View source for Gyumri

{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = Gyumri
| native_name                     = Գյումրի
| native_name_lang                = hy
| settlement_type                 = [[List of cities and towns in Armenia|City]] and [[Municipalities of Armenia|urban community]]
| nickname                        = ''Hayrakaghak'' ("Father-city")
| image_skyline                   = {{multiple image
| border                          = infobox
| total_width                     = 290
| image_style                     = border:1;
| perrow                          = 1/2/2/1
| image1                          = Abovyan street Gyumri.jpg
| image2                          = City Hall-1.jpg
| image3                          = Holy Saviour's Church 21-06-2019.jpg
| image4                          = Dzitoghtsyan House Museum 22-05-2019.jpg
| image5                          = Independence Square, Gyumri.jpg
| image6                          = Gyumri-panoramica.jpg
}}
| image_caption                   = From top down, left to right;<br />Abovyan street view&nbsp;• City Hall • [[Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, Gyumri|Cathedral of Gyumri]]&nbsp;• [[Dzitoghtsyan Museum of National Architecture]] • [[Independence Square, Gyumri|Independence Square]]&nbsp;• Gyumri skyline
| imagesize                       = 300px
| image_flag                      = File:Flag of Gyumri.svg
| image_seal                      = File:Coat of arms of Gyumri.svg
| pushpin_map                     = Armenia#Shirak
| mapsize                         = 150px
| map_caption                     = Location of Gyumri in Armenia
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = [[Armenia]]
| subdivision_type1               = [[Provinces of Armenia|Province]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Shirak Province|Shirak]]
| government_type                 = [[Mayor–council government|Mayor–council]]
| leader_title                    = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name                     = [[Samvel Balasanyan]]
| established_title               = Founded as Kumayri by the [[Urartians]]
| established_date                = 8th century BC
| established_title1              = Rebuilt as Alexandropol by [[Nicholas I of Russia]]
| established_date1               = 1837
| area_total_km2                  = 54
| population_as_of                = 2022 census
| population_total                = 112,301<ref name="2022 Census">{{cite web|url=https://www.armstat.am/en/?nid=82&id=2623|title=The Main Results of RA Census 2022, trilingual / Armenian Statistical Service of Republic of Armenia|website=www.armstat.am|access-date=2024-11-08}}</ref>
| population_density_km2          = auto
| blank1_name                     = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank1_info                     = [[Humid continental climate|Dfb]]
| population_demonym              = Gyumretsi
| timezone                        = [[Armenia Time|AMT]]
| utc_offset                      = +4
| coordinates                     = {{coord|40|47|22|N|43|50|51|E|region:AM-SH|display=it}}
| elevation_m                     = 1509
| postal_code_type                = Postal code
| postal_code                     = 3101-3126
| area_code                       = (+374) 312
| registration_plate              = 45 am
| website                         = {{url|http://www.gyumricity.am/}}
| footnotes                       = Sources: Population<ref>{{cite web|url=http://armstat.am/file/doc/99485583.pdf|title=Armstats : Population|publisher=Armstat.am|access-date=15 December 2014}}</ref>
}}
'''Gyumri''' ({{langx|hy|Գյումրի}},{{efn|[[Classical Armenian orthography|Classical spelling]]: Գիւմրի}} {{IPA-hy|ɡjumˈɾi|pron}}) is an urban municipal community and the [[List of cities and towns in Armenia|second-largest city]] in [[Armenia]], serving as the administrative center of [[Shirak Province]] in the northwestern part of the country. By the end of the 19th century, when the city was known as '''Alexandropol''',{{efn|{{langx|ru|Александрополь}}; {{langx|hy|Ալեքսանդրապոլ}}}} it became the largest city of Russian-ruled [[Eastern Armenia]] with a population above that of [[Yerevan]]. The city became renowned as a cultural hub, while also carrying significance as a major center of Russian troops during Russo-Turkish wars of the 19th century.
The city underwent a tumultuous period during and after [[World War I]]. While Russian forces withdrew from the [[South Caucasus]] due to the [[October Revolution]], the city became host to large numbers of Armenian refugees fleeing the [[Armenian genocide]], in particular hosting 22,000 orphaned children in around 170 orphanage buildings. It was renamed '''Leninakan'''{{efn|{{langx|hy|Լենինական}}, {{IPA-hy|lɛninɑˈkɑn|pron}}; {{langx|ru|Ленинакан}}, {{IPA|ru|lʲɪnʲɪnəˈkan|pron}}}} during the Soviet period and became a major industrial and textile center in [[Soviet Armenia]].<ref name="History">{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://visitgyumri.com/gyumri-history/ |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=Visit Gyumri |language=en-US |archive-date=2019-01-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107181137/https://visitgyumri.com/gyumri-history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The city's population rapidly grew to above 200,000 prior to the [[1988 Armenian earthquake|1988 Spitak earthquake]], when it was devastated, with the city's population being reduced to 121,976 as of the 2011 census. The city was renamed Gyumri under modern independent Armenia soon after the breakup of the Soviet Union, and post-earthquake reconstruction efforts continue. As of the 2022 census, the population of the city was 112,301.<ref name="2022 Census"/>
Today, Gyumri continues to grapple with the lasting effects of the 1988 earthquake, but remains known as the cultural hub of Armenia due to the many artists and craftsman who originated from the city. The city is also in particular notable for the large [[Kumayri historic district]] that managed to mostly survive the 1988 earthquake, dating back mainly to the 19th century and being one of the few surviving places in the world with authentic urban [[Armenian architecture]].<ref name="History"/>
==Name==
The area of modern-day Gyumri was originally known as '''Kumayri''' ({{langx|hy|Կումայրի}}) during the period of the Kingdom of [[Urartu]]. Over time, the name became disrupted through phonetic changes to Kumri, then Gumri, and finally '''Gyumri'''. In 1837, Gyumri was renamed '''Alexandropol''' after Czar Nicholas I's wife, Princess [[Alexandra Fyodorovna (Charlotte of Prussia)|Alexandra Fyodorovna]]. Between 1924 and 1990, the city was known as '''Leninakan''' in honor of [[Vladimir Lenin]]. Following independence, the original name '''Kumayri''' was used until 1992, when '''Gyumri''' was chosen as the name of the city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our history |url=https://www.gyumricity.am/en/gyumri/our-history |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=gyumricity.am}}</ref><ref name="History"/>
==History==
===Classical antiquity and the ancient Armenian Kingdom===
[[File:Beniamin 11.JPG|thumb|left|The Orontid settlement of Kumayri, 5th–2nd centuries BC]]
{{Quote box
| width = 18em
| align = left
| bgcolor = #B0C4DE
| title = Historical affiliations
| fontsize = 90%
| quote = [[File:13-Urartu-9-6mta.gif|20px|border]] [[Urartu]] 832 BC–590 BC<br />
[[File:Yervanduni Armenia, IV-II BC.gif|20px|border]] [[Satrapy of Armenia]] 570 BC–321 BC<br />
[[File:Standard of the Artaxiad dynasty.svg|20px|border]] [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Kingdom of Armenia]]
321 BC–428 AD<br />
[[Sasanian Armenia|Armenian Marzbanate]] 428–646<br />
[[File:Map of the Caucasus, 740 CE.svg|20px|border]] [[Arminiya]] 654–884<br />
[[File:Bagratuni flag.svg|20px|border]] [[Bagratid Armenia]] 884–1024<br />
[[File:Flag of the Kingdom of Georgia.svg|20px|border]] [[Kingdom of Georgia]] 1024–1071<br />
[[Seljuk Empire]] 1071–1100s<br />
[[Mongol Empire]] 1240s–1330s<br />
[[Kara Koyunlu]] 1360–1380s<br />
[[Timurid Empire]] 1380s–1430s<br />
[[Aq Qoyunlu]] 1430s–1500s<br />
[[File:Safavid Flag.svg|20px|border]] [[Safavid Empire]] 1555–1812<br />
[[File:Flag of Russia.svg|20px|border]] [[Russian Empire]] 1813–1918<br />
[[File:Flag of Armenia (1918–1922).svg|20px|border]] [[First Republic of Armenia|Republic of Armenia]] 1918–1920<br />
[[File:Flag of Turkey.svg|20px|border]] [[Eastern Anatolia Region|Turkey]] 1921<br />
[[File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg|20px|border]] [[Soviet Union]] 1922–1990<br />
[[File:Flag of Armenia.svg|20px|border]] [[Armenia]] 1991–Present
}}
Archaeological excavations conducted throughout the Soviet period have shown that the area of modern-day Gyumri has been populated since at least the third millennium BC. The area was mentioned as '''Kumayri''' in the historic [[Urartu|Urartian]] inscriptions dating back to the 8th century BC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gyumri.am/eng/history.html|publisher=Cimmerian|access-date=14 June 2015|title=Kumayri infosite|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106210024/http://www.gyumri.am/eng/history.html|archive-date=6 November 2012}}</ref> Kumayri may be identical with the city of Gymnias or Gumnias mentioned by [[Xenophon]] in his [[Anabasis (Xenophon)|''Anabasis'']].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Garsoïan |first=Nina G. |date=1984 |title=The Early-Mediaeval Armenian City: An Alien Element? |url=https://janes.scholasticahq.com/article/2330-the-early-medieval-armenian-city-an-alien-element |journal=[[Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society|JANES]] |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=68}}</ref>
