Armenia city of Aparan. The mysticism of the Kasakh Basilica: what the residents of Armenian Aparan hide from outsiders

Aparan(Armenian: Ապարան) - a city in Armenia, in the Aragatsotn region, in the Aparan Basin. It is located 59 km northwest of Yerevan and 42 km southeast of the Spitak railway station. Located on the Kasakh River above the Aparan reservoir at the eastern foot of Mount Aragats. The Yerevan-Spitak highway passes through Aparan. The city produces spring water "Aparan".

Story

The Greek inscription of the king of Great Armenia Trdat III (IV century), found in Nig/Aparan, reads: “ Tiridates the Great King of Great Armenia granted... [from the clan] Gntuni to the son of Rodomir for feeding [?] the city of Nig...February...».

In antiquity, the region of Aparan was known as Nig or Nigatun. It has been known as a settlement since the 2nd century AD. e., when it was first mentioned by Ptolemy under the name Kasala. In the 4th century, Aparan was called Kasakh and was the center of the gavar (county) of Nig. The construction of the Kasakh Basilica here, which has survived to this day, dates back to this time. The modern name of the city dates back to the 10th century, apparently, it comes from the Armenian word Aparank (Ապարանք) - palace.

During World War I, Aparan received a large number of Armenian refugees from Van, Mush, Alashkert, Erzurum and Khoy. In 1918, a battle took place near Bash-Aparan, in which Armenian regular units and militia defeated Turkish troops advancing on Yerevan. In memory of the victory in this battle, a monument was erected north of the city.

The sun is the source of life on the planet. Its rays provide the necessary light and warmth. At the same time, ultraviolet radiation from the Sun is destructive to all living things. To find a compromise between the beneficial and harmful properties of the Sun, meteorologists calculate the ultraviolet radiation index, which characterizes the degree of its danger.

What kind of UV radiation from the sun is there?

Ultraviolet radiation from the Sun has a wide range and is divided into three regions, two of which reach the Earth.

• UVA. Long-wave radiation range
  315–400 nm

  The rays pass almost freely through all atmospheric “barriers” and reach the Earth.

• UV-B. Medium wave range radiation
  280–315 nm

  The rays are 90% absorbed by the ozone layer, carbon dioxide and water vapor.

• UV-C. Shortwave range radiation
  100–280 nm

  The most dangerous area. They are completely absorbed by stratospheric ozone without reaching the Earth.

The more ozone, clouds and aerosols in the atmosphere, the less the harmful effects of the Sun. However, these life-saving factors have a high natural variability. The annual maximum of stratospheric ozone occurs in spring, and the minimum in autumn. Cloudiness is one of the most variable characteristics of weather. The carbon dioxide content also changes all the time.

At what UV index values ​​is there a danger?

The UV index provides an estimate of the amount of UV radiation from the Sun at the Earth's surface. UV index values ​​range from a safe 0 to an extreme 11+.

• 0–2 Low
• 3–5 Moderate
• 6–7 High
• 8–10 Very high
• 11+ Extreme

In mid-latitudes, the UV index approaches unsafe values ​​(6–7) only at the maximum height of the Sun above the horizon (occurs in late June - early July). At the equator, the UV index reaches 9...11+ points throughout the year.

What are the benefits of the sun?

In small doses, UV radiation from the Sun is simply necessary. The sun's rays synthesize melanin, serotonin, and vitamin D, which are necessary for our health, and prevent rickets.

Melanin creates a kind of protective barrier for skin cells from the harmful effects of the Sun. Because of it, our skin darkens and becomes more elastic.

The hormone of happiness serotonin affects our well-being: it improves mood and increases overall vitality.

Vitamin D strengthens the immune system, stabilizes blood pressure and performs anti-rickets functions.

Why is the sun dangerous?

When sunbathing, it is important to understand that the line between the beneficial and harmful Sun is very thin. Excessive tanning always borders on a burn. Ultraviolet radiation damages DNA in skin cells.

The body's defense system cannot cope with such aggressive influence. It lowers immunity, damages the retina, causes skin aging and can lead to cancer.

