Goris

Goris (Գորիս ɡɔˈɾis) is a town and the centre of the urban community of Goris, in Syunik Province at the south of Armenia. Located in the valley of the Goris (or Vararak) River, it is 254 km from the Armenian capital Yerevan and 67 km from the provincial capital Kapan. Goris is the second-largest city in Syunik in terms of population. During the 2011 census, it had a population of 20,591, down from 23,261 reported in the 2001 census. However, as per the 2016 official estimate, the population of Goris was 20,300. Goris is the seat of the Diocese of Syunik of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Goris is considered one of the most important historical and cultural sites of Armenia. It is often regarded as the cultural center of Syunik. Because of this, it is a favored tourist destination for both local and foreign travelers and has a large number of hotels and inns. Following the administrative reforms in 2016, the community of Goris was enlarged to include the surrounding villages of Akner, Bardzravan, Hartashen, Karahunj, Khndzoresk, Nerkin Khndzoresk, Shurnukh, Verishen, and Vorotan. Throughout its history, Goris has been known as Kores and Gorayk. However, there are several explanations for the origin of the name. It is supposed that the name Goris is derived from the Indo-European prelanguage words "gor" (rock), "es" (to be), i.e. Goris/Kores meaning a rocky place. There was a dwelling in the ancient times in the same area of the town. The name Goris had many variants including: Goristsa, Kores, Gores, Gorayk, Goru, and Geryusy. The area of Goris has been settled since the Stone Age. Goris is likely first mentioned by name in the Urartian period. King Rusa I of Urartu, who reigned between 735 and 713 BC, left a cuneiform inscription where Guria or Goriaya is mentioned as one of the 23 countries conquered by him, which some scholars connect with Goris. During the Middle Ages, the settlement was situated in the eastern part of the present Goris, on the left bank of Goris river.