At the decline of the [[Urartu]] Kingdom by the second half of the 6th century BC, Kumayri became part of the [[Achaemenid Empire]]. The remains of a royal settlement found just to the south of Gyumri near the village of [[Beniamin]] dating back to the 5th to 2nd centuries BC, are a great example of the Achemenid influence in the region. However, at the beginning of the 5th century BC, Kumayri became part of the [[Satrapy of Armenia]] under the rule of the [[Orontid Dynasty|Orontids]]. An alternative theory suggests that Kumayri has been formed as an urban settlement in the late 5th century BC, ca. 401&nbsp;BC, by [[Greeks|Greek]] colonists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9046406?tocId=9046406|title=Gyumri Armenia Britannica.com|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=14 June 2015}}</ref>
Later in 331 BC, the entire territory was included in the [[Ayrarat]] province of [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Ancient Armenian Kingdom]] as part of the Shirak canton. Between 190 BC and 1 AD Kumayri was under the rule of the [[Artaxiad dynasty]] of Armenia. During the 1st century AD, Shirak was granted to the [[Kamsarakan]] family, who ruled over Kumayri during the [[Arsacid dynasty of Armenia|Arsacid Kingdom of Armenia]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.shirakmuseum.am/main.php?menu_id=1&sub_menu_id=0&lang=1 |title=Shiral Regional Museum |access-date=2016-10-16 |archive-date=2016-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921112440/http://www.shirakmuseum.am/main.php?menu_id=1&sub_menu_id=0&lang=1 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===Medieval period===
Following the partition of Armenia in 387 between the Byzantines and the Persians, and as a result of the fall of the Arsacid Kingdom of Armenia in 428, Shirak including Kumayri became part of the [[Sasanian Empire]] of Persia. In 658 AD, at the height of the Arab Islamic invasions, Kumayri was conquered during the [[Muslim conquest of Persia]] to become part of the [[Arminiya|Emirate of Armenia]] under the [[Umayyad Caliphate]].<ref>[Book: The Arab Campaign of Armenia, Author: Ghevond the Historian (8th century), published in 1857, Paris (Ղևոնդ պատմագիր, Արշաւանք արաբաց ի Հայս, Փարիզ, 1857)]</ref>
Kumayri was a significant and quite-developed urban settlement during the [[Middle Ages]]. According to the Armenian scholar ''Ghevond the Historian'', the town was a center of the Armenian rebellion led by ''Artavazd Mamikonian'' against the Islamic Arab [[Caliphate]], between 733 and 755. After 2 centuries of Islamic rule over Armenia, the [[Bagratid dynasty of Armenia|Bagratids]] declared independence in 885 establishing the [[Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia]].<ref>Bournoutian. ''Concise History'', p. 75.</ref><ref>Ter-Ghevondyan. ''Arab Emirates'', p. 45.</ref> Kumayri entered e new era of growth and progress, particularly when the nearby city of Ani became the capital of the kingdom in 961. By the second half of the 10th century, Kumayri was under the influence of the Armenian [[Pahlavuni]] family, who were descendants of the Kamsarakans. The Pahlavunis had a great contribution in the progress of Shirak with the foundation of many fortresses, monastic complexes, educational institutions, etc.<ref>{{in lang|hy}} Arakelyan, Babken N. "Բագրատունյաց թագավորության բարգավաճումը" ("The Flourishing of the Bagratuni Kingdom"). ''History of the Armenian People''. vol. iii. Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1976, p. 53.</ref><ref>Arakelyan. "Bagratuni Kingdom", pp. 52–58.</ref>
[[File:Marmashen...1.jpg|thumb|[[Marmashen Monastery]] {{convert|6|km|abbr=off}} northwest of Gyumri (10th century)]]
After the fall of Armenia to the [[Byzantine Empire]] in 1045 and later to the [[Seljuk Empire|Seljuk]] invaders in 1064. Under the foreign rulers, the town had gradually lost its significance during the following centuries, until the establishment of the [[Zakarid Armenia|Zakarid Principality of Armenia]] in 1201 under the [[Kingdom of Georgia|Georgian]] protectorate. During the Zakarid rule, the Eastern Armenian territories, mainly Lori and Shirak, entered into a new period of growth and stability, becoming a trade center between the east and the west. After the Mongols captured [[Ani]] in 1236, Armenia turned into a [[Mongol Armenia|Mongol protectorate]] as part of the [[Ilkhanate]], and the Zakarids became vassals to the [[Mongol Empire|Mongols]]. After the fall of the Ilkhanate in the mid-14th century, the Zakarid princes ruled over Lori, Shirak, and Ararat plain until 1360 when they fell to the invading Turkic tribes.<ref name="The Turco-Mongol Invasions">{{cite web|url=http://rbedrosian.com/atmi4.htm |title=The Turco-Mongol Invasions |publisher=Rbedrosian.com |access-date=2012-05-22}}</ref>
By the last quarter of the 14th century, the [[Ag Qoyunlu]] Sunni [[Oghuz Turks|Oghuz Turkic]] tribe took over Armenia, including Shirak. In 1400, [[Timur]] invaded Armenia and Georgia, and captured more than 60,000 of the survived local people as slaves. Many districts including Shirak were depopulated.<ref name="The Turco-Mongol Invasions"/> In 1410, Armenia fell under the control of the [[Kara Koyunlu]] Shia Oghuz Turkic tribe. According to the Armenian historian [[Thomas of Metsoph]], although the Kara Koyunlu levied heavy taxes against the Armenians, the early years of their rule were relatively peaceful and some reconstruction of towns took place.<ref>Kouymjian, Dickran (1997), "Armenia from the Fall of the Cilician Kingdom (1375) to the Forced Migration under Shah Abbas (1604)" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume II: Foreign Dominion to Statehood: The Fifteenth Century to the Twentieth Century'', ed. [[Richard G. Hovannisian]], New York: St. Martin's Press, p. 4. {{ISBN|1-4039-6422-X}}.</ref>
===Persian and Russian rules===
{{main|Kumayri historic district}}
[[File:Saint Alexandra Russian Church, Gyumri.jpg|thumb|Saint Alexandra the Martyr's Russian Orthodox church, built in 1837–42]]
In 1501, most of the [[Eastern Armenia]]n territories including Kumayri were conquered by the emerging [[Safavid dynasty]] of Iran led by Shah [[Ismail I]].<ref>Steven R. Ward. [https://books.google.com/books?id=MOuVAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA43 ''Immortal, Updated Edition: A Military History of Iran and Its Armed Forces''] pp 43. Georgetown University Press, 8 January 2014 {{ISBN|1626160325}}</ref> Soon after in 1502, Kumayri became part of the newly formed ''Erivan Beglarbegi'', a new administrative territory of Iran formed by the Safavids. During the first half of the 18th century, Kumayri became part of the [[Erivan Khanate]] under the rule of the [[Afsharid dynasty]] and later under the [[Qajar dynasty]] of Persia.
[[File:Old Gyumri 03.PNG|thumb|left|[[Diorama]] of old Alexandropol with the [[Holy Saviour's Church, Gyumri|Holy Saviour's Church]] (1859–1873)]]
In June 1804, the [[Russian Empire|Russian]] forces controlled over Shirak region at the beginning of the [[Russo-Persian War (1804–1813)|Russo-Persian War of 1804 and 1813]]. Kumayri became officially part of the Russian Empire at the [[Treaty of Gulistan]] signed on 1 January 1813 between Imperial Russia and Qajar Persia.
During the period of Russian rule, Gyumri became one of the developing cities in the [[Transcaucasus]]. In 1829, in the aftermath of the [[Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829|Russo-Turkish War]], there was a big influx of Armenian population, as around 3,000 families who had migrated from territories in the Ottoman Empire -in particular from the towns of [[Kars]], [[Erzurum]], and [[Doğubayazıt|Doğubeyazıt]]- settled in and around Gyumri. The Russian poet [[Alexander Pushkin]] visited Gyumri during his journey to [[Erzurum]] in 1829.
[[File:Surb Nshan1.jpg|thumb|Surb Nshan Church of 1870]]
In 1837 Russian [[Nicholas I of Russia|Tsar Nicholas I]] arrived in Gyumri and changed the name into '''Alexandropol'''. The name was chosen in honour of Tsar Nicholas I's wife, Princess [[Alexandra Feodorovna (Charlotte of Prussia)|Charlotte of Prussia]], who had changed her name to ''Alexandra Fyodorovna'' after converting to [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christianity]].
A major [[Russia]]n fortress was built on the site in 1837. Alexandropol was finally formed as a town in 1840 to become the center of the newly established [[Aleksandropol Uyezd|Alexandropol Uyezd]], experiencing rapid growth during its first decade. In 1849, the Alexandropol Uyezd became part of the [[Erivan Governorate]]. The town was an important outpost for the Imperial Russian armed forces in the [[Transcaucasia|Transcaucasus]] where their military barracks were established (e.g., at Poligons, Severski, Kazachi Post). The Russians built the [[Sev Berd]] fortress at the western edge of the city during the 1830s in response to the [[Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829)|Russo-Turkish War of 1828–1829]].
