Berd

Armenia, Armenia

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Berd is a town and the administrative center of Berd Municipality in the Tavush Province of northeastern Armenia, located about 211 km from Yerevan on the western side of the Tavush River, in a landscape of rolling green hills, forests, and low mountains.

It is the only town in the Shamshadin region, a remote corner of Armenia often compared to Karabakh in its scenery and people, and its name literally means “fortress” in Armenian because of its proximity to the ruins of the medieval Tavush Fortress (also called Tslik Amram’s Fortress) on the outskirts.

As of the 2022 census, Berd had 6,899 residents, and the town is known locally as an important agricultural hub, producing fruits, tobacco, and other crops, as well as supporting winemaking, beekeeping, and animal husbandry, with a modest centred around a small market, a Soviet‑era hotel, and local shops rather than large tourist facilities.

The town has relatively little to see within its streets, but it is surrounded by significant historical and cultural monuments, most notably the 10th‑century Tavush Fortress, the impressive 12th‑century monasteries Nor Varagavank and Khoranashat, and the nearby Shkhmuradi, Srveghi, and Kaptavank churches, making it a quiet base for hiking, cycling, and exploring the unspoiled heritage sites of the Shamshadin area.