Vank, Martakert
Encyclopedia
Vank meaning monastery in Armenian, is a small village located in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...

. Its population in 2005, according to a census carried out by the ruling authorities of the unrecognized but de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic , or Artsakh Republic is a de facto independent republic located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia...

, stood at 1,284.

Medieval

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 in 1216-38), which overlooks the village and was built by the Armenian ruler of the principality of Khachen, Prince Hasan-Jalal Dawla.

Modern

In the years following the conclusion of the Nagorno-Karabakh War
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...

 (1988-1994), the village has seen an increase in investment from the Armenian Diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...

. Levon Hairapetyan, an Armenian businessman based in Russia 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.

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

External links

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