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Districts of Yerevan

The Districts of Yerevan refers to administrative divisions of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

The twelve districts of Yerevan

Yerevan is divided into twelve "administrative districts" (վարչական շրջաններ), each with an elected community leader.[1] Each district is divided into unofficial neighborhoods (թաղամասեր or թաղեր). The total area of the 12 districts of Yerevan is 223 square kilometres (86 square miles).[2][3][4][5]

District Armenian Population
(2011 census)		 Population
(2016 estimate)		 Population
(2022 census)		 Area (km²)
Ajapnyak Աջափնյակ 108,282 109,100 111,508 25.82
Arabkir Արաբկիր 117,704 115,800 118,870 13.29
Avan Ավան 53,231 53,100 55,094 7.26
Davtashen Դավթաշեն 42,380 42,500 43,704 6.47
Erebuni Էրեբունի 123,092 126,500 124,957 47.49
Kanaker-Zeytun Քանաքեռ-Զեյթուն 73,886 74,100 73,834 7.73
Kentron Կենտրոն 125,453 125,700 119,841 13.35
Malatia-Sebastia Մալաթիա-Սեբաստիա 132,900 135,900 140,784 25.16
Nork-Marash Նորք-Մարաշ 12,049 11,800 11,098 4.76
Nor Nork Նոր Նորք 126,065 130,300 134,668 14.11
Nubarashen Նուբարաշեն 9,561 9,800 11,794 17.24
Shengavit Շենգավիթ 135,535 139,100 140,525 40.6

History

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Persian and Russian eras

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Main districts

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Yerevan in the 18th century.

Since the 17th century, without the fortress and nearby villages (Noragyugh, Dzoragyugh and Nork), Yerevan was divided into three main quarters (mahlas; Persian: محله):

  1. Shahar (The Old City),
  2. Demir-Bulagh (Karahank)
  3. Kond (Tapabash).

The market (Ghantar) was separate, between Kond and Shahar.

Ethnic composition of Yerevan, 1830[6]
Quarter Armenians Tatars Bosha Total
Indigenous
Persian
Ottoman
Shahar 998 1,111 30 3,199 5,338
Kond 1,176 374 18 2,537 195 4,300
Demirbulagh 230 1,595 1,825
YEREVAN
2,174
1,715
48
 7,331 195 11,463
3,937

Shahar

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Shahar (Persian: شهر šahar) was the oldest and biggest quarter of Yerevan. It located in the north-eastern part of the city, between Amiryan St. and Khorenatsi St. It was, probably, populated since the Urartian times. During later centuries it was destroyed many times, but have always been populated. First time it was mentioned as old Yerevan or the old city of Yerevan by bishop Pilipos of Bjni in 1631:[7][8]

…after many searches I found it [the Bible] in the old city of Yerevan…
Բազում որոնմամբ խուզեալ գտաք, զգանձս զայս անգին ի հին քաղաքն Երեւան բազում ժամանակաւ գերի տարեալ ումեք իբրեւ եօթանասնօք

Kond

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Main article: Kond

Kond (Armenian: Կոնդ), so-named because of its high position. It was also known as Tapabashi (Turkish: tepe - hill, baş - head, top; "top of the hill") during the Persian rule. Kond located in the western part of Yerevan. According to Hovhannes Shahkhatunyants, an Armenian historian, Kond located in the western and southern hillsides and foot of a rocky hill with similar name. Its western border was Hrazdan River, and the northern border was the Kozern Cemetery. Kond, similar to Shahar, was populated by Armenians. The population of Kond became multiethnic, when about 100 Armenian Boshas moved to Kond.[9]

Demir-Bulagh

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The third main quarter was Demir-Bulagh (Turkish: "demir" - iron, "bulağ" - source, meaning "iron source"') or Karahank (Armenian: Քարահանք, meaning "rock quarry" referring to a quarry of tufa and basalt there). It located in the south-eastern Yerevan. This district was inhabited, comparatively, later than other districts. Firstly, a quarry located here and was not inhabited. Later, Karahank was inhabited with newcomer Tatars (Azerbaijanis) and became part of Yerevan forming a separate district.[10][11] Demir-Bulagh become crowded in the 17th century, when terrified of the Persian invasions, many Turks from Nakhichevan moved to the areas north to the Yerevan Fortress. The majority of the population of the district were Muslims, few Armenians lived there.

