Dendropark

Dendropark is located in Stepanavan which is a beautiful arboretum in Lori, the northern province of Armenia. The urban municipal community of the Lori Province is Vanadzor. The mountainous nature, the mild summer climate and the green areas make this region a popular and one of the most visited places for those who travel to Armenia. The province is home to many spa centres and hotels. They are located mainly in the vicinity of Vanadzor, Stepenavan, Alaverdi, Dsegh and along the rivers Dzoraget and Debed. The region is famous for its fascinating nature. The national poet of Armenia, Hovhannes Tumanyan, was born here, in the village of Dsegh and went to school in the city of Stepanavan. Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin, included on UNESCO World Heritage list, are also located in this province. These two Byzantine monasteries from the heyday of the Kiurikian Dynasty (10th - 13th centuries) once used to be important learning centres. Sanahin was famous for its school of illuminators and calligraphers. The two monastic complexes represent the unique development of the Armenian religious architecture, whose distinctive style developed from a mixture of Byzantine church architecture and the traditional vernacular architecture of the Caucasus Region. The Dendropark in Stepanavan and the botanical garden in Vanadzor are enchanting destinations for those who are interested in ecotourism.
 
The dendropark is the first botanical garden in Armenia. The park was founded in 1931 by Polish engineer-forester Edmund Leonowicz. The arboretum is 35 ha in total of which 17.5 ha consist of natural forest and 15 ha of ornamental trees. The huge nature reserve houses a huge variety of plants and trees. The garden usually consists of the deciduous forest and ornamental plants. It is a beautiful resort for nature lovers who enjoy the unique flora and fauna of the Caucasus Region and want to relax. This collection expanded along the newly created footpaths and viewpoints that spread into the natural forest. This is considered the first place in the Transcaucasus, where a natural forest landscape has been transformed into a forest park. Most of the specimens were purchased from other botanical gardens as part of international exchange programs with the botanical gardens in Tbilisi, Kiev, Nikitsky, Leningrad, Moscow as well as the Far East. Copies were also obtained from Germany, France, Portugal, China and the USA.

There are now more than 500 introduced species. The arboretum houses a variety of trees, including magnolias, cypresses of various genera and many others. There are also many indigenous tree and plant species, for example, Carpinus caucasica and Fagus orientalis. Today, the Arboretum is of interest to the general public, professional scientists and eco-tourists. It offers the opportunity to study the adaptation properties of different plants to the new environmental conditions, to carry out training programs for students practise and to study the typical flora of the Transcaucasus Region. The Arboretum is a perfect location for public outings and botanical or zoological tours. It is believed that the dreams in the pine forest come true. There is also a wooden bridge here, and when crossing this bridge for the first time, you can make a wish and wait for its realization. The best time to head to Stepanakert Dendropark is from July to November. Winters are usually cold and springs are always rainy. The entrance is free and open to the public. Dendropark is a popular destination for tourists in Armenia, which makes the stay interesting and informative.