Herher Explained

Official Name:Herher
Native Name:Հերհեր
Pushpin Map:Armenia#Vayots Dzor
Mapsize:150px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Armenia
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Vayots Dzor
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Subdivision Name2:Vayk
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population As Of:2011
Population Total:706
Timezone:AMT
Utc Offset:+4
Coordinates:39.7733°N 45.5386°W
Elevation M:1680

Herher (Armenian: Հերհեր) is a village in the Vayk Municipality of the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia.

History

Herher was once a fief of the Orbelian vassals, the Shahurnetsi family in the 13th century. Within the village is a 19th-century church of Saint Gevorg, and south is a shrine of Grigor Lusavorich from 1296 with Saint Gevorg or Chiki Vank of 1297. Southeast one km on a hill is the small Kapuyt Berd ("Blue Fortress"). Upon a hilltop one km northeast is Saint Sion Monastery, first mentioned in the 8th century. At the complex are the churches of Saint Sion and Saint Astvatsatsin. Other sites of historical significance are in close proximity to Herher, such as village ruins with khachkars of the 14th century.

Rare endemic fruit

Herher boasts a critically endangered species of wild pear found nowhere else in the world: Pyrus gergerana (common name: Gergeranian pear), named for the village.[2] There are estimated to be a mere 50 trees left in the wild, yet, as of 2014, there have been no conservation measures set in place to protect the species - a matter of considerable concern in relation to dwindling biodiversity in Armenia. [3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The results of the 2011 Population Census of Armenia. Statistical Committee of Armenia.
  2. Anna . Asatryan . Wild Pears of Armenia . Acta Biologica Plantarum Agriensis . 2019 . 7 . 19–31 . 10.21406/abpa.2019.7.19 . 4 September 2023. free .
  3. Web site: Fayvush . F. . Pyrus gergerana . International Union for Conservation of Nature . 4 September 2023 . en . 10.2305/iucn.uk.2014-1.rlts.t200400a2656627.en . 2014.