Kapan () is a town in southeast Armenia, serving as the administrative centre of the Kapan Municipality as well as the provincial capital of Syunik Province. It is located in the valley of the Voghji River and is on the northern slopes of Mount Khustup. According to the 2011 census, the population of Kapan was 43,190, a slight decline from 45,711 in the 2001 census. However, the current population of the town is around 34,600 as per the 2016 official estimate. Kapan is the most populous town in the Syunik Province as well as the entire region of southern Armenia. Etymology The name Kapan derives from the Classical Armenian common noun (կապան), meaning 'mountain pass' (related to the verb , ). In later centuries, the name evolved into (), which was in use until 1991, when the older form of the name was restored. History Ancient history and Middle Ages The area of modern-day Kapan was first mentioned in the 5th century as a small settlement within the properties of the Siunia Dynasty. Historically, it was part of the Baghk canton of Syunik, the ninth province of the historic Greater Armenia. Though originally a small settlement, by the late 9th and early 10th century, it was fortified by Prince Jagik, becoming the residence of the Jagikean princes. By the end of the 10th century, the ruler of Syunik, Prince Smbat II, moved to the town of Kapan and founded the Kingdom of Syunik, proclaiming himself a king under the protectorate of the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia. As the capital of the Kingdom of Syunik, Kapan flourished throughout the 11th century, reaching around 20 thousand inhabitants, composed of mostly Armenians with a prominent Jewish minority, and being a center of trades, crafts, and metallurgy. In 1103, Kapan was entirely ruined by the Seljuk invaders. The medieval Armenian historian Stephen Orbelian of Syunik states that the Seljuks began massacring from the Jewish quarter of Kapan. After the fall of the Kingdom of Syunik in 1170, Syunik and the rest of the historic territories of Armenia suffered from the Seljuk, Mongol, Aq Qoyunlu and Kara Koyunlu invasions, in that order, between the 12th and 15th centuries. Iranian rule At the beginning of the 16th century, Kapan became part of the Erivan Province within the Safavid Iran. In 1722, the principality of Kapan was established by uniting the noble families of Syunik into one