Recently, a new tourist destination has become popular: Armenia, Lake Sevan. Rest on the shores of this reservoir is considered to be elite. Once a small industrial town with the same name today has turned into a developed resort with camp sites, private hotels, pensions, cozy national restaurants. Sevan is ready to receive guests all year round, but the peak of the season, naturally, occurs in the summer months.
What is Lake Sevan (Armenia)? The photos show us an amazing, azure-blue color, a water surface, as if resting in the arms of high mountains. Seeing this lake, Maxim Gorky lapidarno said: “Yes, beautiful!” But the Armenian classic Avetik Isahakyan said about this attraction of his country: “Sevan is so beautiful that it’s not a pity for a person to drown in it.” And indeed, the bowels of the lake attract, bewitch. Fresh mountain air is spinning, and in the water you can count every pebble at a depth of eleven meters!
History
But from the point of view of the mundane science of geography, Lake Sevan is of volcanic origin. It was formed about 25 thousand years ago due to the eruption of the Geghama volcano, when the lava created a natural dam near the Hrazdan River. Where did this name come from near the lake? In ancient chronicles it was called the Geghama Sea (Gehama Tsov). But in 874, a monastery was founded on its shore by two princes Mariam Bagratuni and Syunik. The building was erected from dark tufa. "Black Monastery" - translated from Armenian Sev-Vank gave the name and waters, on the banks of which it still rises.
Lake Sevan is alpine. Its elevation above sea level is 1896 meters. Due to some narrowing, the water area is conditionally divided into Big Sevan and Small, but geologically, geographically and biologically, the lake is single. From the west it is surrounded by the Geghama mountains, from the south - the Vardeninsky mountains. To the north and east are the Areguny and Sevan ranges. The area of the water area before the construction of the hydroelectric station was 1415 square kilometers, but now it has decreased to 1246 km 2 . Due to the shallowing, a small rocky islet connected to land.
Tourism
In tourist terms, Lake Sevan provides vacationers not only mountain tanning and swimming. By the way, under the southern sun of Armenia, the water warms up to 24 degrees in August, and this is almost two thousand meters high! There are many water entertainments for beach people: pedalos, catamarans, yachts and pleasure boats, surfing and trampolines. Many hotels have large heated pools. The shores and water areas of the lake are also national parks and reserves. But fishing is also allowed. Sevan trout and specially launched valuable fish Ladoga whitefish are found in the depths of the lake.
Rest in the winter
Lake Sevan is of interest to tourists in the winter. In its northern part, a new ski resort has opened on the slopes of the mountain. From the shore of the lake you can climb to the top by cable car, and stop to rest in order to fully use the day for skiing at the Akhtamar 4 * hotel. From the veranda of his restaurant offers amazing views of the mountains and the frozen expanse of the lake. And for a comfortable beach holiday, comfortable rooms of the Avan Marak Tsapatakh 4 * and Blue Sevan 3 * hotels are suitable.