Province
Rayon Martakert
Kalbajar Time zone ART (UTC+4) | Elevation 1,031 m (3,383 ft) Population 1,284 (2005) | |
 | ||
Country Nagorno-Karabakh (de facto)
Azerbaijan (de iure) Weather 6°C, Wind E at 11 km/h, 82% Humidity Rayons Martakert, Kalbajar District | ||
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.
Map of V%C9%99ngli
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.
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.
In October 2008, Vank was also one of several venues in Nagorno-Karabakh for a mass wedding of 560 Armenian couples.