Vanadzor (Armenian:Վանաձոր,IPA:[vɑnɑˈd͡zɔɾ]) is an urban municipal community and thethird-largest city inArmenia, serving as the capital ofLori Province in the northern part of the country. It is located about 128 kilometres (80 miles) north of the capitalYerevan. As of the 2011 census, the city had a population of 86,199, down from 148,876 reported at the 1979 official census. Currently, the town has a population of approximately 75,186 as of the 2022 census.[1] Vanadzor is the seat of theDiocese of Gougark of theArmenian Apostolic Church.
In the official records of the Russian Empire, the city was labelled asBolshoy Karaklis (Russian:Большой Караклисъ,lit.'Greater Karakilisa').[3] Following theSovietization of Armenia, the city was renamedMartunashen (Մարտունաշեն, alternativelyMartunakan) in 1926 after ArmenianBolshevik revolutionaryAlexander Miasnikian.[4] In 1935, it wasrenamedKirovakan, after the Russian Bolshevik leaderSergey Kirov. A close associate of Miasnikian andAghasi Khanjian, Kirov had been assassinated on December 1 of the previous year. On 25 June 1992, after Armenia gained its independence, Kirovakan was renamed back to its initial nameVanadzor after theVanadzor River which flows through the city.[5] The nameVanadzor is composed of the Armenian wordsvank (վանք, "monastery") anddzor (ձոր, "valley"). Thus, the name of the city means "valley of the monasteries".[6]
The area of present-day Vanadzor has been settled since theBronze Age, based on the tombs and other historic remains found on the nearby hills ofTagavoranist andMashtots. In antiquity, the area fell into the canton of Tashir ofGugark, the 13th province of theKingdom of Armenia. Later, the region was ruled by the other Armenian dynasties of theArsacids and theBagratunis. The area was part of theKingdom of Lori from the 10th century until the beginning of the 12th century. With the invasion of theSeljuk Turks, the region came under the rule of theSeljuk Empire. The settlement was calledGharakilisa (meaningblack church in Turkic) by the Seljuks possibly as early as the 13th century, the name being taken from the black-stoned Armenian church of the Holy Mother of God on a nearby hill.
City center of Vanadzor in 1928
In 1801, the entire region of Lori became part of theRussian Empire along with theGeorgian state. Lori was a strategically important territory for the Russian defensive forces on the border against Persia. In 1826, the settlement of Gharakilisa was entirely destroyed by Hasan Khan during theRusso-Persian war. In 1828, the Russians founded a new town as a major centre for the deployment of their troops during theRusso-Turkish War of 1828–29. According toKhachatur Abovian, the population of Gharakilisa was not more than 600 by the end of the 1820s, mainly consisting of migrants fromYerevan. In 1849, it became part of theErivan Governorate within theRussian Empire. Under its new administrative status, Gharakilisa was flooded with many hundreds of migrating Armenian families fromKars,Ardahan and theWestern Armenian cities ofKarin (Erzurum) andDaroynk (Doğubeyazıt).[citation needed]
The town enjoyed a considerable uplift through the opening of the railroad towardsTbilisi in 1899. The vicinity of the town was the site of theBattle of Karakilisa in May 1918, when GeneralTovmas Nazarbekian's outnumbered troops, led byGaregin Nzhdeh successfully defended the region against the invadingOttoman Army, pushed them back just a few days after the crucial Armenian victory in theBattle of Sardarapat, thus allowing theRepublic of Armenia to come into existence.[7] On the North side of theSpitak-Vanadzor highway, about 2 km (1 mi) west of the city, there is a little shrine in the ruins of a church, the site of a planned monument to that battle.
Downtown VanadzorView of Vanadzor from the southeast
In 1920, after only 2 years of independence, Armenia fell underSoviet rule. The first city development plan for Gharakilisa, initiated by architectsKaro Halabyan, Mikayel Mazmanyan and Gevork Kochar, was adopted in 1929–1930. Under the new plan, the town was enlarged towards the East and the West. In 1935, the Soviets renamed the cityKirovakan after the Bolshevik leaderSergey Kirov. In 1939, a new remodeling plan for the city, created by architects N. Zargaryan and A. Minasyan, was introduced to create an industrial district and a summer-resort area. The centre of the city was redeveloped during the 1950s. The central town square named after Sergey Kirov (nowHayk Square) was constructed along with the surrounding government and administrative buildings.[8]
In March 1962, the city was visited byAnastas Mikoyan, who received a massive welcome from local residents.[9] Behind the scenes, Mikoyan provided Armenian leaders with support for the Kirovakan Acetate Silk Plant, a major source of local employment.[10] In addition to the plant, the15th Motor Rifle Division of the Soviet7th Guards Army was based at Kirovakan, under the authority of theTranscaucasian Military District.[11]
Along withLeninakan andSpitak (25 km (16 mi) west), Kirovakan suffered a considerable amount of damage from the1988 Armenian earthquake, which claimed the lives of 564 city residents. However, unlike the two other northern Armenian cities, the majority of Kirovakan's buildings were unscathed from the earthquake.
