title: Alapars
text: # 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
  