Goris

Goris (Armenian: Գորիս; until 1924, Geryusy, Geryusi or Gerusi; formerly, Goraik, Gores, Hin Kores, Kores, Korus, Koru, Kuris, Zangizour, Zankazour, and Kyuryus) is a city in the Syunik Marz of Armenia. It is about 240 km away from the Armenian capital Yerevan and 70 km from the Syunik Marz center Kapan. It has a population of 20840 people (Census 2001).

Nestled in a bowl of green hills and mountains, with interesting formations and many previously inhabited caves in them, Goris has some of the nicest overall Armenian architecture in Armenia. Somehow the traditional methods have been preserved overall in this city, while everywhere else the Soviet blueprints seem to have overwhelmed historic designs.

"The small town of Goris lies in the middle of Armenia in the province of Zangezour. It is famous for its thousands of dwellings carved into the rock. In 401 BC, during the retreat of the Ten Thousand (Anabasis), Xenophon passed through Armenia. In his account of the expedition he mentions the Armenian troglodytes of Khndzoresk and Goris." –moa

Goris is famous for the medieval cave-dwellings carved out of the soft rock in the southern part of town. It is home to the Axel Bakunts house museum, commemorating one of Armenia’s great prose writers, who died in prison in 1937, one of many who paid the price for “nationalist deviationism.” There is a regional museum as well.

Not far from Goris, at the beginning of the road to Khndzoresk there is an 18th century local Melik’s house. There is a modern church in Goris.

The home-made fruit vodkas are particularly good and are famous in Goris.