Ultraviolet light destroys the DNA chain

How the Sun affects people

Sensitivity to UV radiation depends on skin type. People of the European race are the most sensitive to the Sun - for them, protection is required already at index 3, and 6 is considered dangerous.

At the same time, for Indonesians and African Americans this threshold is 6 and 8, respectively.

Who is most influenced by the Sun?

People with fair hair
skin tone

People with many moles

Residents of mid-latitudes during a holiday in the south

Winter lovers
fishing

Skiers and climbers

People with a family history of skin cancer

In what weather is the sun more dangerous?

It is a common misconception that the sun is dangerous only in hot and clear weather. You can also get sunburned in cool, cloudy weather.

Cloudiness, no matter how dense it may be, does not reduce the amount of ultraviolet radiation to zero. In mid-latitudes, cloudiness significantly reduces the risk of getting sunburned, which cannot be said about traditional beach holiday destinations. For example, in the tropics, if in sunny weather you can get sunburned in 30 minutes, then in cloudy weather - in a couple of hours.

How to protect yourself from the sun

To protect yourself from harmful rays, follow simple rules:

Spend less time in the sun during midday hours

Wear light-colored clothing, including wide-brimmed hats

Use protective creams

Wear sunglasses

Stay in the shade more on the beach

Which sunscreen to choose

Sunscreens vary in their degree of sun protection and are labeled from 2 to 50+. The numbers indicate the proportion of solar radiation that overcomes the protection of the cream and reaches the skin.

For example, when applying a cream labeled 15, only 1/15 (or 7 %) of the ultraviolet rays will penetrate the protective film. In the case of cream 50, only 1/50, or 2 %, affects the skin.

Sunscreen creates a reflective layer on the body. However, it is important to understand that no cream can reflect 100% of ultraviolet radiation.

For everyday use, when the time spent under the Sun does not exceed half an hour, a cream with protection 15 is quite suitable. For tanning on the beach, it is better to take 30 or higher. However, for fair-skinned people it is recommended to use a cream labeled 50+.

How to Apply Sunscreen

The cream should be applied evenly to all exposed skin, including the face, ears and neck. If you plan to sunbathe for a long time, then the cream should be applied twice: 30 minutes before going out and, additionally, before going to the beach.

Please check the cream instructions for the required volume for application.

How to Apply Sunscreen When Swimming

Sunscreen should be applied every time after swimming. Water washes away the protective film and, by reflecting the sun's rays, increases the dose of ultraviolet radiation received. Thus, when swimming, the risk of sunburn increases. However, due to the cooling effect, you may not feel the burn.

Excessive sweating and wiping with a towel are also reasons to re-protect the skin.

It should be remembered that on the beach, even under an umbrella, the shade does not provide complete protection. Sand, water and even grass reflect up to 20% of ultraviolet rays, increasing their impact on the skin.

How to protect your eyes

Sunlight reflected from water, snow or sand can cause painful burns to the retina. To protect your eyes, wear sunglasses with a UV filter.

Danger for skiers and climbers

In the mountains, the atmospheric “filter” is thinner. For every 100 meters of height, the UV index increases by 5 %.

Snow reflects up to 85 % of ultraviolet rays. In addition, up to 80 % of the ultraviolet reflected by the snow cover is reflected again by clouds.

Thus, in the mountains the Sun is most dangerous. It is necessary to protect your face, lower chin and ears even in cloudy weather.

How to deal with sunburn if you get sunburned

Use a damp sponge to moisten the burn.

Apply anti-burn cream to the burned areas

If your temperature rises, consult your doctor; you may be advised to take an antipyretic

If the burn is severe (the skin swells and blisters greatly), seek medical attention

Aparan is not a place of pilgrimage for tourists. You will not find any references to any outstanding historical and cultural monuments in this region in guidebooks. There is absolutely no tourist infrastructure there, there are not even starless hotels. Meanwhile...

