Vagharshapat

"Etchmiadzin", "Echmiadzin", and "Ejmiatsin" redirect here. For other uses, see Etchmiadzin (disambiguation).

40°10′22″N 44°17′33″E / 40.17278°N 44.29250°E / 40.17278; 44.29250

Vagharshapat
Վաղարշապատ
City
Flag of Vagharshapat
Flag
Official seal of Vagharshapat
Seal
Vagharshapat is located in Armenia
Vagharshapat
Vagharshapat
Coordinates: 40°10′22″N 44°17′33″E / 40.17278°N 44.29250°E / 40.17278; 44.29250
Country Armenia
Marz (Province)Armavir
Founded685 BC
Government
 • MayorDiana Gasparyan
Area
 • Total
40 km2 (20 sq mi)
Elevation
853 m (2,799 ft)
Population
 (2022 census)
 • Total
44,837[1]
Time zoneUTC+4 (AMT)
Area code0231
Websiteejmiatsin.am
Sources: Population[2]
Official nameCathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots
Includes
CriteriaCultural: (ii)(iii)
Reference1011
Inscription2000 (24th Session)
Area74.3 ha (184 acres)

Vagharshapat (Armenian: Վաղարշապատ pronounced [vɑʁɑɾʃɑˈpɑt]) is the 5th-largest city in Armenia and the most populous municipal community of Armavir Province, located about 18 km (11 mi) west of the capital Yerevan, and 10 km (6 mi) north of the closed Turkish-Armenian border. It is commonly known as Ejmiatsin (also spelled Echmiadzin or Etchmiadzin, Էջմիածին, pronounced [ɛt͡ʃʰmjɑˈt͡sin] ⓘ), which was its official name between 1945 and 1995.[3] It is still commonly used colloquially and in official bureaucracy, a case of dual naming.[4]

The city is best known as the location of Etchmiadzin Cathedral and Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is thus unofficially known in Western sources as a "holy city"[5][6] and in Armenia as the country's "spiritual capital".[7] It was one of the major cities and a capital of the ancient Kingdom of Greater Armenia.[8] Reduced to a small town by the early 20th century, it experienced large expansion during the Soviet period becoming, effectively, a suburb of Yerevan.[9][10] Its population stands just over 37,000 based on 2016 estimates.

  1. ^ "The Main Results of RA Census 2022, trilingual / Armenian Statistical Service of Republic of Armenia". www.armstat.am. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Armstats:Population" (PDF). Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  3. ^ "Պատմաաշխարհագրական ակնարկ [Historical-geographic overview]" (in Armenian). Armavir Province: Armenian Ministry of Territorial Administration. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014. ...Վաղարշապատ (1945-1995թթ. կոչվել է Էջմիածին) քաղաքը...
  4. ^ Էջմիածի՞ն, թե՞ Վաղարշապատ. Aravot (in Armenian). 26 October 2010.
  5. ^ Ring, Trudy; Watson, Noelle; Schellinger, Paul, eds. (1994). International Dictionary of Historic Places: Middle East and Africa, Volume 4. Taylor & Francis. p. 250. The holy city of Echmiadzin, where the Christian church in Armenia first began...
  6. ^ Stransky, Thomas F.; Sheerin, John B. (1982). Doing the Truth in Charity: Statements of Pope Paul VI, Popes John Paul I, John Paul II, and the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity, 1964-1980. Paulist Press. p. 230. ...from the holy city of Etchmiadzin...
  7. ^ Համայն հայոց հոգևոր մայրաքաղաքը 2700 տարեկան է, նշվեց Էջմիածնի տոնը (ֆոտոշարք) (in Armenian). Public Radio of Armenia. 8 October 2015.
  8. ^ James R. Russell. Zoroastrianism in Armenia. — Harvard University Press, 1987. — P. 118.
  9. ^ Emin, Gevorg (1981). Seven songs about Armenia. Progress. p. 106. ...Ashtarak, Artashat, Etchmiadzin and Abovian because they have become suburbs of Yerevan.
  10. ^ Bloomfield, Paul (16 May 2015). "Armenia: mountains, monasteries and a glimpse of the land of Noah". The Times. Our first port of call was Ejmiatsin, a suburb of Yerevan and seat of the Katholikos, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church.