011. Kars was in the ancient region known as ''Chorzene'', (in Greek Χορζηνή) in classical historiography (Strabo), part of ...

Khoy Khoy (Persian and az, خوی; ; ; also Romanized as Khoi), is a city and capital of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2012 census, its population was 200,985. Khoy is located north of the province's capital and largest ci ...

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

Armeno-Tat Armeno-Tats ( hy, հայ-թաթեր – ''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 schola ...

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 Aragatsotn, headed by Bishop Mkrtich Broshyan. The

Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church ( hy, Սուրբ Մեսրոպ Մաշտոց եկեղեցի) 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 kno ...

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

Yazidis Yazidis or Yezidis (; ku, ئێزیدی, translit=Êzidî) are a Kurmanji-speaking endogamous minority group who are indigenous to Kurdistan, a geographical region in Western Asia that includes parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran. The ma ...

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

Avshen Avshen ( hy, Ավշեն; until 1978, Chobanmaz and Chobangerekmaz) is a town in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. See also *Aragatsotn Province *Yazidi people A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such a ...

, Charchakis,

Ddmasar Ddmasar ( hy, Դդմասար) is a village in the Arevut Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The town is mostly populated by Yazidis Yazidis or Yezidis (; ku, ئێزیدی, translit=Êzidî) are a Kurmanji-speaking endoga ...

, Hako,

Jamshlu Jamshlu or Jamushvan ( hy, Ջամշլու or Ջամուշվան; ku, Camuşlû) is a village in the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The town is mostly populated by Kurds ug:كۇردلار Kurds ( ku, کورد ...

Kanch Kanch ( hy, Կանչ) is a village in the Arevut Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The town is mostly populated by Yezidi Yazidis or Yezidis (; ku, ئێزیدی, translit=Êzidî) are a Kurmanji-speaking endogamous min ...

, Kaniashir, Metsadzor,

Mijnatun Mijnatun ( hy, Միջնատուն) is a village in the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It is mostly populated by Yazidis Yazidis or Yezidis (; ku, ئێزیدی, translit=Êzidî) are a Kurmanji-speaking endoga ...

, Mirak,

Otevan Otevan ( hy, Օթևան) 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 ...

, Rya Taza, Sadunts, Shamiram,

Shenkani Shenkani ( hy, Շենկանի) is a village in the Alagyaz Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The town is mostly populated by Yazidis Yazidis or Yezidis (; ku, ئێزیدی, translit=Êzidî) are a Kurmanji-speaking endog ...

Sipan Huaca Rajada, also known as Sipán, is a Moche archaeological site in northern Peru in the Lambayeque Valley, that is famous for the tomb of ''Lord of Sipán'' (El Señor de Sipán), excavated by Walter Alva and his wife Susana Meneses beginni ...

, Sorik and Tlik. The villages of

Arteni Arteni ( hy, Արտենի;) is a town in the Aragatsotn province of Armenia. The town contains a wine factory. See also *Aragatsotn Province Aragatsotn ( hy, Արագածոտն, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the ...

, Vardenut and Voskevaz have a significant Yazidi population as well. Yazidis are also found in the towns of Aparan and

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

Kurds ug:كۇردلار Kurds ( ku, کورد ,Kurd, italic=yes, rtl=yes) or Kurdish people are an Iranian peoples, Iranian ethnic group native to the mountainous region of Kurdistan in Western Asia, which spans southeastern Turkey, northwestern Ir ...

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 flowering plants in the family Araceae, 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. See also *Aragatsotn Province Aragatsotn ( hy, Արագածոտն, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the western part of the country. The cap ...

, Lusaghbyur,

Nigatun Nigatun ( hy, Նիգատուն) is an abandoned village in the Ashtarak Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of ...

, Shenik, Verin Kalakut and

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. 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 Perch Proshian ( hy, Պերճ Պռոշյան, Hovhannes Ter-Arakelian, , Ashtarak – 23 November 1907, Baku) was an Armenians, Armenian writer. Biography Proshian was born in a tailor's family in Ashtarak. His education included parish school ...

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 ( hy, Ուշիբերդ) is an Iron Age fortress located upon a hill just outside the village of Ushi in the Aragatsotn Province Aragatsotn ( hy, Արագածոտն, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the weste ...

fortress of the

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly ...

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

Amberd Amberd ( hy, Ամբերդ) 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 clo ...

fortress of the 7th century, *

Dashtadem Fortress Dashtadem Fortress ( hy, Դաշտադեմի ամրոց) is a substantial fortress of the 10th to 19th centuries located at the southern outskirts of Dashtadem village in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. In a cemetery south of Dashtadem, lies ...

of the 9th century.

Churches and monasteries

* The Arshakid Kings Mausoleum and Basilica of the 4th century, *

Kasagh Basilica The Kasagh Basilica (Քասաղի բազիլիկա), formally known as the Holy Cross Church (Սուրբ Խաչ եկեղեցի, ''Surb Khach yekeghetsi''), is an early medieval Armenian church in the town of Aparan in the Aragatsotn Province of A ...

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 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 Saint Sarkis Monastery ( hy, Սուրբ Սարգիս Վանք or Ուշի Վանք; 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 ...

