Hrazdan

**Hrazdan** (, an aa Romanized as **Razdan**; umwhile, **Akhta**, **Akhti**, **Akhtala**, **Nizhniye Akhty**, **Nizhne Akhti**, **Nerkin Akhta**, an **Nizhnyaya Akhta**) is the caipital o the Kotayk province o Armenie. The name Hrazdan is derived frae the Middle Persie name *Frazdan*. *Farzdan* is connectit tae the Zoroastrian meethology. Wi a population o 52,900 it is the fift-lairgest ceety in Armenie bi population. It haes lost significant population syne the 1989 census reportit 59,000 fowk. Durin the Soviet years it wis ane o the heichlie-industrialized touns o the Armenie SSR.

## Geography

The toun o Hrazdan is situatit in the north-eastren pairt o Armenie. Frae the North it is bordered wi Pambak muntains, frae the sooth-wast wi Tsakhkunyats muntains, frae the east the border crosses Geghama muntains up tae the top o Goutanasar muntain. Hrazdan River flows alang the town, an the streamlets Marmarik an Aghveran flow intae it.

The ceety is locatit on a heicht that ranges atween 1600 an 1750&nbsp;meters abuin sea level. The annual average temperature o the air is 6&nbsp;°C. The amoont o annual precipitation is 715–730&nbsp;mm.

## History
Hrazdan is ane o the ceeties which hae been established durin the Soviet rule. The centre o Hrazdan region (umwhile Akhta region) atween 1930-59 was Akhta village, which is the southern destrict o the present-day Hrazdan toun. In 1959 Akhta veelage wis classifee'd as a settlement o urban type o the Republic an in the same year it wis renamed Hrazdan. Wi the order o the Supreme Soviet o the Armenian SSR, 12 Januar 1963 "Aboot territorial chynges in the Armenie SSR", the veelages o Atabekyan, Jrarat, Kakavadzor an Makravan veelages hae been merged athin the toun o Hrazdan. In fact, the toun o Hrazdan wis formed through the merger o a group o separate settlements. Thus, efter becomin a toun o regional dependence, Hrazdan stairtit tae chynge rapidly. Durin that period, the population o Hrazdan wis approximately 61,000. The auncient inhabitants o the toun wur frae the regions o Sasun, Kars an Mush o Wastren Armenie, an the regions o Maku, Salmast an Khoi o the present-day Iran, who arrived in the aurie atween 1926-29. Durin the Soviet era, citizens frae ither regions o Armenie an Armenians frae Diaspora wur settled in Hrazdan.

In December 1995, Hrazdan became the centre o Kotayk province.

## Industry

Hrazdan is ane o the maist industrialized ceeties in the Republic o Armenie. The ceety operates ane o the biggest thermoelectrical pouer stations in the region. The hydro pouer station o Hrazdan lies on the shores o Lake Tsovinar. The cement factory o Hrazdan which haes been put in action in 1970, is ane o the lairgest enterprises in the Caucasus. Ither types o industries in Hrazdan include: carpet manufacturin, production o electrical equipments, dairy products an cattle-breedin.

## Education an cultur

Hrazdan is hame tae ane private heicher educational institute, the *Hrazdan Humanitarian Institute*, which haes 3 faculties: law, pedagogy an economics. Twa intermediate colleges are operatin in the toun.

Currently, there are 13 public education schuils, 13 nursery schuils, 1 schuil for special needs an several special schuils for muisic, airts an sports.

The seicont Human Rights Library Network (HRLN) leebrar o the Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Centre (ACRPC) wis established in Hrazdan in 1998.

The community o Hrazdan are vigorously involved in cultural activities. The municipality runs the **Hrazdan toun Dramatic Theatre** foondit in 1953. The Hrazdan branch o the State Gallery o Armenie an the Geological Museum o Hrazdan are an aa run bi the municipality. The third museum o the ceety is the History Museum foondit bi Armen Aivazyan, wi mair nor 4,000 exhibits, some o which are 2-3 million year auld.

Steids o interest:
* Aghbyurak Kirk o the 10t century.
* Surb Stepanos (Saunt Stephen) Monastic Complex o the 10t century.
* Makaravan Monastic Complex o the 10-13t centuries, it haes two kirks: Surb Amenaprkich (10t century) an Surb Astvatsatsin (13t century).
* Surb Karapet Kirk o Jrarat biggit in 1831, currently unner reconstruction.
* Surb Khach (Holy Cross) Kirk o Kojor biggit in 1861.
* Surb Mariam Astvatsatsin (Holy Mither o God) Kirk o Vanatur biggit in 1883.
* Lake Tsovinar wi its surroondin pairks.
* The rivers o Hrazdan, Marmarik an Aghveran.

Tsaghkadzor toun-resort is locatit anerlie 10&nbsp;km north o Hrazdan.

## Gallery

File:0Andranik street Hrazdan2.jpg|Andranik Avenue
File:Hrazdan2.JPG|On the shores o Lake Tsovinar


## See an aa

* Hrazdan TV
* MIKA Cement

## References

* 
* 

## Freemit airtins
* Hrazdan ceety wabsteid 
* Makravank Monastery