One day I decided to escape the bustle of the city and accepted the offer of distant relatives to stay with them in Aparan - there is hardly a place with fresher, cleaner and cooler air. Moreover, it is only 60 kilometers from Yerevan. The road is very beautiful - soft hills give way to harsh mountains, smoothly turning into a high-mountain plateau. There are few villages: the soil here is not particularly fertile. On the left is the highest peak of Armenia, the four-domed Aragats (height 4090 m), covered with eternal snow. Suddenly, strange stone figures grow along the road - yes, these are Armenian letters! Indeed, why not erect a monument to the Armenian alphabet, which has faithfully served its people for thousands of years...

We enter the city and immediately find ourselves on the main square. To be honest, Aparan can hardly even be called a city - rather, it is an urban-type settlement. Along the main avenue there were Khrushchev buildings lined up, and further on - private houses with plots. Aparan is developing extremely slowly, at least compared to Yerevan. One Western Armenian opened a carpet production here - he sells at high prices the wonderful carpets of local handicrafts in Western markets, giving them a meager salary. Or a clothing factory opened... Alas, it’s actually already closed...

Walking around Aparan, for a long time I could not understand what was wrong in this city. On the second day it dawned on me - there are no cafes, entertainment centers, discos, hotels, etc. here. The only entertainment is the TV - there is a satellite dish on the roof of every second house. And not because the residents are wealthy. For example, they may not have a refrigerator, but they do have a satellite dish! These are the priorities. By the way, an interesting detail - many watch mainly foreign channels, and indiscriminately. After one Aparan told me the content of the film he had seen, I realized: he perceives purely visual information! Although films in Russian, which many do not know, are watched here almost as if they were foreign. However, literary Armenian, which reigns on our television, is also difficult for most villagers who speak one of the Armenian dialects (by the way, it has more than sixty dialects). That’s why it makes no difference to them whether they watch an Armenian channel or a foreign one – it’s still unclear!

But there is no cafe for a very funny reason. The city is small, everyone knows each other. Someone comes to a cafe, and on this day his wallet is empty - how can he not treat himself to an old acquaintance, who, perhaps, is also a relative! Generosity of soul is not the best condition for business - trade turnover can still be ensured, but profit...

The people in Aparan are extremely hospitable, people are sincere, honest and straightforward. Having learned that I would be writing an article, they went out of their way to show all the local attractions. With their easy suggestion, I go to see the main one - the Surb Khach Church. They talk about it as a matter of course, without much reverence: “But walk in that direction, our church will be there.” Are you trying to imagine what it will be like, the church in Aparan? Well, at most it’s the 13th century... I followed in that direction... and couldn’t believe my eyes: this is an early Christian basilica! She modestly nestled among the houses, small in appearance, restored, with a brand new roof. It turned out to be the 4th century! You can count the number of such basils in Armenia on one hand. External modesty turns into internal grandeur on a scale that exceeds human understanding - the harmonious flow of arches, powerful supporting columns.

The church was built by order of the princely house of Gnduni on the site of a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Astghik (according to other sources - Anahit), not far from 40 springs that today supply water not only to this area, but to the entire north-west of Yerevan. Over time, the roof and several columns collapsed. But in 2001, benefactors were found and the church was restored and restored.

Local residents reverently told me about a mysterious phenomenon: after restoration, the faces of the Virgin Mary and an angel appeared on the walls of the church. Naturally, I did not take this seriously - you never know what can happen in religious exaltation. However, I saw the angel right away - the outlines of a very touching angel, as if drawn by a child, were seen above the altar. The image of Mary, appearing on the column, made an indelible impression on me with its stern and at the same time soft look, delicate facial features, clearly distinguishable on the new cladding - as if someone had brushed the stone with a wet brush...

Another attraction that vividly touched the soul is the Spring of Love, from which cold water gushes out in three streams (it makes your cheekbones cramp). They say that if you drink a glass of water from it and make a wish, it will certainly come true. This is not so easy to do - the water is so cold that you have to drink in small sips. And if you try to wash your hands, your hands get cold... This is the favorite vacation spot of the Aparans. They say that this spring on the outskirts of the city, in the gorge of the Kasakh River, was built in the 70s by a certain guy in honor of the girl he had been pursuing for 15 years. They got married and are now babysitting their grandchildren. Little by little, all the young people in love took part (and are still taking part) in the improvement of the spring. Some will plant a tree, some will plant a bush.

