Sevan

Armenia, Armenia

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Sevan is a popular resort town and administrative center in Armenia's Gegharkunik Province, situated on the northwestern shore of Lake Sevan, the country's largest freshwater lake at around 1,900 meters elevation, covering about 1,240 square kilometers and fed by 28 rivers.

Founded in 1842 as Yelenovka by Russian Molokans and renamed Sevan in 1935, it grew rapidly mid-20th century through industry like dairy and building materials, though many plants closed post-1991 independence, leaving a population of roughly 20,000 amid its scenic, mountainous basin.

Key attractions include the historic Sevanavank Monastery on a peninsula—once an island—built in the 9th-10th centuries with churches of Surp Arakelots and Surp Astvatsatsin, plus the lake's beaches, fishing, and Sevan National Park for hiking and birdwatching.