Alexandropol had been quickly transformed to become one of the major centers of the Russian troops during the [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78]]. After the establishment of the railway station in 1899, Alexandropol witnessed significant growth and became the largest city in Eastern Armenia. By the end of the 19th century, Alexandropol was home to 430 shopping stores, several workshops, cultural institutions, a girl's gymnasium, a commercial school, a theater, and leather, bear, and soap enterprises.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 November 2021 |title=Ալեքսանդրապոլի գավառ. տարածքը և բնակչությունը 1831-1918 թվականներին |trans-title=The Alexandropol uezd: area and population in 1831–1918 |url=https://www.aniarc.am/2021/11/27/alexandrapol-uezd-1840/ |access-date=10 July 2022 |website=ANI Armenian Research Center}}</ref>
===Modern history===
[[File:Alexandropol 1901.jpg|thumb|left|Alexandropol in 1901]]
In 1902, the first bank in the city was opened. Until the sovietization of Armenia in 1920, Alexandropol had 31 manufacturing centers including beer, soap, textile, etc. After the [[October Revolution]] of 1917 and the Russian withdrawal from the [[South Caucasus]], the Ottoman forces launched a new offensive capturing the city of Alexandropol on 11 May 1918, during the [[Caucasus Campaign]] in [[World War I]]. However, the Ottomans withdrew from the city on 24 December 1918, as stipulated by the [[Armistice of Mudros]].{{cn|date=December 2022}} On 6 December 1918, the Armenian army reoccupied the city.{{sfn|Der Matossian|2020|p=15}}
The newly established [[First Republic of Armenia|Republic of Armenia]] proclaimed on 28 May 1918, included the city of Alexandropol. On 10 May 1920, the local Bolshevik Armenians aided by the Muslim population, attempted a [[coup d'état]] in Alexandropol against the Dashnak government of Armenia. The [[May Uprising|uprising]] was suppressed by the Armenian government on May 14 and its leaders were executed. However, during [[Turkish-Armenian War|another Turkish invasion]], Turkish troops attacked Alexandropol and occupied the city on 7 November 1920. Armenia was forced to sign the [[Treaty of Alexandropol]] on December 3 to stop the Turkish advance towards Yerevan, however a concurrent Soviet invasion led to the fall of the Armenian government on December 2. The Turkish forces withdrew from Alexandropol after the [[Treaty of Kars]] was signed in October 1921 by the unrecognized Soviet and Turkish governments.{{sfn|Hovannisian|1967|p=198}}
[[File:Gyumri 8 July 2017 (2).jpg|thumb|Rizhkov Street in central Gyumri]]
Under [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] rule, the name of the city was changed in 1924 to Leninakan after the deceased Soviet leader [[Vladimir Lenin]]. The city suffered an [[1926 Kars earthquake|earthquake in 1926]], when many of its significant buildings were destroyed including the Greek church of Saint George.
Leninakan became a major industrial center in the [[Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic]] and its second-largest city, after the capital Yerevan. The city suffered major damage during the [[1988 Armenian earthquake]], which devastated many parts of the country. The earthquake occurred along a known thrust fault with a length of {{convert|60|km|sp=us}}. Its [[Strike and dip|strike]] was parallel to the Caucasus range and dipped to the north-northeast. [[Bruce Bolt]], a seismologist and a professor of earth and planetary science at the [[University of California, Berkeley]], walked the fault scarp in 1992 and found that the vertical displacement measured {{convert|1|m|abbr=on}} along most of the length with the southwest end reaching {{convert|1.6|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name=bolt>{{citation|title=Earthquakes: 2006 Centennial Update&nbsp;– The 1906 Big One|last=Bolt|first=Bruce|author-link=Bruce Bolt|date=August 2005|isbn=978-0716775485|edition=Fifth|publisher=[[W. H. Freeman and Company]]|pages=65–67}}</ref>
The earthquake had a disastrous impact on the city, as many buildings are still not recovered. {{As of|2014}}, according to some news websites, between 4,000 and 5,000 residents of Gyumri remain homeless, although there are no official figures provided by the local authorities of the city.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asparez.am/anotevanneri_tvaqanak_gyumrium-hy/|title=Անօթեւանների թվաքանակը, քաղաքապետարանի չիրականացրած հաշվառումն ու Սուքիաս Ավետիսյանի "հուզմունքը"|date=March 29, 2014}}</ref>
[[File:2014 Prowincja Szirak, Giumri, Urząd Miasta (08).jpg|thumb|Gyumri City Hall at Vardanants Square]]
At the time of the [[breakup of the Soviet Union]], the city was renamed ''Kumayri'' from 1990 until 1992 when it was finally given the name ''Gyumri''. The [[Russian 102nd Military Base]] is located in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://gyumri.luys.am/hy/home/history |title=Modern history of Gyumri |access-date=2016-02-02 |archive-date=2018-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023092500/http://gyumri.luys.am/hy/home/history |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Gyumri was celebrated as the Capital of Culture of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] for 2013. Major events took place in the city on 30 June 2013.<ref name=aph_mayraqaxaq>{{cite web |url=http://armenianow.com/hy/arts_and_culture/47337/armenia_gyumri_cis_cultural_capital |script-title=hy:Գյումրին պաշտոնապես հայտարարվել է 2013-ին ԱՊՀ մշակութային մայրաքաղաք |access-date=16 July 2013 |archive-date=22 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922001227/http://www.armenianow.com/hy/arts_and_culture/47337/armenia_gyumri_cis_cultural_capital |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On 12 January 2015, Valery Permyakov, a serviceman from the Russian 102nd Military Base, [[2015 Gyumri massacre|murdered seven members of an Armenian family in Gyumri]].<ref name="iwpr">{{cite news|last1=Karapetyan|first1=Armen|title=Armenia: Murder Case Strains Relations with Moscow|url=https://iwpr.net/global-voices/armenia-murder-case-strains-relations-moscow|agency=[[Institute for War and Peace Reporting]]|date=26 January 2015}}</ref>
On 25 June 2016, [[Pope Francis]] delivered a Holy Mass at Gyumri's [[Vartanants Square]]. Catholicos of All Armenians [[Garegin II]] also took part in the ceremony.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://armenpress.am/eng/news/852185/|title=Pope Francis' Mass begins in Gyumri|website=armenpress.am|date=25 June 2016 }}</ref>
==Geography and climate==
[[File:View over Gyumri rooftops to Mount Aragats.jpg|thumb|Gyumri with [[Mount Aragats]] in the background]]
Gyumri is {{convert|126|km|abbr=off}} north of the capital [[Yerevan]] at the central part of the [[Shirak Plain|Shirak plateau]]. It has an approximate height of {{convert|1,550|m|abbr=off}} [[above sea level]], the high altitude line being {{convert|1,500|m|abbr=off}}. The [[Akhurian River]] passes through the western suburbs. The Shirak plateau is surrounded with the [[Pambak Mountains]] from the east and [[Mount Aragats|Aragats]] volcanic range from the south. The city of Gyumri is {{convert|196|km|abbr=off}} away from the [[Black Sea]]. The surrounding lands near the city are rich in [[tufa]], [[basalt]] and [[clay]].{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}
Gyumri has a [[Warm-summer humid continental|humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dfb''), characterized by freezing and snowy winters and warm summers. The annual precipitation averages {{convert|510|mm|in|2|disp=or}}.
