ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Tzitzernavank 20 Monuments

NKR (Country) / Kashatagh (District) / Tzitzernavank (Village)

Location

The village of Tzitzernavank or Tzitzernu-vank where the famous church of identical name is still preserved, is situated at the right bank of Aghavnaget, at the place of its confluence with the tributaries Khoznavar and Bayandur.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 137.

Historical Introduction
13 c․

The records document the existence of this village since the 13th century. It was one of 681 villages, which paid tithe to the Tatev monastery (10 silver coins annually).

St. Orbelian, History of Syunik, Yerevan, 1986, p. 399.
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 137.

19 c․

At the end of the 19th century the village was already known under the name of Zeyva.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 137.

Population

It had almost 100 Turkish households and only 25 Armenian ones.

A-Do, Armenian-Turkish Conflicts of 1905-1906 in the Caucasus, Yerevan, 1907, p. 262.
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 137.

1905 y․

The number of the latter remained unchanged till 1905, i. e. till the beginning of Armenian-Turkish conflict. Although “the people managed to flee Zeyva before the major attacks...”, nevertheless, 5 of them were stabbed, half of their property was plundered, and the survivors left the village being unable to live there any more”.

"Mshak", 1906, N 56, March 14 (in Arm.).
A-Do, Armenian-Turkish Conflicts of 1905-1906 in the Caucasus, Yerevan, 1907, p. 262.
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 141.

Historical Introduction

So its native population deserted the old village. During the Soviet period Zeyva (former Tzitzernavank) was renamed to Gusulu.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 137.

Description

There are other old settlements in the vicinity of Tzitzernavank.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 147.

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Zeyva	19 c․
Gyusulu
Tsitsarnuvank