Ghantar (the market)

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Ghantar (Armenian: Ղանթար, meaning "big scales in a marketplace", from Arabic: قنطار, qinṭār) was the active and business center of Yerevan. Ghantar belonged to the City Administration. Later, in place of Ghantar was built a close market and was called Ghantar. In 1938, the Children's Park (called Kirov Park during the Soviet era) was built in the place of Ghantar.

Expansion in the mid-19th century

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Yerevan city plan created by an Armenian architect Boris Mehrabyan in 1906-1911
 
Dzoragyugh in the early 20th century. Surb Sargis Church can be seen at the top right corner.

After Erivan was taken over by the Russian troops in 1827, many Armenians from northern Persia came to Eastern Armenia, including to Yerevan. The city was expanded. In the mid-19th century Yerevan had 6 districts:

  1. Shahar
  2. Kond
  3. Demir-Bulagh
  4. Dzoragyugh
  5. Nor tagh
  6. Shen tagh
  7. Nork

Yerevan has been expanded at the expense of two surrounding villages: Dzoragyugh and Nork.

Dzoragyugh

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Dzoragyugh (Armenian: Ձորագյուղ, Dara-kend in Turkish and Azerbaijani) was a suburb and later a district of Yerevan. It located in the Hrazdan gorge, in the left steep coast. During the Persian rule it was officially translated as Dara-kend. According to Zakaria Sarkavag this village - which before becoming a district of Yerevan was a separate village - was called Khnkelo dzor.[12] According to Simeon I of Yerevan this village was called with two names: Dzoragyugh and Khnkadzor.[13] The Surb Sargis Church located in Dzoragygh and commonly was called the Church of Dzoragyugh. Dzoragyugh was called Khnkadzor or Khnkelo, because it was Yerevan's bishop's seat, the word "khunk" means 'incense' in Armenian. The population of Dzoragyugh was completely Armenian. Dzoragyugh had three smaller neighborhoods:

  • Verin tagh (Վերին թաղ, "Upper district") or Karapi tagh (Քարափի թաղ, "The Bluff district") located on the left upland of Hrazdan, north-west from the fortress, in the surrounding area of the St. Sargis church.
  • Storin tagh (Ստորին թաղ, "Lower district") or Dzori tagh (Ձորի թաղ, "The Gorge district") located on the left side of Hrazdan, in a precipitous gorge.
  • The district of Karbi (Կարբիի թաղ) was, probably, the southern continuation of Storin tagh. Many people from Karbi village of Ashtarak lived there.[14]

Nork

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Nork (Armenian: Նորք, Turkish: Çömlekçi, meaning "potter") was the second villages near Yerevan, that became its part in the 1830s. Because the pottery was common labor, the Turks called it Cholmakci (Çömlekçi). The population was completely Armenian. They were working in agriculture, vegetable-growing, farming, and pottery. There were smaller districts (mahlans) in Nork, too. Though Nork was inhabited since ancient times, but it was mentioned comparatively late.[15] There were two churches in Nork: Surb Astvatsatsin and Surb Simeon Tseruni (19th century).

And other two new districts were built: Nor tagh and Shen tagh.

Nor tagh

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Nor tagh (Armenian: Նոր թաղ, meaning “new district”) located in the eastern part of Kond, in the surrounding are of the Hovhannes Tumanyan House-Museum. It was called ‘new’, because many immigrants from Atropatene were moved here after the 1828 Treaty of Turkmenchay. During the Persian rule, in the place of the Nor tagh were the Gardens of the Sardars, called Khanlubagh (Persian: باغ خان)

Shen tagh

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Shen tagh (Armenian: Շեն թաղ) located in the surrounding areas of the English Park.

Soviet era

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Historical districts in Yerevan being demolished and replaced with modern buildings
Note: for the names of raions the Russian names are given, which was official at the time.

