Alapars
# Alapars

Alapars (Armenian: Ալափարս) is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. The village has 860 dwellings, a school, house of culture, and library. The population is entirely Armenian.

## Toponymy

The village was previously known as Aylaberk and Aylaber.

## History

Alapars was founded in 470, but was resettled in 1828-30 by immigrants from Khoy and Maku. Its center is dominated by the churches of Saint Vartan (Vartanavank) built in 901 (rebuilt 19th century) by a Prince Grigor, and the Holy Mother of God (Surb Astvatsatsin) of 1897. Also in the vicinity is the monastery of S. Tsiranavor. According to local folklore, Vartanavank contains a drop of blood from the Armenian national hero Vartan Mamikonian.

## Gallery

* The church of Vardanavank built in 901, reconstructed in the 19th century
* St. Astvatsatsin Church (Holy Mother of God Church), 1897
* Large khachkar adjacent to Vartanavank
* Sculpture in Tukh Manuk, Alapars by Avetik Avetyan, words by Avetik Isahakyan

## Notable people

* Avetik Avetyan, USSR multiple medalist and director of the pump station of Alapars
* Mushegh Aliabertsi, Patriarch (490-561)
* Tatik Saryan, artist
* Melik Kocharyan, dramatist
* Shavigh Grigoryan, folk collector
* Kavalenko Shahgaldyan, Governor of the Kotayk Province
