Vank, Karabakh

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 Republic of Artsakh). Its population in 2005 stood at 1,284.[1]

Vank
The village of Vank as seen from Gandzasar Monastery.
Vank
Coordinates: 40°03′28″N 46°32′44″E
de facto Country Artsakh
de facto ProvinceMartakert
de jure Country Azerbaijan
de jure RayonKalbajar
Elevation
1,031 m (3,383 ft)
Population
 (2005)
 • Total1,284
Time zoneUTC+4 (ART)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+5 (ArT)

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 a zoo [4] and the nearby Eclectic Hotel, which resembles a ship.[5]

In October 2008, Vank was also one of several venues in Nagorno-Karabakh for a mass wedding of 560 Armenian couples.[6]

  • The thirteenth century monastery of Gandzasar.
  • The remains of Prince Hasan-Jalal's fortress of Khokhanaberd, as seen from Gandzasar, can be seen perched on a mountain on the left of this photograph.
  • The views from the road between the Vank/Vəngli village and the Gandzasar monastery
  • Hotel Eclectica in Vank
gollark: "Is giving everyone nuclear weapons an issue? No, if it kills people they are either stupid enough to get killed by it or stupid enough to use nuclear weapons for killings."
gollark: Yes.
gollark: You can apply that to... anything whatsoever?
gollark: I have basically no idea about anything gun-related as they mostly don't exist over here in the UK.
gollark: Interesting solution.

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. "Holidaying in lands that don’t exist: Artsakh." The Focus. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  5. Noble, John et al. Georgia Armenia & Azerbaijan, 3rd ed. Oakland, CA: Lonely Planet, 2008, p. 306.
  6. Hayrapetyan, Anahit. "Nagorno-Karabakh: Mass Wedding Hopes to Spark Baby Boom in Separatist Territory." Eurasianet. October 23, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
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