After Armenia gained its independence, Kirovakan was renamedVanadzor after theVanadzor River that flows through the city.[5]
Vanadzor, the capital of Lori Province, is located 128 km (80 mi) north ofYerevan and 64 km (40 mi) east ofGyumri.
At an average height of 1,350 metres (4,430 feet)above sea level, Vanadzor is located in the valley ofPambak River, on the point where the rivers ofTandzut andVanadzor join the Pambak river. The city is surrounded by the over 2,500-metre-high (8,200-foot) mountains of Bazum and Pambak. The southern and eastern regions are densely forested while to the north and west are only covered with bushes and plants.
The climate of Vanadzor is characterized by warm summers and cold winters. The average temperature in winter is −8 °C (17.6 °F), while in summer it reaches up to 15 °C (59 °F). Vanadzor's climate is classified aswarm summer humid continental (Köppen:Dfb). The amount ofprecipitation is around 570 mm (22.4 inches).
The Vanadzor Botanical Garden located in the southwestern edge of the city is one of the 5 botanical parks in Armenia.
Climate data for Vanadzor (Normals 1991-2020, Extremes 1981-2020)
The population of Vanadzor has grown gradually since 1849, after becoming part of theYerevan Governorate.
The population of Kirovakan-Vanadzor increased significantly afterWorld War II, whenStalin allowed open immigration to theArmenian Soviet Socialist Republic with the promise of a better life for the arriving Armenians in the historical homeland. Armenians from different parts ofEurope and theMiddle East, most of them survivors of theArmenian genocide, immigrated and settled in Kirovakan.[citation needed] Due to the harsh conditions imposed bySoviet intelligence and theMinistry of Interior, many of the immigrants were sent tolabor camps inSiberia and elsewhere. The reason for this treatment towards the Armenian immigrants was because almost all were more educated than the local community, spoke more than 3 languages, and were open followers of theArmenian Apostolic Church, something that was considered a threat to the national security by the Stalinist government.[citation needed] Despite the difficulties, more Western Armenians immigrated to Kirovakan during the following years. However, many of the immigrants left the city and returned to their diaspora countries, includingCyprus,Lebanon,Syria,Greece,France and theUnited States. Nowadays, approximately 2,000 Western Armenian settlers are living in Vanadzor, most of whom are still using the Western Armenian dialect in daily life.[citation needed]
While the majority of Vanadzor are ethnic Armenians, there are also small communities of Russian, Ukrainian and Greek population.
The population timeline of Vanadzor since 1831 is as follows:[5]
The majority of the population belongs to theArmenian Apostolic Church. Vanadzor is the seat of theDiocese of Gougark of the Armenian Apostolic Church, serving the population of Lori province.
As of 2016[update], The city is home to 4 churches and 2 chapels:
Church of the Holy Mother of God: opened in 1831, also known as Gharakilisa 'black church', is one of the oldest preserved churches of the city. It was completely renovated in 1999.[15]
Kamakatar Chapel, located at the northeast of the city (although it originally dates back to the medieval period). Despite dating back to the medieval period, the current building was reconstructed in 1841.[16]
Church of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary, opened in 1895, is serving the city's small Russian Orthodox community.[17]
Surp Sarkis Church of Vanadzor, opened in 2000, is located near the prelacy building.
Saint Gregory of Narek Cathedral, opened in 2005, is named after SaintGregory of Narek to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of hisBook of Lamentations. It is currently the seat of theDiocese of Gougark of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Holy Children Chapel opened in the Tsitsernak children's camp of Vanadzor in 2006.
Many residents of Vanadzor are traditionally members of theArmenian Evangelical Church, which was first established by arriving Protestant Western Armenians in 1946. Although at that time any religious activity was punishable by law, followers of the Evangelical tradition continued practicing their faith and gathered secretly in basements to avoid deportation to Siberia. Particularly Armenians ofMusa Dagh (Musa Ler) became pioneers of Evangelical faith and adherence to their traditions despite continuous threats by the police and the neighborhood watch.
Vanadzor has several archaeological sites including the nearby Mashtots hill which is home to many remains from the 4th millennium BC. The Lori-Pambak archaeological museum opened in 1938 is dedicated to the history and ethnography of Gugark region. It currently has a collection of around 34,000 pieces and artifacts.
Vanadzor is the cultural center of Lori Province and northeastern Armenia. The Vanadzor House of Culture named after Charles Aznavour is one of the largest centers in Armenia. The Eduard Kzartmyan school of music is a prominent art school founded in 1934. The Vanadzor fine art museum is operating since 1974, while the house-museum of writerStepan Zoryan is operating since 1990.[18]
The city is home to many theatres including theBohem Chamber Theatre of Vanadzor,Vanadzor Musical Theatre,Vanadzor Drama Theatre named after Hovhannes Abelyan, andVanadzor Puppet Theatre. Other famous art ensembles of Vanadzor include Horevel Folke Dance Ensemble (founded in 1958), Vanadzor Chamber Music Choir (1989), and Vanadzor Chamber Orchestra (1993).
