Ashtarak Bridge, Ashtarak

Lovely 350 year old bridge across the Kasagh River, now a peaceful picnic area. Highly recommend you check this out. This is a delightful ancient bridge in the pleasant historical part of Ashtarak. Built in 1664 by Mahdesi Khoja Grigor, a wealthy merchant, the bridge has three arches of unequal size. The bridge crosses the Kasagh River. Today, the area underneath and immediately surrounding the bridge is a picnic area. I rode my bike over the bridge on a Sunday and the picnic area was alive with campfires, barbecuing, and festive people. Surprisingly, the area was not strewn with trash. There are a few old buildings at the base of the bridge. I was also surprised to find the bridge can still be driven over and a few cars tried to get across while I was there. They slipped a bit on the ancient rocks, but made it eventually. I'd recommend a high-clearance vehicle to drive across. The bridge is beautiful and it fits the surroundings perfectly. The area along the Kasagh River in Ashtarak is a small oasis in Armenia. I highly recommend you take a weekend afternoon and come see this place, the bridge, and the many small churches along the gorge.

Antique bridge was built in 1664.