Stepanavan

Stepanavan (Armenian Ստեփանավան, also Stepanavan; until 1923 Dzhalal - Ogly or Jalaloghly ) lies to the north of Armenia and is according to Vanadzor the second largest city of the province of Lori. The river Dsoraget cuts the city into two parts, which are connected since 1980 by a 220 meter-long bridge.

In the southern part of the city should be in the 10th century, the root of the Kingdom Tashir - Dsoraget. The history of the northern part begins in the 12th century with the construction of the church of St. Sargis. Since 1214 there was in the region of the royal house of Hasan - Jalalian, which gave the city its name later ( Jalaloghly on German son of Jalal ). Got its name, the city in 1923 in honor of the Armenian politician Stepan Schahumjan.

On December 7, 1988 large parts of the city were destroyed by the earthquake of Spitak. Since May 1992 there has been twinned with the French town Décines -Charpieu in the department of Rhône. In 2009, there were about 20 143 people in Stepanavan.