Sevan, Armenie

**Sevan** (; till 1935, **Elenovka** or **Yelenovka** ) is a ceety an a popular resort in Armenie,  in the Gegharkunik Province, lees on the northren shores o Lake Sevan. The toun is foondit on a hicht o ower 1900 metres abuin sea level, 66 kilometres north-east o the caipital Yerevan, an 40 kilometres north o Gavar, the admeenistrative centre o Gegharkunik region. It wis foondit in 1842 as the Roushie veelage Yelenovka an wis kent unner this name till 1935. Sevan is surroondit bi the Sevan Naitional Pairk which is extendit frae the north-eastren side o the ceety tae the sooth-wast, while the Lake Sevan forms the naitural borders o the toun frae the east.

## History

The toun wis foondit as Yelenovka in 1842 bi exiled Roushie schismatics. Syne its foondation till 1935, the toun o Sevan wis kent as Yelenovka, namit efter the wife o Tsar Nicholas I. The toun remained aw Roushie till the end o the 19t century. Anerlie 1 kilometre north o the toun, the cyclopean fortress o "Metsep" staunds. On a hill juist sooth o the veelage o Tsamakaberd, tae the east o Sevan's centre, a cyclopean fortress is foond.

The Sevan peninsulae, which is locatit 3&nbsp;km east o the toun is hame tae ane o the maist notable samples o medieval Armenie airchitectur, the Sevanavank Monastery o the 9t century. The monastery wis mainly intendit for those monks frae Echmiadzin who haed sinned. The day, the monastery consists o twa kirks: Surb Arakelots (Holy Apostles) an Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mither o God) wi mony teeps o khackars (cross-stones). Initially the monastery wis biggit at the soothren shore o a sma island. Efter airtificial drainin o Lake Sevan, which stairtit in the Joseph Stalin era, the watter level fell aboot 20 metres, an the island wis transformit intae a peninsulae.

Anither important releegious structur in the peninsulae is the Vaskenian Theological Academy o Sevan which wis opened in 2004.

## Sevan Naitional Pairk
Sevan Naitional Pairk wis established in 1978 tae pertect Lake Sevan an the surroondin regions. It occupees the territories o the Lake Sevan comprisin the bed o intermontane concavity o Sevan an those freed frae its bed. The aurie comprises 1501 square kilometres, o which 24.9 thoosan hectares are lakeside laund. It is surroondit wi the slopes o muntain chains o Areguni, Geghama, Vardenis, Pambak an Sevan. Some 1600 plant an 330 ainimal species are foond here. The pairk is dividit intae 3 zones: a reserve, a recreation zone, an a zone for economic uise.

## Population an cultur

The offeecial census o 2001 showed a decline in the population o Sevan, which went doun frae 27,000 as wis reportit in the 1989 census tae 21,422. Nouadays the population is aroond 22,000, maist o which are involvit in agricultural activities, fish-huntin an some tourism services, especially durin the simmer saison.

The veelage o Gagarin wi its 1,200 dwallers, is considered pairt o the Sevan commonty an aw, awtho bein formit as a separate veelage, sicweys makkin the entire population o the commonty aroond 23,200.

The commonty o Sevan haes 8 public eddication schuils wi ane o them operatin in the veelage o Gagarin. As o 2008, thare wur 4 nursery schuils in Sevan an 1 in Gagarin.

The toun o Sevan is hame tae the Akhtamar Sevan fitbaa club.

Durin the brief simmer o the region, the toun o Sevan turns intae a popular beach resort. Mony profeesionals an amateurs veesit the ceety tae practice thair favourite types o sports on the shores includin beach soccer, beach volleybaw, wind-surfin an ither types o watter sports throu numerous soummin beaches an facilities alang the entire Sevan shore, sic as the aqua-pairk, the horse club, the tennis courts, the mini fitbaa an basketbaa fields.

## Climate

## Sister ceeties
*  Bussy-Saint-Georges, syne 7 August 2009
*  Brodnica, syne September 2010

## Gallery

File:Sevan city skyline.jpg|Ware in Sevan
Image:Blick %C3%BCber den Sewansee.jpg|Simmer in Sevan
File:Dusk Sevan city.jpg|Hairst in Sevan
Image:WinterStorm.jpg|Winter in Sevan


## References

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* World Gazeteer: Armenia &ndash; World-Gazetteer.com
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