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first= 1
|single line= 1
|location= Gyumri, {{convert|1523|m|ft|-1}} asl (1991-2020 normals)
|Jan record high C= 10.4
|Feb record high C= 14.0
|Mar record high C= 21.5
|Apr record high C= 32.4
|May record high C= 32.9
|Jun record high C= 33.5
|Jul record high C= 38.0
|Aug record high C= 38.2
|Sep record high C= 35.8
|Oct record high C= 30.3
|Nov record high C= 22.9
|Dec record high C= 17.6
|Jan high C= &minus;2.7
|Feb high C= &minus;1.5
|Mar high C= 4.6
|Apr high C= 14.0
|May high C= 17.9
|Jun high C= 22.8
|Jul high C= 27.1
|Aug high C= 26.7
|Sep high C= 24.0
|Oct high C= 15.7
|Nov high C= 7.2
|Dec high C= &minus;0.2
|Jan mean C= &minus;7.8
|Feb mean C= &minus;6.3
|Mar mean C= &minus;0.7
|Apr mean C= 7.2
|May mean C= 12.0
|Jun mean C= 16.7
|Jul mean C= 20.3
|Aug mean C= 20.6
|Sep mean C= 16.1
|Oct mean C= 9.8
|Nov mean C= 2.0
|Dec mean C= &minus;4.8
|year mean C = 7.2
|Jan low C= &minus;13.6
|Feb low C= &minus;12.0
|Mar low C= &minus;6.2
|Apr low C= 0.8
|May low C= 5.0
|Jun low C= 8.9
|Jul low C= 12.9
|Aug low C= 12.1
|Sep low C= 7.5
|Oct low C= 1.6
|Nov low C= &minus;3.2
|Dec low C= &minus;9.3
|Jan record low C= &minus;41
|Feb record low C= &minus;35
|Mar record low C= &minus;30.1
|Apr record low C= &minus;16
|May record low C= &minus;7.6
|Jun record low C= &minus;3.6
|Jul record low C= 0.3
|Aug record low C= &minus;1.1
|Sep record low C= &minus;4.1
|Oct record low C= &minus;14.6
|Nov record low C= &minus;23.8
|Dec record low C= &minus;31.2
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm= 23.4
|Feb precipitation mm= 20.9
|Mar precipitation mm= 32.7
|Apr precipitation mm= 61.8
|May precipitation mm= 89.1
|Jun precipitation mm= 66.8
|Jul precipitation mm= 52.1
|Aug precipitation mm= 38.3
|Sep precipitation mm= 30.0
|Oct precipitation mm= 42.6
|Nov precipitation mm= 28.1
|Dec precipitation mm= 24.6
|year precipitation mm=
|unit precipitation days= 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days= 5.5
|Feb precipitation days= 5.1
|Mar precipitation days= 7.1
|Apr precipitation days= 10.7
|May precipitation days= 13.4
|Jun precipitation days= 10
|Jul precipitation days= 7.1
|Aug precipitation days= 6.2
|Sep precipitation days= 5.2
|Oct precipitation days= 6.3
|Nov precipitation days= 4.9
|Dec precipitation days= 6
| Jan humidity    =83.3
| Feb humidity    =80.4
| Mar humidity    =73.1
| Apr humidity    =67.9
| May humidity    =68.8
| Jun humidity    =65
| Jul humidity    =62.4
| Aug humidity    =59.6
| Sep humidity    =61.3
| Oct humidity    =68.6
| Nov humidity    =74.7
| Dec humidity    =82.6
| year humidity   =
| Jan sun  =98.4
| Feb sun  =112
| Mar sun  =146.9
| Apr sun  =155.4
| May sun  =208.1
| Jun sun  =293.6
| Jul sun  =344.6
| Aug sun  =319
| Sep sun  =271.5
| Oct sun  =196.4
| Nov sun  =148.4
| Dec sun  =100.7
| year sun =
<!--Mandatory fields, source-->
|source 1= [[NOAA]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Armenia/CSV/Gyumri_37686.csv |format = CSV |access-date=16 March 2024 |title=World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020: Gyumri-37686 |publisher=[[National Centers for Environmental Information]] }}</ref> Météo climat stats (Average max, min 1981-2010)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/listenormale-1981-2010-1-p14.php|title=Moyennes 1981-2010 Arménie|language=fr|access-date=11 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=727|title=Météo Climat stats for Gumri |publisher=Météo Climat|access-date=11 November 2019}}</ref>
|source 2 = Climatebase.ru<ref name=Climatebase>
{{cite web|url=http://climatebase.ru/station/37686|title=Climatebase: Gyumri, Armenia|publisher=Climatebase|year=2019}}
</ref>
}}
==Demographics==
===Population===
The population of Gyumri has gradually grown since 1840 after gaining the status of town. A huge decline of the population was due to the disastrous earthquake of 1988. The dialect of Gyumri is a variant of [[Karin dialect]], closely related to [[Western Armenian]], as many [[Armenian genocide]] survivors migrated to Alexandropol.<ref name="Hovannisian">{{cite book|editor=Hovannisian, Richard|editor-link=Richard Hovannisian|title=Armenian Karin/Erzerum|year=2003|publisher=Mazda Publ.|location=Costa Mesa, California|isbn=9781568591513|page=48|quote=Thus, even today the Erzerum dialect is widely spoken in the northernmost districts of the Armenian republic as well as in the Akhalkalak (Javakheti; Javakhk) and Akhaltskha (Akhaltsikh) districts of southern Georgia}}</ref>
{| class="floatright" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%; border:1px solid black; background:#fafafa"
|+ '''{{big|Historical population and ethnic composition of Gyumri}}'''
|-
! scope="col" style="width:70px;" | Year
! scope="col" colspan=2 style="width:110px;" | Armenians
! scope="col" colspan=2 style="width:105px;" | Russians
! scope="col" colspan=2 style="width:90px;"  | Others
! scope="col" style="width:70" | TOTAL
|-
|1829{{cn|date=December 2022}}
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|600
|-
|1830{{cn|date=December 2022}}
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|4,000
|-
|1831<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Korkotyan |first=Zaven |url=http://haygirk.nla.am/upload/1512-1940/1901-1940/hayastani_bnakchutyuny_1932.pdf |title=Խորհրդային Հայաստանի բնակչությունը վերջին հարյուրամյակում (1831-1931) |publisher=Pethrat |year=1932 |location=Yerevan |pages=164–167 |language=hy |trans-title=The population of Soviet Armenia in the last century (1831–1931) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202085400/http://haygirk.nla.am/upload/1512-1940/1901-1940/hayastani_bnakchutyuny_1932.pdf |archive-date=2 February 2022}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"|3,194
|style="text-align:center;"|92.7%
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |—
|style="text-align:center;"|250
|7.3%
|style="text-align:center;"|3,444
|-
|1850{{cn|date=December 2022}}
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|15,000
|-
|1873<ref name=":0" />
|style="text-align:center;"|19,129
|style="text-align:center;"|95.8%
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|847
|style="text-align:center;"|4.2%
|style="text-align:center;"|19,976
|-
|1886<ref name=":0" />
|style="text-align:center;"|22,921
|style="text-align:center;"|94.6%
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|1,309
|style="text-align:center;"|5.4%
|style="text-align:center;"|24,230
|-
|1897<ref>{{cite web|url=http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/emp_lan_97_uezd.php?reg=573|title=Weekly – . .|publisher=Demoscope.ru|access-date=15 December 2014}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"|21,771
|style="text-align:center;"|71.1%
|style="text-align:center;"|5,157
|style="text-align:center;"|16.8%
|style="text-align:center;"|3,668
|style="text-align:center;"|12.1%
|style="text-align:center;"|30,616
|-
|1908<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.prlib.ru/item/417314 |title=Кавказский календарь на 1910 год |publisher=Tipografiya kantselyarii Ye.I.V. na Kavkaze, kazenny dom |year=1910 |edition=65th |publication-place=Tiflis |pages=178 |language=Russian |trans-title=Caucasian calendar for 1910 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315211448/https://www.prlib.ru/item/417314 |archive-date=15 March 2022}}</ref>
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|33,723
|-
|1914<ref name=":0" />
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|51,316
|-
|1916<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.prlib.ru/item/417322 |title=Кавказский календарь на 1917 год |publisher=Tipografiya kantselyarii Ye.I.V. na Kavkaze, kazenny dom |year=1917 |edition=72nd |publication-place=Tiflis |pages=214–221 |language=Russian |trans-title=Caucasian calendar for 1917 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104233151/https://www.prlib.ru/item/417322 |archive-date=4 November 2021}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"|45,646
|style="text-align:center;"|88.0%
|style="text-align:center;"|3,306
|style="text-align:center;"|6.4%
|style="text-align:center;"|2,146
|style="text-align:center;"|4.1%
|style="text-align:center;"|51,874
|-
|1919<ref name=":0" />
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|51,000
|-
|1922<ref name=":0" />
|style="text-align:center;"|43,658
|style="text-align:center;"|97.8%
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|998
|style="text-align:center;"|2.2%
|style="text-align:center;"|44,656
|-
|1923{{cn|date=December 2022}}
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|58,600
|-
|1926<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru/leninakan26.html|title=Ленинаканский уезд 1926|publisher=Ehtno-kavkaz.narod.ru|access-date=15 December 2014}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"|37,520
|style="text-align:center;"|88.7%
|style="text-align:center;"|3,634
|style="text-align:center;"|8.6%
|style="text-align:center;"|1,159
|style="text-align:center;"|2.7%
|style="text-align:center;"|42,313
|-
|1931<ref name=":0" />
|style="text-align:center;"|50,483
|style="text-align:center;"|95.1%
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|2,592
|style="text-align:center;"|4.9%
|style="text-align:center;"|53,075
|-
|1939<ref name="ethnocacucasus">{{cite web|url=http://www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru/rnarmenia.html|title=население армении|publisher=Ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru|access-date=15 December 2014}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"|62,159
|style="text-align:center;"|91.8%
|style="text-align:center;"|4,249
