If Armenia is an open-air museum, the Lori region should be considered one of the richest and most significant exhibits. It was renamed Lori in the 10th century when the “Lori” castle-fortress became the center of Tashir-Dzoraget kingdom.
Stepanavan is a cosy town located in the green highlands of Lori region next to the significant gorge of Dzoraget. It is also called pearl of Lori.
In 1810 David Hasan Jalalyan , a descendent of influential family of Hasan Jalalyan from Artsakh (Karabagh) renamed Lori into Jalaloghli (Son of Jalal) as he came and settled there. In medieval times Stepanavan was a kingdom of the Zakaryan dynasty and the fortress at Lori Berd served as a summer residence for Armenian kings. The great Armenian writer Hovhannes Tumanyan had his primary education in Jalaloghli and wrote much of the area in his later life. In 1923 the city was renamed to Stepanavan in honor of Stepan Shahumyan, the leader of first Marxist group in Armenia.
Stepanavan is considered one of the best health resorts in Armenia due to its mountainous climate and fresh air. In 2015, Stepanavan became the youth capital of Armenia .
Stepanavan and its surrounding villages are rich both in natural attractions and in cultural heritage ,such as: Lori fortress, Botanical garden, the museum of Stepan Shahumyan etc.
Lori Berd
Medieval city-fortress Lori(Lori Berd) is located in the countryside ,4 km. from Stepanavan on the left bank of Dzoraget river. It is bordered by the Miskhana and Dzoraget rivers. The deep canyons of this area made the Lori Berd Fortress virtually unapproachable by enemies.
The fortress was founded by Davit Anhoghin between 1005-1020.Lori was a commercial and cultural center medieval Armenia. In the 11-13th centuries approximately 10000 people lived in Lori.
In 1105 Lori was occupied by Seljuks for a short time, and then by Georgians. The fortress ,which consists of the citadel and suburbs, was the capital of David Anhoghin (989-1049) of the Tashir- Dzoraget Kingdom, and was a feudal center of the Kyurikyan family.
It was taken over by the Orbelyan lords of Georgia in the early 12th century , then came under the sway of the Zakaryan brothers Ivane and Zakare. The Kyurikyans , and later the Zakaryans and their successors built palaces, churches ,bathhouses, bridges and set up cross stones. An underpass was also constructed to reach the Miskhana River in order to ensure communication with the external world and to get drinking water if necessary. Taking into consideration the historical and cultural significance of Lori Berd as well as the necessity for further research and preservation of this historical site, the government of Armenia granted to this area the status of “historical and cultural preservation".
Dendropark
Dendropark or Sojut botanical garden is located near Gyulagarak village in Lori region( about 12km away from Stepanavan).The arboretum was established in 1933 by a polish engineer –forester Edmon Leonovich. In 1998 the area was appointed as a special protection area. The arboretum is 35 ha in total. It consists of natural forest, ornamental plants, and avenues of lime , wild specimens from around the world . Since its establishment more than 2500 types of plants have been brought to the park in hope of finding new species that can grow here. Currently only 500 species were adapted to grow in the area due to its unique natural condition.
Special value is given to the Californian sequoia. The huge trees planted near each other are still young, and will continue to grow during the next hundred years.
The arboretum attracts the attention of professional scientists and eco-tourists. Dendropark provides the unique opportunity to study adaptive characteristics of diverse plants.
Hnevanq
Hnevanq is an ancient architectural monastery located in Kurtan valley. 22 km. away from Stepanavan. The structure was built between the seventh and the eighth centuries. Later Lord Smbat, of the Orbelyan dynasty in Georgia, heavily renovated the church in 1154. According to the inscriptions on the stone structure written in Georgian Lord Smbat conducted these renovations following his expulsion from his country. The monastery is surrounded by several service, economic and ancillary buildings.
The church is a semi-free triconch structure (meaning that it contains three apses, or semi -circular recesses covered by hemisperical domes, arranged off the main room in the direction of the compass points )towards the East. The monastery’s dome is supported by an octagonal drum. To the west, where the fourth apse of a tetraconch structure would be, is the monastery’s “gavit” or arched –ceiling entryway.
For centuries the monastery stood in a state of ruin , but it was renovated in 2007-2008. Hnevanq is a complex with great architectural value and tourists from all over the world come and admire it.
