Amberd Fortress: The History, Rise, and Fall of This Megalithic Marvel

Amberd Fortress stands as one of the most formidable strongholds of medieval Armenia. Constructed in the Aragatsotn province on the southern slope of Mount Aragats, 7 kilometers north of Byurakan village, it dates back to the beginning of the 7th century. However, archaeological findings, including cyclopean walls, suggest the presence of a Bronze Age fortress on the site.

Amberd fortress and Vahramashen church today

Amberd's history is documented through two types of sources: stone inscriptions and the works of medieval Armenian historians. The fortress name appears predominantly as "Anberd" in epitaphs. S. Harutyunyan relied on this fact when writing his book “Anberd” (1978), although the castle is presently known as "Amberd." As Grigor Ghapantsyan writes, the old form "Anberd" was changed to the new form "Amberd" due to backward assimilation.

The fortress comprises a three-story princely citadel, fortified walls, a bathhouse, a small chapel, a church, secret passages, and reservoirs. While the citadel's original three stories have mostly been collapsed, the upper two floors remain. Each floor contains five large rooms.

The plan of the fortress. Credits: S. Harutyunyan's book "Anberd", 1978

Amberd fortress passed to the Bagratunis in the 8th century, becoming one of the most significant military fortifications of the Bagratuni kingdom. In the 10th century, the kings of Bagratuni entrusted it to the Pahlavuni princes, commanders of the Armenian troops.

Two years after the fall of the Bagratuni kingdom of Ani in 1045, Byzantine troops captured Amberd in 1047. During the 1070s, the fortress was seized by the Seljuk Turks and converted into a military station.

In 1196, Zakare and Ivane Zakaryan liberated Amberd and granted it to one of their general, Vache Vachutyan, who established it as his seat of power.

In 1236, Amberd was captured and destroyed by the Mongols. The Vachutians rebuilt the castle at the end of the 13th century. However, Amberd was finally destroyed during the Timurid invasions at the end of the 14th century and was never rebuilt.