Yeghegnadzor

Yeghegnadzor (Եղեգնաձոր) is a town in Southern Armenia. This small city is a good spot from which to explore the surrounding sites for a few days, and in a fantastic area for hiking and spelunking.

Understand
The city is right by the main north-south highway and has comfortable accommodation and is a very typical town in Armenia for those who want an experience outside of Yerevan. Things to see in the area include the Areni wine country, the spectacular canyon and monastery in Noravank, the impressive Smbatabert Fortress/Tsakhats Kar Monastery area, the old Silk Road caravanserai of Selim, sitting on top of the world, lot of other monuments and a number of caves and cavern systems.

The name Yeghegnadzor consists of two Armenian words: yegheg (Armenian: եղեգ) meaning cane, and dzor (Armenian: ձոր) meaning valley. Thus, the name of the town means "valley of canes".

History
The settlement was first mentioned as Pondzatagh during the 5th century, however the had been settled long before this. The remains of the Urartian fortress near the town dates back to the 7th century BC.

During the Middle Ages, the Silk Road passed through the area. Part of it still links the town of Martuni with Yeghegnadzor. Many significant churches, monastic complexes, bridges and caravanserais were built in the region between the 10th and 13th centuries, when Yeghegnadzor was part of the Kingdom of Syunik under the rule of the Siunia dynasty.

At the beginning of the 16th century, Eastern Armenia fell under the Safavid Persian rule. Between the 16th and 17th centuries the region was a frequent battlefield between Turkic and Iranian tribes. As a result, many significant monuments and prosperous villages were destroyed and the population was displaced. In 1747, Yeghegnadzor became part of the newly-formed Nakhichevan Khanate. By the beginning of the 19th century, Yeghgnadzor was known as Keshishkend.

Following the end of the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28, it became part of the Russian Empire. Between 1918 and 1920 it was part of short-lived Republic of Armenia. After the Sovietization of Armenia, the town became one of the predominant centres of the resistance against the Soviet rule and formed the unrecognized Republic of Mountainous Armenia. However, after falling to the Bolsheviks in July 1921, it became part of the Armenian SSR.

The town was known as Keshishkend until 1935 when it was renamed Mikoyan after the Bolshevik leader Anastas Mikoyan. On 6 December 1956, the town was renamed Yeghegnadzor, restoring its historical name.

During the Soviet period, Yeghegnadzor was one of the industrial centres of the Armenian SSR, but today the economy of the town is based on the construction sector and food-processing industry.

Orientation
Yeghegnadzor straddles both banks of the Gladzor River, a tributary of the Arpa River, by the main north-south highway. Located at 1,194 metres above sea level, the surrounding the lower and medium highlands are mainly semi-deserts. The town is immediately bordered by the village of Gladzor to the north.

Climate
The town has a hot-summer humid continental climate with average annual rainfalls of 400 mm and mountain-valley winds. The average air temperature in January is 5-6°C, with a coldest temperature of -22°C and highest of +35°C in July. The climate is mild with snowy winters and warm summers.

Get in
All transport heading north or south in the region passes by Yeghegnadzor on the main highway.

By bus
Marshrutkas and buses can be caught going as far as the Iranian border or Nagorno-Karabakh to the south.

Yerevan
Marshrutka and share taxis from Yerevan to Yeghegnadzor leave between 08:00 and 18:00 from a street close to the Gortsaranayin metro station. If you’re coming from the Yerevan city centre, it’s one stop beyond Sasuntsi David, the metro station for the main train station.

Once you get off at Gortsaranayin, exit the metro and head right. Continue walking straight ahead along the road pictured below until you hit a roundabout. Once there, go left across the street, and you should see some marshrutkas lined up across the street. There is a cafe and several small convenience store stalls here as well. You’ll most likely have drivers asking you if you’re looking for Yeghegnadzor once you’re in the area. Marshrutkas typically leave every hour, but it’s more likely they leave once mostly full. It is best to get there before 11:00, otherwise there may not be more.

The ride should cost you 1,200 dram and take 1½-2 hr.

Buses and marshrutkas to other destinations in the south of Armenia (such as Goris or Stepanakert), depart from a bus station on Sevan St adjacent to Yerevan's Sasuntsi Davit metro station. These will have to pass Yeghegnadzor, and some may be willing to drop you off for the normal fare to Yeghegnadzor or for an extra 200 to 300 dram, instead of paying the full fare to the ultimate destination.

In Yeghegnadzor, marshrutka to Yerevan (1,200 dram) leave when full from by the triangular intersection of Mikoyan Street (H47) with the main highway. There is a bus station 100 m away on Mikoyan Street but it is not used by the marshrutkas.

