Kutnigishlag is a village in the Alexandropol uezd of the former Iravan governorate, later in the former Artik district, in the territory of the present Shirak province. The provincial centre lies 20 km to the southeast of the town of Gumru, at a height of 1,600 m above sea level. It was marked as “Gutbi Gishlaghi” in “The Iravan Province Review Book”.

The village was initially inhabited by Azerbaijanis, and in 1830, following the settlement of the Armenians from the Kars Pashalig, the population moved to Türkiye.

The toponym was coined by combining the word “kut”, which implies “a mount ridge, a mount area”, and the word “gishlag” meaning “a moderately windy and grazing wintering place where sheep and other animals are taken to be kept” in the Azerbaijani language, and implies “a wintering place near a mount ridge”.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated 15 July 1946, the village was renamed “Hovtashe”. 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 Shirak province.

Geographical coordinates: latitude: 40°40’ N., longitude: 43°54’ E.