Gyumri is the capital and largest city of the Shirak Province in northwest Armenia. It is located about 120 km from the capital Yerevan, and, with a population of 168,918 (2008; up from 150,917 reported at the 2001 census), is the second-largest city in Armenia. The name of the city has been changed many times in history. It was first known as Kumayri or Gyumri, then Alexandropol, then again as Gyumri. The city is situated on a 126 km distance north to Yerevan in the central part of the Shirak Highland, at an approximate height of 1550 meters above sea level. The Akhurian River passes through the western suburbs of Gyumri. Gyumri's climate is characterized with very severe and cold winters, where the minimum temperature could fall down to −41 °C. On the other hand, summers in Gyumri are relatively hot with temperatures could reach up to 36 °C. The annual precipitation averages 500 millimeters. Gyumri is one of the oldest localities in Armenia. The region of Gyumri is mentioned in different Urartian inscriptions since the 8th century BC. The first settlement at the location occupied by today's city of Gyumri is believed to have been founded sometime in the 5th century BC, perhaps ca. 401 BC, by Greek colonists. An alternative theory suggests that the city was founded by Cimmerians, based on the fact that Cimmerians conquered the region in 720 BC and that the original name of the city was Kumayri, which bears phonetic resemblance to the word used by ancient Armenian in reference to Cimmerians. Historians believe that Xenophon passed through Gyumri during his return to the Black Sea, a journey immortalized in his Anabasis. During the Middle Ages Gyumri was known as a large and important settlement, and a center of Armenian rebellion against the Caliphate (733-755). Ottoman forces captured Gyumri on May 11 1918 during the Caucasus Campaign in World War I but withdrew from it on December 24, 1918 after being required to under the Armistice of Mudros. During the Turkish-Armenian War, Turkey attacked Gyumri and occupied the city on November 7, 1920, after winning the Battle of Alexandropol. After the battle, the Turkish forces were headquartered in Gyumri. From this city the Turks presented the Armenian republic with an ultimatum that Armenia was forced to accept—otherwise Turkey would have invaded Yerevan, Armenia's capital, from their headquarters in Gyumri. Armenia was forced to sign the Treaty of Alexandropol to stop the Turkish advance towards Yerevan, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Armenia, thus ending the Turkish-Armenian War. Turkish forces withdrew from Alexandropol afterwards Treaty of Batum. In 1924 the name was changed to Leninakan after the deceased Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin. Leninakan was a major industrial center for the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and its second largest city, after Yerevan, the capital. The city suffered major damage during the 1988 Spitak earthquake, which devastated large parts of the country. The current name of the city was decided in 1990, at the time of the breakup of the Soviet Union. The Russian 102nd Military Base is located in the city. Today, Gyumri is Armenia's second largest city.

• published: 01 Mar 2012
• views: 1069