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Beyond the Ages
    According to archeological, geodesic and palaeontologic data, the remnants of the human monuments found in Armenia have around 100 000 years of history. The monuments of stone and early metal ages found there are evidences of the existence of constant human development of all stages. The archeologists confirm that the Armenian Highland has been inhabited since the times when Tigris and Ephrata rivers flew into the Persian Gulf. Ararat, Shirak, Alashkert, Moush and other Armenian fields and lowlands have mountainous plateaus, which is a result of volcanic and mountain formation processes. Aragats Mountain has erupted numerous times, the four conic picks stand out on the edges of the crater. The erupted lava covered 8000 m2 reaching Gyumri, Akhourian, Araks and Miskhali mountain chain forming Aparan lowland. This area was freed from see relatively early. The hills of Aragats are expansive and are slightly downgraded. The springs fall from the snowy picks of Aragats and mountainous sources have always given life to the surrounding flora, created favourable conditions for the local population.
    The fact that people inhabited on Aragats hills in Shirak land is indisputable. A rehabilitated skeleton of a tragonterian elephant is exhibited at the Academy of Sciences geodesic museum (RoA, Yerevan Pushkini 12), which was found in the clay sand massifs in Gyumri during excavations. The scientists prove that the animal lived 300-350 years before our days. Also remnants of an ancient bull, rhinoceros, ancient horse, camel, deer and other animals were found in Gyumri high lake massifs. They belong to Mindel, Mindel-Ris ages (around 1000 000 years).
    The wedge written record of Urartian King Argishti I is sill on the mountain of Vahramaberd Village, Akhourian region; " With the Glory of Khaldi God Argishti says: I invaded the land of Eriakhi tribe, invaded Irdaniuni city up to Ishkikulu land". During Urartu period the land surrounding the city was called Eriakhi, or Eriaini.
    Historian Moses Khorenatsi (V age) passed the real story about Shirak. According to historian the grandson of Haik Nahapet Aramajis sent his glutton son Shara with all his large family to a fertile land behind the northern mountain Aragats, where a lot of waters flew. The residence was called Shirak after him. It is proved that the area where Gyumri is at present situated was called Kumajri. This name is usually linked with the names of Kimmers that moved to the western banks of the Black See from East European lowlands.
    There is a record about Kumajri in "Anabizis", the work of Greek famous military leader and historian Ksenophonus, VII-VI BC.
    Ghevond Erets, who was very well aware about the events, first mentioned Koumajri in Armenian literature in relation with the rebellion against Arabic Regime in 733-755.
    As a habitation Koumajri has a history of around 2.5 thousand years, which is proved by the rich material and cultural findings at the excavations. Bronze items (III century, BC), metal earrings and knives (X-IX Century BC), work tolls and weapons of late Bronze and Early Metal ages, workrooms of stone processing (XI-IX BC), bronze jewelry, ax, clay and stone items, rings made of Bronze, clay plates with ornaments, glasses (VIII-VII BC) were found in the area of Meat-Packing Factory, Chicken Breeding Factory, "Kazachi Post", Koumajri ancient castle and other places.
    In the future Koumajri-Gyumri doesn't experience significant development, even during the X-XIII centuries, when numerous regions in Armenia developed and became inhabited and famous cities.
    The most remarkable period of development for Gyumri was the XIX century, when along with its surroundings it became a part of Russia in 1804, during Russian-Persian first war, i.e. around one quarter of century earlier than entire Eastern Armenia. During that period it became one of the famous cities of Trans-Caucasus.
    In 1829 - 30 hundreds of families from Western Armenia: Kars, Erzerum, Bajazet and other places migrated and stopped in Gyumri, due to which the city became relatively crowded.
    In 1837 Russian Czar Nikolai I arriving in Gyumri names the town Aleksandrapol after his wife's, Alexandra Feodorovna's name. People also sometimes called the town Alekpol. In 1840 Gyumri is announced a city and after 10 years, in 1850 it becomes the center of Aleksandrapol region of Yerevan state. The headquarters of the Governor was in the city. It was an important post for the Russian troops in Trans-Caucasus. The military barracks were established in the city (Poligons, Severski, Kazachi Post).
    Being a bordering city-castle, it very soon became a significant center also for trade and crafts. At the end of the century, in 1899, Tiflis-Aleksandrapol, and then Aleksandrapol-Yerevan railway was constructed, which in 1906 reached Julfa, and then Tavris. The city became one of the important railway midpoints. This introduced great changes into its socio-economic and cultural life. Before the Soviet times Aleksandrapol was first of all a city of crafts. During the years of 1850-1860 the number of craftsmen reached more than 5,000.
    Construction and metal processing, brick laying, hewer, carpentry, blacksmithing, copper processing were especially popular in town. The hewers and bricklayers were especially famous all over the country. Most of the craftsmen were involved in workers groups (hamkar), which remained functional till the beginning of the XX century. Manufacturing had a significant importance in the life of the city. Very soon beer, soap and leather production started. The trade and the market seriously developed. There were numerous shops in the city, large and small trade centers and markets. The population of the city gradually grew along with the development of the economy.
    At the end of XIX century the population of Aleksandrapol reached 32,000. It was considered to be the third trade and cultural center in the Trans-Caucasus after Tiflis and Baku. During this period the town had around ten schools and collages. Arghoutian (male) and Sahakanushian (female) collages were the most outstanding ones, where apart from Armenian language, Russian, Latin and Greek languages were taught. There were also private collages in the city. The houses and other institutional buildings in Aleksandrapol were constructed on a flat area according to a certain plan, mainly around the old castle. In XVIII-XIX the town was already rich of architectural buildings (houses, shops, baths). Especially five old churches were famous. The four were Armenian churches, and one was Russian. The treasure was St. Prkich (Saviour) church, which was constructed in 1858-76 resembling Ani Catholic Cathedral and was famous of its monumentality, decorations and ornaments.
    The town was famous of its schools, gusans (bards), folk singers (Jivani, Sheram, Fahraz, Haiat and others). Plays were performed in the town. A. Tigranyan opera "Anush" was first performed here in 1912.
    Shirak lowland, Kumajri-Gyumri-Aleksandrapol-Leninakan-Gyumri is the homeland of Armenian cultural and scientific talented pioneers. Mathematician and Astrologist Anania Shirakatsi (615), who is famous all over the world, talented poets Avetik Isahakyan, Hovhanes Shiraz. Talented composers Nikoghayos and Armen Tigranyans, great bard Sheram (Grigor Talyan), Philologist and artist Garegin Levonyan (son of Bard Jivani), National Artist Sergei Merkurov, Shara Talyan, Academics Alexander Hakobyan, Khachatur Koshtoyan, Andranik Shahinyan, Gevorg Gharibjanyan, Sergey Hambardzumyan, Ruben Zaryan and others were born here.
    After the establishment of the Soviet rule Aleksandrapol entered a new era of development. The industry, the science and the culture highly developed. Up to the beginning of 1930 the town served as the center of the state. In 1924, after the death of V. I. Lenin the town was named Leninakan after him. After Armenia gained its independence, the town was again renamed Gyumri.

To be continued...