Town of Sevan

Sevan sits on the northwestern shore of the lake that shares its name, perched at 1,900 meters above sea level. With a population of over 23,000, the town is both a resort and the administrative center of the Sevan district in Armenia’s Gegharkunik Province.

The history of Sevan begins in 1842, when a group of Russian Molokans—religious dissenters from Orthodox Christianity—settled at the source of the Razdan River, which flows from Lake Sevan. They named the village Yelenovka, in honor of Tsar Nicholas I’s wife. On January 3, 1935, the settlement was renamed Sevan, after the lake itself. In the latter half of the 20th century, the area was granted city status and grew rapidly due to new roads and the development of industry. Today, Sevan remains a key industrial hub in Armenia.

The town itself holds modest appeal for tourists, though it borders one of Armenia’s most visited natural landmarks. The true draw here is Lake Sevan.

Covering 1,240 square kilometers and reaching depths of up to 80 meters, Lake Sevan is of tectonic origin and is surrounded by mountain ranges. In 1978, a national park was established along its shores. Sevan is the largest lake in the Caucasus and ranks second in the world by volume of fresh water. On clear days, its surface mirrors the blue sky and snowy peaks; on overcast ones, it churns with wild, steel-gray waves.

The name “Sevan” has ancient roots. Although it was once believed to have originated from the name of the Sevanavank Monastery, archaeologists unearthed an Urartian inscription from the 9th century BCE referring to the lake as “Sounia,” which simply meant “lake.”

A short drive—just three kilometers—from the town lies the medieval Sevanavank Monastery. Perched on what was once an island and is now a peninsula, the complex dates back to the 9th century. It began with a handful of monks who built cells and a small chapel. As their numbers grew, construction expanded under the patronage of Princess Mariam, daughter of King Ashot I Bagratuni, in 874. The monastery also served as a retreat for King Ashot the Iron before his battle with Arab forces, which took place near the monastery walls. Today, only a few chapels and remnants of monastic cells remain.

To the southwest of Sevan lies Lchashen, one of Armenia’s oldest archaeological sites from the Urartian era. The site features a cyclopean fortress, dating from before the 7th century BCE and later rebuilt during the 9th–13th centuries, along with ancient settlements and burial mounds. Most of these remains belong to the Bronze Age. Until 1956, the site was submerged beneath Lake Sevan; after water levels receded, excavations revealed cultural layers dating as far back as the third millennium BCE.

Lake Sevan, with its broad turquoise surface and dramatic mountain backdrop, is a landmark in its own right. But beyond the sweeping shoreline and sunlit waters, the region holds layers of history—monasteries, museums, and nature reserves that tell Armenia’s story in stone and silence.

The most renowned landmark along Sevan’s shores is the Sevanavank Monastery, situated on the lake’s northwestern peninsula. Once an island, it became connected to the mainland after water levels dropped, transforming it into a promontory. Monks first arrived here in the 8th century, carving out cells and building a chapel. A few decades later, Princess Mariam of Syunik commissioned a full monastery complex. Today, only two churches built from dark volcanic tuff remain. Though the monastery never had defensive walls, monastic life continued until the mid-20th century. Sevanavank has since been revived; a theological seminary now operates here, and the monastery serves as the starting point for many guided tours around the lake.

On Sevan’s western shore stands the less visited Ayrivank Monastery, built around the same time as Sevanavank. Perched on a rocky outcrop above the lake, it offers striking views and a sense of solitude absent from the more frequented sites. Tourists often prefer Ayrivank for its quiet atmosphere—no crowds, no souvenir stalls, just the wind, stone, and water.

Further south, on the opposite shore, lies the Makravank Monastery. Though rarely included in tourist itineraries, its cultural value is profound. In early medieval Armenia, Makravank was a key center of learning and faith. It played a crucial role in the spread of literacy and remains a symbol of Armenia’s intellectual and spiritual traditions.

Near Lake Sevan and the town of Gavar sits one of the region’s most unique historical sites: the medieval cemetery of Noratus. This open-air museum preserves hundreds of khachkars—carved stone crosses—dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. Each khachkar is distinct, etched with symbols and motifs that reflect the beliefs, artistry, and craftsmanship of medieval Armenia.

Together, these sites form the cultural landscape of Sevan, where the natural and the sacred merge—and where history endures not in ruins, but in enduring presence.