Gürpınar

Gürpınar is a district of Van Province and 20 km (12 mi) south of Van. Gurpinar's total area is 4700 km2 and is the largest area of the districts of Turkey. It has 72 villages and many historical areas. Its old name and Armenian name is "Hayots-tzor" (Armenian: Հայոց Ձոր, meaning Valley of the Armenians). The Kurdish name is "Payizava". In Armenian mythology, Hayots Dzor is the valley where the Armenian progenitor Hayk defeated the army of the invading Assyrian king Bel and constructed a fortress (Haykaberd) nearby. In the Middle Ages, the area was the location of the Armenian kingdom of Vaspurakan, ruled by the Artsruni House of Armenian kings.