NOTES: ARAGATSOTN Note about pronunciation: we transcribe words civilization from before the Stone Age. The ARAGATSOTN marz into English using local dialect, and substitute “i” Highlights earliest skeletal remains found are 1.7 million for “y” as in Sarigiugh instead of Sarigyugh. “p.” years old with African ancestry and the area is in ²ñ³·³óáïÝ Ù³ñ½ stands for poghots (street), ‘pts.’ for poghotsner the midst of Armenia’s Cradle of Civilization, the • Visit Ashtarak Gorge and the three (streets), ‘pta.’ For poghota (avenue). Ararat/Akhurian River valleys. The area supported sister churches of Karmravor, By Rick Ney a series of settlements, burial mounds and ancient Tsiranavor and Spitakavor (p. 10) Maps by Rafael Torossian Note: GPS coordinates are in decimal degrees (DD) sites that grew to become vital sources of bronze Edited by Bella Karapetian Latitude x Longitude. Elevation (elev.) is in • Follow the mountain monastery trail to and iron for the empires of the Near East. Like meters. Population counts (pop.) are estimates for Tegher (pp. 18), Mughni (p 20), Talin, the land is rocky and dry in the summer, its TABLE OF CONTENTS 7 km radius from place and due to ongoing Hovhanavank (pp. 21) and soil surprisingly rich when irrigated. Unlike Talin migrations the numbers are not exact. Saghmosavank (pp. 23) the Southeast has deeper soils and is more heavily INTRODUCTION (p. 2) farmed. The mountain slopes receive more rainfall NATURE (p. 3) INTRODUCTION • See Amberd Castle, summer home for then on the plateau and has thick stands of DO (p. 5) Armenia’s rulers (p 25) mountain grass and wildflowers throughout the Aragatsotn (also spelled “Aragadzotn”) is named WHEN? (p. 5) summer season. after the massive mountain (4095m / 13,435 ft.) • Hike up the south peak of Mt. Aragats How Long that hovers over the northern reaches of Armenia. for a view from the top of Armenia. (p. HISTORY (p. 5) The name itself means “ ‘at the foot of’ or ‘the legs 25) Prehistoric Age of’ Aragats”, a fitting title if ever there was one for Copper and Bronze Ages this rugged land that wraps around the collapsed • See the megalithic temple complex at Urartian, Roman eras volcano. A district carved for convenience, the Agarak (p. 17) marz actually consists of three distinct Early Christian Era – Middle Ages • Visit the Kurdish Culture Center at geographical areas that made up previous Seljuks, Persians Alagiaz & the Yezidi village of Ria Taza administrative centers: Aparan, Ashtarak and 19th Century (p. 38) Talin. Genocide & First Republic • Buy some village fresh cheese and The Soviet Period The mountain Mt. Aragats (Turkish and in some Matsun at Nigavan (p. 37) Earthquake and Second Republic maps “Alagiaz”), formed during the Miocene era, Aragatsotn Now once reached 10,000m above sea level before a • View the ancient observatory at IN AND OUT (p. 11) massive eruption 500,000 years ago (one of a Yeghipatrush (p. 34), the Bronze Age OVERNIGHT / EAT (p. 12) string of eruptions in during the Pliocene and fortress at Tsaghkahovit (p, 38) & fire quaternary ages) caused the near perfect cone to altar at Gegharot (p. 40) DESTINATIONS (p. 12) NATURE TOURING (p. 12) collapse, leaving behind four peaks to serve as sentinels over the collapsed dome. The resulting • Hike the nature trails over the Pambak Nature-Adventure Tour Operators Aragatsotn is a favorite haunt of the urban lava flow spread outwards hundreds of km so that and Tsaghkuniats Mountains into the “Yerevantsi”, who escape the summer heat at one Archeological Tour Operators the mountain is 18% of the total land mass of the forests of Kotaik and Lori (pp. 36, 36, of the many dachas and pansionats (summer ASHTARAK (p. 15) country, and can be viewed from every marz 37, 37, 40) lodges) that inhabit the southern edge of the EXPLORING THE REGION (p. 24) except two. • Climb to the top of Kosh Castle, an mountain. Camping, hiking, horse-back trails are TRIP 1: AROUND ASHTARAK (p. 24) intact 13th c fort and the amazing an added treat. The area The result is a startling land of TRIP 2: ASHTARAK TO ARAGATS (p. 42) Kosh Great Khachkar (p. 41) contrasts: to the west (old Talin province) the land TRIP 3: MT. ARAGATS (p. 52) Aragatsotn is the location of Biurakan Observatory TRIP 4: APARAN REGION (p. 53) is upper plateau dotted with small mountains and • See the Mamikonian seat of power in and the second largest optical telescope in Eurasia. an almost lunar landscape. The now semi-desert Aragatsotn, at Aruch (p. 42) - Aparan (p. 62) The observatory is home to some of the most steppe land is actually teeming with wildlife, TRIP 5: TALIN REGION (p. 72) brilliant astronomers in the world, one of which hanging out in the deep ravines and mountain • Stop by Talin to see one of the discovered the ancient observatories at Metsamor - Talin (p. 80) ripples that striate the sparse land. This area is “perfect” examples of early medieval TRIP 6: WESTERN ARAGATSOTN (p. 83) construction, the cathedral (p. 43) and Karahundj. actually the northern end of the great