This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on Alexandropol is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
| Gyumri Գյումրի |
|||
 |
|||
|
|||
  Gyumri
Գյումրի |
|||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country Marz |
 ArmeniaShirak |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Established | 401 BC | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Vartan Ghukasyan | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 36 km² (13.9 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 1,509.3696 m (4,952 ft) | ||
| Population (2008) | |||
| - Total | 168,918 | ||
| - Density | 4,192.1/km² (10,857.5/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | GMT+4 (UTC+4) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | GMT+5 (UTC+5) | ||
| Website: www.gyumri.am | |||
Coordinates: Gyumri (Armenian: Գյումրի1) is the capital and largest city of the Shirak Province in northwest Armenia. It is located about 75 miles (120 km) from the capital Yerevan, and, with a population of 168,918 (2008; up from 150,917 reported at the (2001 census), is the second-largest city in Armenia.
The name of the city has been changed many times in history. It was first known as Kumayri or Gyumri, then Alexandropol (also, Alexandrapol, Alexandropol’, Aleksandropol’, Alek’pol, Alek’sandrobol, and Alek’sandrapol, 1840–1924), then Leninakan (Armenian: Լենինական , 1924–1990), then again as Gyumri.
Contents |
History
Gyumri is one of the oldest localities of Armenia. The region of Gyumri is mentioned in different Urartian inscriptions since 8th century BC2. The first settlement at the location occupied by today's city of Gyumri is believed to have been founded some time in the 5th century BC, perhaps ca. 401 BC, by Greek colonists . An alternative theory suggests that the city was founded by Cimmerians, based on the fact that Cimmerians conquered the region in 720 BC and that the original name of the city was Kumayri . Historians believe that Xenophon passed through Gyumri during his return to the Black Sea, immortalized in his Anabasis.3
During the Middle Ages Gyumri was known as a great settlement4, and the center of Armenian rebellion against the Arabian regime (733-755).
Gyumri continued to develop in the 19th century, when, along with its surroundings, it became part of Russia, as a result of the Russo-Persian War (1804-1813). Gyumri came under Russian control in 1804 around 25 years earlier than the rest of eastern Armenia. During this period it was one of the best-known cities of the Trans-Caucasus region. In 1829, on the heels of the Russo-Turkish War there was a major influx of population as about 3000 families from the western Armenian cities of Kars, Erzurum, Doğubeyazıt and other places in the Ottoman Empire settled in Gyumri.
Russian poet Alexander Pushkin visited Gyumri during his journey to Erzurum in 1829.
In 1837 Russian Czar Nicholas I arrived in Gyumri and renamed the town Alexandropol. The name was chosen in honor of Czar Nicholas I's wife, Princess Charlotte of Prussia, who had changed her name to Alexandra Fyodorovna after converting to Orthodox Christianity.
A major Russian fortress was built on the site in 1837. In 1840's, Aleksandrapol (a town since 1840) was quickly growing. It was an important outpost for the Imperial Russian military in the Transcaucasus, where their military barracks were established (Poligons, Severski, Kazachi Post).
Alexandropol was considered to be the third most important trade and cultural center in the Trans-Caucasus after Tiflis and Baku (Yerevan would not rise to prominence until being proclaimed the capital of the independent Republic of Armenia in 1918 and Armenian SSR in 1920). At the end of the 19th century, the population of Alexandropol reached 32,100 residents, mostly Armenians. From 1858-1876, St. Prkich (Saviour) church was erected, designed to resemble the Cathedral of Ani. The first rail link to Alexandropol was finished in 1899, which was the Tiflis-Alexandropol railway. The rail line was then extended from Alexandropol to Yerevan, Jolfa (in 1906), and Tabriz. As a result, Alexandropol became an important rail hub.
During the Turkish-Armenian War, Turkey attacked Gyumri and occupied the city on November 7, 1920, after winning the Battle of Alexandropol. After the battle, the Turkish forces were headquartered in Gyumri. From this city the Turks presented the Armenians with an ultimatum that Armenia was forced to accept -- otherwise Turkey would have invaded Yerevan, Armenia's capital, from their headquarters in Gyumri. Armenia was forced to sign the Treaty of Alexandropol to stop the Turkish advance towards Yerevan, the capital of Democratic Republic of Armenia, thus ending the Turkish-Armenian War. Turkish forces withdrew from Alexandropol after Treaty of Kars.
