Sisian

Sisian - darkometer rating : 1 - Not really a dark destination as such, but a representatively desolate, provincial town in remote south-east Armenia . It has a couple of mildly dark sights though – and it used to be a good stopover on the way to Nagorno-Karabakh , but since Azerbaijan conquered the region in 2020-2023, that particular asset is now gone. > More background info > What there is to see > Location > Access and costs > Time required > Combinations with other dark destinations > Combinations with non-dark destinations > Photos More background info: Much of Armenia outside the booming capital Yerevan is not only very provincial but also shows the signs of decay that the collapse of the Soviet Union brought with it and from which places like this haven't yet recovered. Industries and thus jobs are largely gone, and with it the accompanying infrastructure for the people too. Other small towns and cities in Armenia may show more numerous and more dramatic relics of the industrial wastelands left behind after the Soviet economy fell apart (e.g. Vanadzor or Alaverdi in the north). But Sisian is typical of the "forgotten" little places in the country that never even had much to begin with. And with collective farming gone, there's really precious little life left in it. Consequently it is hardly "touristy" by any stretch of the imagination. Still, people do come to stay here, even if it is just for the location being conveniently close to some "proper sights" – it's also cheap. For the dark tourist too, the main attraction of Sisian used to be its location on the only route to Nagorno-Karabakh . It's not as close to the border as Goris, from where the Goris- Stepanakert "highway" constituted the lifeline road into the ex-enclave through the former Lachin corridor. But Sisian has more of a darkish appeal of its own. What there is to see: Not much.