An unquenched thirst for knowledge took me beyond Aparan. It turned out that in its vicinity there are several remarkable monuments of early architecture. After a long search, I found a driver who agreed to take me to Veri vank (“veri” - “upper”, “vank” - “temple”) - this is the name of the church on the slope of one of the mountains bordering the valley. The day before, not a single taxi driver agreed to go there for any money. Somewhere in the middle of the road, near the village with the wonderful name Lusagyukh (Village of Light), such impassability began that the intractability of the taxi drivers became understandable - only the good old “Jeep” can overcome this road, which, however, we were driving. (This pleasure cost 5,000 drams - the same as a taxi from Yerevan.)

A tiny church nestled right in the center of a bare mountainside, all alone: ​​no outbuildings, no buildings, nothing. Only an ancient khachkar at the entrance and a relatively new hedge. In appearance it somewhat resembles the Ashtarak church of Karmravor. As it turned out later, the 7th century. Numerous inquiries did not allow us to find out the true name of Veri Vanka. Then, rummaging around in the city library, I learned that this church bears the unusually strange name Tukh Manuk (“Dark-skinned kid”).

Our further journey along the bottom of the receding Aparan reservoir led us to one of the most remarkable temples in this area - the Pogos-Petros Church. True, at first it was a pagan sanctuary, and only in the 4th century it was converted into a single-nave basilica. For most of the year, it is half submerged in the waters of the reservoir, which gives it a very mysterious appearance. We were lucky, the water receded and the walls were completely exposed.

A little higher on the hill there is a small chapel of the 4th century, and next to it is the grave of an unknown hero of the famous Battle of Avarayr in 451. A few meters from the grave is perhaps one of the earliest surviving khachkars: two crosses connected to each other, roughly carved on a piece of black stone. All these buildings and ruins look mystical against the backdrop of a lifeless, sun-scorched landscape.

The last on my route was the Astvatsnkal Church (“Place of Knowing the Lord”) - a large, actively restored monastery complex of the 5th - 13th centuries. The ruined ancient graves nearby (some even showed skulls) were so depressing that I asked the guard about the reasons for the vandalism. He explained that the seekers of grave wealth had “worked hard” here, because the burials belonged to medieval princes. The watchman also told an interesting incident from his own life. Once, having discovered the dug up bones, he collected them and put them in a separate place. At night he dreamed of their majestic owner and asked him to bury the bones back. The watchman woke up at the crack of dawn and hurried to fulfill the request - the souls of the departed must not be disturbed...

It's time to go back. In this short time, Aparan has revealed only a few of its secrets, so I will certainly return here again to better get to know this land with a rich past, a complex present and, no doubt, a promising future.

Features of regional humor
Each nation attributes certain properties to the inhabitants of various regions of their country. The Armenian people decided to endow the Aparans with stupidity. By the way, completely unfair! During 5 days of communication, I never encountered any obvious manifestations of the mentioned feature. Moreover, in the center of Aparan there is a monument to one of the smartest Armenians, world chess champion Tigran Petrosyan, whose parents are natives of these places. However, the myth exists - there are always enough stupid people everywhere. The main thing is that the Aparan residents themselves treat jokes about themselves with humor and tell them with pleasure.

One Aparan throws bricks from the roof of the house, and the second stands below, catches them and puts them on the ground. They ask:
- What are you doing?
And they answer:
- Let's play Tetris!

Aparanets enters the pharmacy and says:
- Sister, give me the medicine of your choice.

Aparanets goes to the doctor and complains to him:
- Doctor, what is it, everything I touch hurts?
He touches his head, back, leg, asking in turn: “Does it hurt?” Hearing the triple “no”, the aesculapius throws out in his hearts:
- Listen, crazy, your finger is broken!

Two Aparans were playing chess... The king had a heart attack!

They say to Aparants:
— You know, gasoline prices have increased a lot!
He answers:
- I don’t care, I always buy for 1000 drams anyway!

