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Dilijan () is a spa town and urban municipal community in the Dilijan Municipality of the Tavush Province of Armenia. The town is one of the most important resorts in Armenia, situated within the Dilijan National Park. The forested town is home to numerous Armenians artists, composers, and filmmakers and features some traditional Armenian architecture.
Sharambeyan Street in the city centre, has been preserved and maintained as the heart of Dilijan's old town, complete with craftsman's workshops, a Art gallery and a museum. Hiking, mountain biking, and picnicking are popular recreational activities. As of the 2011 census, Dilijan has a population of 17,712. Dilijan is currently the fastest-growing urban settlement in Armenia. As of the 2022 census, Dilijan has a population of 15,914.
During excavations conducted in the 1870s, many valuable items were found, dating back to the late Bronze Age and the early Iron Age ages (between the end of 2000 BC and the beginning of 1000). Some of the excavated collections were transferred to the museums of Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tbilisi, Baku and Yerevan, while the remainder was kept in the Dilijan Geological Museum.
During the medieval era, the territory of Dilijan was known as Hovk'. Hovk' was a favourite forest and a summering place for the Arsacid kings to display their abilities in hunting. The settlement of Bujur Dili was founded during the 13th century near the area of modern-day Dilijan. The monasteries of Haghartsin and Goshavank were built between the 10th and 13th centuries. The monastery complexes have quickly developed and have served as cultural and educational centers. Haghartsin is one of the iconic examples of the developing Armenian architecture during the Middle Ages. Many other important religious and educational centers of the Middle Ages have survived in Dilijan, such as the Jukhtak Vank Monastery and Matosavank Monastery.
The territories of present-day Lori Province and Tavush along with the neighboring Georgia, became part of the Russian Empire in 1800-01. The territories became an official region of Russia as per the Treaty of Gulistan signed between Imperial Russia and Qajar dynasty in October 1813, following the Russo-Persian War of 1804–13.Акты собранные Кавказской Археографической Коммиссиею. Том 1. Тифлис, 1866. С. 436-437. Грузия разделяется на 5 уездов, из коих 3 в Карталинии: Горийский, Лорийский и Душетский, и 2 в Кахетии: Телавский и Сигнахский. Since the town became under the Russian Empire in 1801, the population of Dilijan had gradually grown. In 1868 the first public education school was opened in Dilijan.
Auspicious conditions for cultural development have appeared at the end of the 19th and in the beginning of the 20th centuries. Many theatre groups were organized during the 1890s and the first library of the town was opened in 1908. In the second half of the 19th century, Dilijan became a well-known mountain resort the town began to grow gradually. By the end of the 19th century, many entertaining centres were opened in the town, and the famous open-air theatre, known as Rotunda, was built in 1900. The theatre became a favorite place for locals and the visiting Russian intellectuals.
At that period, many modern houses were constructed in a unique traditional architectural style. Many wealthy Armenians from Tbilisi and other areas of Transcaucasia began to build their own villas in Dilijan. The architecture in Dilijan has been characterized with gable tiled roof, wide patterned oriel and whitewashed walls. The style has quickly been spread all over the villages at the Aghstev river valley.
At the beginning of the 20th century, many traditional crafts have been developed in Dilijan including metalsmith, carpet weaving, fine arts, wood engraving and other types of folk crafts.
During the Battle of Karakilisa in May 1918, Dilijan was the main staging point of the Armenian forces under the command of General Tovmas Nazarbekian.Hovannisian, Richard G. (1997) The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times. New York. St. Martin's Press, 299. Following the brief independence of Armenia in 1918-20, Dilijan became part of the newly founded Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1930, it was part of the newly formed Ijevan rayon, until 1958 when Dilijan became a town of republican subordination.
Following the independence of Armenia in 1991, Dilijan became part of the newly formed Tavush Province as per the 1995 administrative reforms. Nowadays, in addition to being one of the most prominent mountain resorts in Armenia, Dilijan is planned to be an international educational centre for both locals and foreigners, through the establishment of many developed schools and educational institutions. Dilijan School Puts Armenia's on the Map as an Educational Center imyerevan.com
The national park is also rich in its fauna, including brown bear, wolf, marten, otter, lynx, sylvan cat, Persian squirrel, sylvan dormouse, hedgehog, chamois, European red deer, wild hog, pheasant, quail, partridge, Caspian turkey, Pigeon, white-tailed eagle, lammergeyer, pygmy eagles, golden eagle, hawk and others.
Lake Parz is one of Dilijan's most attractive natural landmarks. It is situated in the northern part of the town at a height of above sea level. It has an area of and an average depth of .
