Goris

**Goris** (; kent as **Hin Kores**, **Kyuryus** an **Zangezour** an aw) is a ceety in the soothren Syunik Province o Armenie. Locatit in the strath o river Goris (or Vararak), it is 254&nbsp;km awa frae the Armenie caipital Yerevan an 67&nbsp;km frae the provincial centre Kapan. Goris is an urban commonty an the 2nt lairgest ceety in Syunik province. The Naitional Statistical Service o the Republic o Armenie (ARMSTAT) reportit its population wis 23,022 in 2010, doun frae 23,261 at the 2001 census.

## History

Nestled in a bowl o green hills an muntains, wi interestin rock formations an mony previously inhabitit caves carvit inside them, Goris haes some o the nicest samples o historical urban airchitectur in Armenie. Somehou the traditional methods hae been preservit oweraw in this ceety, while iverywhare else the Soviet blueprints seem tae hae owerwhelmit historic designs.

There are different explanations o the name. It is supposed that the name comes frae the Indo-European preleid wirds "gor"(rock), "es" (tae be), i.e. Goris "Kyores" means a rocky place. Thare wis a dwellin in the auncient times in the same aurie o the toun. The humankynd settled here syne the Stane Age. Goris wis first mentioned in the history bi the Urartian period. King Rusa I (8t century B.C.) left a cuneiform, whare he mentioned that amang the 23 kintras conquered bi him, "Goristsa" kintra wis ane o them. The scientists suppose that it is the same Goris.

The auld sma toun o Goris is famous for its thoosans o dwellins carvit intae the rock. In 401 BC, durin the retreat o the Ten Thoosan (Anabasis), Xenophon passed through Armenie, in his accoont o the expedition he mentions the Armenie troglodytes o Khndzoresk an Goris.

Durin the Middle Ages, the toun-settlement wis situatit in the eastren pairt o the present Goris, on the left bank o Goris river. It wis cried auld Goirs an coincidit wi ane o the veelages o Goru an Goraik mentioned bi Stepanos Orbelian (13t century).

The current spellin o the name wis first mentioned in 1624, in a haundwritin bi Barsegh Yerets. In 17-18t centuries **Melik Husenyans** ruled Goris. In the beginnin o the 19t century, on 13 October 1813 accordin tae the "Gyulistan greement", Goris fell unner the domination o Imperial Roushie. In 1870, Goris became the centre o Zangezour province athin the Roushie Empire. In 1876, the new toun o Goris wis foondit near the Auld Goris wi the initiative o the heid o "Starastky province" an recommendation o **Manuchar-Bek Melik Husenyan** an the plan wis designed bi a German airchitect. At the end of the 19th century the economical and cultural life of the town was rather improved.

Efter the faw o the Democratic Republic o Armenie in 1920, the 2nt Pan-Zangezurian congress held in Tatev on 26 Aprile 1921, annooncit the unthirldom o the sel-govrenin regions o Daralakyaz (Vayots Dzor), Zangezur, an Muntainous Artsakh, unner the name o the Republic o Muntainous Armenie (Lernahaystani Hanrapetutyun), wi Goris as a caipital ceety (de facto).

## Geografie an climate

Goris is situatit in the strath o Goris River, kent as Vararak River an aw. The strath is surroondit wi the Zangezur muntains. The ceety haes an average elevation o 1385 metres abuin sea level. The surroondin muntains RE famous for the medieval cave-dwallins carvit oot o the soft rock in the soothren pairt o toun.

Goris is locatit in an alpine climate zone. The weather is characterisit wi mild snawy winters an hot simmers. The average temperatur in Januar is –1.3&nbsp;°C an +19&nbsp;°C in Julie. The annual precipitation level is 700&nbsp;mm.

## Economy an tourism
The ceety o Goris haes mony fuid-processin plants. The ceety is ane o the main providers o electrical pouer through the Vorotan hydropouer plant.
 
The Shinuyar Airport near Goris is being renovatit bi the govrenment an is envisagit tae operate stairtin frae 2016. The airport will allou tourists tae visit the Syunik region an Zangezur Muntains as well as the Tatev monastery an ither simmer resorts aroond the toun.

## Cultur an education

Goris is hame tae the Armenie writer Axel Bakunts hoose-museum, who dee'd in preeson in 1937, to become ane o mony intellectuals who paid the price for "naitionalist deviationism" durin the rule o the Soviet Bolsheviks. The ceety haes a regional geological museum an a dramatic theatre as well.

Goris is an important educational centre in Syunik. Nouadays, thare are 7 seicontary schuils, 2 intermediate colleges, 7 kindergartens, 2 sports, 2 muisical an 1 airt schuils. The Goris state University is operatin in the toun syne 1967. Branches o State Ingineerin University o Armenie an Yerevan State Institute o Theatre an Cinematografie are operatin as well in Goris.

No far frae Goris, at the beginnin o the road tae Khndzoresk thare is an 18t century local Melik’s hoose.

The Cathedral o Saunt Gregory the Illuminator in Goris is the seat o the diocese o Syunik o the Armenie Apostolic Kirk.

Goris is hame tae Zankezour fitbaa club an municipal fitbaa stadium.

Wi deep-ruitit heritage, the hame-made fruit vodkas are pairticularly guid an famous in Goris.

## Twin touns
* Nesvizh, Belaroushie
* Vienne, Isère, Fraunce

## References

## Freemit airtins

*Offeecial Wabsteid 
*Travel Guide 
*Province (marz) o Syunik