Aparants is offered to fight Mike Tyson. For each round he survives, he should receive $1000, and at the end of the fight - $100,000! Before the last round, the coach encourages him:
- Come on, come on, you can stand it, I know you can!
Aparanets answers him:
“I’m afraid that I won’t be able to stand it any longer and I’ll still punch him in the face!”

Aparanz got a splinter in his finger. He pulls it out, sees that there is blood, and immediately returns it to its place.

Aparanets goes to church and begins to blow out all the candles. He is asked:
- What are you doing?
- Today is my birthday.

Aparanets comes to the priest and says:
- Holy Father, we haven’t been able to have children for ten years now, advise us something.
The priest answers:
“You need to go to Jerusalem and light a candle there, you’ll see, everything will be fine!”
Aparanets does just that. Years pass, the priest decides to look at him and find out if his advice helped. He knocks on the door, they open it for him, and he sees a whole horde of kids. The priest asks in surprise:
- Is dad at home?
The children answer in unison:
“No, he went to Jerusalem to blow out the candle!”

“Yerevan” Magazine, N3, 2007

Stories and reviews about 3*, 4 and 5 star hotels in Aparan

In antiquity, the region of Aparan was known as Nig or Nigatun. It has been known as a settlement since the 2nd century AD. e., when it was first mentioned by Ptolemy under the name Kasala. In the 4th century, Aparan was called Kasakh and was the center of the gavar (county) of Nig. The construction of the Kasakh Basilica here, which has survived to this day, dates back to this time. The modern name of the city dates back to the 10th century, apparently, it comes from the Armenian word Aparank - palace.

During World War I, Aparan received a large number of Armenian refugees from Van, Mush, Alashkert, Erzurum and Khoy. In 1918, a battle took place at Bash-Aparan, in which Armenian regular units and militia defeated Turkish troops advancing on Yerevan. In memory of the victory in this battle, a monument was erected north of the city.

Buy plane tickets to Aparan:

• Review to Yerevan Yerevan is one of the largest cities in Armenia, its capital. Truly a beautiful city with its own flavor, a visit to which will remain in your memory for many years. Just like me! There is a lot to see in Yerevan, beautiful parks, public gardens, and its singing fountains on Republic Square amazed me. It is worth looking at the famous symbol of Yerevan, the statue of Mother Armenia, this is a woman with a sword, like an image of the Motherland. The largest Armenian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator in the photo seems completely different from... March 6, 2018
• Review to Yerevan Hello travelers I live in India. Last year in December I was in Armenia. A very beautiful and ancient country. Very tasty food. I would like to share my impressions and point out some life hacks that will help you not spend a lot of money. I learned about Yerevan map from the Internet. This is the official tourist map of Yerevan. I bought the card online and took it from the airport. I had a free transfer from the airport to Yerevan. The next day I had a cultural tour of Yerevan, since all the museums... January 29, 2018
• Review to Simply incredible! This is where my husband and I spent our honeymoon, and we met there earlier! Amazing place, most magical for me! The staff, food, rooms - everything is top notch! I advise everyone to come here. July 3, 2016
• Review to Shirak Just recently stayed in Shirak during a three-day trip to Yerevan. From the airport to the hotel it took about 15 minutes, close. I can say that this is a very good budget hotel in the very center of the city. Nearby is the Church of St. Nicholas (if you’re here, be sure to check it out) and a children’s park. It's a five-minute walk to Republic Square (this is the central and very beautiful square of Yerevan). The hotel itself is located in a building probably dating back to Soviet times, more than 10 floors, I think I lived on... April 8, 2016
• Review to Nairi Nairi stayed at the hotel for several days when she came to Yerevan on business. Nairi is a new hotel, with interesting designer interiors, located in the Nork-Marash area on a hill. I specifically asked for a higher room (7th floor), as it offers a breathtaking view of the city and Mount Ararat. My single room turned out to be beautiful and cozy, with air conditioning, TV, telephone. The room price included breakfast (buffet). I also had dinner at the hotel restaurant, Armenian cuisine... March 20, 2016
• Review of Marriott Armenia Hotel Yerevan While vacationing in Yerevan last spring, my husband and I stayed at the Marriott Armenia Hotel. It is located in the very heart of Yerevan on Republic Square. In short, I would say about the hotel this way: it is a classic, complete comfort and excellent service. A huge beautiful hall, everywhere sparkling and clean, Russian- and English-speaking staff, no language barriers. The room has bath amenities, a bathrobe, slippers, a hairdryer, an iron, a refrigerator, a TV. High-quality Wi-Fi, catches everywhere. We had breakfast at the hotel restaurant... March 17, 2016
• Review to

“Aparan was the residence of the princely family of Gntuni,” says our guide Mariam as we approach the Aparan Basilica.

