8 2 , 2 0 0 ▁as ▁per ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁official ▁estimate . ▁Van ad zor ▁is ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁G oug ark ▁of ▁the ▁Armen ian ▁Apost ol ic ▁Church . ▁ ▁Et ym ology ▁Van ad zor ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁G har ak il isa ▁( altern atively ▁Kar ak il isa ) ▁- mean ing ▁the ▁black ▁church ▁in ▁Turk ic - ▁at ▁its ▁foundation ▁during ▁the ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire . ▁Following ▁the ▁Soviet ization ▁of ▁Armen ia , ▁the ▁city ▁was ▁named ▁K iro v ak an ▁() ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁after ▁the ▁Russian ▁B ols he vik ▁leader ▁Serge y ▁K iro v . ▁After ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁Armen ia , ▁K iro v ak an ▁was ▁renamed ▁Van ad zor ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁name ▁Van ad zor ▁is ▁composed ▁of ▁two ▁words , ▁v ank ▁ ▁( ), ▁meaning ▁monaster y , ▁or ▁church , ▁and ▁dz or ▁( ), ▁meaning ▁valley ▁in ▁Armen ian . ▁Thus , ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁means ▁" Val ley ▁of ▁the ▁Mon aster y " ▁or ▁" Val ley ▁of ▁the ▁Church ", ▁probably ▁as ▁a ▁translation ▁of ▁its ▁previous ▁name ▁Kar ak il isa . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁area ▁of ▁present - day ▁Van ad zor ▁has ▁been ▁settled ▁since ▁the ▁Bron ze ▁Age , ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁tomb s ▁and ▁other ▁historic ▁remains ▁found ▁on ▁the