Masjidli

Mechitli or Masjidli is a village in the Iravan uezd of the former Iravan governorate, in the former Gamarli (Artashat) district, in present-day Ararat province. The provincial centre lies 6 km to the northwest of the town of Artashat (Gamarli), at a height of 840 m above sea level. It is marked in “The Iravan Province Review Book”. It is marked as “Majitli” in the works of Armenian authors.

The village was originally inhabited by Azerbaijanis, and following the settlement of Armenians in the area, the population gradually left the village. The Armenians from the Khoy and Salmas provinces of Iran were settled in the village in 1828–1829.

The toponym was coined on the basis of the word denoting the Muslim house of worship “masjid” (mosque) in Islam.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated 1 June 1940, it was renamed “Nor Kyank”. 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: 40°39’ N., longitude: 43°58’ E.