Dzhadzhur
Mountain village of Minas Avetisyan

What is this place

Dzhadzhur (Jajur) is a village in the Shirak Province of Armenia, set at about 1,700 metres northeast of Gyumri. It is the birthplace of the painter Minas Avetisyan, and his house-museum still stands here today.

Dzhadzhur was founded in 1828, when Armenians from Mush, Kars and Erzrum resettled here. The village lies on the slopes of the Shirak range, in a land of mountain steppe, limestone and dark volcanic rock. The climate is harsh and highland: short dry summers, strong winds, frequent fog and long snowy winters — the typical weather of this corner of Shirak.

Dzhadzhur's chief pride is Minas Avetisyan (1928-1975), one of Armenia's most beloved painters, who was born here. His house-museum opened in 1982, was damaged in the 1988 earthquake and welcomed visitors again after restoration. His home village became a recurring theme of his canvases: the simple houses and yards of Dzhadzhur turned, under Minas's brush, into a vivid epic of colour.

A historic road runs through the village toward the Jajur Pass, leading into Lori Province, and in the late 19th century a railway tunnel was built here — Dzhadzhur has long been part of Shirak's transport routes. A reservoir sits beside the village, and Palaeolithic tools have even been found in the surrounding mountains. For the traveller, Dzhadzhur is a quiet stop with mountain views, a painter's museum and an unhurried village rhythm.