|style="text-align:center;"|6.3%
|style="text-align:center;"|1,321
|style="text-align:center;"|1.9%
|style="text-align:center;"|67,729
|-
|1959<ref name="ethnocacucasus" />
|style="text-align:center;"|100,960
|style="text-align:center;"|93.1%
|style="text-align:center;"|5,630
|style="text-align:center;"|5.2%
|style="text-align:center;"|1,856
|style="text-align:center;"|1.7%
|style="text-align:center;"|108,446
|-
|1970<ref>{{Cite web|title=Демоскоп Weekly - Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей.|url=http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/ussr70_reg2.php|access-date=2022-02-12|website=demoscope.ru}}</ref>
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|164,966
|-
|1984{{cn|date=December 2022}}
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|222,000
|-
|1989<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-01-18 |title=Демоскоп Weekly - Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей. |url=http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/sng89_reg2.php |access-date=2022-02-12 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118160411/http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/sng89_reg2.php |archive-date=18 January 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|122,587
|-
|2001{{cn|date=December 2022}}
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|150,917
|-
|2011{{cn|date=December 2022}}
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|121,976
|-
|2022<ref name="2022 Census"/>
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|style="text-align:center;"|112,301
|}
[[File:Amenaprkich.jpg|thumb|[[Holy Saviour's Church, Gyumri|Church of the Holy Saviour]] being reconstructed after the 1988 earthquake]]
[[File:Plplan jam 2015 jul pic 20.JPG|thumb|Saint Michael the Archangel Russian church]]
===Religion===
[[File:Severski avanpost church in Gyumri.jpg|thumb|Russian church of the Seversky 18th Dragoon Regiment]]
[[File:Grigor Lusavorich Gyumri 03.JPG|thumb|Saint Gregory Church]]
[[File:Church in Kazachi post 06.JPG|thumb|Saint Arsenije Russian church]]
[[File:St-Hagop gyumri.jpg|thumb|Saint Jacob of Nisibis Church]]
[[File:Surp Khach Gyumri, Armenia, June 2015.jpg|thumb|[[Cathedral of the Holy Martyrs, Gyumri|Cathedral of the Holy Martyrs]]]]
The majority of the population in Gyumri belongs to the [[Armenian Apostolic Church]]. The [[Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, Gyumri|Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God of Gyumri]] -also known as the Cathedral of the Seven Wounds of the Holy Mother of God- is the seat of the [[Diocese of Shirak]] of the Armenian Church.<ref>[http://www.shiraksec.am/general_links/about_us/patmutyun/patmutyun1.html Diocese of Shirak] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318135017/http://www.shiraksec.am/general_links/about_us/patmutyun/patmutyun1.html |date=2014-03-18 }}</ref>
The [[Armenian Catholic Church]] is a minority in Armenia and is under the jurisdiction of the [[Ordinariate for the faithful of eastern rite|Ordinariate of Armenia, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern Europe]], based in Gyumri.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armeniancatholic.org/inside.php?lang=en&page_id=303|title=The Eparchy of Armenia & Oriental Europe of the Armenian Catholic Church|publisher=Armeniancatholic.org|access-date=15 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020215119/http://www.armeniancatholic.org/inside.php?lang=en&page_id=303|archive-date=20 October 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> As a consequence, the aid organisation of the Armenian Catholic Church, [[Armenian Caritas]], is also headquartered in Gyumri. There are around 16,000 Armenian Catholics in the [[Shirak Province]]. The seat of the [[Ordinariate for Eastern Catholic faithful|Ordinariate for Armenia, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern Europe]] for the Armenian Catholic Church is the [[Cathedral of the Holy Martyrs, Gyumri|Cathedral of the Holy Martyrs]] in Gyumri.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.old.tsayg.am/?p=4037|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215201424/http://www.old.tsayg.am/?p=4037|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 December 2014|title=Հաղթանակի պողոտայում սկսվել են Հայ կաթողիկե եկեղեցու շինաշախատանքները|publisher=Old.tsayg.am|access-date=15 December 2014}}</ref>
The presence of the small Russian Orthodox community along with the Russian military base personnel is marked with the [[Saint Alexandra the Martyr's Church]] (within the Russian base), the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel and the Church of Saint Arsenije.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armstat.am/file/article/demos_09_2.pdf|publisher=Armstat.am|title=Religious organizations in Armenia|access-date=15 December 2014}}</ref>
However, many historic churches in Gyumri were either ruined or destroyed, including:
*Dprevank Monastery and the Basilic Church of old Kumayri dating back to the 7th century: it was the first ever church built in old Kumayri. However, the monastic complex was completely destroyed in 1852, during the construction of Russian military barracks.
*Saint George Greek Orthodox Church, opened in 1850. It was completely destroyed in 1933–34.
*Holy Mother of God Armenian Catholic Church, built between 1849 and 1854. Although standing, the building was turned into a private residence during the Soviet period.
*Russian church of the Seversky 18th Dragoon Regiment, built in 1856. It was consecrated in 1901 and destroyed during the Soviet period.
*Russian church of the Caucasian 7th Rifle Regiment, built during the 1850s. It was completely destroyed during the Soviet period.
*Russian church of the Caucasian 8th Rifle Regiment, built during the 1850s. It was completely destroyed during the Soviet period.
*Russian church of the Baku 154th Infantry Regiment, built during the 1850s. It was completely destroyed during the Soviet period.
{{As of|2017}}, Gyumri is home to the following church buildings:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://deesim.blogspot.com/search/label/%D4%B3%D5%B5%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B4%D6%80%D5%AB%2B%D6%84%D5%A1%D5%B2%D5%A1%D6%84%D5%AB%2B%D5%A5%D5%AF%D5%A5%D5%B2%D5%A5%D6%81%D5%AB%D5%B6%D5%A5%D6%80%D5%A8?updated-max=2014-06-05T05:02:00-07:00&max-results=20&start=14&by-date=false|title=Դե եսիմ...}}</ref>
*[[Saint Alexandra the Martyr's Church]] within the complex of the Russian military base, built in 1837–42. It was completely renovated and reopened on May 8, 2008.
*[[Church of the Holy Saviour, Gyumri|Church of the Holy Saviour]] or Surp Amenaprkich, constructed between 1859–1873: designed to resemble the [[Cathedral of Ani]]. The church was heavily damaged by the 1988 Spitak earthquake and is currently under reconstruction.
*Surp Nshan or Holy Sign Church: Opened in 1870.
*Saint Gregory the Illuminator's Church, built between 1875 and 1880.
*Saint Michael the Archangel Russian Orthodox Church, locally known as ''Plplan Zham'' (the Shimmering Chapel), built between 1875 and 1880.
*[[Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, Gyumri|Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God]]: also known as Seven Wounds of the Holy Mother of God, constructed between 1873–1884. Currently, it is the seat of the [[Diocese of Shirak]] of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
*Saint Arseny Russian Orthodox Church, built during the 1870s and opened in 1910. It is locally known as the church of Kazachi Post.
*Saint Hripsime Chapel, opened in 1992.
*Saint Jacob of Nisibis Church: or Surp Hakob Mtsbinetsi Church, opened in 2005.
*Surp Sarkis Chapel, built in 2008 and opened in 2011.
*Surp Minas Chapel, opened in 2013.
*[[Cathedral of the Holy Martyrs, Gyumri|Cathedral of the Holy Martyrs]] of the Catholic Armenians, opened in 2015.
==Culture==
===Museums and art===
[[File:Ասլամազյան քույրերի պատկերասրահ (10).JPG|thumb|Aslamazyan Sisters House-Museum]]
[[File:Museum of Hovhannes Shiraz 27-08-2019.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Hovhannes Shiraz House Museum|Hovhannes Shiraz House-Museum]]]]
Gyumri is home to many prominent museums of Armenia, including the House-Museums of sculptor [[Sergey Merkurov]], poets [[Avetik Isahakyan]] and [[Hovhannes Shiraz]], and actor [[Frunzik Mkrtchyan|Mher Mkrtchyan]]. The [[Gallery of Mariam and Eranuhi Aslamazyan Sisters|Aslamazyan Sisters Gallery]], built in the 1880s, is home to more than 700 drawings, paintings and other works of the Aslamazyan sisters who were the Soviet-era artists. The [[Dzitoghtsyan Museum of National Architecture|Dzitoghtsyan Museum of Social Life and National Architecture of Gyumri]] is an old mansion, housing collections related to both history and the everyday-life of Gyumri, as well as paintings and other works of art.
Throughout centuries, Kumayri-Gyumri was labelled as the "city of crafts and arts",<ref name="Reporter">{{cite web|url=http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2009-03-27-gyumri-has-preserved-the-aura-and-architecture-of-the-19th-century|title=Gyumri has preserved the aura and architecture of the 19th century|author=Tatul Hakobyan|author-link=Tatul Hakobyan|publisher=Reporter.am|access-date=15 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221231235/http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2009-03-27-gyumri-has-preserved-the-aura-and-architecture-of-the-19th-century|archive-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> being famous for its schools, theaters and [[gusans]].
