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

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]

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.
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