Gizilkilsa is a village in the Borchali uezd of the former Tiflis governorate, later in the former Vorontsovka (Kalinino) district, and currently in the Lori province. In 1930 it was subordinated to the former Stepanavan (Jalaloghlu) district. The provincial centre lies 55 km to the northwest of the town of Boyuk Garakilsa (Vanadzor), adjacent to the Damirchilar village, at a height of 1,700 m above sea level. It is marked in “The Iravan Province Review Book” and on the five-verst map of the Caucasus. Another name for the village was “Dagh Garakilsa”.

The village was inhabited by 106 Azerbaijanis in 1886, 202 in 1897, 215 in 1908 and 490 Azerbaijanis in 1916. In 1918 the inhabitants left the village having been exposed to attacks by Armenian armed forces. Following the establishment of Soviet power in present- day Armenia, the surviving Azerbaijanis returned to their village. The village was inhabited by 373 Azerbaijanis in 1922, 409 in 1926, 437 in 1931, 548 in 1939, 577 in 1959 and 1,500 Azerbaijanis in 1987. In 1988 the Azerbaijanis were completely deported from their historical and ethnic lands by the Armenian government. Currently, the village is inhabited only by Armenians.

The toponym was coined by combining the word “gizil”, which implies “red”, and the word “kilsa” (a church).

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated 3 January 1935, the village was renamed “Gizildash”, and by decision dated 3 April 1991, it was renamed “Archni”. According to the law “On the administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Armenia” dated 7 November 1995, it was integrated into the administrative territory of the Lori province.

Geographical coordinates: latitude: 41°12’ N., longitude: 44°22’ E.