Pemzashen | village

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2700 habitants
Pemzashen (formerly, Makhmudzhug, Mahmnutcuk, and Magmudzhuk) is a town in the Shirak Province of Armenia. The town was founded in 1915 by survivors of the Armenian Genocide from Mush and Basen. 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 town'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 town. There is also the problem of a lack of irrigation water for crops or household gardens, and the land around the town is not flat or fertile (due to no irrigation). Plans are currently underway to put in an irrigation system.

In the middle of town is a 7th century church adjacent to the foundations of a 5th century basilica. Just west of the town 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 hermits cell cut into the cliff face behind.