Vank, Karabakh

Vank

The village of Vank as seen from Gandzasar Monastery.
Vank
Coordinates: 40°03′28″N 46°32′44″E / 40.05778°N 46.54556°E / 40.05778; 46.54556Coordinates: 40°03′28″N 46°32′44″E / 40.05778°N 46.54556°E / 40.05778; 46.54556
Country

 Nagorno-Karabakh (de facto)

 Azerbaijan (de iure)

Province
Rayon
Martakert
Kalbajar
Elevation 1,031 m (3,383 ft)
Population (2005)
  Total 1,284
Time zone ART (UTC+4)
  Summer (DST) ArT (UTC+5)

Vank (Armenian: Վանք, lit. "monastery"; Azerbaijani: Vəngli) is an Armenian-populated village located in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh (de jure part of Azerbaijan, but de facto administrated by the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic). Its population in 2005 stood at 1,284.[1]

The village of Vank is surrounded by several historical monuments dating to the Middle Ages. The most prominent among them is the thirteenth-century monastic complex of Gandzasar (built from 1216-38), which overlooks the village and was built by the Armenian ruler of the principality of Khachen, Prince Hasan-Jalal Dawla.[2][3]

In the years following the conclusion of the Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994), the village has seen an increase in investment from the Armenian diaspora. Levon Hairapetyan, a Russian-based Armenian businessman and a native of Vank, has funded the reconstruction of homes, the local school, and sponsored the building of the nearby Eclectic Hotel, which resembles a ship.[4]

In October 2008, Vank was also one of several venues in Nagorno-Karabakh for a mass wedding of 560 Armenian couples.[5]

References

  1. "Results of 2005 census of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic", p. 56.
  2. Hewsen, Robert H. (2001). Armenia: A Historical Atlas. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 119–120. ISBN 0-226-33228-4.
  3. Mkrtchyan, Gayane (August 31, 2007). "A Wonder in Karabakh: A visit to the "mysterious" attraction of Vank". ArmeniaNow.com.
  4. Noble, John et al. Georgia Armenia & Azerbaijan, 3rd ed. Oakland, CA: Lonely Planet, 2008, p. 306.
  5. Hayrapetyan, Anahit. "Nagorno-Karabakh: Mass Wedding Hopes to Spark Baby Boom in Separatist Territory." Eurasianet. October 23, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 7/27/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.