Gavar

Coordinates: 40°21′32″N 45°07′36″E / 40.35889°N 45.12667°E / 40.35889; 45.12667

Gavar Գավառ Kyavar (Քյավառ)
Gavar
Seal
Gavar
Coordinates: 40°21′32″N 45°07′36″E / 40.35889°N 45.12667°E / 40.35889; 45.12667
Country	Armenia
Marz	Gegharkunik
Founded City status	1830 1850
Government
• Mayor	Gurgen Martirosyan
Area
• Total	16 km2 (6 sq mi)
Elevation	1,982 m (6,503 ft)
Population (2011 census)
• Total	20,765
• Density	1,300/km2 (3,400/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+4
Postal code	1201-1205
Area code(s)	(+374) 264
Vehicle registration	02
Sources: Population[1]

Gavar (Armenian: Գավառ, colloquially known as Kyavar, Քյավառ)^[2][3] is a town in Armenia and the capital of the Gegharkunik Province. The town is situated among the high mountains of Geghama range, with an average height of 1982 meters above sea level, 98 kilometers east of the capital Yerevan. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of 20,765. The town was known as Nor Bayezet or Novo-Bayazet until 1959, then Kamo (for the Bolshevik revolutionary) until 1996.

History

Hayravank Monastery near Gavar

The town is situated among the mountains of Geghama range, few miles away from the western shores of Lake Sevan. It was founded in 1830 by Armenian migrants from the city of Bayazit (historically known as Daroink) of the Ottoman Empire. Being known as "New Bayazit", the settlement achieved the status of a city in 1850.

However, the area of modern-day Gavar has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. Many historical tombstones, dating back to the 2nd millennium BC are founded in Gavar. The remains of a cyclopean fort dating back to the early iron age, are found on a hill at the centre of the town. It is supposed that the fortress was the royal capital of the Araratian region of Velikukhi. It was surrounded with more than 22 minor fortifications. The region of Velikukhi was conquered by the Araratian king Sarduri II. His son, Rusa II renamed the fortress in honour of Khaldi; one of the three chief deities of Ararat.^[4]

Many other medieval monuments, including Khachkars (cross-stones), gravestones and a chapel are also found in the city. Over the centuries, the area of modern-day Gavar had been severely destroyed, with the latest taking place during the 17th century, when it was ruined by Shah Abbas I of Persia.

Gavar, along with many other regions of Eastern Armenia, had become part of the USSR in 1920. After achieving the status of an urban settlement in 1950, the city had progressed gradually over the years. It was once home to 36,400 people.^[5]

After the independence of Armenia in 1991, the population has declined to 23,302 as reported in the 2001 census. Much of the Soviet era infrastructure has failed and the industrial capacity has floundered. However, the local economy is improving at a slow rate as some businessmen are returning to Gavar from abroad with the hope of gaining new chances for investments. Major local manufacturers in Gavar include electronics and machinery plants, as well as textile mills.

Geography and climate

Demographics

Religion

Church of the Holy Mother of God built in 1905, at the centre of Gavar

The people of Gavar are mainly Christians and belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church:

• Surp Karapet Church of 1848: built by Barsegh Artsruni. It was entirely renovated in 2012.^[6]
• Church of the Holy Mother of God of 1905: located at the central square of the town, the church was built with the efforts of then-bishop Khoren Muradbegian in 1905 with help of the local citizens. Until the late 1990s, it was the tallest church in Armenia.
• Hayravank Monastery of the 9th century: located 7 kilometers north of Gavar on the shores of Lake Sevan.
• Noratus cemetery archaeological site: located in Noratus village 4 kilometers north of Gavar. It is home to a large number of impressive medieval khachkars (cross-stones).

Culture

Cuisine

The cuisine of Gavar is closely related with the oriental cuisine elements, characterized with various spices, vegetables, fish, and fruits combination.

Kyavari Kyufta (kofta of Gavar), the town's most favourite dish, is made from minced meat spiced with onions and rolled into balls before boiling in water. Served in slices, it is garnished with butter. People of Gavar like to eat bread with almost everything, and the two traditional types of bread in Gavar are lavash and matnakash.

Kyavari Pakhlava is a many-layered pastry with tissue-thin sheets of phyllo dough, filled with nuts and sugar and finished with a dousing of hot honey.

Education

Gavar in winter

Education continues to be one of the main values in the society of Gavar. A literacy rate of 99% was reported as early as 1960. Nowadays, there are nine public education schools, six nursery schools, four specialized technical intermediate colleges, one sports school, two music and art schools, one special school for children with special educational needs and one university in the town of Gavar.

The Gavar State University was opened in 1993 after the independence of Armenia. With its five faculties the Gavar University is a major educational centre for the entire province of Gegharkunik. The University provides degrees in Philology, Natural Sciences, Humanities, Economics and Education. Nowadays, more than 2,400 students are attending the university.

The Gavar Special School is the only school for mentally and physically handicapped children in the region. It is currently carrying out steps towards improvement and development with the assistance of its partners and sponsors on its way to become a leading institution among the special schools in Armenia.

The city has a portal, which is used by many citizens abroad. The name of the portal is Kyavar as the locals pronounce the name of the city with a "ky" sound instead of a "g" sound at the beginning of the name.

Notable natives

General view

Here are some notable people who were born or raised in the town of Gavar:

• Frunze Dovlatyan (1927–1997), film director, actor and screenwriter.
• Hranush Hakobyan (1954), politician and current minister of diaspora of the Republic of Armenia.
• Hovhannes Goharyan (1988) football player and former member of the Armenian national team.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gavar.

• Nor Bayazet Community Development Charitable Fund of Gavar
• Gavar Video
• Armeniapedia.org: Gavar

Gegharkunik Province Capital: Gavar Towns Chambarak Gavar Martuni Sevan Vardenis Villages Aghberk Akhpradzor Akunk Antaramej Areguni Arpunk Artanish Artsvanist Artsvashen Astghadzor Avazan Aygut Ayrk Azat Berdkunk Chkalovka Daranak Ddmashen Dprabak Drakhtik Dzoragyugh Dzoravank Gandzak Geghakar Geghamabak Geghamasar Geghamavan Gegharkunik Geghhovit Getik Hayravank Jaghatsadzor Jil Kakhakn Kalavan Karchaghbyur Karmirgyugh Khachaghbyur Kut Kutakan Lanjaghbyur Lchap Lchashen Lchavan Lichk Lusakunk Madina Makenis Martuni Mets Masrik Nerkin Getashen Nerkin Shorzha Norabak Norakert Norashen Noratus Pambak Pokr Masrik Sarukhan Semyonovka Shatjrek Shatvan Shorzha Sotk Torfavan Tretuk Tsaghkashen Tsaghkunk Tsakkar Tsapatagh Tsovagyugh Tsovasar Tsovazard Tsovak Tsovinar Ttujur Vaghashen Vahan Vanevan Vardadzor Vardenik Varser Verin Getashen Verin Shorzha Yeranos Zolakar Zovaber Non-community villages Barepat Gagarin Lernahovit Former villages Chapkut Nshkhark Zariver