Abovyan is perhaps one of the closest to capital Yerevan cities but it’s not one of the primary sites to see in Armenia. One feature of this city is that it’s very clean but on the other hand, the city has a great lack of places to see. This said though, if you have time and are not in Armenia for a day or two and in some sense, for over a week, then seeing this city is a good idea considering its location.
Abovyan: General
Found to the northeast of capital Yerevan Abovyan city has a population of around 45,000 people. The city covers an area of 7,08 square kilometers and is 1450 meters above sea level. To the northwest of the city Geghama Mountain Range proudly rises, while the north is “strengthened” by Hatis and Gutanasar mountains.
The city’s climate is usually cool irrespective of the time of the year. Summers are never too hot, but the winters might be really cold with lots of snow.
Presently, Abovyan is one of the most industrially developed Armenian cities. Other than that the city has 10 public schools and 9 kindergartens and also a number of cultural centers.
Abovyan: History and Naming
As a beginning, Abovyan is one of the most recent Armenian cities. As a city, it has a history of not more than fifty years. The city was founded in 1963. Before that there was a village named “Elar.” Part of that village is today part of the city. The village was renamed in 1961. The name Abovyan has to do with Armenian writer Khachatur Abovyan after whom the village was named and up to this day the city is known with this name.
Abovyan: Excavations
The earliest history of the territory goes to back to hundreds of years ago. A cuneiform belonging to Argishti I recounts about the capture of an area known as Daran in those times (8th century BC). Daran is the name given to the territory of the present-day city. The name was given in the pre-Urartian period.
Excavations have revealed rather interesting facts about the area. One of them is that people lived in the area still inf the fourth century BC. Another notable thing is that the area was rather developed since ruins of a fortress and a cemetery were uncovered there. Several shelters with items dating to the Bronze Age were as well discovered.
Abovyan: Things to See
As already said, Abovyan is not a city that can brag about numerous places it can offer tourists to visit. The city greatly lacks them but in any case, it has something.
Merry-go-round – Not many cities of Armenia have this form of entertainment, while Abovyan has. The carrousels were recently renovated and “modernized.” Of course, it in no way can be compared with what you might have seen in Paris or Tokyo but it’s worth visiting especially if we consider the shockingly low prices.
Saint Stepanos Church – The Church of Saint Stepanos is not an old church. It was built in the 19th century, more precisely in 1851. The church is located in the village of Elar, to the south-east of Abovyan city. The church can be found on a hill next to the village cemeteries. Note that there are several tombstones in the church yard as well.
The church has undergone two main reconstructions. The first was in 2001 and the second was in 2010. After the last reconstruction the church was re-consecrated. Presently, the church is a functioning one and as you look at it, it appears like a simple Armenian house and if not the cross on it and its location close to the graves not many people would guess it’s a church.
Saint Hovhannes (John) Church – Until the recent years there was only one church functioning in the city of Abovyan. For a city with a population of over 40,000 one church was definitely not enough. So there was a great demand for a new church the construction of which started in 2006. The church doesn’t feature any innovations. On the contrary, an attempt was made to include as many national features into at as possible.
The church that has five domes and rises in the central part of the city. Due to its higher location it is seen from almost every corner of the city. The architect of the church was Artak Ghulyan, who from the very start pursued a goal to build a church that would feature classical style and would embody the best traditions of Armenian architecture.
Abovyan City Stadium – Presently this all-seater stadium, which can host up to 5500 people, is used as a temporary field by various football teams. It’s also used as a field for rugby competitions. Sometimes concerts and various events are as well organized in the stadium.
The stadium was previously known as Kotayk Stadium.
Abovyan: Getting There
The distance between the city and the capital is around 14 kilometers and irrespective of the means of transport you chooseyou will most likely get to the city within 30 minutes. There are basically two options; by minibuses or buses and by taxi. The taxi will cost around 2000 Dram (approximately $5).
The buses and minibuses travel to Abovyan bus station, from where visitors can take either another bus, which will cost 100 Dram (less than a dollar) or a taxi to travel in the city. The bus from Yerevan to Abovyan city will cost either 150 Dram or 200 Dram (again less than a dollar). As to taking a taxi within the city, it’s the best option as wherever you travel in the city there is a set amount of 500 Dram, which makes around $1.