[[File:Գյումրու Կինոհոկտեմբեր թատրոն 0103.JPG|thumb|"October" cinema hall]]
In 1865, an amateur theatre group in Gyumri performed H. Karinyan's "Shushanik". In 1912, Gyumri was home to the first opera show ever staged in Armenia, when composer [[Armen Tigranian]] presented [[Anoush (opera)|Anoush]] to the public in Alexandropol. In 1923, the first Armenian opera theatre was opened in Gyumri (where the first [[ballet]] performance in Armenia took place in 1924<ref>A. Bakhchinyan. Հայերը համաշխարհային պարարվեստում (Armenians on the International Dance Scene), Yerevan, 2016. p. 13</ref>), while the Vardan Ajemian State Drama Theatre was founded in 1928. Prominent directors [[Ruben Simonov]] and [[Vardan Ajemian]], actors [[Frunzik Mkrtchyan|Mher Mkrtchyan]], [[Azat Sherents]] and [[Varduhi Varderesyan]] worked in theatre. The theatre's new building was opened in 1972. The artistic director is [[Nikolay Tsaturyan]]. Gyumri is known for its 19th-century architecture and [[urban planning|urban constructions]].<ref name="Reporter"/>
The first printing house of Gyumri was founded in 1876 by G. Sanoyan and operated until 1918. It published literary works (including [[Avetik Isahakyan]]'s first book), calendars, textbooks. Another printing house, Ayg (founded 1892), published historical books and the first periodical of Gyumri, ''Akhuryan''.<ref>''Concise Armenian Encyclopedia'', Ed. by acad. K. Khudaverdyan, Yerevan, Vol. 2, p. 763</ref>
Gyumri is home to the Gyumri Biennial, organized by the artist Azat Sargsyan and the Gyumri Center of Contemporary Art (GCCA).<ref>Art and Asia Pacific Almanac – Volume 5 – Page 92</ref> Gyumri was officially declared [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] cultural capital in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armenianow.com/arts_and_culture/47335/armenia_gyumri_cis_cultural_capital|title=Gyumri officially declared CIS cultural capital in 2013|publisher=Armenianow.com|access-date=15 December 2014|archive-date=15 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215224218/http://www.armenianow.com/arts_and_culture/47335/armenia_gyumri_cis_cultural_capital|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Music===
[[File:Գուսանների հուշարձանը Գյումրիում 06.JPG|thumb|A statue of two ''[[gusans]]'' in Gyumri, depicting [[Sheram]] and [[Jivani]]]]
The city of Gyumri has a great contribution in [[Armenian folk music]]. Throughout the 19th century, Alexandrapol was considered the center of folk and traditional Armenian music. The musical culture of Alexandrapol has greatly influenced the art of [[Jivani]], who is considered the founder of modern Armenian folk music during the 19th century. Another 19th-century [[ashik]] [[Sheram]] who was born in Alexandropol, is one of the earliest [[gusans]] of traditional Armenian music in the modern history of Armenia. He is one of the most celebrated Armenian composers of folk music.
The mystic philosopher of Alexandropol [[George Gurdjieff]] has produced many influential works of music during the 20th century.
Different genres of music became popular in the city during the 2nd half of the 20th century. [[Rock music|Rock]], [[folk rock]] and [[ethnic rock]] are widely popular through the local famous rock band [[Bambir]], active since 1978.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebambir.com/|title=TheBambir|website=TheBambir.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001225252/http://www.thebambir.com/ |archive-date=1 October 2010 |url-status=usurped}}</ref>
In 1986, the [[Gyumri State Orchestra of Folk Instruments]] was founded, followed by the [[Gyumri State Symphonic Orchestra]] founded in 1993. In 1997, the [[KOHAR Symphony Orchestra and Choir]] was founded in Gyumri through the efforts of the Lebanese-Armenian philanthropist Harout Khatchadourian. Soon after, KOHAR became one of the most celebrated choirs in Armenia as well as throughout the [[Armenian diaspora]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://koharconcert.com/|title=KOHAR – Symphony Orchestra & Choir}}</ref>
Influenced by Gurdjieff, the Armenian musician [[Levon Eskenian]] founded [[The Gurdjieff Ensemble]] in 2008. The award-winning ensemble gathers many of Armenia's leading practitioners of traditional music, performing on [[duduk]], [[sring]], [[kamancha]], [[oud]], [[monochord|kanōn]], [[santur]], [[tar (string instrument)|tar]], [[bağlama|saz]], [[daf]], [[dhol]], and [[tombak]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gurdjieffensemble.com/gurdjief-ensemble/|title=Gurdjieff Ensemble|website=Gurdjieff Ensemble|date=11 April 2016 }}</ref>
The ''Renaissance'' international music festival of Gyumri is held annually since 2009.
In 2011 [[WhoCares]], a [[Supergroup (music)|supergroup]] formed by [[Ian Gillan]] and [[Tony Iommi]]  with the participation of a great number of rock artists, raised money to build the "Octet" music school in Gyumri (opened two years later).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gillan.com/armenia-gyumri-whocares.html |access-date=2013-02-20 |work=Ian Gillan official website |title=Silver Impala Award}}</ref>
=== Films ===
Several famous Armenian films were shot in Gyumri such as ''[[The Tango of Our Childhood]]'' ({{langx|hy|Մեր մանկության տանգոն}}), ''Triangle'' ({{langx|hy|Եռանկյունի}}), ''The Dawn of the Sad Street'' ({{langx|hy|Տխուր փողոցի լուսաբացը}}), ''The Merry Bus'' ({{langx|hy|Ուրախ ավտոբուս}}) and other. The city has preserved some locations where scenes from these films were filmed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Travel |first=Aragast |date=2020-05-22 |title=Aragast in Gyumri |url=https://medium.com/@aragasttravel/aragast-in-gyumri-de99e398f2 |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=Medium |language=en}}</ref>
===Monuments===
*[[Kumayri historic district]]: is the old part of Gyumri with its unique architecture. It has more than a thousand buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The district is one of few places in the Republic of Armenia, and the world, with authentic urban [[Armenian architecture]]. Almost all the structures of the Kumayri district have survived the two major earthquakes in 1926 and 1988 respectively. The historic district of Kumayri occupies the central and western part of modern-day Gyumri.
*[[Sev Berd]] or the ''Black Fortress'' ({{langx|hy|Սև բերդ}}; {{langx|ru|Чёрная Кре́пость}}, ''Chornaya Krepost''): is an abandoned [[Imperial Russian Army|Russian imperial]] fortress in Gyumri built between 1834 and 1847, located {{convert|8|km|mi}} east of the closed [[Armenia–Turkey border|border]] with Turkey. It was erected in response to the [[Russo-Turkish War (1828–29)|Russo-Turkish War]] of 1828–1829. Currently, it is a national cultural heritage monument of Armenia, used as an art and cultural center<ref>[http://www.atb.am/ru/armenia/sights/fortresses/gumri Sev Berd or the Black Fortress of Gyumri], atb.am; accessed 20 November 2015.</ref>
*The monumental statue of [[Mother Armenia, Gyumri|Mother Armenia]] erected in 1975.
*[[Vartanants Square]] is the central town square of Gyumri.
*[[Independence Square, Gyumri|Independence Square]].
*[[Charles Aznavour Square, Gyumri|Charles Aznavour Square]].
*Garegin Nzhdeh Square.
*Gyumri Central Park, founded during the 1920s on the site of the old cemetery of the city.
*[[Statue of Avetik Isahakyan (Gyumri)]]
The restoration process of the damaged buildings of Gyumri has been spearheaded by [[Earthwatch Institute|Earthwatch]] to preserve the city's unique architecture.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2007/may/02/rebuildingarmenia|title=Rebuilding Armenia|author=Georgia Brown|work=The Guardian|editor=Andy Burnham|date=2 May 2007}}</ref>
In spite of suffering severe damages during the disastrous [[1988 Armenian earthquake|earthquake in December 1988]], Gyumri is still preserving its own architectural characteristics.
<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="200px" perrow="4">
Monument Coat of Gyumri.jpg|Monument at the entrance to the city
-2024 08 Мать-Армения, Гюмри.jpg|Victory Park and Mother-Armenia Monument
- 2024 8 Памятник «Героям Карса».gif|St. Michael Church sculpture, Hill of honor
Rustaveli street, Gyumri 01.jpg|Rustaveli Street the Kumayri historic district
Abovyan Avenue, former Alexandrovsky Street in the Kumayri Historic District, Gyumri, 08.07.2017.jpg|Kirk Kerkorian (formerly Alexandrovsky) Street of Kumayri district<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hetq.am/hy/article/68026|title=Գյումրու Ալեքսանդրովսկի՝ ներկայում Աբովյան փողոցի մի հատվածը կրելու է ամերիկահայ բարերար Քըրք Քըրքորյանի անունը|website=Hetq.am|date=18 May 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.azatutyun.am/a/27086787.html|title=U.S.-Armenian Tycoon Remembered At Gyumri Church Service|website=«Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» ռադիոկայան|date=22 June 2015 |last1=Kaghzvantsian |first1=Satenik }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aravot-en.am/2017/10/03/200762/|title=Serzh Sargsyan walked through Gyumri's 'fantastic' streets and had dinner in newly built guest houses &#124; www.aravot-en.am}}</ref>
</gallery>
===Local customs===
[[File:Horse-drawn carriage, Gorki Street, Gyumri, 08.07.2017.jpg|thumb|Rentable horse-drawn [[carriage]] at the center of Gyumri]]
The residents are Gyumri are widely known as conservative people. Traditions and local customs are widely preserved by the local citizens. It is very common among Armenians to refer to the ''dignity of Gyumri'' ({{langx|hy|Գյումրվա թասիբ}} ''Gyumrva tasib'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asparez.am/mekdarya_anushi_bemadrutyun-hy/|title="Հալալ է". գյումրեցիների գնահատականը մեկդարյա "Անուշ"-ի առաջնախաղին|date=September 3, 2012}}</ref>
Gyumri is considered to be the "laughter and humor capital" of Armenia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://galatv.am/hy/2802251/|title=Տավուշում հայկական կողմը նախազգուշացնող կրակ է բացել. Արծրուն Հովհաննիսյան|date=January 7, 2020|access-date=June 12, 2022|archive-date=July 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721053350/https://galatv.am/hy/2802251/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The jokes and anecdotes of local humorists like ''Jgher Khachik'' and ''[[Poloz Mukuch]]'' are widely known by the local citizens. Many works have been published to narrate about the legacy and heritage of the humor in Gyumri.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asparez.am/sari_pes_bancr_gyumri-hy/|title="Սարի պես բանցր Գյումրին" եւ նրա հումորի լեգենդները|date=September 13, 2013}}</ref>
The city celebrates the "Gyumri Day" annually on the first Sunday of October. It is marked with many cultural and entertainment activities.