, 7th century *

Yeghipatrush Church The Surb Astvatsatsin Church ( hy, Եղիպատրուշ Սուրբ Աստուածածին Եկեղեցի; meaning ''Holy Mother of God Church''); also Yeghipatrush Church ( hy, Եղիպատրուշ Եկեղեցի) is a church located in the villag ...

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

Vahramashen Church The Vahramashen Church ( hy, Վահրամաշեն եկեղեցի), 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 lin ...

of the 11th century, * Tukh Manuk Chapel of

Kuchak Kuchak ( hy, Քուչակ) formerly known as Alikuchak, is a village in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It was founded in 1829-30 and named after Nahapet Kuchak, a 16th-century Armenian poet.Kiesling, ''Rediscovering Armenia'', p. 22, availab ...

, 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 Tukh Manuk (or Tux Manuk, (Armenian Թուխ Մանուկ), "Dark-skinned Youth") refers to archaic rural shrines in Armenia. Their origi ...

, 12-13th 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 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

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

s, out of which 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 the rural communities. Beekeeping farms are also found at 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% in 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 Nigavan ( hy, Նիգավան) is a village in the Aparan Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The town has a cyclopean Cyclopean masonry is a type of stonework found in Mycenaean architecture, built with massive limestone boulder ...

, the "Mastarchedo" plant of

Mastara Mastara ( hy, Մաստարա) 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 N ...

. 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 founded in 1932 in Voskevaz (privatized in 2004), the

ArmAs Winery The Arma people are an ethnic group of the middle Niger River valley, descended from Moroccan invaders of the 16th century . The name, applied by other groups, derives from the word ''ar-rumah'' ( ar, الرماة) "fusiliers". N. Levtzion, "No ...

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 Voskevaz, the Wine House Winery founded in 2011 in Aghdzk, 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 tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...

and the lovers of

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

. Aragats is the highest mountain of 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 Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histo ...

and

adventure travel Adventure travel is a type of niche 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 grown in ...

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 ( hy, Բյուրական), is a major village in 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 and

. Byurakan is also home to the Byurakan Observatory. 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 ( hy, Արագած, ) 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 Hi ...

. The Abaran Battle Memorial and the Armenian Alphabet Park near Aparan are also among the most visited locations of 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 ( hy, Ֆիզիկական Հետազոտությունների Ինստիտուտ) of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia is a physics research institute located in Armenia. History Institute for Phys ...

and the Institute of Radiophysics and Electronics. The village of

is home to the Byurakan Observatory operated by the Armenian National Academy of Sciences. The house-museum of novelist

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, 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 ...

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

Armenian Premier League The Armenian Premier League ( hy, VBET Հայաստանի Պրեմիեր Լիգա, known as the VBET Armenian Premier League for sponsorship reasons) is the top football competition in Armenia. From 1936 to 1991, the competition was held as a re ...

FC Mika FC may refer to: Businesses, organisations, and schools * Fergusson College, a science and arts college in Pune, India * Finncomm Airlines (IATA code) * FranklinCovey company, NYSE stock symbol FC * Frontier Corps, a paramilitary force in Pakis ...

of Ashtarak until 2007 when they were relocated to

. The

Kasaghi Marzik Stadium Kasakhi Marzik Stadium ( hy, Քասախի մարզիկ մարզադաշտ) is a football stadium in Ashtarak, Armenia. It was opened in 1971 and is the former home ground of Mika and former club Kasakh FC. The capacity of the stadium is 3,600. Th ...

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 ( hy, Փարպի) is a village in 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 Illuminator'') Ch ...

. 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 ( hy, Ղազար Փարպեցի, translit=Łazar P῾arpec῾i) was a 5th to 6th century Armenian chronicler and historian. He had close ties with the powerful Mamikonian noble family and is most prominent for writing a history 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) (Persian, Arabic: ), also spelt Abusaid Bahador Khan, Abu Sa'id Behauder ( mn, , ''Busayid Baghatur Khan'', ''Бусайд баатар хаан'' / ''Busaid baatar khaan'', in moder ...

(1305-1335), 9th ruler of the

Ilkhanate The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate ( fa, ایل خانان, ''Ilxānān''), known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (, ''Qulug-un Ulus''), was a khanate established from the southwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanid realm ...

. * Nerses V of Ashtarak (1770-1857), Catholicos of All Armenians. *

(1837-1907), Armenian writer. *

Smbat Shahaziz Smbat Shahaziz ( hy, Սմբատ Շահազիզ, 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 ...

(1840-1908), Armenian poet. *

Norair Sisakian Norair Martirosovich Sisakian (Sissakian) ( hy, Նորայր Մարտիրոսի Սիսակյան; russian: Норайр Мартиросович Сисакян, 12 January 1907 – 12 March 1966) was a Soviet Armenian biochemist, academic, one of ...

(1907-1966), Soviet Armenian biochemist. *

Gevorg Emin Gevorg Emin (, September 30, 1919 – June 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 Yerevan, the capital of Sovi ...

(1918-1998), Armenian poet. *

Emil Gabrielian Emil Samsonovich Gabrielian ( hy, Էմիլ Սամսոնի Գաբրիելյան; 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 1 ...

(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, Saghmosavank Monastery, 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 ...

, 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