Amberd Fortress

On the southern slope of Mount Aragats, at an altitude of 2300 m above sea level, the Amberd fortress proudly sits. According to historians, the Amberd fortress was built from the 7th to the 10th century AD. The castle itself and part of the fortress walls were built in the 7th century, during the reign of the princely family of Kamsarakan. Later, in the 10th century, the Amberd fortress belonged to one of the most influential princely families - Pahlavuni. The fortress served as the summer residence of the Armenian princes. Amberd Fortress is a unique building of its kind. The buildings include fortress walls, a palace, a bathhouse, a church, as well as secret passages leading to the canyon. No matter how surprising it may sound, the Amberd fortress had a unique difference even in those distant times: the fortress had a developed system of permanent water supply. The water supply system was of vital importance to the inhabitants of the castle.