Martuni city in Armenia: what to see and how to get there

People come to the small town of Martuni in the Gegharkunik region to enjoy the tranquility, admire nature and relax by the water. The city is located on the southwestern shore of the lake - near Big Sevan.

Contents

1. History of the city of Martuni
2. How to get to the city?
3. Places of interest
4. Interesting Facts

History of the city of Martuni

In the north of Martuni there is a forest, behind which is Lake Sevan, in the south is the Vardenis Range. The river of the same name Martuni flows in the city. This is a good place to start a settlement. Initially it was called Mets (Nerkin) Kznut․ Then in 1830 the village was renamed Nerkin Karanlug. Only in 1926 did it get its current name Martuni, nicknamed the revolutionary, party leader A.F. Myasnikov (Myasnikyan). In 1995, the village grew into a city.

Martuni is a regional center, the food industry is developed here. There is a bakery and a coffee processing plant. Local residents are engaged in agriculture, they receive tourists who come to Sevan.

How to get to the city?

Martuni is located 130 km from Yerevan. The journey by car will take 1 hour. 45 min. It is convenient to rent a car in Move2Car. Buses to the city depart from the Northern Bus Station (Verin Pthni, highway M-4). You can travel by train from the Central Railway Station to Sevan, and from there by taxi or bus.

Places of interest

Vardenis Range, Lake Sevan

The main asset of Martuni is nature. From here you can admire the Vardenis Range. It is here that the "Armenian Sea" is located - Lake Sevan. It is divided into two parts - Big and Small Sevan. Martuni is located two kilometers from Big Sevan. And the road lies through a forest with sprawling plane trees, which can also be called a local landmark. Tourists choose Martuni beach, as it is not crowded and has fine, clean sand.

Church of St. Gevorg and the Holy Mother of God

There are several temples in Martuni. On the outskirts of the city there is a small church of St. Gevorg. And in the very center of Martuni, not far from the central square, stands the Church of the Holy Mother of God (Surb Astvatsatsin). There are several khachkars on its territory.

Martuni Branch of the National Gallery of Armenia

The National Gallery of Armenia has a branch in Martuni. The collection mainly consists of paintings commissioned by the state in 1960–1980. in the style of socialist realism. The works of Gabriel Gyurjyan, Yervand Kochar, Sedrak Arakelyan and other Armenian artists are presented.

Otsaberd fortress

15 km from Martuni, between the villages of Tsovinar and Artsvanist, the Otsaberd (“Serpent Fortress”) or Teishebaini fortress was found. Back in the 1st century BC. it was conquered by the Urartian king Rusa I, as evidenced by the inscription left by him. Tourists note what picturesque views open from the height of the fortress.

Interesting Facts

Martuni is a common name. There is a village of Martuni in the northeast of Sevan. Another city in honor of A.F. Myasnikyan is located in Artsakh.

The 8 billionth inhabitant of the Earth, the Armenian Arpi, was born in Martuni.

The largest village in Armenia, Vardenik, is located in the Martuni region. It has about 10,000 inhabitants.

Immigrants from Turkey, who settled in Martuni, brought with them a traditional dish - kyufta from hemp seeds.

There are many dialects in Armenia, and they can not understand each other even in neighboring villages. For example, "how are you?" in Armenian - Ո՞նց ես: [vonts]. But in Martuni they say Ի՞մալ իս։ [imal is]. We have collected more useful phrases and words for different occasions in this and this article.

The material you have read is part of a series of articles about the cities of Armenia. You will find them in section "Tourism". If you are still thinking where to stay during your trip to Sevan, besides Martuni, we suggest looking into Gavar. If you live or have been to Martuni, share your impressions in the comments.

Still have questions about the city and travel? Ask our support team @move2armenia_official.