Meghri Town

Territory:                                       10 ha
Population:                                    4500 Persons
Distance from capital/Yerevan:     370 km
Height of above sea level:             610 m 
The main branches of economy:   industry, agriculture 

Meghri is an oasis in the desert. The small town feels like no other in the country, its wild stands of pomegranates and sweet pears hugging the dusty streets.

Location
To get to Meghri you have to drive from the Debaghlu Pass (2535m) of Kadjaran, through the hardwood forests and alpine meadows of uplands. With the span of 30 minutes you leave snow and rain and enter a verdant green valley floor surrounded by red, amber and bronze mountains. The landscape is breathtaking and deceiving. The arid land is one of the most fertile in the country; the fresh fruit is here some of the sweetest in Armenia.

History
The area of Meghri is one of the oldest in Armenia, on par with Neolithic and Bronze Age Ararat Valley excavations. The conduit of settlement was the Arax River, which connects Anatolia and the Sumerian plains with the Caspian.

The original settlement is traced to this small area of town, located on the west side of the river. A maze of 17th- 19th cc buildings that meander over and seem to cling to the district’s rocky slopes. This part of the city is called Pokr Tagh and is one of the most idyllic areas of the town, with stone houses boasting wooden balconies and hand carved balustrade spindles and fretwork. In Meghri the house roofs are covered with roof tiles.

Economy
There are wine and canned food factories, banks, telephone and internet connections and other different companies.

Tourist Attraction
The special charm gives the city the six fortresses of Meghri, the old plane trees park and 17th century buildings - St. Mariam Astvatsatsin church, St. Sarkis Church, St. Hovhannes church and other sites worth to see.

The Iranian Border is at Agarak, some 10 km distance. The border is open to anyone with the appropriate visa.