The city of Sisian is nestled in the mountains of Syunik marz, located 217 kilometers south of Yerevan just a few kilometers from the main road connecting Yerevan and Stepanakert.
The environs around the city of Sisian are rugged and hilly while forests adorn the surroundings of the villages of Ltsen and Arevis. The climate is temperate, and moderately continental. Average temperature in January is quite cold at about -5ºC (21º F), while in July around 18ºC (64º F). Annual precipitation is about 360 mm or 14.4 inches.
The main river is Vorotan, around which four reservoirs have been built. Together with the plethora of mineral water springs in the area, the Sisian region boasts plentiful clean and cold water resources.
Sisian is a nature lover’s paradise. Animals which can be typically found in the area forests include bears, wolves, foxes, hares, goats, and badgers. In addition, a wide variety of birds can be spotted including partridges, quails, wild ducks, falcons, and eagles. The rivers and reservoirs of the region are likewise teeming with fish, the most prized of which is the famous Vorotan trout.
Sisian’s population is about 17,000, while the main industries are farming, horticulture, cattle-raising, and trade. Several factories have re-established themselves as evidence that Sisian is slowly but surely emerging from its shattered post-Soviet economic legacy. These include a textile factory, a factory producing medical equipment, cheese production, and various small enterprises related to stone processing.
Sisian has been inhabited since before the time of Christ. In the early Middle Ages it was known as the Syunik fortress, a residence of the Armenian royal family (with some interruptions) from the 1st century BC through the 9th century. For the last three hundred of those years, it was also the residence of the Archbishop of Syunik.
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