Keshishviran is a village in the Iravan uezd of the former Iravan governorate, later in the former Vedi (Ararat) district, and currently in the Ararat province. The provincial centre lies 53 km to the southeast of the town of Gamarli (Artashat), in a valley, on the right bank of the Chanakhchi River, at a height of 1,850 m above sea level. It was marked on the five-verst map of the Caucasus.

The toponym was coined by combining the ancient Turkic word “keshish” and the word “viran”, which is a synonym of the word “oran” meaning “a ruin, ruined wall”.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated 3 January 1935, the village was renamed “Zovashen”, and by decision of 21 October 1967, it was renamed “Urtsalanj”. 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 Ararat province.

Geographical coordinates: latitude: 39°51’ N., logitude: 44°59’ E.