Ijevan: the capital of Tavush, with a winery, riverside sculptures and little tourism
The road from Dilijan to the Georgian border follows the Aghstev river between wooded slopes, and in half an hour reaches Ijevan, the capital of Tavush: a town of 20,000 with a main street, a bridge, Soviet apartment blocks and, on the riverbank, a park full of stone sculptures. Almost everyone drives through without stopping, and it is a pity, because between the winery, the park and the market you get two hours that tell the province's story better than any monastery.
The wine and the brandy
The Ijevan wine and brandy factory opened in 1951 and is still the town's main employer. It makes wine from Tavush grapes, which in the cool, damp climate come out with more acidity than those of the Ararat plain, and oak-aged brandy, as well as fruit wines, pomegranate and blackberry, the local speciality. You can visit with a tasting, in an hour, and buy at factory prices. It is the place to try Armenian wine that does not come from Areni.
The sculpture park
Between 1985 and 1991, in the last Soviet years, Ijevan hosted international sculpture symposiums: artists from half the world came to work the local stone for a month and left their work in the town. The result is a park on the banks of the Aghstev with dozens of basalt and tuff sculptures, figures, abstractions and carved blocks among the trees, which nobody guards and which people use to sit on. It is one of the oddest and most pleasant places in northern Armenia.
The town and the food
There is a market with cheeses, honey, herbs and forest fruits, cafés on the main street and khorovats restaurants, Armenian barbecue, with river trout and mushrooms in season. The surroundings are full of short trails, and to the north, via Yenokavan, are the Lastiver waterfall and the adventure park with zip lines.
A base for Tavush
From Ijevan, Haghartsin and Goshavank are half an hour away, Dilijan twenty minutes and the less visited monasteries of Makaravank and Arakelots another half hour to the north. Sleeping here is cheaper than in Dilijan and the town is more real.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Ijevan?
The wine and brandy factory, with tasting, the sculpture park by the river, the market and, in the surroundings, the monasteries of Tavush and the Lastiver waterfall.
How do you get there from Yerevan?
It is about 140 km, two hours via Sevan and Dilijan, through the tunnel that crosses the range. There are marshrutkas from Yerevan's northern bus station.
Is it worth a stop?
Yes, two hours if you are passing through to Georgia, and a night if you want to see Tavush at leisure: the winery, the park, the surrounding monasteries and Lastiver fill a whole day.
