page_title: Sisian
section_title: Culture
hierarchical_section_title: Sisian / Culture
caption_attribution_description: Русский: Петроглиф быков на склоне вулкана Ухтасар English: The Petroglyph of Bulls on the Slope of Ukhtasar Volcano
context_page_description: Sisian is a town and the centre of the urban community of Sisian, in Syunik Province at the south of Armenia. It is located on Vorotan River, 6 km south of the Yerevan-Meghri highway, at a road distance of 217 km southeast of the capital Yerevan, and 115 km north of the provincial centre Kapan.
  As of the 2011 census, the population of the town was 14,894. As per the 2016 official estimate, the population of Sisian is around 12,900.
context_section_description: Sisian is surrounded with many historical sites dating back to the Paleolithic Age as well as the early Bronze Age. The Ughtasar Petroglyphs being one of the largest ancient petroglyph sites in the world dating back to the 12th millennium BC, are located few kilometers north of Sisian. The Zorats Karer archaeological site -often referred to in international tourist lore as the Armenian Stonehenge- of the 3rd millennium BC is located 3 km north of Sisian. The remains of a Bronze Age cyclopean fortress are found at the northeastern edge of the town, while 2 other medieval fortresses are found at the west and the northeast of the town. The 7th-century Saint Gregory Church of Sisavan (also known as Surp Hovhannes) is among the major historic landmarks of the town, built in 670-689.
  The Sisian History Museum named after Nicholas Adontz is operating since its inauguration in 1989, covering the history of Sisian and the surrounding region. The town is also home to a public library opened in 1935, the Hamo Sahyan house of culture, the Sisian branch of the National Gallery of Armenia opened in 1978.
  The music academy of the town is operating since 1960, with around 175 students as of 2017. as well as an academy of fine arts. The town has also an academy of fine arts and children's art, operating since the Soviet days, named after Z. Khachatryan.
  The town has 2 newspapers: Vorotan and Vorotanian Ghoghanjner.
caption: Bull petroglyphs at Ughtasar
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