Aghitu Աղիտու | |
|---|---|
 Aghitu in 2013 | |
  Aghitu  Aghitu | |
| Coordinates:39°30′55″N46°04′51″E / 39.51528°N 46.08083°E /39.51528; 46.08083 | |
| Country | Armenia |
| Province | Syunik |
| Municipality | Sisian |
| Area | |
• Total | 19.44 km2 (7.51 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 436 |
| • Density | 22.4/km2 (58.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+4 (AMT) |
| Aghitu atGEOnet Names Server | |
Aghitu (Armenian:Աղիտու) is a village in theSisian Municipality of theSyunik Province inArmenia. It is located on the left bank of theVorotan river, 7 kilometers east of the regional capital ofSisian.[3]
In the 2nd to 1st millennium BC, the territory of Aghitu was one of the southern strongholds of theEtiuni confederation in Armenia, with the archaeological ruins of a fortress from that time period located in the village.[4]
The village is famous for the 6th-7th centuryAghitu mausoleum and funerary complex.[5][6] Two rectangular towers rise above the mausoleum with a richly decorated octagonal column in the center. The monument is decorated with carvings of pomegranates, grapes, vegetables, and geometric ornaments similar to the 7th century churches ofSisian andZvartnots.[6][3] According to tradition, the mausoleum was in honor of threeArmenian princes ofSyunik who fought offPersian soldiers. The Persians and Armenians fought a decisive battle near a village calledAghudi where they were able to drive out the Persians. However, that battle took the lives of the three princes. In their honor, the residents of the village buried the princes and built a crypt and monument for them.[5][6]The monument was damaged in the earthquake of 1931 however it was restored promptly by the Armenian authorities.[3]
TheStatistical Committee of Armenia reported its population as 304 in 2010,[7] up from 209 at the 2001 census.[8] Prior to 1988, the village was partly inhabited byAzerbaijanis who settled there fromNakhchivan,Iran, and other localities.[6]
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