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 Steeped in history, the area around the Avan Marak Hotel in Tsapatagh village has several interesting places to visit. The Sevan Lake National park, the only national park in Armenia, and the Artanish Penisula are perfect areas to take in the natural beauty of the area.
Gegharkunik Region
Studded with mountains and the sun-kissed shores of Lake Sevan, Gegharkunik is enticing with a rich palette of history, culture and natural beauty. It is situated in the eastern part of Armenia, rising from the Marsik valley Mount Azhdahak at 3598 meters. The administrative centre of the region, Gavar, is an important industrial centre of Sevan basin, situated in the eastern slopes of Geghama mountain range. Many of the ancestors of the inhabitants of Gavar arrived in 1830 from the town of Bayazet of Western Armenia. Despite its relatively modern rebirth, the centre has an ancient past. Fabled monuments dating back to the Bronze Age adorn the region, a testimony to the presence of Armenians in the region for thousands of years. Martuni is the second largest urban center of the region and is famous for its highly developed fishing industry.
For bird-watchers, Gegharkunik is a veritable treasure given the plethora of different kinds of birds in the region, including several loons, grebes, and the great cormorant, pelicans, herons and the famous Armenian Artsatapajl Voror.
The Gegharkunik landscape is dotted with impressive churches. Off the main road leading to the town of Kamo is the church of Hairavank (9-10 century). This edifice is a perfect example of the harmony of architecture and nature. Northeast of Gavar, on the shores of Lake Sevan is Noraduz, famous for the largest collection of stone-crosses (khachkars) in Armenia, some of which date as far back as the 10th century.
Sevan Monastery
On the Peninsula of Lake Sevan (once it was an island), two cross-shaped churches dating from 874 typify the Armenian architectural (St. Karapet and St. Arakelots monasteries) Renaissance following almost two centuries of Arab oppression. The remains of a 10th-11th century domed hall are of interest, as is the gavit (canopy) of the church of the Apostles renowned for its unique wooden capitals, now displayed at the State Museum of Armenian History. The Museum also houses the beautifully carved doors of the Sevan monastery, dating back to the 12th and 16th centuries, along with a stone relief.
Noraduz
Noraduz is famous for its cemetery of nearly 1,000 stone-crosses (khach-kars) in Armenia, which date 10-19 century, and an evocative modern funerary statuary. These ornate tombstones and monuments depict intricate craftsmanship and a testimony to Armenia’s enduring faith. In the center of Noraduz village there is ruined S. Astvatsatsin church, a basilica built by Prince Sahak at the end of the 9th c.
Artanish Peninsula
It is among the most striking areas within the park’s reserve. Isolated and largely undisturbed, the peninsula boasts three separate bioregions and provides shelter from many of the parks 267 species of birds, including coots mallards, Greylag geese, the Armenian gull, the glossy ibis, storks, pelicans and flamingos. It is also home to some 34 mammals, including leopards, wild goats, otters and wolves.
Hairanavank
South along the road to Kamo, which has been renamed to Gavar, the beautiful monastery of Hairanavank is perched atop a cliff at the water’s edge. This church is from a ninth century and the hall (gavit) dates from the 12th century. There are several magnificent kachkars in the churchyard and there is a Bronze Age fortress nearby.
Sevan National Park
It is the only National Park in Armenia, which was established in 1978 to protect Lake Sevan and the surrounding areas. Overall, including buffer zones, 150,100 ha are protected, including 24,800 ha of dry land. Sevan National Park falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Nature Protection, and is managed as a research centre.
The pearl of Armenia, Lake Sevan is a fresh water lake of pure natural beauty. Lake Sevan is situated 60 kilometers northeast of Yerevan in the center of the Gegharkunik region. The name Sevan is of Urartian origin, and is derived from Siuna, meaning country of lakes. Presently, the lake covers 1256 square km and reaches a maximum depth of 82 meters. Twenty-eight rivers and springs flow into Sevan but only the river Hrazdan origins from it. Perched high in the elevated Armenian terrain, the lake fills a gigantic depression situated at height of 1897 meters above sea level. As a result, the winter cold is quite harsh, while the summer sun is deceptively strong. The basin of the lake is scattered with rock paintings, sculptures and works of architecture including remains of fortification from the Bronze and Iron Ages.
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