===Media===
Gyumri has 4 regional TV stations:
*Tsayg TV, operating since 1991.
*Shirak Public TV, operating since 1992.
*Gala TV, operating since 2005.
*Shant, operating since 1994.
''Shrjapa'', a weekly, is the local newspaper of Gyumri.
==Transportation==
===Air transportation===
[[File:Shirak Airport (exterior).jpg|thumb|[[Shirak Airport]]]]
Gyumri is served by the international [[Shirak Airport]], about {{convert|5|km|abbr=off}} to the southeast of the city center. It was inaugurated in 1961 and is the second largest airport in Armenia. At the beginning of 2006, the government of Armenia felt the importance of having a second international airport, when adverse weather conditions meant that many flights had to be diverted from Yerevan's [[Zvartnots International Airport]] into Gyumri's Shirak Airport. New air traffic control equipment allowed airport workers to identify planes in a {{convert|400|km|adj=on|abbr=off}} radius.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armats.com/eng/activity/services/ta.htm|title=armats|publisher=Armats.com|access-date=15 December 2014|archive-date=23 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923173718/http://www.armats.com/eng/activity/services/ta.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Following moderate use in 2005 and 2006 during which annual passenger traffic was at about 46,000 and several hundred aircraft movements took place each year, the airport's activity quickly declined again to the point where in 2016 passenger traffic amounted to only 12,421 and a mere 54 aircraft movements took place. However, in the beginning of 2017, as part of new efforts to develop Gyumri and its tourism industry, the government focused on revitalizing the airport. Multiple new airlines began operating flights to the airport, including [[Taron Avia]], a new Armenian airline based in Gyumri. In order attract more customers, the Ministry of Nature Protection made meteorological services free for all airlines flying to Gyumri, lowering ticket costs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arka.am/en/news/tourism/shirak_airport_in_gyumri_to_get_preference/|title=arka|date=23 January 2017 |publisher=Arka.am|access-date=27 July 2017}}</ref> The [[Gyumri Technology Center]] also participated in helping revitalize the airport by adding interior design details to improve the airport's look.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.am/en/news/2017/03/30/Shirak-airport/1752635|title=panorama|publisher=panorama.am|access-date=27 July 2017}}</ref>
===Railway===
[[File:ԿայարանԵրկ2.jpg|thumb|[[Gyumri Railway Station]]]]
The railway junction of Gyumri is the oldest and the largest one in Armenia. It was formed in 1897 and the first railway link to Alexandropol that connected the city with Tiflis was completed in 1899. The rail line was then extended from Alexandropol to Yerevan (in 1902), Kars (in 1902), [[Jolfa, Iran (city)|Jolfa]] (in 1906), and [[Tabriz]]. As a result, Alexandropol became an important rail hub.
{{As of|2017}}, the [[Gyumri Railway Station]] operates regular trips to Yerevan and [[Batumi]]. The South Caucasus Railway CJSC, is the current operator of the railway sector in Armenia.<ref>[http://ukzhd.am/en_about_company.html About company]</ref>
===Public vans and taxis===
Public transport is dominated by the private sector in Gyumri. Public transit is mainly served by public vans, locally-known as ''[[marshrutka]]''. Most of the ''marshrutkas'' Russian-made [[GAZelle]] vans with 13 seats that operate with certain routes and stops. As of 2017, the one-way trip fee is AMD 100 (around US$0.25). Passengers need to pay the money directly to the driver when getting in the vehicle, with no established ticketing system.
The central station of the city serves as bus terminal for inter-city transport, serving outbound routes towards other major cities and towns in Armenia, as well as cities in [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]. The M-7 Motorway passes across the Shirak Province from east to west, connecting the city of Gyumri with the rest of Armenia.
Armenia is among the top 10 safest countries where one can wander around and go home alone safely at night. Taxis are available in the city at any time of the day or night.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://banks.am/en/news/newsfeed/11412|title=Armenia among the top 10 safest countries|website=Banks.am}}</ref>
==Economy==
[[File:Barevery factori in Gyumri 02.JPG|thumb|The old brewery in Gyumri, opened in 1898]]
During the pre-Soviet era, Alexandropol was considered the third-largest trade and cultural center in Transcaucasia after [[Tbilisi|Tiflis]] and [[Baku]] ([[Yerevan]] would not rise to prominence until being proclaimed as the capital of independent [[First Republic of Armenia|Armenia]] in 1918 and the [[Armenian SSR]] in 1920).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1in.am/arm/more_historicaldates_118598.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130907121232/http://www.1in.am/arm/more_historicaldates_118598.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 September 2013|title=1837թ. Գյումրին վերանվանվում է Ալեքսանդրապոլ. (պատմություն)|work=1in.am|access-date=15 December 2014}}</ref> At the end of the 19th century, the population of Alexandropol had grown to 32,100 inhabitants, with a majority of Armenians.
[[File:Poloz Mukuch Beerhouse 01.jpg|thumb|[[Poloz Mukuch Beerhouse]] at Jivani Street]]
The economy of Gyumri is mainly based on industry and construction. However, tourism and banking services are also among the developed sectors in the city.
The industrial sector in the provincial center Gyumri includes the production of building materials (tufa and basalt), hosiery and textile manufacturing, food processing and dairy products, alcoholic drinks, electronic machines, etc. The largest industrial plant in Gyumri is the ''Gyumri-Beer'' Brewery opened in 1972. The factory produces a variety of [[lager beer]] under the brands ''Gyumri'', ''Ararat'' and ''Aleksandrapol''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gyumribeer.am|title=GYUMRI BEER|publisher=Gyumribeer.am|access-date=15 December 2014}}</ref> The city is also home to the "Factory of Bending Machinses" opened in 1912, the "Arshaluys" hosiery manufacturing enterprise established in 1926, the "Karhat" machine tools plant opened in 1959, the "Chap Chemical LLC" since 1999, the "Armtex Group" clothing factory since 2000, and the "Lentex" hosiery manufacturing plant is operating since 2001. Other industrial firms of the city include the "Aleqpol" factory for dairy products, the "Anusharan" confectionery plant, and the "Gold Plast" plant for building materials.
The nearby village of [[Akhuryan]] is home to the "Lusastgh-Sugar" factory (opened in 2010), the largest sugar producers in the Southern Caucasus region.
==Education==
[[File:Gyumri, Progress University.jpg|thumb|Progress [[Gyumri University]] at the [[Independence Square, Gyumri|Independence Square]]]]
[[File:Gyumri Technology Center.jpg|thumb|[[Gyumri Technology Center]]]]
Gyumri has a large number of educational institutions, following the capital Yerevan in the number of educational institutions. It is considered the cultural and educational center of northern Armenia.
As of 2017, Gyumri is home to the following higher educational centers:
* [[Shirak State University]] named after [[Mikael Nalbandian]], opened in 1934 and is currently home to 7 faculties.
* Gyumri campus of the [[National Polytechnic University of Armenia]], operating since 1959 with 2 faculties:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://polytechgyumri.am/study-units-2/ |title=Faculties of Gyumri campus |access-date=2016-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160926053421/http://polytechgyumri.am/study-units-2/ |archive-date=2016-09-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
**Faculty of Technologies and sectoral economics,
**Faculty of Natural sciences and communication systems.
* Gyumri campus of [[Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan]], operating since 1988.
* Progress Gyumri University, opened in 1990.
* Shirakatsy campus of [[Haybusak University of Yerevan]], operating since 1991.
* Imastaser Anania Shirakatsi University, opened in 1992.
* Gyumri campus of [[Armenian State University of Economics]], operating since 1997.
* Gyumri campus of [[Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts]], operating since 1997.
* Gyumri campus of [[Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography]], operating since 1997.
In 2014, the [[Gyumri Technology Center]] was opened in the city, in an attempt to turn Gyumri into a regional and international center of information and high technologies.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://gtc.am/about/ |title=Gyumri Technology Center:Vision/Mission |access-date=2016-02-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115131206/http://gtc.am/about/ |archive-date=2017-11-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The Gyumri branch of [[Tumo Center for Creative Technologies]] was opened in May 2015, following a fundraising initiative by [[Shant TV]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://asbarez.com/128765/gyumri-tumo-center-to-open-spring-2015/.html|title=Gyumri Tumo Center to Open in Spring 2015|date=2014-11-14|publisher=Asbarez}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> After three years of renovations, the center was moved to its permanent location, the historic theater building of Gyumri, in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 September 2024 |title=Locations - TUMO Center for Creative Technologies |url=https://tumo.org/locations/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912131759/https://tumo.org/locations/ |archive-date=12 September 2024 |access-date=12 September 2024 |website=TUMO Center for Creative Technologies}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.president.am/en/domestic-visits/item/2017/10/01/President-Serzh-Sargsyan-working-visit-to-Gyumri/|title=President Serzh Sargsyan attends Gyumri Day-dedicated events - Domestic visits - Updates - The President of the Republic of Armenia|website=president.am}}</ref>
{{As of|2017}}, the city is home to 47 public education schools, 23 pre-school kindergartens, as well as 7 special schools for music.