The first administrative division of Yerevan took place in 1936. Two raions were formed:

  • Kirov raion (Кировский район)
  • Stalin raion (Сталинский район)

The Spandaryan raion (Спандарянский район) was formed in 1938 and the Molotov raion (Молотовский район) in 1939. As of 1940 Yerevan had 4 raions:

  • Kirov raion (Кировский район)
  • Molotov raion (Молотовский район)
  • Spandaryan raion (Спандарянский район)
  • Stalin raion (Сталинский район)

The Kirov raion was disintegrated in 1953. In 1957, the Molotov raion was renamed as Lenin raion. In 1958, Shahumyan raion was formed, followed by the Ordzhonikidze raion in 1961. So as of 1971 there were 6 raions in Yerevan:

  • 26 Commissars raion (Район им.26 Комиссаров)
  • Lenin raion (Ленинский район)
  • Myasnikyan raion (Мясникянский район)
  • Shahumyan raion (Шаумянский район)
  • Spandaryan raion (Спандарянский район)
  • Ordzhonikidze raion (Орджоникидзевский район)

The Soviet raion (Советский район) was formed in 1972, followed by the Mashtots raion (Маштоцкий район) in 1986.[16]

Raions of Yerevan and their populations according to the last Soviet census of 1989:[17]

Raion Russian Armenian Population
Soviet raion Советский район Սովետական շրջան 279,494
Shahumyan raion Шаумянский район Շահումյանի շրջան 192,899
26 Commissars raion Район имени 26 комиссаров 26 կոմիսարների շրջան 186,754
Lenin raion Ленинский район Լենինի շրջան 138,926
Ordzhonikidze raion Орджоникидзевский район Օրջոնիկիձեի շրջան 133,038
Mashtots raion Маштоцкий район Մաշտոցի շրջան 125,620
Spandaryan raion Спандарянский район Սպանդարյան շրջան 80,580
Myasnikyan raion Мясникянский район Մյասնիկյանի շրջան 64,228
City of Yerevan город Ереван քաղաք Երևան 1,201,539

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Administrative districts of Yerevan (as of 01.01.2017)
  2. ^ Armstat:Yerevan population, 2011 census
  3. ^ Administrative districts of Yerevan
  4. ^ OVERALL CHARACTERISTICS OF YEREVAN DISTRICT COMMUNITIES FOR 2015
  5. ^ "The Main Results of RA Census 2022, trilingual / Armenian Statistical Service of Republic of Armenia". www.armstat.am. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
  6. ^ (in Armenian) Երևան քաղաքի բնակչության շարժընթացը 1824-1914թթ. Yerevan History Museum
  7. ^ (in Armenian) H. Tashyan, List of manuscripts (Ձեռագրաց ցուցակ)", p. 260
  8. ^ (in Armenian) Handes Amsorya («Հանդէս ամսօրեայ»), 1934, № 329 — 330
  9. ^ (in Armenian) Hovhannes Shahkhutyants, Ստորագրութիւն կաթուղիկէ Էջմիածնի և հինգ գաւառացն Արարատայ, volume II, p. 146
  10. ^ (in Russian) I. Chopin, Historical monument of the Armenian Oblast (Исторический памятник Армянской области), p. 464
  11. ^ (in Armenian) Yervand Shahaziz, The Old Yerevan (Հին Երևանը), pp. 173—174
  12. ^ (in Armenian) Zakaria Sarkavag, Պատմագրութիւն (History), volume II, pp. 32, 51
  13. ^ (in Armenian) Simeon of Yerevan, Jambr (Ջամբռ), p. 204
  14. ^ (in Armenian) Yervand Shahaziz, The Old Yerevan (Հին Երևանը), pp. 174-175
  15. ^ (in Armenian) Ghevont Alishan, Ayrarat (Այրարատ), p. 293
  16. ^ (in Russian) Административно-территориальное деление города Еревана Archived December 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ (in Russian) Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г.: Численность городского населения союзных республик, их территориальных единиц, городских поселений и городских районов по полу Archived 2012-01-18 at the Wayback Machine
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