1. "Warm Water: - "Devil Bridge", one of the Armenia's natural marvels is on the Vorotan River. It is a non-handiwork natural roof which hangs over the crazy flow 200 meters long and 150 meters wide. The bridge is made of limestone and stalagmite and has a level surface, warm mineral springs flow out in its separate halls with bubbles. Two abrupt sides of the defile is also made of stalagmite, which hang on the edges of the bridge, with 250-300 meters height rampart from two sides of yellow-redden rocky shore. The cliffs are so close, that they are only 180-20 meters wide. The bridge height from the surface of the river is 1000 meters. The heaped stalagmite columns, the huge stalactites, hang over the river and have a yellow color, but little by little they are starting to green from the foamy water. The stalactites are result of Calcium carbonate and other carbonates dissolved in the mineral water which enters into the river from the cliff. There are other mineral springs in and around "Devil Bridge" area. And the water quantity is daily 500-600 thousands liters. The water temperature is 25 degrees celcius. About the mineral springs in "Devil Bridge" professor A.A. Florensky wrote: " Devil Bridge" springs are natural marvel, which impress with their appropriation and beauty. Over centuries a deposit gathers from the mineral water and two strong banks of an abyss canyon are joined with each other and a noisy Vorotan River is pouring through them. In early times local population couldn't explain the geologic processes considering them the Devil's handiwork, and the bridge as "Devil Bridge". Over centuries people have used the water for treatment of many sicknesses, especially rheumatic. A health resort was built near the mineral water in 1972, which is now a military rest home.There are the following mineral springs in village surround.
2. Quos (scabies) spring on the bank of Vorotan River
3. Mineral water on the bank of Aghandzu River.
4. Mineral water on the bank of Urtuxan River
5. Mineral water on the bank of Zkrvar River"
B. Harutyunyan
An article from the "Armenian nature" journal in 1974, authorized by G. Aghajanyan and G. Karapetyan.
11 mineral springs are registries in Tatev by the geologists. Their watercourse is 11.5 liters per a second. So 993 thousands liters mineral water might be taken per a day.A. Karapetyan studied the effective influence of the water on different sicknesses, and guaranteed for the treatment of number of heart disease. Besides mineral water, Tatev attracts attention to its moderate and mild climate. Air is fresh and rich of ultraviolet rays, sunshine rays, the sunshine reaches 2.150 hours per a year. The fall reaches to 600-660 millimeters, and the winds are insignificant. Tatev is rich of green-flower fields, S, Tatev owing to its are mineral water, mild climate is worth for a special attention, in order to organize healthy-complex hospitals. Those healthy-complexes might be useful for Zangezur population, especially Kapan and Qajaran workers, whose work-conditions are appropriate. Counting the quantity of Tatev mineral water, we suggest to organize healthy-complex as follows: to have 200 health-resort beds, and till 2000 it would increase to 500 ones. So the minimal number of population might be satisfied.For the right decision of the profile of health-resort it is necessary to do clinical investigations.
Translated by Lusine Harutyunyanproof-read by Charlie Ihrke (Peace Corp volunteer)