==Sport==
===Football===
[[File:Gorku Aygi 018.jpg|thumb|[[Gyumri City Stadium]]]]
Gyumri is home to the Armenian [[association football|football]] club [[FC Shirak]]. They play their home games at the [[Gyumri City Stadium]], the oldest football stadium in Armenia dating back to 1924. Shirak are one of the most popular football teams in Armenia, having won the championship of the [[Armenian Premier League]] four times, with the most recent one in the [[2012–13 Armenian Premier League|2012–13 season]]. Shirak have also won the [[Armenian Independence Cup]] once. The native of Gyumri and former Shirak player [[Artur Petrosyan]] was the all-time leading scorer for the [[Armenia national football team]] until his record was surpassed by [[Henrikh Mkhitaryan]] in 2013.
[[Aragats FC]] was the second football club that represented the city. However, the club was dissolved in 2002 due to financial difficulties.
[[File:Gyumri football academy in 2014.jpg|thumb|[[Gyumri Football Academy]]]]
The [[Gyumri Football Academy]] of the [[Football Federation of Armenia]] was opened on 13 September 2014. It is home to four natural-grass and two artificial turf regular-sized football training pitches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armsport.am/hy/news/2013/08/21|title=ՆՈՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆՆԵՐ – 2013/08/21|publisher=Armsport.am|access-date=15 December 2014|archive-date=1 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601121313/http://www.armsport.am/hy/news/2013/08/21|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Futsal===
Futsal is also very popular in Gyumri. Being one of the most successful Futsal teams in Armenia, FC Gyumri played at the [[Armenian Futsal Premier League]]. Starting from 2017–18 season, FC Gyumri became known as ''Shirak Futsal'', representing the futsal branch of [[FC Shirak]]. The newly founded ''Sh.S.U. Futsal'' -representing the [[Shirak State University]]- will also participate in the domestic league competition. The futsal teams of Gyumri regularly play their home games at the Armen Sargsyan Sports Hall, located in the Ani district at the northwest of the city.
===Olympic individual sports===
Gyumri has made a major contribution to the sporting life of Armenia. Many Olympic and world champion wrestlers, weightlifters and boxers are from Gyumri. The city is notable for its worldwide champions in individual sports, such as [[Robert Emmiyan]] in long jump, [[Yurik Vardanyan]] and [[Nazik Avdalyan]] in weightlifting and [[Artur Aleksanyan]] in [[Greco-Roman wrestling]].
Many special sport schools are serving the young generation of Gyumri such as the Robert Emmiyan school of athletics, Levon Ishtoyan football school, Tigran Petrosian school of chess, Ludvig Mnatsakanyan school of winter sports, Artur Aleksanyan school of wrestling, Yurik Vardanyan school of weightlifting, Aleksan Haobyan school of tennis and table tennis, as well as other special schools for boxing, artistic gymnastics, sambo-judo, fencing, and chess. The city is also home to the Gyumri Swimming Complex. The National Federation of Black Belts of [[Aikido]] (NFBBA) is based in Gyumri since its establishment in 2012.
The Gyumri State Sports College of Olympic Reserve and Gyumri School of Sport Masters are among the prominent sport schools in Armenia that produced many champions in several individual sports.
==Twin towns – sister cities==
[[File:Gyumri and its vicinity.png|thumb|300px|Map of Gyumri]]
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Armenia}}
Gyumri is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web|title=Sister cities|url=http://www.gyumricity.am/en/gyumri/sister-cities-|publisher=Gyumri|access-date=2020-07-02|archive-date=2022-07-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722053207/http://www.gyumricity.am/en/gyumri/sister-cities-|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Hauptausschuss für Städtepartnerschaft mit Gjumri in Armenien|url=https://dubisthalle.de/hauptausschuss-fuer-staedtepartnerschaft-mit-gjumri-in-armenien|publisher=Du bist Halle|language=de|date=2020-05-20|access-date=2020-07-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Armenian Genocide Memorial to be unveiled in Israel|url=https://armenpress.am/eng/news/991206.html|publisher=Armenpress|date=2019-10-10|access-date=2020-07-02}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]], United States (1990)
*{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Ashfield District|Ashfield]],  United Kingdom (1998)
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Białystok]], Poland (2013)
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Créteil]], France (2009)
*{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Domodedovo (town)|Domodedovo]], Russia (2014)
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Glendale, California|Glendale]], United States (2015)
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]], Germany (2020)
*{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Mozdok]], Russia (2011)
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Nardò]], Italy (2013)
*{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Osasco]], Brazil (2006)
*{{flagicon|ISR}} [[Petah Tikva]], Israel (2019)
*{{flagicon|ROU}} [[Pitești]], Romania (2012)
*{{flagicon|BUL}} [[Plovdiv]], Bulgaria (2004)
*{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Tver]], Russia (2022)
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Xi'an]], China (2013)
<!--Córdoba, Thessaloniki - not twinning-->
{{div col end}}
==People==
{{See also|:Category:People from Gyumri}}
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Artur Aleksanyan]], Olympic, European and world champion in wrestling
* [[Mourad Amirkhanian]], opera singer ([[bass-baritone]])
* [[Mkrtich Armen]], Armenian novelist
* [[Mkrtich Arzumanyan]] Armenian actor
* [[Mariam Aslamazian]], Soviet-Armenian painter
* [[Khachatur Avetisyan]], Armenian composer
* [[Nazik Avdalyan]], weightlifting world champion
* [[Olga Chekhova]], Russian actress
* [[Robert Emmiyan]], European long jump record holder
* [[Bagrat Galstanyan]], Armenian theologian and cleric
* [[Alik Gunashian]], popular singer
* [[George Gurdjieff]], mystic and philosopher
* [[Tigran Hamasyan]], jazz pianist and composer
* [[Avetik Isahakyan]],  Armenian poet
* [[Mnatsakan Iskandaryan]], wrestling Olympic champion (1992)
* [[Levon Ishtoyan]], footballer, Soviet champion with [[FC Ararat Yerevan|FC Ararat]] (1973)
* [[Levon Julfalakyan]], wrestling Olympic champion (1988)
* [[Araksya Karapetyan]], Armenian-American TV anchor
* [[Emil Kazaz]], Armenian-American sculptor
* [[Karekin Khajag]], journalist, victim of the [[Armenian genocide|genocide]]
* [[Edmond Keosayan]], film director
* [[Hayk Kotanjian]], Armenian military diplomat
* [[Shushanik Kurghinian]], Armenian influential writer
* [[Vazgen Manukyan]], former Prime Minister of Armenia
* [[Flora Martirosian]], Armenian folk songs performer
* [[Sergey Merkurov]],  Soviet sculptor
* [[Israel Militosyan]], weightlifting Olympic champion (1992)
* [[Ashot Mkhitaryan]],  weightlifting trainer
* [[Levon Mkrtchyan]], film director
* [[Frunzik Mkrtchyan|Mher Mkrtchyan]], renowned actor
* [[Albert Nalchajyan]], psychologist and writer
* [[Artavazd Peleshyan]], film director
* [[Artur Petrosyan]], footballer, manager of the Armenian team
* [[Samvel Sevada]], painter and poet
* [[Sheram]],  ''gusan'', poet and composer
* [[Hovhannes Shiraz]],  Armenian poet
* [[Nariné Simonian]] French-Armenian musical director
* [[Karen Smbatyan]], Armenian painter
* [[Svetlana Svetlichnaya]], actress
* [[Armen Tigranian]], opera composer
* [[Nikoghayos Tigranian]], composer and ethnomusicologist
* [[Gennady Timchenko]], Russian businessman
* [[Seda Tutkhalyan]], Russian gymnast
* [[Valmar (painter)|Valmar]], Armenian painter
* [[Yurik Vardanian]], weightlifting Olympic champion (1980)
* [[Boris Vladimirov]], [[Hero of the Soviet Union|Soviet Army officer]]
* [[Mkhitar Manukyan]], world wrestling champion
* [[Meline Daluzyan]], european weightlifting champion
* [[Tigran Vardan Martirosyan]], european weightlifting champion
* [[Nazik Avdalyan]], european and world weightlifting champion
* [[Arsen Julfalakyan]], european and world wrestling champion
* [[Tigran Gevorg Martirosyan]], world weightlifting champion
* [[Vahan Bichakhchyan]], Armenian footballer
{{div col end}}
==See also==
* [[Aleksandropolsky Uyezd|Alexandropol Uyezd]]
* [[Sev Berd]]
* [[Russian 102nd Military Base]]
* [[List of Honorary Citizens of Gyumri]]
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{Cite The First Republic of Armenia}}
*{{Cite Armenia on the Road to Independence}}
{{Refend}}
==External links==
{{wikivoyage|Gyumri}}
{{Commons category|Gyumri}}
* [http://www.gyumri.am/ Official municipality website]
* [http://www.virtualani.org/gyumri/ Surp Amenaprkich cathedral in Gyumri]
{{Gyumri}}
{{Shirak}}
{{Cities and towns in Armenia}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Europe}}
[[Category:Gyumri| ]]<!--please leave the empty space as standard-->
[[Category:Populated places in Shirak Province]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 8th century BC]]
[[Category:Populated places destroyed by earthquakes]]