HISTORICAL BUILDINGS
UMESHINI CANAL (Etchmiadzin Canal, Karmir Blur (Red Hill) Canal)
VII century BC
State index 1.7.7
Founder: King of Van (Urartu) Rusa II (685-645 BC)
The Canal was built by the Urartian king Rusa II (685-645 BC). Information on the construction is found in the cuneiform inscription found during the excavations around the Zvartnots Cathedral in 1900. The inscription particularly states: “I made a canal from the Ildarun River and its name is “Umeshin”. This inscription also mentions the construction of a new city and the water supplement from this same Canal to the desert areas of the “Kuarlini” field, as well as the planting of orchards and vineyards.
The Canal originates near Yerevan Lake, on the right bank of the Hrazdan River. The shore is edged by natural basalt rocks on the canyon’s part, while the other side had been covered by artificial soil-mound, which was later replaced by a stone wall. Having flowed to the Teishebaini (Karmir Blur “Red Hill”) castle, it flows through the rocky tunnel and goes out to the opposite side of the height (about 15 m) near the canyon. Here, irrigating the lands, reaches until Zvartnots and Etchmiadzin.
The identification of the Umeshini Canal with the Red Hill Canal was suggested by Boris Piotrovsky in 1944.
The Canal length is 23.6 km, the tunnel length is 78 m, throughput is 4.3m3 /sec. In the 1930s, the tunnel’s exit was extended with a stone stronghold to protect the shores from collapse. The Canal has been renovated multiple times. The first known reconstruction was made when the Holy See of Etchmiadzin purchased it at the end of the XVII century. It was also renovated in 1815, during the tenure of the last Persian Sardar Hossein Qoli Khan. One of the numerous renovation attempts was made in 1912-1913, but only in 1920-1923 it was completely succeeded to implement.
During the first period of the Soviet Union, ramparts, dams were constructed and certain parts have been covered by slabs, the floor was reinforced. The covering was in process until the 1970s.
At the beginning of the XIX century, the Canal was irrigating 625 hectares of land, in the 1960s, this amount was quadrupled.
In 1968 at Admiral Isakov Avenue, a basalt-made monument was installed (0.65x0.32x2.5m, State index-1.7.7.1) dedicated to the Umeshini Canal and designed by architect Gevorg Musheghyan.
On the front of the rectangular slab is engraved an appropriate inscription, on the other façade is found the plan of surroundings.
The Umeshini Canal is an integral part of the Red Hill monuments’ complex. Its tunnel is a unique hydrotechnical structure that proves the high level of development of the water craft in the Kingdom of Van (Urartu).
“Scientific Research Centre of Historical and Cultural Heritage” SNCO
Yerevan Municipality
On the right bank of the Hrazdan River
