Syunik

Syunik Province

Syunik, the southernmost province of Armenia, is a green and mountainous land. The numerous masterpieces of medieval Armenian architecture, deep rocks and lush valleys make the Syunik Province an attractive destination both for the locals and tourists.

Geographical Position

The Syunik Province is located in the south of Armenia. This province is very mountainous. 

• Syunik Province borders the Vayots Dzor Province in the north.
• In the west, it borders Nakhijevan.
• In the east, it borders Artsakh.
• In the south, it borders the Islamic Republic of Iran.

General Description

Syunik is the most mountainous area in today's Armenia. The province center is Kapan, which is about 300 km from Yerevan. A heavily broken country, Syunik seemes to be nestled in the long mountain range of Zangezur, whose highest summits are in the west of the province, reaching over 3000 km above sea level. In the east, Syunik is on a lower altitutde and is densely forested.  

The Major Cities of the Syunik Province

• Kapan
• Sisian
• Goris
• Qajaran
• Meghri

Why Go There?

Monuments

Syunik is well-known for the fascinating Armenian architectural masterpiece - the Tatev Monastery. The monastery has withstood throughout many centuries, not losing its glory and beauty.

Karahunj (hypothetically the prototype of the famous Stonehenge in the United Kingdom) is another important monument. It is believed that it served as an observatory thousands of years ago. 

There are other monuments like Medieval Vorotnavanq (monastery), Halidzor Berd (fortress), the Meliq Tangu Bridge, ancient caves in the east. All these are points of interest in the Syunik Province worth visiting. 

Nature

The Vorotan River runs through the Syunyats Mountains. Its source is the Spandaryan reservoir, running out of which the river falls into the Shaghat reservoir, and then gaining more force from the latter and becoming bigger Vorotan falls into the Shamb reservoir. 

Getting to Syunik

Syunik is the farthest province from the capital of Armenia. But there are buses going from Yerevan to Sisian, Goris, Kapan and then Meghri. A bus going to Meghri (the farthest city from Yerevan) leaves Yerevan from Yerevan Central bus station. The fare is 4000 AMD (~ 12 USD) per person. The trip takes about 8 hours and half. A taxi from Yerevan to Syunik is expensive - it can range from 25000 to 35000 AMD (~ 70-90 USD).

Though expensive, a car ride could be a remarkable adventure. The interstate highway goes through the Goris city, then the Kapan city. After that you can take the road going to Kajaran and then to the city Meghri or the one meandering through forests and gulches and then finally reaching Meghri. On both roads there are road-side restaurant-motels. The trip to Syunik will take between 4 and 6 hours by car, but there are a lot of medieval monuments to see on the way.