Vank is unlike any other village in Karabakh – if not the world – thanks to the patronage of native son Levon Hairapetian. The Moscow-based lumber baron has funded the large-scale redevelopment of the town, including a school, hospital and two super-kitsch hotels. The Eclectic Hotel resembles the Titanic, while the Seastone Hotel has a giant roaring lion's head built into the rock next to it. The entire village is beyond bizarre, but it's definitely a worthwhile detour.
