Varser ( hy, Վարսեր) is a village in the
Sevan Municipality of the
Gegharkunik Province
Gegharkunik ( hy, Գեղարքունիք, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. Its capital and largest city is Gavar.
Gegharkunik Province is located at the eastern part of Armenia, bordering Azerbaijan. It includes the exclave of Artsvas ...
of
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ' ...
.
Etymology
The name Varser is derived from a root word meaning "hair". According to popular folklore, this refers to a girl who drowned in
Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan ( hy, Սևանա լիճ, Sevana lich) is the largest body of water in both Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest freshwater high-altitude (alpine) lakes in Eurasia. The lake is situated in Gegharkunik Province, ...
, after which her long hair spread out across the water.
The village was also previously known as ''Chirchir'' and ''Chrchr'' until 1946.
History
The village is first mentioned in the 9th century as a gift of
Ashot II
Ashot II the Iron ( hy, Աշոտ Բ; r. 914–929) was an Armenian king of the royal Bagratuni line. He was the son and successor of King Smbat I. His reign was filled with rebellions by vassals and pretenders to the throne, as well as foreign in ...
Bagratuni to an "Apostles' Church".
Most of the Armenians in the village are descendants of migrants from
Bitlis
Bitlis ( hy, Բաղեշ '; ku, Bidlîs; ota, بتليس) is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of Bitlis Province. The city is located at an elevation of 1,545 metres, 15 km from Lake Van, in the steep-sided valley of the Bitlis R ...
and
Maku in
Western Armenia
Western Armenia (Western Armenian: Արեւմտեան Հայաստան, ''Arevmdian Hayasdan'') is a term to refer to the eastern parts of Turkey (formerly the Ottoman Empire) that are part of the historical homeland of the Armenians. Weste ...
, today located in southeastern
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
and northwestern
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, respectively.
Gallery
-Վարսեր, նոր եկեղեցի 1.jpg, Church in Varser
Հուշարձան Երկրորդ աշխարհամարտում զոհվածներին, Գեղարքունիքի մարզ, գ․Վարսեր - 03.jpg, WWII monument
-Վարսեր, 19-րդ դարի եկեղեցու խաչքարերը 2.jpg, Khachkars in Varser
-Վարսեր, խաչքարեր գյուղի գործող գերեզմանոցի մոտ 1.jpg, Chapel near the village cemetery
-Վարսեր, Մատուռ «Ծաղկավանք» 3.jpg, Tsaghkavank
-Վարսեր, 19-րդ դարի եկեղեցու ավերակներ.jpg, Church ruins
-Վարսեր, գյուղի հին գերեզմանոց 3.jpg, Varser cemetery
References
External links
*
*
Populated places in Gegharkunik Province
{{Gegharkunik-geo-stub