Vardanakert

Vardanakert is an ancient Armenian city located on the banks of the Aras River in the eponymous gavar (district) of the province of Paytakaran in the far east of Historical Armenia. To the east of the city, there was a pagan temple called Yotnporakean Bagink, which was converted into a monastery after the adoption of Christianity in Armenia in 451 AD. Due to its unfavorable geographical location, the city often fell victim to raids and destruction, but it was rebuilt each time, later on it would be known as Warthan. In 1604, the city was finally destroyed by Shah Abbas, and the population was deported deep into Persia. Later, to the south of the ruins of Vardanakert, the village of Altan was founded. The local Turkic tribes began to refer to this area as Oltan-Kalesi, meaning the fortress of Oltan.