Armenia is a mountainous country in the southern Caucasus. There are opportunities for different types of recreation in Armenia. Tourists come to ski resorts, fishing, hunting, rafting, spa treatment.
There are a large number of places of importance for Christians in Armenia: temples, monasteries, monasteries. The country is attractive for lovers of historical and cultural tourism. The history of Armenia has more than three millennia. The country has experienced many wars, which is associated with the appearance during the Middle Ages of a large number of castles and fortresses to defend against the enemy. A small part of them have survived to this day in good condition.
Ancient fortresses of Armenia
List, photo with names and short descriptions of medieval fortresses.
Amberd
The fortress is located on the southern slope of Mount Aragats, overlooking the Ararat valley. In the X-XIII centuries, the fortress was the estate of the princes Pakhlavuni. The fortress is a feudal deputy, it served as a defense against the enemy. It was built on a promontory cut off from both sides by deep gorges. On the territory of the fortress there is a church built in 1026.
Smataberd
Presumably the citadel was built in the 9th century near the city of Yeghegis in the river valley. The fortress is located on a hill between two gorges. It was attacked many times, but always remained impregnable. The fortress is surrounded by a powerful wall with a thickness of 2 to 4 meters. Inside there are a large number of buildings of historical value. Restoration work in Smataberd was completed in 2007.
Laurie Bird
The name of the fortress comes from the medieval Lori kingdom, in the X-XII centuries the fortress-city was its center. Currently, the remains of the ruins of the fortress are located near the city of Stepanavan. Today, the ruins of individual structures have been preserved. The site of the fortress is located on a mountainous triangular plateau bounded on both sides by the gorges of the Miskhan and Dzogaret rivers. Two bridges were built across the gorges, one of which was restored and preserved completely.
Erebuni
The ancient fortress, located southeast of Yerevan, is located on the Arin-Berd hill. In ancient times, the city of Yerevan was named Erebuni, which was later transformed into Yerevan. The city was founded in 782 BC. Erebuni Fortress is an architectural complex with palace, religious and household buildings. Archaeological excavations continue in the fortress. Not far from the ruins there is the Erebuni Museum.
Akhtala
The fortress is located 170 km north of Yerevan. It is an ancient monastery complex. On the territory there are preserved gates, a chapel, the Church of the Holy Mother of God, built in 1188. The church is the main building of the complex, it was restored in the 80s. In some places of the fortress, ancient Greek and Georgian letters have been preserved.
Halidzor
Halidzor Desert is located on the right bank of the Voghji River, 5 km northeast of the city of Kapan. Initially Halidzor was founded in the X century as a monastery. The hermitage was founded at the beginning of the 17th century. Halidzor fortress was built at the beginning of the 18th century. Fragments of a church and some buildings, as well as a chapel, have survived to this day.
Marzpetuni
The monastery-fortress is named in honor of the 10th century commander Gevorg Marzpetuni. The second name of the fortress is Tapi-Berd. It is located in the Ararat region of Armenia, near the village of Urtsadzor. The complex dates back to the X-XIII centuries and was built as a large military structure. The ruins of a 12th-13th century church have been preserved on the territory. The church was located within the perimeter of a unique vaulted apse of a semicircular shape. The buildings are made of white felsite.
Black fortress
The second name of the fortress is "Sev Gul". It is considered the main attraction of the city of Gyumri - the second largest in Armenia. The fortress was built in 1834, after the second Russian-Persian war. Excavations revealed that the fortress is located on the territory of the most ancient part of the city, in connection with which it was declared a monument of republican significance. Restoration work is currently being completed in the fortress.
Berdavan
The second name of the fortress is Galinjar. Located in the north-east of Armenia, in the Tavush region near the town of Noyemberyan. The village located next to the fortress is also named Berdavan. The construction of the fortress dates back to the 11th century. During the wars, it was almost completely destroyed. The fortress was restored during the Middle Ages. Located on a small hill, the condition of the fortress is not ideal.
Tavush
The fortress, built in the Middle Ages, is located on the outskirts of the city of Berd, in the Tavush region. Located on the banks of the Tavush River. A water supply system was installed in the fortress, which is a rarity for structures of that time. The fortress has a citadel located on top of a cliff. The lower fortress is located on the eastern slope of the hill. At present, the ruins of walls, a church and small buildings have been preserved in the lower fortress.
Baghaberd
The fortress is also known as the Kapan fortress, as it is located near the city of Kapan, on the Kapan-Kajaran highway. The highway was built in Soviet times, during the construction the fortress was badly damaged, part of the wall and the tower were demolished. Presumably, Baghaberd was built during the time of the pagans, in the 4th century. The fortress has a three-level defense line, protected by double walls and sheer cliffs of a deep gorge.
Bjni
The ancient building is located in the village of Bjni, an hour's drive from Yerevan. This place is famous for its mineral water. The village is divided into two parts by a rocky plateau, on the slopes of which there is a fortress. The fortress was erected in the 9th-10th centuries and was the residence of the Pahlavuni royal family. The main attraction of Bjni is the Church of the Virgin, dated 1031.
Dashtadem
The name of the fortress is translated from Armenian “opposite the field”. The ancient medieval castle of the 7th - 19th centuries is located in the village of Dashtadem, Aragatsotn region of the Republic of Armenia, 5 km south of the city of Talin. Previously, the fortress was named Nor Talin, Nerkin Talin, Pokr Talin. The modern name was given in 1979. The architectural complex included churches, a citadel, a reservoir, a palace.
Kakawaberd
The medieval castle is located in the Kotayk region, on the territory of the Khosrov reserve. It was built in the XI century for the princes of Pahlavuni. In the XII century, it departed to the princes of the Proshyans. Currently, the road to Kakavaberd is in poor condition, the final section of the route runs along the mouth of a mountain stream. The walls of the fortress are well preserved, the towers are from 8 to 10 meters high, inside the fortress there are the ruins of a church and other buildings.
Meghri
An architectural monument of the Middle Ages is located on a mountain near the town of Meghri. The fortress was built in the XII century. In the 18th century, the fortress was completely restored after military damage. The peculiarity of the fortress is that the walls replace high rocks, and granite towers are located on the tops of the rocks. Currently, the buildings of the fortress have been preserved in a fairly good condition.