Vanadzor has also produced many famoushard rock bands includingLousnelius,Lav Eli andVordan Karmir.
As of 2016[update], the city is home to 4 public libraries as well as 4 children's libraries.[19]
Vanadzor is connected to other parts of Armenia through a railway and national highways. The M-6 highway that connects the M-3 towards Yerevan with the Georgian border atBagratashen passes through Vanadzor. The city is also connected withTavush Province to the east via the M-8 highway.
Vanadzor has a railway station with aSouth Caucasus Railway service that connects the city withYerevan viaGyumri, andTbilisi viaAyrum. In April 2012, a replacement bridge over the Zamarlu gorge just west ofVahagnadzor was opened in order to secure the safe ongoing use of the line to Ayrum.[20] A new railway link between Vanadzor andFioletovo (west ofDilijan) has also been proposed.[21]
Stepanavan Airport, located 44 km (27 mi) north of Vanadzor, is the nearest airport to the city.
The city of Vanadzor is the main industrial centre of the province. The industry of the city is quite diversified with many firms specialized in garment manufacturing, chemical products, building materials, and dairy products. The largest garment manufacturers of the city are the "Dav-Gar" garment factory founded in 1962, the Darbbag's Sewing Factory founded in 1977 (privatized in 1996), the "Sarton" Sewing Factory founded in 1990, "Ruz-Dan" garment factory founded in 2000. The largest chemical plants of Vanadzor include the "Vanadzor ChimProm" founded in 1929, the "Gipk" enterprise for polymeric materials founded in 1967, and the "Gary Group" for polymeric materials founded in 1998. The "Beton" enterprise founded in 1988, the "Bionik" plant founded in 2004, and the "Karaberd" plant are specialized in building materials. The "DIET LLC", the "K&K" factory, and the "Katnagorts" plant are specialized in dairy products. Other major industrial plants of Vanadzor include the "Ardvin" electromechanical plant founded in 1956, the "Gems De Luxe" precious stone processing enterprise founded in 1996, and the "Jerutsogh" factory for heating equipments.
Many small plants for the production of building materials, mainlytufa,basalt and clay are also operating in Vanadzor.
The city is home to the Vanadzor Thermal Power Plant opened in 1961.
Vanadzor is a resort center in northern Armenia due to its mild climate, clean air and mineral springs. Many hotels and spa resorts are built in the city and the nearby countryside.
The city is connected with other major cities of Armenia with a railway and a motorway.
Vanadzor Armenia Health Resort & Hotel is among the most significant resorts with water treatment procedures (mineral water "Lori") and mud/peat treatment.
Mkhitar Gosh Armenian-Russian International University opened in 1995, currently home to 5 faculties, including: Law, Management, Foreign languages, Pedagogy, and Medicine.
On 29 October 2016, theVanadzor Technology Center was opened in the city in an attempt to promote the business and technology environment in the entire region.[24]
As of 2009[update], 6 technical intermediate colleges, 30 public education schools and 20 nurseries are operating in the city.
Football is popular in Vanadzor. The currently defunct football clubLori Vanadzor founded in 1936, was one of the oldest football clubs in Armenia. After the independence of Armenia, the team represented the city in domestic competitions until 2006 when was dissolved due to financial difficulties.
The largest sport venue in the city is theVanadzor City Stadium with a capacity of 5,000 spectators. It is mainly used for football matches. A renovation plan was scheduled in order to redevelop the stadium to meet the requirements of theUEFA.[25]
TheFFAVanadzor Football Academy opened its doors on 29 October 2016.[26][27] It is home to 3 natural grass and 1 artificial turf regular-sized pitches.
In 2017, a new football club namedLori was founded by Tovmas Grigoryan; a native businessman of Vanadzor. The club made its debut at professional football through the2017–18 Armenian First League competition.
Futsal is among the popular team sports in the city. TheVSU futsal team plays at theArmenian Futsal Premier League. The Armenia Sports Arena of Vanadzor is the home venue of the team.
Handball andvolleyball are also popular in Vanadzor. Many sport schools operate in the city under the supervision of the municipality, including the schools of swimming, athletics, weightlifting, chess, artistic gymnastics, table tennis and badminton.
Winter sports are also practiced in Lori Province. A ski resort near Vanadzor operates during the snowy season, generally extending between December and March.
Everett-Heath, John (2005).The Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0198605379.
Hakobyan, T. Kh.; Melik-Bakhshyan, St. T.; Barseghyan, H. Kh., eds. (1991)."Kirovakan".Հայաստանի եւ հարակից շրջանների տեղանունների բառարան [Dictionary of Toponymy of Armenian and Adjacent Territories] (in Armenian). Vol. 3. Yerevan State University.
Stelmashchuk, Nikolay Petrovich, ed. (1916).Кавказский календарь на 1917 год [Caucasian Calendar for 1917] (in Russian) (72nd ed.). Tiflis: Tipografiya kantselyarii Ye.I.V. na Kavkaze, kazenny dom.
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