| Kapan ????? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Town | ||
 From top left:
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  Kapan Location of Kapan in Armenia | ||
| Coordinates: 39°12?04?N 46°24?54?E? / ?39.20111°N 46.41500°ECoordinates: 39°12?04?N 46°24?54?E? / ?39.20111°N 46.41500°E | ||
| Country |
 Armenia | |
| Province | Syunik | |
| Municipality | Kapan | |
| First mentioned | 5th century | |
| City status | 1938 | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Ashot Hayrapetyan | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 36 km2 (14 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 910 m (2,990 ft) | |
| Population (2011 census) | ||
| • Total | 43,190 | |
| • Density | 1,200/km2 (3,100/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | AMT (UTC+4) | |
| Postal code | 3301-3308 | |
| Area code(s) | (+374) 285 | |
| Website | Official website | |
Kapan (Armenian: ?????), is a town at the southeast of Armenia, serving as the administrative centre of the urban community of Kapan as well as the provincial capital of Syunik Province. It is located in the valley of the Voghji River, on the northern slopes of Mount Khustup. According to the 2011 census, the population of Kapan is 43,190, slightly declined from 45,711 in the 2001 census. Kapan is the most populous town in the Syunik Province and the entire region of southern Armenia. However, the current population of the town is around 34,600 as per the 2016 official estimate.
The town was known as Ghapan (Armenian: ?????) during the Soviet period, derived from its historical name Kapan.
Contents
Etymology
The word Kapan originates from the Armenian verb kapel/gabel (?????), meaning "to lock", and points to an old Armenian geographic term for valleys surrounded by interlocked mountain chains.
History
Ancient history and Middle Ages
The area of modern-day Kapan was first mentioned in the 5th century as a small settlement within the properties of Siunia dynasty. Historically, it was part of the Baghk canton of Syunik, the 9th province of the historic Greater Armenia. By the end of the 10th century, the ruler of Syunik; prince Smbat II, moved to the town of Kapan and founded the Kingdom of Syunik, proclaiming himself a king under the protectorate of the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia.
In 1103, Kapan was entirely ruined by the Seljuk invaders. After the fall of the Kingdom of Syunik in 1170, Syunik along with the rest of the historic territories of Armenia suffered from the Seljuk, Mongol, Aq Qoyunlu and Kara Koyunlu invasions, respectively between the 12th and 15th centuries.
Iranian rule
At the beginning of the 16th century, Kapan became part of the Erivan Beglarbegi within the Safavid Persia. By the beginning of the 18th century, Kapan was associated with the Armenian military leader David Bek, who led the liberation campaign of the Armenians of Syunik against Safavid Persia and the invading Ottoman Turks. David Bek started his battles in 1722 with the help of thousands of local Armenian patriots who liberated Syunik. The centre of David Bek's struggle was the Baghaberd Fortress northwest of Kapan and Halidzor Fortress southwest of Kapan where he died in 1728. In 1750, Kapan became part of the newly formed Karabakh Khanate. It was turned into a significant urban settlement during the Qajar Persian rule by the end of the 18th century.
Russian rule
In 1813, the territory of historic Syunik including the region of Kapan, officially became part of the Russian Empire as a result of the Russo-Persian War of 1804–13 and the following Treaty of Gulistan signed between Russia and Qajar Persia. In 1828-30, many Armenian families from the Iranin cities of Khoy and Salmast have migrated to the region. In 1868, it became part of the Zangezursky Uyezd, within the Elisabethpol Governorate of the Russian Empire. With the merger of several villages, Kapan was further developed and enlarged to form an important urban community for the region by the last quarter of the 19th century.
Modern history
After World War I, Kapan became part of the short-lived independent Republic of Armenia between 1918 and 1920. As a result of the Sovietization of Armenia in December 1920, Kapan was included in the breakaway Republic of Mountainous Armenia under the commandment of Garegin Nzhdeh, who fought against the Bolsheviks preserving independence between 26 April and 12 July 1921.
After the Soviet Red Army entered the Zangezur region in July 1921, Kapan along with the towns of Goris, Sisian and Meghri fell under the Soviet rule.
In September 1930, the Kapan raion was formed by the Soviets. Being the centre of the raion, Kapan was given the status of an urban settlement in 1938 within the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Following the independence of Armenia in 1991, Kapan became the centre of the newly formed Syunik Province as per the 1995 administrative reforms of the republic. Many streets bearing the name of Bolshevik activists were changed. The town's central square was renamed after Garegin Nzhdeh while the central park of the town was named after Vazgen Sargsyan.
Geography and climate
Kapan is the largest town in the Syunik province as well as the entire region of southern Armenia. It is located in the eastern part of Syunik, within the narrow valley of Voghji River on a length of 13 km (8 mi) form the east to the west, at the southeastern slopes of the Zangezur Mountain Range, between the Bargushat and Meghri ridges.
The town is about 80 km (50 mi) north of the Iranian border. With a height of 3201 meters, Mount Khustup is the highest peak of the region. The elevation of Kapan ranges between 750–1050 metres above sea level, with an average height of 910 metres. The tributaries of Voghji River, Vachagan and Kavart flow through the town as well.
Kapan is characterized with hot summers and cold winters. Temperature could reach up to 38 °C (100 °F) during summer, and could fall down to ?15 °C (5 °F) during winter.
The Shikahogh State Preserve, founded in 1958, is located around 14 km (9 mi) south of Kapan, near the Shikahogh village. The preserve is home to about 1,100 species of plants, 70 of which have been registered in the Red Book of Armenia. The fauna of Shikahogh has not been fully explored, but studies have already revealed rare species of animals such as leopard, wild goat, bear, viper, and hedgehog.
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