In 1924 the name was changed to Leninakan after the deceased Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin. Leninakan was a major industrial center for the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and its second largest city, after Yerevan, the capital. The city suffered major damage during the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, which devastated large parts of the country.
The current name of the city was chosen in 1990, at the time of the breakup of the Soviet Union. The Russian 102nd military base is located in the city. Today, Gyumri is Armenia's second largest city.
Culture
During the centuries Gyumri, the "city of trades and arts", has been famous for its schools, theatres, gusans and ashoughs. The first opera performance in Armenia took place in Gyumri in 1912, and the first Armenian opera theatre was also opened here in 19235.
Gyumri is also considered as the capital of Armenian humour.citation needed
Buildings and constructions
Religious Buildings
There are five churches, one convent, and one Russian chapel in Gyumri. One of the most important historical churches is the Church of the Holy Saviour of All (Sourb Amenaprkich), resembling Ani Mother Cathedral. Construction of the church began in 1859 and was completed in 1873. It was greatly damaged by the 1988 Spitak earthquake and is currently being reconstructed.
Transportation
Gyumri is served by the Shirak Airport, located about 5 km from the center of town. The airport offers regular flights to Moscow, Sochi and Rostov-on-Don. It also serves as an alternate airport to Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport.
Shirak airport was closed for renovations from June 20th til October 20, 2007, during which time the runway was repaved and work was done on the airport lighting and the main terminal.
Sports
Gyumri is home to the Armenian football (soccer) team FC Shirak. They play their home games at Gyumri City Stadium, built in 1924. Other teams from Gyumri are Aragats, Kumairi and FK Gyumri.
Sister cities
| City | Country |
|---|---|
| Alexandria |  United States |
| Kutaisi |  Georgia |
| Osasco |  Brazil |
| Plovdiv |  Bulgaria |
Famous natives
- Anania Shirakatsi, medieval Armenian scholar
- G.I. Gurdjieff, mystic and philosopher
- Sergey Merkurov, sculptor
- Sheram, ashik, poet and composer
- Avetik Isahakyan, poet
- Armen Tigranian, composer ("Anush" opera)
- Olga Chekhova, actress
- Khachatur Avetisyan, composer
- Shushanik Kurghinian, poet
- Ruben Zaryan, Art historian
- Hovhannes Shiraz, poet
- Frunzik Mkrtchyan, actor
- Svetlana Svetlichnaya, film actress
- Edmond Keosayan, film director
- Artavazd Peleshyan, film director and theorist
- Levon Mkrtchyan, film director
- Vazgen Manukyan, politician, Armenia's former Prime Minister
- Yurik Vardanyan, Hero of the Olympics
- Robert Emmiyan, European long jump record holder
- Manvel Gamburyan, mixed martial artist (UFC)
- Armen Nazarian, wrestler
- Mkkhitar Manukyan, wrestler
- Ara Abrahamian, wrestler
- Arthur Petrosyan, football player
- Harutyun Vardanyan, football player
- Alik Gunashian, singer
- Bambir, folk-rock band
Gallery
Modern Gyumri
 Charles Aznavour Statue |
 The monument of Frunzik Mkrtchyan |
Historic photographs of Gyumri
 The Saint Saviour (Surb Amenaprkitch) Church in Gyumri, Armenia. In the right - Greek Orthodox Church, destroyed by earthquake in 1926 |
Film
- "Gyumri" (1987, 35mm,color - Armenfilm), Film director Levon Mkrtchyan
See also
References
- ^ Also Romanized as Kumayri, Kümri, Gumry, Gumri, Gimri, Kyumayri, and Kyumri
- ^ Leninakan in Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- ^ ||| GyumriTown.com | The #1 Internet Site for Gyumri Armenia |||
- ^ Leninakan in Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- ^ Vocalno-enciklopedicheskiy slovar, by M. Agin (in Russian)
- World Gazeteer: Armenia – World-Gazetteer.com
Footnotes
- ^ See: Encyclopedia Britannica
- Adrian Room, Placenames of the World: Origins and Meanings of the Names for Over 5000 Natural Features, Countries, Capitals, Territories, Cities and Historical Sites, McFarland, 1997, ISBN 0-7864-1814-1 (pbk) p.192
- ^ See http://www.gyumri.am/eng/history.html
External links
- City website (English)
- Gyumri Video
- Shirak
- Flash Gallery of 2005 Gyumri
- Surp Amenaprkich cathedral in Gyumri
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 16 November 2008, at 09:11.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Alexandropol".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.