Sevan Island
Encyclopedia
Sevan Island now Sevan Peninsula ( Sevani t'erakğzi) was an island in the northwestern part of Lake Sevan
in Armenia
. After the artificial draining of Lake Sevan, which started in the Joseph Stalin
era, the water level fell about 20 metres, and the island transformed into a peninsula
. At the southern shore of this newly created peninsula, a guesthouse of the Armenian Writers' Union was built. The eastern shore is occupied by the Armenian president's summer residence, while the monastery's still active seminary
moved to newly constructed buildings at the northern shore of the peninsula.
It is home to a ninth century Armenian Cathedral church
, known as Sevanavank, which is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Armenia.
Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world.Lake Sevan is situated in the central part of the Republic of Armenia, inside the Gegharkunik Province, at the altitude of 1,900m above sea level...
in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. After the artificial draining of Lake Sevan, which started in the Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
era, the water level fell about 20 metres, and the island transformed into a peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
. At the southern shore of this newly created peninsula, a guesthouse of the Armenian Writers' Union was built. The eastern shore is occupied by the Armenian president's summer residence, while the monastery's still active seminary
Vaskenian Theological Academy
Vaskenian Theological Academy is a theological academy of the Armenian Apostolic Church on the Sevan peninsula on the shores of Lake Sevan in Armenia...
moved to newly constructed buildings at the northern shore of the peninsula.
It is home to a ninth century Armenian Cathedral church
Sevanavank
Sevanavank is a monastic complex located on a peninsula at the northwestern shore of Lake Sevan in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia, not far from the town of Sevan. Initially the monastery was built at the southern shore of a small island...
, known as Sevanavank, which is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Armenia.