Gavar
Gavar (Arm: Գավառ) is the capital of Armenia's Gegharkunik Marz, located near Lake Sevan. The town has a population of around 24,000 people.
History
Gavar was founded in 1830 by migrants from Bayazit in Turkey, with city status since 1850. Until 1959 it was called Nor Bayazit (New Bayazit), then Kamo, from the nom de guerre of Simon Ter-Petrosian (1882-1922), a "professional revolutionary" who robbed banks for the communist cause and escaped from various Czarist jails. He died in a car crash in Tbilisi.
Most of Gavar's industry is defunct, except for the cable factory. There is a folklore museum, an airport, and a bishop. The bishop was killed in a car accident and the diocese currently is being run by a pastor. The Early Iron Age fort of Berdi Glukh occupies a long, slender rocky hill, now a modern cemetery, paralleling the Gavaraget stream, behind the Haldi hotel on the main square. The fort includes early cave dwellings, towers and an underground passage to the Gavaraget. Just S is a large Early Iron Age cemetery. Urartian inscriptions lend credence to the theory that this was the center of the ancient Urartian district of Velikukhi. There are cyclopean fort remains all around the city, particularly one located five kilometers east of Berdi Glukh.
Source: Rediscovering Armenia Guidebook
PHOTOS: this is how they make baklava in Gavar, and this is the origin story
At the request of Gegharkunik authorities, the federal government has agreed to add the tradition of preparing Gavar baklava to Armenia's intangible cultural heritage list.
This recipe is popular among ladies living in rural areas of the Gavar region. It was formerly known as Bayazeti pakhlava (Western Armenian). Eastern Armenians began using it after the migration of Armenians from Western Armenia in the 1830s.
It was perceived as food for the rich because of its expensive ingredients. The plebs would only eat it on special occasions, ahead of major holidays or weddings. It was the crown jewel on the table.
In Bayazet they prepared it in special diamond-shaped copper trays, except for the rich, who used silver. Every family had a tray with a unique pattern.
It contains tons of walnuts. But not just any walnuts. It has to be cleaned and dried with special methods. Add natural honey, oil from molten butter, and granulated sugar.
The preparation required the presence of all women in the family and sometimes neighbors. The preparatory phase was lengthy, so everyone was given a job: sort the walnuts, prepare the dough, oil, honey, etc. The most experienced member would observe the process. And of course, there was live music and anecdotes to make the process less boring.
It has 25 layers.
The honey is added while it's still hot. The ingredients ensure that it preserves taste and quality for a lengthy period.
Gavar baklava is different from baklava baked in other parts of Armenia and the region in general. You will find small family-owned bakeries in Gavar that prepare it with traditional methods. It attracts many food tourists.
[source](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1081612.html)
Community Portal
Gavar has a community portal that hopes to bring together people with ties to Gavar from all over the world. The name uses the colloquial name "kyavar" as the people of Gavar tend to pronounce the name as "Քյավառ". Please visit the site http://www.kyavar.com/ for more information.
See also
- Gavar Special School - school for mentally and physically handicapped children
Map
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