Goris

Goris Գորիս
community
From top left: Panoramic view of Goris Goris gate • Zangezur Mountains around Goris Goris skyline • Stone-pyramids of Old Kores Surp Hripsimé Basilica • Saint Gregory Cathedral
Goris
Coordinates: 39°30′28″N 46°20′19″E / 39.50778°N 46.33861°E / 39.50778; 46.33861Coordinates: 39°30′28″N 46°20′19″E / 39.50778°N 46.33861°E / 39.50778; 46.33861
Country	Armenia
Marz	Syunik
Established	1870
Government
•	Hon Georgia
Area
• Total	8 km2 (3 sq mi)
Elevation	1,250-1,520 m (−3,740 ft)
Population (2011 census)
• Total	20,591
• Density	2,600/km2 (6,700/sq mi)
Time zone	AMT (UTC+4)
Area code(s)	+374(284)
Website	Official website
Population

Goris (Armenian: Գորիս), is a town in the southern Syunik Province of Armenia. Located in the valley of river Goris (or Vararak), it is 254 km away from the Armenian capital Yerevan and 67 km from the provincial center Kapan. Goris is an urban community and the second largest city in Syunik. In the 2011 census its population was 20,591, down from 23,261 reported at the 2001 census. However, as per the 2016 official estimate, the population of Goris is 20,300.

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 area of Goris has been settled since the Stone Age. Goris was first mentioned in the history by the Urartian period. King Rusa I (8th century B.C.) left a cuneiform, where he mentioned that among the 23 countries conquered by him, "Goristsa" country was one of them. The scientists suppose that it is the same Goris.

During the Middle Ages, the town-settlement was situated in the eastern part of the present Goris, on the left bank of Goris river. It was called "Kores" and coincided with one of the villages of Goru and Goraik mentioned by Stepanos Orbelyan (13th century).

The current spelling of the name was first mentioned in 1624, in a handwriting by Barsegh Yerets. In 17-18th centuries princes Melik Husenyans ruled Goris. In the beginning of the 19th century, on 13 October 1813 according to the "Gyulistan agreement", Goris fell under the domination of Emperial Russia.

In 1870, the modern town of Goris was founded to become the centre of Zangezursky Uyezd, within the Elisabethpol Governorate of the Russian Empire. In 1876, the construction of new Goris was completed near the old town, with the initiative of the head of "Starastky province" and recommendation of Prince Manuchar-Bek Melik Husenyan, and the major city plan designed by a German architect. At the end of the 19th century the economical and cultural life of the town was greatly improved.