Pemzashen

Pemzashen (Armenian: Պեմզաշեն; formerly, Makhmudzhug, Mahmnutcuk, and Magmudzhuk) is a village in the Shirak Province of Armenia. During the Soviet era a sewing factory, construction materials plant, and a parts factory to supply hydro-electric stations were based out of Pemzashen. After the collapse of the USSR, most of the village's residents have found themselves out of work and many of the men have moved to Russia to find jobs. In the past 15 years, over 300 families have moved away from the village. There is also the problem of a lack of irrigation water for crops or household gardens, and the land around the village is not flat or fertile (due to no irrigation). Plans are currently underway to put in an irrigation system.

Pemzashen
Պեմզաշեն
Pemzashen Church, 7th century
Pemzashen
Պեմզաշեն
Coordinates: 40°35′36″N 43°56′24″E
CountryArmenia
ProvinceShirak
Government
 • MayorAnanik Voskanyan
Population
 (2008)
 • Total2,646

In the middle of village is a 7th-century church adjacent to the foundations of a 5th-century basilica. Just west of the village off of the main road leading from Pemzashen to Artik is Arakelots Vank of the 11th century. Along the road south to Lernakert, is also Makaravank built in the 10th to 13th centuries, with the church of Surb Sion of 1001. In the gorge below is a small church built on earlier foundations constructed in the 18th century with a hermit's cell cut into the cliff face behind.

Population

Population per years is the following.[1]

Year 1831 1897 1926 1939 1959 1989 2001 2004
Pop. 191 1496 1331 1757 3599 3384 2862 2701
  • Arakelots Vank northwest corner, 11th century
  • Makaravank Church, 10th-13th century
  • 18th-century chapel in gorge below Makaravank

References
  1. "Dictionary of Armenian residences (Հայաստանի հանրապետության բնակավայրերի բառարան), page 166" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 12, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2014.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.