Lyon Park
Lyon Park of Yerevan and Vardavar lake
Type	Public park
Location	Erebuni District, Yerevan, Armenia
Coordinates	40°19′14″N 44°31′37″E / 40.32056°N 44.52694°E / 40.32056; 44.52694
Area	17 hectares
Created	8th century BC (founded) July 2011 (reopened)
Operated by	Yerevan City Council
Status	Open all year

Lyon Park (Armenian: Լիոնի այգի, romanized: Lioni agyi), popularly known as Tokhmakh Park (Armenian: Թոխմախի այգի), is a public park in the Armenian capital of Yerevan. It occupies an area of 17 hectares in the eastern Erebuni District of the capital city. It is home to an artificial lake called Vardavar, covering an area of 8 hectares.

Description

In 2010–2011, the park was entirely renovated by the direct assistance of the Lyon City Council. It was reopened in July 2011 with the presence of the mayor of Lyon Gérard Collomb and then-mayor of Yerevan Karen Karapetyan. The park was renamed after the city of Lyon to become a symbol of the partnership between the two cities.^[1]

The artificial lake dates back to the period of king Argishti I of Urartu in the 8th century BC. In 1578, the lake was renovated by the Safavid governor of Yerevan Mohammad Khan Tokhmaq, and since then it has been known as Tokhmakh Lake. During the Soviet period, the lake was renamed Komsomol Lake (Komeritmiut’yan lich), after the youth wing of the Communist Party. The lake was renamed Vardavar in 2000.^[2]

The lake, with a water surface of 8 hectares, is frequently used for windsurfing.

Gallery

• 
  The main entrance to the park
• 
  At the park
• 
  Dusk time
• 
  Vardavar lake