Metsamor

For the village near Echmiadzin, see Metsamor (village); for the river, see Akhurian River; for the archaeological site, see Metsamor site.

Metsamor Մեծամոր
Metsamor
Metsamor
Coordinates:
Country	Armenia
Marz (Province)	Armavir
Founded	1969
Area
• Total	4 km2 (2 sq mi)
Population (2011 census)
• Total	9,191
• Density	2,300/km2 (6,000/sq mi)
Time zone	(UTC+4)
Sources: Population

Metsamor (Armenian: Մեծամոր, Armenian pronunciation: [mɛt͡sɑˈmoɾ]), is a town in the Armavir Province of Armenia. It is famous for being home to Armenia's Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant.

As of the 2011 census, the population of the town is 9,191.

History

The modern town of Metsamor was built in 1969 to house the employees of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant. The chief planner of the town is the Armenian architect Martin Mikayelyan. He was assisted by architects G. Hovsepyan and K. Tiraturyan. The name was derived from the nearby river.

The power plant has been operating since 1969. However, it was temporarily closed in 1989 after the 1988 Spitak earthquake for safety reasons. Later, economic and transportation blockades imposed by Azerbaijan and its ally Turkey over the Republic of Armenia, created energy shortages in the country, forcing the Armenian government to reopen the plant in 1993. The unit 2 reactor was brought back into operation on October 26, 1995. Nowadays, the Metsamor plant generates 40% of Armenia's energy needs.

The town is also home to a large sports complex opened in 1980, including 2 swimming pools and indoor sports halls.

Gallery

• 

  Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant

• Saint Lazarus Church, Metsamor, Armenia.jpg

  Saint Lazarus Church of Metsamor

• Metsamor park at night2.jpg

  Metsamor central park

References

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons