Bagaran, Armenia
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Bagaran Բագարան |
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 Bagaran
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| Coordinates: 40°08′58″N 43°41′34″E / 40.14944°N 43.69278°E | |
| Country | Armenia |
| Marz (Province) | Armavir |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 652 |
| Time zone | UTC (UTC+4) |
Coordinates: 40°08′58″N 43°41′34″E / 40.14944°N 43.69278°E
Bagaran (Armenian: Բագարան) is a village in the Armavir Province of Armenia. Its name is derived from the nearby ancient Armenian city of Bagaran which was a large city and fortress that straddled both banks of the Akhurian River, and served as a former capital of medieval Armenia. A small Kurdish-populated village called Kılıttaşı now partially lies on the Turkish side of the closed border.
According to the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi, Bagaran was founded during the 3rd century BC by king Orontes IV of Armenia. It quickly became the religious centre of Armenia, replacing Armavir as the main spiritual site of the Orontid pagan temples. After fall of Orontid Dynasty and the rise of Artaxiad dynasty, king Artaxias I moved all the pagan monuments from Bagaran and relocated them in his newly built capital of Artashat, founded in 176 BC.
During the second half of the sixth century, Bagaran along with the entire canton of Arsharunik became the property of the Kamsarakan princes. The Church of Saint Theodore built between 624 and 631, was one of the main landmarks of Bagaran. Inscriptions on the church of Saint Theodore of Bagaran were located at the exterior of the entire building, starting at the northern face of the western apse and running across the northern, eastern and southern faces.
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