Bayc iskapes srtovter te....??:)))Добавлено (2007-04-09, 12:57 Pm)
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Beautiful, rich and diverse nature, Lori marz is located in the northern part of Armenia, where the arc of Minor Caucasus mountain ranges, as a huge wall, borders the upland and separates it from the lowlands of Transcaucasia. But the wall is not entirely continuous. Breaking through mountainous labyrinths, confluents of Kura river have laid their paths to this land, whose one third part is covered by deciduous and coniferous forests. Among deciduous trees the valuable oak, beech, hornbeam, linden, ash, and maple dominate here, while among coniferous trees pines are prevailing.
Lori forests are also interesting for the variety of wild fruit trees and bushes, growing here in abundance. This explaines the presence in Armenian language of terms designating forests of fruit trees: "Khndzorut" (apple-trees); "Tandzut" (pear-trees), "Shlorut" (plum-trees) etc. Lori has a temperate climate. The Lori-Pambak mountains protect this area from intrusion of cold air from north. The warmth remains in air also because of its high moisture. Everywhere in Lori the winter is warmer, than in Ararat valley. Purity of mountain air, aroma of the woods and meadows, delightful corners of virgin nature attract to Lori region many campers.
Mother Nature is not only creative, she also has powerful and destructive forces, arousing horror in people of all nations since prehistoric times. As a result of mighty orogenic processes that created the modern relief of Armenia, its territory is one of the least steady regions of Earth's crust. Last catastrophic earthquake in Armenia has taken place in December 7, 1988, with its epicentre not far from Spitak town. This was the largest earthquake in modern history of Caucasus by the amount of damage it has caused. Scientists have calculated that in some zones the energy of this earthquake was equivalent to explosion of ten nuclear bombs. In its epicentre the earthquake has reached 10 points by Richter scale. The Spitak town was completely destroyed. Significant destructions have taken place in cities Giumri and Vanadzor. Lori and Shirak regions were announced a disaster area. The consequences of earthquake with the help of world community are gradually being eliminated, and life in this region is reviving.
During centuries nations and peoples replaced each other, princedoms and states arose and broke up in Lori. In IX century B.C. the southern part of this region belonged to Urartu. During the reign of Tigran II the Great the region was considered a separate administrative unit of the Armenian kingdom. Already in VII century revolts against the arabs originated here, and in IX century the significant part of Lori territory has become a part of the Bagratouni Armenian kingdom. From X to XIII centuries a separate kingdom of Tashir-Dzoraget was formed here, governed by local Armenian kings. Several times Lori was under the foreign yoke. The longest foreign rule here was Persian rule, which lasted till the beginning of XIX century. In 1801 the region joined to Russia.
Village commonalty of Russian peasants, located in the northern areas of Armenia, had formed an original microcommunity of Russian ethnic group. Now a close look will reveal many features of Russian life here, forgotten for a long time in other places.
Lori region is rich with monuments of Armenian history and culture, mostly preserved from the Middle Ages period. The architectural structures of Sanahin and Haghpat monastery complexes belong to those monuments, whose artistic level and scientific importance leave the national borders. These conventual ensembles have been competing with each other by the splendour of services and the magnificence of architectural structures for centuries, evidenced even by the name Sanahin, which means " more ancient ", reminding of the old argument with Haghpat.
In those times every significant monastery had a storehouse of manuscripts, a result of huge amount of work of scribes and artists, bookbinders and jewellers. Manuscripts were valued in antiquity and were the first thing to save from destruction in case of an invasion. Many of those may still be hidden in Lori canyon. Caverns on the slopes of Debed gorge hide treasures of Armenian people living here eight centuries ago. Some of these caves are huge, and as the legends tell, can accommodate up to 3 thousand men. Caverns in ancient and Middle Ages were used as dwellings, and now they keep secrets of past generations, while the present generation of hospitable Lori people waits for the visitors.