Dilijan

For the city in Iran, see Delijan.
Dilijan
Դիլիջան

From top left:

Dilijan skyline • Dilijan town hall
Haghartsin Monastery Goshavank Monastery
Dilijan National Park • Sharambeyan street of old Dilijan
Lake Parz

Seal
Dilijan
Դիլիջան
Coordinates: 40°44′27″N 44°51′47″E / 40.74083°N 44.86306°E / 40.74083; 44.86306
Country  Armenia
Province (Marz) Tavush
Founded 1544
Government
  Mayor Armen Santrosyan
Area
  Total 13 km2 (5 sq mi)
Elevation 1,500 m (4,900 ft)
Population (2011 census)
  Total 23,960
  Density 1,800/km2 (4,800/sq mi)
Time zone GMT (UTC+4)
Website Official website
Sources: Population[1]

Dilijan (Armenian: Դիլիջան), is a spa town in the Tavush Province of Armenia. Usually called Armenian Switzerland or Little Switzerland by the locals, it is one of the most important resorts of Armenia, situated within the Dilijan National Park. The forested and reclusive town is home to numerous Armenian artists, composers, and filmmakers and features some traditional Armenian architecture. The Sharambeyan street in the centre, has been preserved and maintained as an "old town," complete with craftsman's workshops, a gallery and a museum. Hiking, mountain biking, and picnicking are popular recreational activities.

As of the 2011 census, Dilijan has a population of 17,712, down from 23,700 reported in the 1989 census.

The Armenian government is planning to turn Dilijan into a regional financial capital, beginning with the move of much of the Central Bank's operations to Dilijan in 2013.[2]

Dilijan is currently the fastest-growing urban settlement in Armenia.[3]

Etymology

Linguist Hrachia Adjarian has mentioned an explanation about Dilijan in his "Dictionary of Armenian Proper Names" where he wrote: "Dilijan (masculine) from the Persian 'heart of the soul' form, also mentioned once as Tilijan in 1544 document. The same name applies to the settlement near the lake Sevan, also a village in the way from Ghum to Sepahan in Iran".

In an ancient popular legend, the name of the town is named after a shepherd called Dili. The shepherd Dili was in love with his master's daughter, however her father was against it and ordered to kill the shepherd. For many long and dark days, the sorrowful mother was mourning and looking for her only son all over the area and desperately crying, "Dili jan, Dili jan .. " ("Jan is an endearment term added to the name of a friend or family member). According to the legend the area was later known for his name.

History

The historic Sharambeyan street renovated through the efforts of the Tufenkian Foundation of Cultural Heritage
Traditional houses

During the excavations conducted in the 1870s, many valuable items were found, dateing back to the Late Bronze and the Early Iron Ages (the end of 2000 BC-the beginning of 1000). Some of the excavated collections were transferred to the museums of Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tbilisi, Baku and Yerevan, while the reminder was kept in the Dilijan Geological Museum.

During the medieval period, the territory of Dilijan was known as Hovk. Hovk was a favourite forest and a summer resort for the Arsacid kings to show their abilities in hunting. The settlement of Bujur Dili was founded during the 13th century near the area of modern-day Dilijan. The monasteries of Haghartsin and Goshavank were built between the 10th and 13th centuries. The monastery complexes have quickly developed and have served as cultural and educational centers. Haghartsin is one of the iconic examples of the developing Armenian architecture during the Middle Ages. Many other important religious and educational centers of the Middle Ages have survived in Dilijan, such as the Jukhtak Vank Monastery and Matosavank Monastery.

In 1666, the name Dilijan was mentioned for the first time in the notes of the French traveler Jean Chardin. Since the town became under the Russian rule in 1801, the population had gradually grown. In 1868 the first public education school was opened in Dilijan.

Auspicious conditions for cultural development have appeared at the end of the 19th and in the beginning of the 20th centuries. Many theatre groups were organized during the 1890s and the first library of the town was opened in 1908.

In the second half of the 19th century Dilijan’s fame as of a resort centre grew and leisure places appeared. There were clubs from 1896 to 1898. Later the famous Rotonda (French for domelike building) had been built. This theatre in the open air had become the most favorite place of both Dilijanians, Russian hot based in town and all the intellectuals of Transcaucasia. Rotonda had already functioned in 1900 and it had kept its existence till 1936. Here the prominent masters of scenic art such as H.Abelian, Vahram Papazian, A.Hrachian and others had played. Both a number of other timber buildings and Rotondo had not remained because of landslide natural phenomenon extended widely in Dilijan. In the period mentioned the house building construction architecture has noticeably developed. Rich men from Tbilisi and other places of Transcaucasia began to build their villas in Dilijan. In the issue of their villas’ style, house-building traditions of Dilijan and Molokans’ house decoration elements (sectarians from Russia who had immigrated in the 1830s) synthesis the new “Dilijanian style” had appeared. It has been characterized with gable tiled roof, wide patterned oriel and whitewashed walls. This style has quickly been spread all over the Aghstev valley and is in wonderful harmony with Dilijan green landscape. In the end of the 19th and in the beginning of the 20th century blacksmith's work, carpet weaving, useful arts, wood engraving and other folk crafts began to develop in the region. There is a Dilijanian peculiar carpet, samples of which are presented at Dilijan museums. In 1932 the State Theatre was founded in Dilijan. The artistic group managed by the honoured artist of culture of the Armenian SSR Hovhannes Sharambeyan functioned at Dilijan library. The school of Fine Arts was open on the basis of that very group and most of its graduates having continued their education at artistic and dramatic institutes and colleges of our capital have become famous artists. The collection of Historical and Cultural Reserve Museum “Dilijan” is represented by the pictures of Hovhannes Sharambeyan, M.Ghulian, Gh. Ghazarian, V.Amian, H.Asatrian, E.Haroutyunian, S.Davtian, devoted to the native town. Masters of wood engraving such as Garnk Alikhanian and Revik Hovsepian have made a great contribution in folk art development, and young master Grisha Hovsepian is a worthy follower of their works. The musical school founded in 1946 plays an important role in cultural life of the town (now it is the state college of arts). The most of its graduates have got a lot of awards at different significant festivals.