Ararat RESOURCES (p. 90) Valley, once covered with forests and tall grass, • Visit Mastara, with its gorgeous 6th c The Northern area (“Aparan”) is usually lumped as now barren scrub. Don’t be deceived; the soil is MAPS open cross form church and 13th c one but is really two distinct regions; Aragats still fertile and springs to life when irrigated by the Aragatsotn Map (P. 92) master khachkar, visit with village itself, a looming mass of snow and wildflowers with melting mountain snows, infrequent rainfall and Ashtarak Map (P. 19) elders, climb the nearby shepherd hills some middle-to-tough mountain climbing, and the numerous springs that nourish each village. Aparan Map (p. 62) (p. 50) upper plateau around Aparan, home to the bulk of Talin Map (p. 80) Armenia’s once nomadic Zoroastrian Yezidis (also In the southeast, the land alternates between • Visit Arteni winery and buy a bottle or called Yesdis or Yezedis), who begin their annual Mt. Aragats Maps (P. 52) rolling steppe lands and deep gashes in the soil— two for a picnic on the road (p.49) trek up the mountain slopes to graze their flocks river gorges that have supported wildlife and each spring and summer. This area is a source of Travel Guide® clean air, cool climes and some incredible managed to create an apex of beauty under the The four crests that top the mountain are but prehistoric sites that are traced to a time when the Bagratuni, Zakarian, Proshian and Vachutian reminders of its once soaring heights before a MINERALS volcanoes were still active and warmed the upper families in the 10-13th cc, producing the massive eruption leveled the 10,000m. cone to its Aragats is a dormant volcano, and as such elevations. One exceptional site is near outstanding “sister vanks” of Hovhanavank, current 4095m. The collapsed dome is called contains large concentrations of volcanic rock Tsaghkahovit. Saghmosavank and Tegher, plus the stunning Armenia’s weather maker, a cauldron of forces (tufa, pumice, and perlite) as well as basalt, mountain monasteries at Aruch, Ashtarak and that generate huge summer storms that flow down gypsum, pumice, andesite, limestone, marble, Now the cold winters and meters-high snow give Talin. Aragatsotn is also the final resting place for its slopes into the valleys. The snows of winter granite. Minerals include quartz, agate, obsidian, way to stunning “greenscapes” and blankets of Mesrop Mashtots, credited with inventing the melt into the rivers of summer, diverted by silver and copper. wildflowers in the summer. The mountain current Armenian alphabet and introducing a wave irrigation canals as old as the mythical Queen experiences eight months of flowering, beginning of learning and native literature in Armenia. Shamiram (Semiramis), one of which is thought to FLORA in the river valleys near Ashtarak and ascending be over 5000 years old. Another waterway, The flowers are breathtaking if you are lucky the mountain in ever rising bands of color before Mountain climates, stunning vistas, great climbing Amberd River, flows from the top of Aragats to the enough to catch them in season. Among the retreating in August towards the base. The area and hiking, some of the best preserved historic Kasakh River near Ashtarak, ambling through a brightest flowers are the native poppies, straw also produces some of the best dairy products in sites in the country and the friendliness and number of topographies and climate zones, home flowers and wild irises that cover the upper the country. hospitality of locals make Aragatsotn a must-see to some of Armenia’s rarest flowers and birds. meadows and hillsides from Spring to summer. destination. Leave the dusty streets of Yerevan behind for a quick (20 minute) trip uphill to some Flora in Aragats (Geghama Lehr) include clean air and friendly folk. Merendera trigyna, M. raddeana, Colchicum bifolium, Puschkinia scilloides, Scilla armena, S. siberica, Tulipa julia, Iris caucasia, Muscari NATURE 44 caucasicum, Bellevalia pycnantha, Ornithogalum Aragatsotn’s environment is as varied as its schelkovnikovii, O. brachystachys, O. haystanum, geography. Formed during the Miocene era, a Fritillaria caucasica, Nectaroscordum tripedale, sp. time of violent volcanic eruptions, the region is of Gagea, Myosotis alpestre, Amenone caucasica, actually Armenia’s youngest (give or take a few Orchis coriophora, Gladiolus tenuis. million years), its rich alluvial soil and southern exposure on Mt. Aragats giving rise to a Lower Elevation sagebrush steppe flora remarkably diverse flora and the agricultural include Gladiolus atroviolaceus, Nigella oxypetala, revolution that built proto-Armenia. The western Actynolema macrolema, Gundelia tournefortii, sub-region (historic Talin region) is really the Verbascum saccatum, Lallemanita iberica, upper semi-desert of the Ararat Dashtavir (Ararat Roemeria refracta, Scabiosa argentea, Scorzonera Valley), to which it owes most of its historic Photograph courtesy of Tigran Nazaryan © papposa, Muscari neglecta, Stachys inflata, development.