Berd city in Armenia: what to see and how to get there

You are reading the second article in a cycle about the cities of Armenia. The first article about Ararat can be read Here. Every time we talk about history and talk about the main sights of the city. If you want to share your impressions about the places mentioned, leave us a comment.

Berd is a small town in the northeast of Armenia. One of those where everyone knows each other, and the tourist can be seen from afar. The visitor will be friendly told about this place and will definitely be invited to visit for coffee.

There are mountains and greenery around here, the Tavush River runs nearby. Local residents are mainly engaged in their farming and winemaking. People come to Berd in the summer from hot Yerevan to escape from the stuffiness and dust of the capital, to enjoy the fresh air and nature.

Contents

1. History of the city of Bird
2. How to get to the city?
3. Places of interest
4. What else is important to know

History of the city of Bird

The native city can be called its fortress figuratively, meaning "a place of power." And the Berds literally live in a fortress - this is how Berd is translated from Armenian. It was founded in 898 near the Tavush fortress or, as it is also called, Tzlik Amram. Guide to Armenia Roza Avoyan tells that a romantic legend is connected with the fortress. It says that King Ashot the Iron fell in love with Tslik Amram's wife. The woman betrayed her husband, after which Tslik locked the woman in the fortress and raised an uprising against the king. The rebel was defeated, and his wife, unable to bear the shame, hanged herself. This legend is described in the historical novel "Gevorg Marzpetuni" by Muratsan (Grigor Ter-Hovhannisyan).

Initially, the governors of Ashot II Yerkat (Iron) lived in the fortress. Now there are ruins left from the powerful building, and once the walls reached 12 meters. And yet travelers get to Mantashaberd - another name for the fortress - climb it and to the citadel located even higher.

How to get to the city?

Get to Byrd from Yerevan You can go by car, the journey will take about four hours (211 km). If you don't have your own car, rent from Move2Car. With transfers you can also get there by bus. Get off at the Yeritasardakan metro station and get off at the “Turn to Hrazdan” stop. From there to the regional center of the Tavush region, Ijevan, and from there to Berd itself. The path is not short, but all the way you will admire the nature of Armenia.

Places of interest

The main attractions of Armenia and, in particular, the Tavush region are Christian monasteries, temples, churches. On the way to Berd, travelers are advised to look into the monasteries of Haghartsin, Goshavank and Nor Varagavank, the church of Surb Nshan. All of them are located in a picturesque mountainous area and are surrounded by greenery. And this means that tourists, pilgrims, naturalists, as well as lovers of hiking will like it here.

Also, tourists are brought to the city by Narine Abgaryan, a writer from Berd. She spoke about her homeland in the book Manyunya. And now readers come here in the footsteps of the main character, visit her parents and even the writer's neighbors. The address you need is easy to find - just ask passers-by.

The locals are engaged in winemaking. Grapes from the border regions, including Tavush, are delivered to the Berd branch of the Yerevan Ararat Brandy Factory. In 2023, he turned 20 years old - if you are nearby, do not forget to congratulate him on his anniversary.

Grapes are not the only crop that Berd is proud of. Every summer there is a festival of honey and berries. Accordingly, they are treated to different varieties of honey, blackberries, raspberries, currants and entertained with traditional songs and dances. In 2023, the holiday will take place on August 13.

Also in the Tavush region, mountain herbs have been used. In company Darman they are used to produce tea and honey.

Monastery Haghartsin

The main monastery church of Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) was built in 1281. In the XII-XIII centuries, a vestibule was attached to the church. Haghartsin Monastery belonged to the monasteries of Armenia, destroyed and devastated during the invasion of the Seljuk Turks in the second half of the 11th century. From the second half of the 12th century, when the political life of the Armenian feudal lords was revived in northern Armenia under the auspices of the Georgian Bagratids, the devastated country began to recover rapidly. First of all, they were engaged in monasteries.

Guest house "Zovak"

Local activists from the village of Norashen near Berd develop agritourism in the Tavush region and invite guest house "Zovak". They organize hiking trips and picnics overlooking the Temple Gorge. They are introduced to the production of lavash and treated to traditional dishes.

Tzlik Amram Fortress

The medieval fortress of Tavush, or, as it is often called, the castle of Tslik Amram, is located on the outskirts of the city of Berd. It has been mentioned in written sources since the beginning of the 10th century. as the residence of the governors of the Armenian king Ashot Yerkat. The fortress was described in the novel “Manyunya” by Narine Abgaryan. Also, fans will probably want to find the same music school from the book, but now the Church of St. Hovhannes stands in its place.

If you get hungry, Roza Avoyan advises to look into the gastro-yard of the multifunctional eco-center Bears&Berries. At the same time, you will learn more about Berd and Tavush region.

What else is important to know

Berd is located on the border with Azerbaijan and is periodically subject to shelling. From the height of the arboretum, the neighboring country is visible. If you look closely, you can see traces of shells on the walls of local buildings. Before you go to Berd, find out the latest news - is it calm in the border settlements now? All questions about the trip to Berd will be answered by the support service @move2armenia_official.