Southern destinations
Marshrutkas heading from Yeghegnadzor to southern destinations such as (Goris) operate from the main highway on the other side from its intersection with Mikoyan Street (H47). There are often a couple of people standing and waiting, and some taxi drivers as well.

Marshrutkas to Goris, Stepanakert and Meghri will start driving past Yeghegnadzor around 09:30 each day. There will be several marshrutkas each hour 10:00-13:00. After 13:00, things slow down. There likely won’t be any more marshrutkas after 14:00. (As of Apr 23: only 2 buses to Goris, 1 to Kapan, they pass through around 10:30, 16:30 and 10:00 (Kapan))

When you see a marshrutka coming, flag it down and ask if it is going in your direction. Do not be disheartened if they do not stop&mdash;it is because they do not have enough space.

Make sure to show up a little early to ensure you have time to catch one that still has space. The earlier, the better. A marshrutka from Yeghegnadzor to Goris will cost 2,500 dram. The journey is approximately 2 hr.

By car
The M-2 Motorway that connects Armenia from north to south, passes through the town. On the other hand, Yeghegnadzor is domestically connected with other parts of Vayots Dzor through the H-40 and H-47 Roads.

It is a 1½-hr drive from Yerevan. A private taxi is 100 dram/km. Taxis charge 12-15,000 dram to Tatev or Goris.

On foot
Walking around much of Yeghegnadzor is nice, as is hiking to some of the closer sights.

By bus
Marshrutka and shared taxis from local village destinations arrive at the bus and taxi stop in Yeghegnadzor at the top end of Narekatsky St in the morning, carrying people from the region who work in town. They return to their destinations in the late afternoon.

Hourly marshrutkas to Vayk (200 dram) and one 14:00 bus to Jermuk (700 dram) also depart from by the intersection of Mikoyan Street (H47) with the main highway.

By road
A car or taxi to further afield sites is quite helpful however.

Taxis can be found by the intersection of Mikoyan Street (H47) with the main highway. A taxi from the main entrance to the guesthouse area (in the northwestern part of the town) should cost about 500 dram.

Taxis cost 3,000 dram one way, 5,000 dram wait and return to Noravank; 7,000 dram to Yeghegis, 12,000 dram to Jermuk, 1,000-2,000 dram to Shatin or Vernashen.

Many car owners act as taxi drivers and make a nice conversation.

By thumb
There is only one main highway running to the south of Armenia so it is not a problem to try and hitchhike. Armenians outside of Yerevan are very friendly. If you try to hitch stand on the side of the road a little outside of town on the highway leading to Yeghegnadzor and hold out your hand. Do not be surprised if they driver who picks you up invites you to his home for horovats (Armenian BBQ).

See




















Other sites
Smaller sites if you have the time or are in the area.

















Do








Buy

 * Wine – This being Armenia's wine country, you can buy wine in huge jugs on the side of the road, or bottles from a winery. You can also buy young wine, which is not very fermented yet, called majar.
 * Wineries:
 * Areni Wine Factory,
 * Getnatoun Winery,
 * Hin Areni Winery,
 * Momik Winery and Wine Cube,
 * Old Bridge Winery
 * Trinity Canyon Vineyards.
 * Yeghegnadzor Buried Cheese – This traditional cheese is made nowhere else in the world. Goats milk and herbs are mixed and sealed in a clay pot and buried in the mountains for 6 months, at which point it is salty and sharp. Cheese connoisseurs love this, and you can buy some to take with you.
 * Artwork from Artyom Yerkat – Artyom Ghazaryan is a professional artisan working with various materials but especially he creates original works using special metal techniques. He doesn't have a shop but his house is also his studio. You can call in advance to see if he accepts visitors. Tel. +37477752215, FB. www.facebook.com/artyom.yerkat

Eat
There is a large food court/buffet restaurant on the northern side of highway about 150 metres to the east from its junction with Momilk St.

There are many barbecue restaurants, many of them with primarily outdoor seating along the highway near Yeghegnadzor, along the Arpa River. In Yeghegnadzor there is a small new restaurant/cafe which opened in 2006 in a central location, with indoor or patio seating.

Drink
Wherever you can eat, you can drink in these parts. Drinking means wine, vodka or beer, or homemade liqueurs.

Sleep






Go next

 * Goris — the last major town in Armenia for travellers continuing to Nagorno-Karabakh and also entering point to Tatev Monastery.
 * Jermuk — spa town where much of the country's mineral water comes from.
 * Kapan — not the most interesting town. Vahanavank Monastery is in its close proximity.
 * Sisian — good base for visiting Ughtasar mountain and thousands of petroglyphs on top of it.