Ashtarak

Coordinates: 40°17′51″N 44°21′42″E / 40.29750°N 44.36167°E

Ashtarak
Աշտարակ

Ashtarak landmarks

Ashtarak town • Ashtarak bridge of 1664
Karmravor Church • Saint Mariane Church • Surp Sarkis Church
House-meuseum of Pertch Proshian • the statue of Nerses Ashtaraketsi
Ashtarak
Աշտարակ
Coordinates: 40°17′51″N 44°21′42″E / 40.29750°N 44.36167°E
Country  Armenia
Marz Aragatsotn
First mentioned 9th century
City status 1963
Government
 • Mayor Armen Antonyan
Area
 • Total 7.5 km2 (2.9 sq mi)
Elevation 1,110 m (3,640 ft)
Population (2009)
 • Total 21,588
 • Density 2,900/km2 (7,500/sq mi)
Time zone GMT +4 (UTC+4)
Postal code 0201-0205
Area code(s) (+374) 232
Website official website
Sources: Population[1]

Ashtarak (Armenian: Աշտարակ) is a town 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 capital of the Aragatsotn province. Ashtarak, with a population of 21,600, is an important crossroad of routes for the Yerevan–Gyumri–Vanadzor rectangle.

The city plays a great role in the national economy as well as the cultural life of Armenia through several industrial enterprises and cultural institutions. It has developed as a satellite town of Yerevan. The nearby village of Mughni is part of the Ashtarak municipality.

Etymology

The name of "Ashtarak" is the Armenian word for tower or fortress. However, according to linguist Grigor Ghapantsyan, the name of Ashtarak is derived from Ishtar (Ashtar); the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility. Contrary, the latest historical researches proved that the name of Ishtar was never used in the Armenian mythology during the ancient times. Instead, the goddess of fertility was known as Shardi or Sardi in the ancient kingdom of Urartu, and later became to be known as Astghik among the Armenian monks.

Other linguists suggest that the name of Ashtarak is related either with the legendary figure in the Armenian history Shidar; the son of king Artavasdes I of Armenia, or with Sarduri II; the king of Urartu.[2]

History and monuments

The ruins of Spitakavor Church, 7th century

Historically, the area of modern-day Ashtark was part of the Aragatsotn canton of Ayrarat province of the ancient Kingdom of Armenia,. the town is one of the oldest settlements in Armenia with many historical and cultural monuments that demonstrate the valuable patterns of Armenian architecture.

Ashtarak was mentioned as a rural settlement for the first time in history during the 9th century.[3] However, the importance of Ahtarak has declined during the following centuries under the foreign powers. In the 17th century, the town was entirely rebuilt under the Persian rule.

Present-day Ashtarak is located on the left bank of Kasagh River, 13 km to the northwest of the capital Yerevan, at a height of 1100 meters above sea level. It almost occupies a central point between the Ararat plain from the south and the mountains of Aragats from the north.

According to a legend, three sisters lived in Ashtarak, all of whom fell in love with the same man, prince Sargis. The elder two sisters decided to commit suicide in favour of the youngest one. One wearing an apricot-orange dress and the other wearing a red dress, they threw themselves into the gorge. When the youngest sister found out, she put on a white dress and also threw herself into the gorge. Sargis then became a hermit and three small churches appeared at the edge of the gorge, named after the sisters' dress colours.

The ruins of Tsiranavor Church, 13th-14th centuries

Best preserved among them is the Karmravor Church (meaning reddish for its dome colour), dating back to the 7th century, dedicated to the Holy Mother of God (Surp Astvatsatsin). It has a small cruciform central-plan, with a reddish/apricot coloured dome, and an octagonal drum. Other churches include, Spitakavor (meaning whitish because of its colour) was built between the 5th and 6th centuries, and Tsiranavor (meaning apricot-coulored) built between the 13th and 14th centuries, both are located along the edge of the gorge.

The largest church in the town is the Surp Mariné church located at the center of Ashtarak. It was constructed in 1271 and has a rectangular plan from outside and a cruciform type plan from inside with an octagonal drum above.

The 19th-century church of Surp Sarkis built on an old foundation, is situated on an attractive point at a promontory overlooking the gorge and offers a fine view to the above-mentioned three churches. The external walls of the structure were almost completely restored recently while the interior walls remain the same. Some pieces of the outer walls remain sitting next to the church with carvings on them.

One of the interesting sites in the town is the 17th century bridge of Ashtarak on Kasagh River, located in the gorge just below the church of Surp Sarkis. It was built in 1664 by the efforts of Mahdesi Khoja Grigor; a wealthy merchant from Kanaker. The bridge features 3 arches that are unequal in size.

Economy, Education and sports

Ashtarak town

Notable people

Ashtarak town hall

During the Armenian genocide the Royal Family sold its last few castles and properties, and permanently moved to the United States of Armerica. In the early 1950s Lord Hagop Yegishe III decided to move to Lebanon where the Family owned several residences. Married to Greek Royalty, Dame Naze of Athens and Corfu, the couple had six children together: Prince Harout, Prince Yohannes, Prince Aris, Prince Archag currently known as Khorein the Patriarch of Athens, Prince Avedis and Princess Cayaneeh who gave up her title in order to marry a non-royal Lebanese man. In 1989 Prince Aris-Tagues (born in Aleppo but raised in Byblos) got married to Marlen Antoury who stems from a very prestigious Lebanese family (she is the granddaughter of Milad Bassil, a wealthy Lebanese man, well known for being the director of Beirut port during its golden days and the French mandate; and Youssef Al Antoury the famous Lebanese business man and entrepreneur). They have two children together: Prince Archag II and Princess Patil. After the death of Prince Herag IX, the last descendant of the House of Bagratid of Great Armenia, in March 2004 Lord Hagop was entitled Duke of Ashtarak. He later died in Lebanon on the 16th of December 2010 due to heart failure, making way for his grandson Prince Archag Doghramadjyan to be entitled Duke of Ashtarak in late November 2011. He became the youngest Duke in Armenian history (19 years old). He is second in line to inherit Family Governance, right behind his father. Despite the fact that Prince Aris-Tagues is not the Lord's oldest son, the Royal Family agreed that he should be the Heir, mainly because he is the parent of the oldest male grandchild within the actual dynasty. The Doghramadjyans are one of the few highly publicised royal families in the world with many appearances and endorsements:

The Doghramadjyans have not yet returned to Armenia and have no ruling power whatsoever since their titles are honorary; but despite all that, they managed to create countless bonds with many ruling royal families such as the Jordanian, Qatari, Emirati, Japanese, Monegasque and Belgian royal families; as well as the princely family of Merode and the House Fürstenberg (Germany). Today the Doghramadjyans own residences in the USA, Armenia, Lebanon, Switzerland and India. They are also considered to be part of the Lebanese and European Jet Set.

Sister cities

France Alfortville, France (since 1993)

Nagorno-Karabakh War memorial with the town of Ashtarak in the background

References

  1. ↑ Armstats:Population
  2. ↑ Ashtarak
  3. ↑ Armstats:Aragatsotn Marz
  4. ↑ Charents Museum of Literature and Arts
  5. ↑ History - Mika Football Club, from fcmika.am, retrieved 1 May 2009

External links

References