Aparan
| Aparan | |
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 Aparan
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| Coordinates: 40°35′20.81″N 44°21′25.97″E / 40.5891139°N 44.3572139°ECoordinates: 40°35′20.81″N 44°21′25.97″E / 40.5891139°N 44.3572139°E | |
| Country |  Armenia |
| Marz | Aragatsotn |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Gor Abrahamyan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 27.7 km2 (10.7 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,880 m (6,170 ft) |
| Population (2010 est.) | |
| • Total | 6,614 |
| Time zone | GMT (UTC+4) |
| Website | www.aparan.am |
Aparan (Armenian: Ապարան, also known as Abaran; until 1935, Bash Aparan; formerly, Aparanbol, Aparan Verin, Aparanpol, Abaran Verin, Paraznavert, Kasakh and Kasagh) is a town in Armenia, located in the Aragatsotn Province, about 50 kilometers northwest of Yerevan. It has a mixed population of Armenians and Kurds, numbering 5,711 as of the 2001 census.[1][2] The city was called Bash Aparan (Բաշ Ապարան; also Romanized as Bash Abaran, Pash Aparan, and Dash Abaron) until 1935. As of the 2010 estimate, the population of the town was 6,614.
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Etymology and history [edit]
It is commonly believed that the name of Aparan is derived from the word Aparank (Armenian for royal palace).
The first reference to the town of Aparan was made by Ptolemy during the 2nd century BC. Ptolemy mentioned the town as Kasala -being the Hellenized form of the Armenian name of Kasagh-. The town was the centre of Nig canton of Ancient Armenia.
The famous Aparan Basilica of the Holy Sign of Cross was built by the end of the 4th century.
During the years of the Armenian Genocide, many Armenian refuge families arrived in Aparan from the Western Armenian cities of Van, Mush, Alashkert and Karin between 1914-1918. Many other families had also arrived from the Eastern Armenian town of Khoy.
The town was the site of the famous Battle of Abaran against the Turkish army on May 21, 1918 during the Turkish-Armenian War, when the Turkish invasion of the newly independent Democratic Republic of Armenia was turned around. An impressive monument to the battle was erected in 1978 just north of town.
Nowadays, the town has 3 public education schools and a musical school.
Aparan has a rug and carpet factory as well as a plant for dairy products.
Geography and cliamte [edit]
Historically, Aparan is located in Nig canton of Ayrarat Province of the Kingdom of Armenia Mayor.
Modern-day Aparan is built on the eastern slopes of Mount Aragats with an elevation of 1880 metres above sea level. The town is located 42 km north of Yerevan and 32 km north of the provincial capital Ashtarak, on Armenia's main north-south road that connects the Armenian capital Yerevan with the Georgian capital Tbilisi, passing through the cities of Spitak and Vanadzor.
Aparan has an Alpine climate in general with the influence of cold semi-arid climate. the town is characterized with snowy winters and mild humid summers. The average temperature is around -7°C in winter and 18°C in summer. The annual precipitation amount is between 450-600 millimetres.
Sites of Interest [edit]
- Aparan Basilica of the Holy Cross or Surb Neshan Basilica of Aapran, built during the 4th century.
- Monument to the Battle of Abaran erected in 1978.
- Mausoleum of General Drastamat Kanayan near the battle memorial, reburied in Aparan on 28 May 2000.
- Aparan Alphabet park and the statue of the 12th-century Armenian scholar Mkhitar Gosh.
Gallery [edit]
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Aparan Basilica of the 4th century
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Alphabet park with the statue of Mkhitar Gosh
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Dusk at Aparan with the Mausoleum of General Dro
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thumb|In central part of the city
References [edit]
- ^ Report of the results of the 2001 Armenian Census
- ^ Kiesling, Brady. Rediscovering Armenia Guidebook. Tigran Mets: 2001.
