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Gyumri Գյումրի |
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Gyumri
Գյումրի |
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| Coordinates: 40°47′22″N 43°50′51″E / 40.78944°N 43.8475°E | |||
| Country Marz |
 ArmeniaShirak |
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| Established | 401 BC | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Vartan Ghukasyan | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 36 km2 (13.9 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 1,509.3696 m (4,952 ft) | ||
| Population (2008) | |||
| - Total | 168,918 | ||
| - Density | 4,192.1/km2 (10,857.5/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | GMT+4 (UTC+4) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | GMT+5 (UTC+5) | ||
| Website | www.gyumri.am | ||
Coordinates: 40°47′22″N 43°50′51″E / 40.78944°N 43.8475°E Gyumri (Armenian: Գյումրի, also Romanized as Kumayri, Kümri, Gumry, Gumri, Gimri, Kyumayri, and Kyumri) is the capital and largest city of the Shirak Province in northwest Armenia. It is located about 120 km from the capital Yerevan, and, with a population of 168,918 (2008; up from 150,917 reported at the (2001 census), is the second-largest city in Armenia.
The name of the city has been changed many times in history. It was first known as Kumayri or Gyumri, then Alexandropol (also, Alexandrapol, Alexandropol’, Aleksandropol’, Alek’pol, Alek’sandrobol, and Alek’sandrapol, 1840–1924), then Leninakan (Armenian: Լենինական , 1924–1990), then again as Gyumri.
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Gyumri is one of the oldest localities in Armenia. The region of Gyumri is mentioned in different Urartian inscriptions since 8th century BC[1]. The first settlement at the location occupied by today's city of Gyumri is believed to have been founded some time in the 5th century BC, perhaps ca. 401 BC, by Greek colonists [1]. An alternative theory suggests that the city was founded by Cimmerians, based on the fact that Cimmerians conquered the region in 720 BC and that the original name of the city was Kumayri [2]. Historians believe that Xenophon passed through Gyumri during his return to the Black Sea, immortalized in his Anabasis.[2]
During the Middle Ages Gyumri was known as a great settlement[1], and the center of Armenian rebellion against the Islamic regime (733-755).
Gyumri continued to develop in the 19th century, when, along with its surroundings, it became part of Russia, as a result of the Russo-Persian War (1804-1813). Gyumri came under Russian control in 1804 around 25 years earlier than the rest of Eastern Armenia. During this period it was one of the best-known cities of the Trans-Caucasus region. In 1829, on the heels of the Russo-Turkish War there was a major influx of population as about 3000 families from the Eastern Turkish cities like Kars, Erzurum, Doğubeyazıt and other places in the Ottoman Empire settled in Gyumri.
Russian poet Alexander Pushkin visited Gyumri during his journey to Erzurum in 1829.
In 1837 Russian Czar Nicholas I arrived in Gyumri and renamed the town Alexandropol. The name was chosen in honor of Czar Nicholas I's wife, Princess Charlotte of Prussia, who had changed her name to Alexandra Fyodorovna after converting to Orthodox Christianity. During the Soviet era Gyumri was renamed Leninakan in Lenin's honor A major Russian fortress was built on the site in 1837. In the 1840s, Aleksandrapol (a town since 1840) was quickly growing. It was an important outpost for the Imperial Russian military in the Transcaucasus, where their military barracks were established (Poligons, Severski, Kazachi Post).
There are five churches, one convent, and one Russian chapel in Gyumri. One of the most important historical churches is the Church of the Holy Savior of All (Sourb Amenaprkich), resembling Ani Mother Cathedral. Construction of the church began in 1859 and was completed in 1873. It was greatly damaged by the 1988 Spitak earthquake and is currently being reconstructed. A restoration project has since been spearheaded by Earthwatch to preserve the city's unique architecture.[3]
During the Turkish-Armenian War, Turkey attacked Gyumri and occupied the city on November 7, 1920, after winning the Battle of Alexandropol. After the battle, the Turkish forces were headquartered in Gyumri. From this city the Turks presented the Armenians with an ultimatum that Armenia was forced to accept—otherwise Turkey would have invaded Yerevan, Armenia's capital, from their headquarters in Gyumri. Armenia was forced to sign the Treaty of Alexandropol to stop the Turkish advance towards Yerevan, the capital of Democratic Republic of Armenia, thus ending the Turkish-Armenian War. Turkish forces withdrew from Alexandropol after Treaty of Kars.
