Kapan ( ) is a town in southeast Armenia, serving as the administrative centre of the Kapan Municipality and also as the provincial capital of Syunik Province. It is located in the valley of the Voghji River and near the border of Azerbaijan, and is on the northern slopes of Mount Khustup. Kapan is the most populous town in the Syunik Province as well as the entire region of southern Armenia. According to the 2011 census, the population of Kapan was 43,190, a slight decline from 45,711 in the 2001 census. According to the 2022 census, the current population of the town is around 32,780. In later centuries, the name evolved into (),

History

Ancient history and Middle Ages

thumb|left|The remains of the 4th-century [[Baghaberd fortress near Kapan]]

The area of modern-day Kapan was first mentioned in the 5th century as a small settlement within the properties of the Siunia dynasty. Historically, it was part of the ' canton of Syunik, the ninth province of the historic Greater Armenia. Though originally a small settlement, by the late 9th and early 10th century, it was fortified by Prince Dzagik, becoming the residence of the Dzagikian princes. 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. As the capital of the Kingdom of Syunik, Kapan flourished throughout the 11th century, reaching around 20 thousand inhabitants, composed of mostly Armenians with a prominent Jewish minority, and being a center of trades, crafts, and metallurgy.

Iranian rule

At the beginning of the 16th century, Kapan became part of the Erivan Province within the Safavid Iran. In 1722, the Armenian principality of Kapan was established by uniting the noble families of Syunik into one state in order to fight against Muslim oppression. 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 the Iranians and the invading Ottoman Turks. David Bek started his battles in 1722 with the help of thousands of local Armenians, including Avan Yuzbashi and Mkhitar Sparapet, taking control of Syunik. The centre of Bek's struggle was the Baghaberd Fortress northwest of Kapan and the Halidzor Fortress southwest of Kapan, where he died in 1728. In 1747, Kapan was incorporated into the Nakhichevan Khanate and by 1750, Kapan became part of the newly formed Karabakh Khanate.

In September 1930, the Kafan raion was formed with Kapan as its administrative center. In 1938, Kapan received city status. During Nikita Khrushchev's Thaw, Kapan was visited by Anastas Mikoyan, who advised Soviet Armenian officials on economic development projects in and around the city.

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. During the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, the city was bombarded by artillery coming from the neighboring Zangilan District of Azerbaijan, causing deaths among the civilian population. This prompted an Armenian operation to capture several nearby Azerbaijani border villages in December 1992.

Demographics

thumb|Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox church of Kapan

Kapan is a major historic centre of the Armenian civilization within historic Syunik. A sizable Jewish community lived in its own quarter in Kapan during the Middle Ages.

The population of Kapan was at its peak with 45,711 citizens as per the 2001 census. However, the population has greatly declined during the first decade of the 21st century to 34,600 as per the 2016 official estimate.

Currently, Kapan is almost entirely populated by ethnic Armenians who belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church. The town's Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church opened in December 2001 and is regulated by the Diocese of Syunik of the Armenian Apostolic Church, based in the nearby town of Goris.

The town is served by the Kapan Medical Center, which was fully modernized in 2015.

Culture

thumb|[[Vahanavank Monastery]]

The historic part of Kapan is located around km west of the modern-day town. As one of the historic settlements of Armenia, Kapan and the surrounding areas are home to many heritage monuments of Armenian architecture, including:

Media

Kapan has two local TV companies: Khustup TV and Sosi TV. Khustup TV was founded in 2004 and covers the entire region of Syunik. Sosi TV was founded in 2012 and covers the central and southern parts of Syunik.

Transportation

thumb|A medieval bridge in Kapan dating back to 871

The M-2 main road that connects the capital Yerevan with southern Armenia and the Iranian border passes through Kapan. Prior to the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, the nearby airport accommodated the YAK-40 and AN-14 cargo aircraft. In February 2017, the governor of Syunik Province, Vahe Hakobyan, announced that the airfield would become a modern airport serving the town of Kapan and southern Armenia, and on June 6 a test landing was conducted at the airfield with the governor on board. According to the plan, the reconstruction of Kapan Airport was expected to be completed in 2018, with an estimated cost of US$2 million. The airport was reopened in 2023 and operates flights between the town and the capital city of Yerevan, thus making Kapan the third city in Armenia with an operating airport after Yerevan and Gyumri.

Economy

thumb|The Church of the Holy Mother of God, built in 1086, nestled among the mountains around Kapan

Tourism is growing in the region of Kapan. The nearby Wings of Tatev aerial tramway connecting Halidzor village with Tatev Monastery has greatly contributed to the development of the tourism sector.

Education

The Kapan campus of the National Polytechnic University of Armenia is home to two faculties:

  • Faculty of Technologies and Sectoral Economics,
  • Faculty of Natural Sciences and Communication Systems.

Sport

thumb|[[Kapan Stadium]]

In May 2013, Gandzasar Kapan opened their football pitches, including one with artificial turf. The academy became the first developed technical football centre in the Syunik Province.

International relations

Consulates

In October 2022, Iran opened a consulate general in Kapan. In 2023, Russia and France announced plans to establish consulates in Kapan.

Twin towns – Sister cities

  • 23px Glendale, California, United States
  • 23px Borisov, Belarus
  • 23px Saint-Etienne, France
  • 23px Ningbo, China

Notable people

thumb|[[Nagorno-Karabakh conflict cemetery]]

  • David Ambartsumyan, Soviet Armenian diver, European champion
  • Tatoul Markarian, Armenian diplomat
  • Armen Movsisyan, former Minister of Energy of Armenia
  • Karen Sargsyan, principal choirmaster of the Armenian Opera Theater
  • Lusine Gevorkyan, lead singer of Russian nu metal bands Tracktor Bowling and Louna
  • Artsvik Harutyunyan, singer and Armenia's entrant in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017
  • Levon Aghasyan, Olympic athlete
  • Vardan Ghazaryan, football coach and former player
  • Gor Hakobyan, singer, rapper, actor and television host
  • Lili Morto, singer, actress, and model

References

Bibliography

  • American Corner Kapan
  • Kapan town portal