Akhtala
|
Akhtala Ախթալա |
||
|---|---|---|
Akhtala with the Monastery and the Fortress
|
||
|
||
 Akhtala
|
||
| Coordinates: 41°08′00″N 44°46′00″E / 41.13333°N 44.76667°E | ||
| Country | Armenia | |
| Province | Lori | |
| First mentioned | 18th century | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Haykaz Khachikian | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4.3 km2 (1.7 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 740 m (2,430 ft) | |
| Population (2011 census) | ||
| • Total | 2,092 | |
| • Density | 490/km2 (1,300/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC+4 | |
| Website | Official website | |
| Sources: Population | ||
Coordinates: 41°08′40″N 44°46′29″E / 41.14444°N 44.77472°E
Akhtala (Armenian: Ախթալա), is a town in the Lori Province of Armenia, located along the Shamlugh river, on the slopes of Lalvar mountain, at a distance of 186 km north of the capital Yerevan and 62 km north of provincial centre Vanadzor. Akhtala was a village until 1939 when it was granted the status of an urban community, with its 400 inhabitants. In 1995, the government of independent Armenia reaffirmed the status of Akhtala as a town. According to the 2009 official estimate, Akhtala has around 2,400 inhabitants. However, the town used to have around 4,500 inhabitants during the 1970s.
During the 18th century, the village known as Akhtala was part of the Borchalu region of Tiflis governorate under the Russian rule. Starting from 1763, Greek experts from Gümüşhane arrived in Akhtala by the request of King Erekle II of Georgia, to utilize the copper and silver mines and establish the copper and silver factory in Akhtala region. Therefore, the village was sometimes called "Pghindzahank" (copper mine) and "Artsatahank" (silver mine).
The ancient settlement of Akhtala is situated on the same territory of the present-day mining area of Akhtala. It is associated with the Tashir canton of Gugark province of the ancient Kingdom of Armenia. Archeological excavations showed that the area has been occupied by human since the early Bronze Age. The settlement of modern-day Akhtala was known as Agarak during the 5th century. The half-ruined fortress of Akhtala is more than 1000 years old. It was built on top of Bronze and Iron Age foundations, in the late 10th century by the Kyurikids, a branch of the Bagratunis originated from Gurgen (pronounced Kyurikeh in the local dialect of Gugark). He was the son of the patrons of Sanahin and Haghpat monasteries located not far from Akhtala, King Ashot III the Merciful and Queen Khosrovanush. Gurgen's brothers were King Smbat II the Conqueror and Gagik I Bagratuni, under whom the Bagratuni Kingdom of Armenia reached the peak of its prosperity.
...
Wikipedia