In 1924 the name was changed to Leninakan after the deceased Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin. Leninakan was a major industrial center for the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and its second largest city, after Yerevan, the capital. The city suffered major damage during the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, which devastated large parts of the country.
The current name of the city was chosen in 1990, at the time of the breakup of the Soviet Union. The Russian 102nd military base is located in the city. Today, Gyumri is Armenia's second largest city.
Population of city of Gyumri by years.[4]
During the centuries Gyumri, the "city of trades and arts", has been famous for its schools, theaters, gusans and ashoughs. The first opera performance in Armenia took place in Gyumri in 1912, and the first Armenian opera theatre was also opened here in 1923[5].
Gyumri is also considered as the capital of Armenian humor.
Alexandropol was considered to be the third most important trade and cultural center in the Trans-Caucasus after Tiflis and Baku (Yerevan would not rise to prominence until being proclaimed the capital of the independent Republic of Armenia in 1918 and Armenian SSR in 1920). At the end of the 19th century, the population of Alexandropol reached 32,100 residents, mostly Armenians. From 1858-1876, St. Prkich (Saviour) church was erected, designed to resemble the Cathedral of Ani. The first rail link to Alexandropol was finished in 1899, which was the Tiflis-Alexandropol railway. The rail line was then extended from Alexandropol to Yerevan, Jolfa (in 1906), and Tabriz. As a result, Alexandropol became an important rail hub.
Gyumri is served by the Shirak Airport, located about 5 km from the center of town. The airport offers regular flights to Moscow, Sochi and Rostov-on-Don. It also serves as an alternate airport to Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport.
Shirak airport was renovated in 2007, during which time the runway was repaved and work was done on the airport lighting and the main terminal.
Gyumri is home to the Armenian football (soccer) team FC Shirak. They play their home games at Gyumri City Stadium, built in 1924. Other teams from Gyumri are Aragats and Kumairi.
Alexandria, United States
Kutaisi, Georgia
Kars, Turkey
Nardò, Italy
Osasco, Brazil
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
 Church of the Holy Saviour before the 1988 Spitak earthquake |
 Church of the Holy Saviour after the 1988 Spitak earthquake |
 View from steps of Gyumri |
 Shirak regional governmental building |
 The statue of Charles Aznavour in Gyumri |
 Renovated buildings in Gyumri |
 Surp Hakob Church |
 Winter in Gyumri |
Gyumri is the second largest city in Armenia and the capital of Armenia's Shirak Province in Northern Armenia. Much of the historic center dates to the days Gyumri was an outpost of the Russian Czar in the Southern Caucasus, and the architecture reflects that. The buildings, of dark black stone are primarily 1800s Russian in style, with Armenian touches. Much of the center has was devastated by the 1988 quake which devastated much of the region, part of which has been rebuilt. There are also Russian churches, cemeteries and a large Russian base still dominates a part of the city.
Vans called marshutni depart Yerevan for Gyumri from Kino Rosia's parking lot, above Zoravor Andranik subway station across from the National Cathedral. These are cheap, at about $5, but often crowded or uncomfortable. They are, however a great way to meet locals. Shared taxis depart from the same location and are usually faster and more comfortable. Taxis can be taken from anywhere in Yerevan or, indeed Armenia.
Another good option for a visit to Gyumri is a day tour from Yerevan. Many companies offer these, for a reasonable price, and allow you to get in a van, with other travelers and a guide, with stops along the way in places like Talin Cathedral and Harijavank Monastery. This is probably the easiest option, and may even work out to be your cheapest compared to taxis.
Gyumri's historic town center is quite walkable, and fun to explore, but beyond that it is a bit of a sprawling town, and to see everything it has to offer in a day, a car is needed. If you haven't come with your own, a taxi in town, with a meter, is probably your only realistic option, and a pretty good one at that. If you care to try and figure out the numbers of the local van routes (marshutni), you can have quite an adventure. It may be hard to make it to some of the fringe sites though in a marshutni, like the fortress.
Off the main square, by the smaller black church, there is a diagonal pedestrian avenue with some shops and some outdoor vendors.
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Category: Outline articles
   | Surp Amenaprkich cathedral in Gyumri - Armenian Architecture - VirtualANI - The Surp Amenaprkich church in Gyumri, Armenia |
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