The church area is not very large, but well-groomed and therefore cozy. On one side there are stone slabs in a row, looking at which it becomes clear that they are hundreds of years old. As Mariam later explained, these stones were discovered during excavations and date back to the beginning of the 4th century.

“Many buildings are attributed to the princely family of Gntuni, but their church architecture especially stands out,” Mariam continues her story. - The basilicas built by them date back to the early Christian period, that is, to the 4th century. In addition to Kasakhskaya, there is another one - in the former settlement of Zovuni, where now our reservoir is the Church of St. Peter and Paul. It remains under water for about three to four months a year and reappears as soon as the water recedes. It is noteworthy that no matter how much the water level rises, it never covers the cross of the church - it always remains above the water.

© Sputnik / Aram Nersesyan

The appearance of the basilica is generally atypical for Armenian churches, but in the architecture of Gntuni it is very common. Kasakh is also called Surb Khach (Holy Cross), and it is no coincidence. As Mariam tells it, a sliver of the Holy Cross is buried at the base of the church.

We approach the main entrance of the temple. A beautiful bas-relief is carved above it.

— This is the princely coat of arms of Gntuni - two deer ready to jump; in the middle there is an even-winged cross, a vine and a willow are also depicted, symbolizing the “Kenats Tsar” (Tree of Life - ed.), says our guide.

© Sputnik / Aram Nersesyan

Excavations were carried out here by prominent archaeologists, including Toros Toramanyan. Having first explored the church and its grounds with a team of archaeologists in the 1900s, he concluded that it was based on a pagan temple. Later this version was confirmed by his student Alexander Saginyan.

— During excavations, a golden tetradrachm of the Seleucid king Antiochus VII, who reigned from 192 to 129 BC, was found. This indicates that Aparan is a very ancient settlement, since a pagan temple was erected here in those years.

It is noteworthy that in the 4th century the basilica was not a single structure - there was a monastery complex here, the center of which was Surb Khach. It was the theological seminary of the Aparan Basilica that became the prototype of the famous Master's Seminary in Sanahin. Unfortunately, it has not survived. The monastic complex consisted of two single-nave basilicas, a seminary and a central three-nave basilica.

How did the image of the Mother of God appear on the column of the temple?

Kasakh Basilica is one of the first Christian churches in Armenia.

— They say that when Christianity was proclaimed the official religion in the country, this temple was built after the Mother See of Etchmiadzin Cathedral, but there is no official confirmation of this.

Immediately upon entering the Surb Khach Church you feel its special aura. Mariam drew our attention to one of the columns, on which a female figure in long robes clearly stood out against a slightly darker background. There is a halo above the head.

© Sputnik / Aram Nersesyan

“This is an image of the Mother of God,” explains the guide. It didn't exist until 2005. It appeared overnight. The priests discovered him in the morning.

Despite the fact that the story seems incredible, there are no other versions of the appearance of the image of the Mother of God on the column of the ancient temple. It’s interesting that the Aparans don’t tell everyone about this.

Every Sunday, Aparan believers take part in the Divine Liturgy. It is interesting that the Surb Khach Church almost always received parishioners, even during the atheistic USSR, even though it was then turned into a stable. Despite the fact that it was officially forbidden to hold services, local residents still gathered here and even organized christenings.

The Kasakh Basilica was finally restored through the efforts of local residents in the 2000s. The work was carried out under the guidance of an architect from Aparan, the late Hayk Hovhannisyan. In 2002 it was consecrated and officially began to operate. Many of the stones found during the excavations were used during the restoration of the temple.

© Photo: provided by Mariam Kocharyan