Kapan

**Kapan** (); umwhile names include **Ghapan**, **Kafan**, **Zangezur** an **Madan**, is the caipital o the Syunik Province (*[[Admeenistrative diveesions o Armenie|marz]]*) at the sooth o Armenie. The ceety is locatit 316&nbsp;km frae the caipital Yerevan. Wi a population o 45,500 (2009), Kapan is the maist muckle ceety in Syunik province an soothren Armenie.

## Etymology
The wird Kapan oreeginates frae the Armenie verb *kapel* (կապել), which mean "tae lock," an pynts tae an auld Armenian geographic term for valleys surroondit bi interlocked muntain chains.

## History
The aurie aroond Kapan wis first mentioned in the 5t century. In the 10t century, the ruler o Syunik, Prince Smbat II, muivit here an foondit the Syunik, or Bahkskoe kinrick, proclaimin hissel king in 970. The ceety is associatit wi Davit Bek, an 18t century Armenian leader whose wars against the Turkis an Persian Muslim invaders wur focht aroond Syunik. His leeberation campaign wi a haundful o brave men began in 1722, an attractit thoosans o patriots who leeberatit Syunik. Near tae Kapan is the castle in which Bek dee'd in 1728.

Kapan, as a ceety, formit in the 19t century frae the merger o several veelages.

## Economy
Wi a population o aroond 45,500, Kapan is strugglin tae cope wi the realities o post-Nagorno-Karabakh War an post-Soviet society. Housomeivver, thare are signs o growt an development. Kapan is primarily a minin ceety, hence its Persie name o the Qajar time معدن (Ma'dan, meanin "mine"). Kapan's industry is dependent on the newly privatisit polymetallic deposit, tho additional operations hae developit includin minin support services, commercial scale animal husbandry, an an expandin retail sector. The furniture an textile industries hae grown in recent years.

Kapan wis an remains a centre o production o mony non-ferrous metals. Commercial development o the local deposits began in 1890. Armenie entrepreneurs an French minin ingineers obtained concessions tae the copper mines an a copper-ore processin plant wis biggit in the ceety.

## Geografie an climate
Kapan is the lairgest ceety in soothren Armenie. Locatit in the east o Syunik Province in the Voghji valley it lies on the sooth-eastren slopes o the Zangezur Muntain Range atween its spurs, the Bargushatskim an Meghri ridges. Tae the sooth o the ceety is Munt Khustup (3201 m).

## Notable landmarks
*Vahanavank monastery
*Baghaberd an Halidzor Fortresses.
*Tatev Monastery - This monastery, situatit northwast o Kapan wis foondit in the nint century in the place o an auncient tabernacle well-kent in auncient times. It is locatit strategically, owerleukin a deep river gorge.
*Monument tae David Bek.
*Kapan College o Muisic
*Kapan Airchaeological an Ethnographic Museum
*Kapan Theatre

## Transportation
The ceety is connectit tae Iran bi road. In late 2008, the road wis redevelopit atween Kapan an Kajaran-Meghri. Frae the ceety is anerlie the nanoperatin railwa line Kapan-Kovsakan-Midzhnavan.

Prior tae the Karabakh war, a sma airport wis uised tae accommodate the aircraft YAK-40 an AN-14 cargo.

The ither nearest airport is locatit 62 kilometers tae the north.

## Sport
*Gandzasar F.C. - fitbaa club

## Notable fowk frae Kapan
*Tatoul Markarian - Armenian ambassador tae Unitit States

## Sister ceeties
*  **[[Glendale, Californie|Glendale]]**, Californie, Unitit States
*  **[[Barysaw|Borisov]]**, Belaroushie

## Gallery

Image:Kapan. Monument to David Bek.jpg|Monument tae David Bek
Image:KapanGareginNzhdeh.jpg|Monument tae Garegin Njdeh
File:Bridge Kapan.jpg|Historic brig in Kapan
File:Vahanavank-raffi kojian-DCP 3670.JPG|Vahanavank monastery
File:Tatev Monastery from a distance.jpg|Tatev Monastery near Kapan


## References

*Kiesling, *Rediscoving Armenia*, p.&nbsp;100-102, available online at the US embassy to Armenia's website 
*
*World Gazeteer: Armenia &ndash; World-Gazetteer.com

## Freemit airtins
* American Corner Kapan