Geography

Dilijan lies on the banks of Aghstev River with a length of more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) and at a height of 1,500 metres (4,921 feet) above sea level. The valley is surrounded with the Lesser Caucasus mountains from the north, and the Semyonovka mountain pass from the south. The mountainous areas are all covered with thick forests occupying a territory of more than 34,000 hectares (84,016 acres). Reaching up the highest peaks of the mountains, the forests turn into Alpine meadows. In addition to Aghstev River, many other tributaries flow through the town.

The climate in Dilijan is cool during summer and cold with snowfalls in winter. With its Alpine climate, Dilijan is a town-resort with favorable oxygen regimen, unique landscape features and curative mineral water.

Economy

Tourism

Cloudy view of Dilijan
Traditional cottages
Lesser Caucasus mountains

In 2009, it was announced by the Armenian government that Dilijan will turn into a developed financial centre for Armenia and the region. According to government officials, many of the operations and responsibilities of the Central Bank of Armenia will move the northern town-resort of Dilijan, starting from 2013.

Currently, many significant financial and cultural institutions are operating in the town such as the Dilijan regional financial and banking centre, the United World College Dilijan, the Old Dilijan-Tufenkian Centre, the modern building of Dilijan theatre and the Dilijan Museum.

Dilijan is among the favorite destinations for local and foreign tourists. The town has a number of high-class hotels and sanatoriums, allowing the visitors the chance to enjoy the beauty of the National Park as well as the historical sites.

The town is also famous for its mineral curing water fountains.

The central amphitheatre of Dilijan is the venue of many summer festivals and cultural events.

Culture

Dilijan museum of traditional art

Dilijan has a rich historical and cultural heritage. During the nearby excavations in the prehistoric cemeteries of Golovino and Papanino, bronze items of almost three thousand years old were found, including armours, daggers, pitchers, ear-rings and others were found. All those items could be found either in Dilijan museum or in the Hermitage Museum.

On 26 January 2013, the American University of Armenia and the Central Bank of Armenia inaugurated a new state-of-the-art library at the Knowledge for Development Center in Dilijan.[4] On the same day, the Dilijan branch of Tumo Center for Creative Technologies was also opened in the development center.[5]

Monuments

Nearby attractions

Sport and education

United World College Dilijan campus opened its doors in fall 2014

Dilijan has a municipal football stadium with a capacity of 2,000 spectators. The Dilijan City Stadium was the home venue of the former Armenian Premier League club Impulse FC.

As of 2009, Dilijan had 5 public education schools and 6 kindergartens with 2250 students and 350 children respectively. A music academy and another one for arts are also operating in the town.

Dilijan has an operating branch of the Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts as well as a branch of the Yerevan University of Management and Information Technologies. Three intermediate colleges for medicine, arts and crafts are also operating in the town.

With a cost of US$80 million, the Central Bank of Armenia's Educational Center was opened in Dilijan in 2013. Around 150 employees of the Central Bank moved from Yerevan to Dilijan along with their families on the step towards the transformation of the town into a regional financial center.[6]

In 2014, the International UWC School of Dilijan, a part of the global educational movement United World Colleges, was opened in the town.[7]

The construction of the Dilijan Central School was launched in 2013 by the Ayb Educational Foundation with the cooperation of the Central Bank of Armenia.[8] In fall 2015, the newly built state-of-the-art school was officially opened.[9]

Dilijan National Park

The forests of Dilijan cover an area of more than 34,000 hectares. For the enrichment of the natural life around Dilijan, the state forest reserve was founded in 1958 to become known as Dilijan National Park later in 2002. Woods cover 94% of the park territory and with around 40 types of trees and 18 types of bushes, being mostly oaks, beeches, hornbeams, maples, elms, willows, etc.

The national park is also rich in its fauna, including brown bear, wolf, marten, otter, lynx, sylvan cat, Persian squirrel, sylvan dormouse, hedgehog, chamois, European red deer, wild hog, pheasant, quail, partridge, Caspian turkey, culver, bald eagle, lammergeyer, pygmy eagles, golden eagle, hawk and others.

Lake Parz is one of Dilijan's most attractive natural sites. It is situated in the northern part of the town at a height of 1,400 metres (4,593 feet) above sea level. It has an area of 2 hectares (5 acres) and an average depth of 8 metres (26 feet).

To the east of the Lake Parz, at a distance of 3 kilometres (2 miles) from Gosh village, Lake Tzlka is located at a height of 1,500 metres (4,921 feet). Aghstev River with its tributaries passes through the town and the surrounding forest. Its origins are from the northwestern part of the Pambak mountain range, at a height of 2,980 metres (9,777 feet). Aghstev River has a length of 133 kilometres (83 miles). Many tributaries flow into Aghstev such as Bldsan, Ghshtoghan, Haghartsin and Getik rivers.

Notable People

International relations

View from the town

Twin towns – Sister cities

Dilijan is twinned with:

References

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Dilijan.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dilijan.

Coordinates: 40°44′27″N 44°51′47″E / 40.74083°N 44.86306°E / 40.74083; 44.86306

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