Jermuk

**Jermuk** (; an aw Romanizit as **Djermuk**) is a spa toun in the soothren Vayots Dzor Province, 53&nbsp;km east o Yeghegnadzor, the caipital o Vayots Dzor. It wis a popular destination durin the Soviet era an thir days is still famous for its het springs an its brand o mineral watter that is bottled in the vicinity. The toun is considered tae be attractive for its huge watterfaw, the naitural brig, the loch, its wids wi its walkin trails an mineral watter puils. Jermuk is currently bein redevelopit tae acome a modren centre o tourism an heal services. The toun is bein set up tae acome a sort o Chess centre an aw, wi numerous chess tournaments hostit or scheduled tae be hostit. Feenally, Jermuk is weel-kent amang the Armenie fowk for its distinctively fresh air.

## Etymology
The name derives frae Armenie  *jermuk* or "jermook," meanin “warm mineral spring”.

## History

Jermuk occupees an aurie which is historically considered as pairt o the Vayots Dzor destrict o the Syunik province (athin Armenie Mayor). It wis first mentioned in the 13t century bi historian Stepanos Orbelian in his wirk aboot the "History o the Sisakan destrict". But the ruins o an auncient fortress an an 8t century basilica testifee that the human dounset near the foontains o Jermuk haes stairtit lang afore the 13t century. The fortress o Jermuk wis biggit unner the rule o the Artaxiad Dynasty.

In auncient times, the mineral watter o Jermuk wis kent for its curin featurs. The princes o Syunik regardit the Jermuk soorces an watter as healin an biggit several puils fillt wi it, therebi makkin the little toun thair hailiday destination.

Durin the 1830s, a Roushie ingineer-geologist cried "Voskoboynikov" arrivit in Armenie an began splorations on Jermuk's geographical depth as well as the contents an characteristics o Jermuk watters. His observations on Jermuk wur published in the "Mountain Magazine" jurnal in 1831, an later in 1855, in the "Caucasian Calenda" magazine. Voskoboynikov’s wirks wur the first scienteefic talks on Jermuk.

In 1860s, aw the historic puils o Jermuk whilk wis biggit bi the Orbelian princes o Syunik, wur renovatit bi "Gevorg Khanagyan", follaein a resolution bi the Roushie govrenment. Thir days, thae baths, whilk is cried "Pristav Pools", is preservit as historical monuments.

The foondation o the modren toun o Jermuk teuk place anerlie in 1940, whan the first sanatorium wis opened tae the public, syne settin for the fertile activity o the Jermuk heal resort centre. Development programmes wur implementit tae turn Jermuk intae a modren resort for aw Soviet naitionals. In 1980 the population o Jermuk reakit 10,000. Efter the collapse o the Soviet Union an as a result o the economic creesis in Armenie in the 1990s, the population drappit tae 7000 in the beginnin o the 21st century. Recently housomeivver, the Armenie authorities teuk steps in order tae further develop the Jermuk toun-resort includin the dounset o Kechut. As a result o thae new resolutions the toun haes experiencit unprecedentit success as a tourist destination.

## Geography

The toun is locatit at a hicht o 2080 meter abuin sea level, athin the muntains o Vayots Dzor, amang thick forests, on a plateau dividit intae twa pairts bi the gorge o Arpa River, 170&nbsp;km sooth-east o Yerevan. Surroondin muntains o Vayots Dzor, Vardenis an Syunik are aw covered wi forests an alpine meadaes at a hicht o 2500–3000 meter.

The wids o Jermuk is rich wi aik an hornbeam trees, as weel as wi dug rose, wild peir, ploum an juniper plants. Ainimals lik tod, rabbit, brock an beir coud be foond thare.

Jermuk is fou o naitural het springs (Geysers). The name itsel is derivit frae this fact, as the wird "jermuk" means "geyser" in the Armenie leid. The watterfaw o Jermuk on Arpa river haes a hicht o 70 meter.

The average temperatur o Jermuk is +15.3C in simmer an -9C in winter wi a level o  o annual precipitation.

## Economy an tourism
The naitural watter bottlin industry haes its deep ruits in the toun as the first factory wis foondit in 1951. Thir days, Jermuk is hame tae mony giant factories whilk produce bottled mineral watter. The skinklin watter o Jermuk is lairgely exportit tae mercats aroond the warld.

 
The main watter producers o Jermuk is the follaein companies:
* Jermuk Mineral Water Factory (Jermuk Mayr Gortsaran) foondit in 1951
* Jermuk Group foondit in 1999
* Jermuk Etalon

Anither key sector in the economy o Jermuk is tourism. The toun is hame tae several heich-quality heal resorts an spas, an it is ane o the main touristic destinations for thaim wha veesit Armenie. Visitors coud enjoy the bonnie natur o Jermuk an the muntains o Vayots Dzor (3000 meters), the watterfaws, the curin watter puils, hotels an heal spas, sanatoriums, the ropeway
an alpine sports facilities. Annually in the month o August, the toun hosts the **[[FIDE]] Grand Prix Jermuk** chess tournament. Ane o the maist attractive nearhaun destinations is the Gndevank Monastery, locatit juist 10&nbsp;km wast o Jermuk. This monastery is mair nor 1000 year auld.

## Sister ceeties
*  **[[Saint-Raphaël, Var|Saint-Raphaël]]**, Fraunce

## Gallery

File:Jermuk view.jpg|Jermuk skyline
File:Jermuk residential buildings.jpg|Residential biggins
File:Gallery of mineral waters in Jermuk.jpg|The Gallery o Jermuk mineral watters
File:429 Djermouk canyon à l'entrée de la ville vu du pont.JPG|Arpa river canyon in Jermuk
File:Jermuk Bridge.jpg|Arpa River
File:Jermuk Waterfall6.jpg|Jermuk watterfaw
File:Gndevank-2 (cropped).JPG|Gndevank as seen frae the road tae Jermuk
File:Jermuk landscape.jpg|Jermuk landscape


## References

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

## Freemit airtins

* Jermuk airticle on Armeniapedia
* Jermuk guide on Haykland 
* Jermuk FIDE Grand Prix 2009 
* Jarmuk Ashkhar resort
* Jermuk Armenia resort
* Jermuk Yeghnik resort 
* Jermuk