To the east of the Lake Parz, at a distance of from Gosh village, Lake Tzlka is located at a height of . Aghstev River with its tributaries passes through the town and the surrounding forest. Its origins are from the northwestern part of the Pambak mountain range, at a height of . Aghstev River has a length of . Many tributaries flow into Aghstev such as Bldsan, Ghshtoghan, Haghartsin and Getik rivers.
As of the 2011 census, Dilijan has a population of 17,712, down from 23,700 reported in the 1989 census. Currently, the town has an approximate population of 16,600 as per the 2016 official estimate. As of the 2022 census, Dilijan has a population of 15,914.
Dilijan does not a have a church building, and the church services are conducted at a building within the Tufenkian Old Dilijan complex. The town's monumental church is currently under construction since April 2016.
In 1932 the State Theatre was founded in Dilijan under the supervision of the honored USSR artist Hovhannes Sharambeyan, while the school of music was founded in 1946.
On 26 January 2013, the American University of Armenia and the Central Bank of Armenia inaugurated a new state-of-the-art library at the Knowledge for Development Center in Dilijan. AUA and Central Bank Inaugurate State-of-the-Art Library at Dilijan’s Knowledge Development Center newsroom.aua.am On the same day, the Dilijan branch of Tumo Center for Creative Technologies was also opened in the development center. Tumo Expands to Dilijan www.tumo.org
The 2.25 km-long Dilijan tunnel is part of the M-4 Motorway.
In the late 1980s the town had a railway station, although since 2012 even South Caucasus Railway freight trains from Hrazdan no longer run given the line beyond to Ijevan is out of use.
Dilijan is also famous for its hand-made rugs and carpets. The town has its own style of carpet design, with many samples shown at the Dilijan museum of traditional art. The famous Impuls factory of Dilijan for communication systems was opened in 1962 by the Soviets. However it was abandoned in the 1990s, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
The Armenian government has announced plans to turn Dilijan into a regional financial capital, beginning with the move of much of the Central Bank's operations to Dilijan in 2013.
Currently, many significant financial and cultural institutions are operating in the town such as the Dilijan regional financial and banking centre, the UWC Dilijan, the Old Dilijan-Tufenkian Centre, the modern building of Dilijan theatre and the Dilijan Museum.
Dilijan is among the favorite destinations for local and foreign tourists. The town has a number of high-class hotels and , allowing the visitors the chance to enjoy the beauty of the National Park as well as the historical sites. There are such hotels as Dilijani Tun (4*), Dilijan Resort, Restland Dilijan Hotel (4*), Best Western Paradise (3*), Dill Hill (3*), and others.
The town is also famous for its mineral curing water fountains.
The central amphitheatre of Dilijan is the venue of many summer festivals and cultural events.
In 2017, the Transcaucasian Trail began construction in Dilijan National Park. When complete, the trail will span the length of Armenia, from the Armenian-Iranian border and into neighbouring Georgia. As of May 2020 there is approximately 100 kilometres of trail within the Dilijan region that is complete and open to hikers, with many routes passing by monasteries in the region.
Dilijan has an operating branch of the Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts. Three intermediate colleges for medicine, arts and crafts are also operating in the town.
With a cost of US$80 million, the Central Bank of Armenia's Educational Center was opened in Dilijan in 2013. Around 150 employees of the Central Bank moved from Yerevan to Dilijan along with their families on the step towards the transformation of the town into a regional financial center. Construction of financial center in Dilijan to be completed in 2013 vestnikkavkaza.net
In 2014, the UWC Dilijan, a part of the global educational movement United World Colleges, was opened in the town.
The construction of the Dilijan Central School was launched in 2013 by the Ayb School with the cooperation of the Central Bank of Armenia. Dilijan Central School dilijancentralschool.am In autumn 2015, the newly built state-of-the-art school was officially opened. Dilijan Central School officially opens www.mediamax.am
In 2017, the Monte Melkonian Military College of the Ministry of Defence of Armenia was moved from the capital Yerevan to Dilijan. Մոնթե Մելքոնյանի անվան վարժարանը տեղափոխվում է Դիլիջան razm.info It is housed in an up-to-date complex built between 2011 and 2016 with an approximate cost of AMD 26 billion (around US$ 54.4 million).
Impuls FC founded in 1985, represented the town in domestic football competitions. However, after spending many successful seasons in the top tier of the Armenian football league system, the club was dissolved in 2013 due to financial difficulties, like many other Armenian football teams.
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