English Audio Guide

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At the entrance gates

Hello stranger! You have arrived at the impregnable Amberd—the pride of Armenian land. We will walk through the fortress city, see the royal palace and bath, the ancient church of Vagramashen, and the fortress walls rising from the rocks.

You can scan the QR code at each sign to embark on a journey through the centuries.
Welcome to the historical reserve! Let’s begin by approaching the viewing platform.

Below  you, in the gorge, two rivers merge: the Arkhashen on the left and the Amberd on the right. These rivers gave their names to the two gates of the fortress: Arkhashen, or those “built by the king,” and Amberd. Rising above the rivers is a triangular cliff, where once stood the fortress city with a castle, cathedral, and other buildings. The gigantic walls protected the fortress from invaders…

Having walked all this way, take a seat, rest, and listen to the story of Amberd.

Amberd was built in the 10th century during the reign of the Bagratuni royal dynasty. In that tumultuous period, to protect the capital city of Ani from Arab invaders, Armenian kings created a defensive system in the Aragatsotn region by constructing the fortresses Amberd, Kosh, Ashnak, and Talin. In the 11th century, after the death of King Gagik I, Amberd came under the control of his eldest son Hovhanes-Smbat, and later to the military leader Vahram Pahlavuni. During those difficult times, Amberd defended the Shirak Plain from the south and east.
After the fall of the Bagratuni kingdom in 1064, the Turks-Seljuks captured Amberd.

Understanding the strategic importance of the fortress, the conquerors did not destroy it but fortified their position in Amberd. However, in 1196, a united Armenian-Georgian army led by princes Ivan and Zakare Zakaryans reclaimed Amberd. This is evidenced by an inscription on the cross-stone – khachkar, erected in 1200 by Prince Zakare in the village of Antarut: “I, Zakare Amirspasalar, commander of the Georgian and Armenian armies, son of the great Sargis, took the impregnable fortress of Amberd.”

The Zakaryans handed over the fortress to their ally Vache Vachutyan, who proclaimed Amberd as the residence of the Vachutyan princes. In 1236, the Mongols besieged Amberd – the capture of the fortress was accompanied by such intense fire that bronze and copper objects melted and stuck to the fortress stones. Nevertheless, by the end of the 13th century, the Vachutyans could return to Amberd and restore the fortress. Unfortunately, at the end of the 14th century, during Tamerlane’s invasion, Amberd was irreparably destroyed and has not been restored since.

An important note: scholars still debate the name of the fortress: is it Anberd with an “n” or Amberd with an “m”? In written sources, the form Anberd with “n” prevails. Among medieval chroniclers, only Grigor Pahlavuni wrote “Amberd,” and this form appears twice in epigraphic inscriptions.

Esteemed scholar  Joseph Orbeli believed that “Anberd” and “Ani” are related words derived from the worship of the supreme goddess of the Armenian pagan pantheon, Anahit. The name “Anberd” is also interpreted as “anarik berd,” or “impregnable fortress.” However, in modern Armenian, the accepted version is “Amberd,” which etymologically means “amur berd,” or “strong fortress,” or even “cloudy fortress” – let’s not forget that Amberd is built on the slope of Mount Aragats, where soft clouds gently settle.

Well, have you caught your breath? Then step down from the viewing platform and follow the stone path.

From here, you can see three watchtowers facing the peaks of Aragats. How strong and noble they appear in their stone solidity!  No “adornments” – only “achkulunks,” charms against the evil eye, which can be seen even with the naked eye. Look at the central tower and count five rows down from the top. Do you see the red dot? That’s a faience bowl embedded in the wall. Similar bowls can be seen on the right and left towers – but they are almost invisible. The defenders of the fortress believed that these bowls protect them from evil forces and wardoff the “evil eye.”
Now continue on your path to discover what other amazing secrets Amberd hides.

Where you are standing now, there used to be a gigantic rock. It was cut by the talented builders of Amberd, “killing two birds with one stone”: they built the fortress from the rocky stones and paved a narrow, difficult path to the fortress.
Now go along the right path – we’ll meet at the edge of the gorge.

Before you, the majestic gates of Amberd Fortress stand proud, while below, the Amberd River gracefully winds through the depths of the gorge. On the opposite bank, the remnants of a once-bustling path are still visible. This route once linked the fortress city to Shirak and the ancient capital of Ani. It was along this very path that the Armenian king journeyed to Amberd. Travelers would descend into the gorge and cross the river on a graceful arched bridge. The mountain river’s waters powered the mill wheels, providing flour to the fortress. Sadly, neither the mills nor the bridge have withstood the passage of time.
Powerful princes repeatedly strengthened this impregnable stronghold. Even today, the brilliance of Amberd’s architects continues to impress. They designed both entrances to the fortress in a clever way – understanding that a warrior would hold a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left, leaving his right side vulnerable.. When enemies approached the walls, they would expose their unprotected right side, making them easy targets for the guards’ arrows.

Now, enter through the gates – where the fortress guardians stand ready to greet you.

Halt! Who goes there? If you come in peace, enter, good traveler!

It’s fortunate you’ve arrived while it’s still light – by night, we close the gates and bar them with a heavy beam. Do you see these two holes? The smaller one is for peaceful times, while the deeper one was used to protect the gates during a siege. Our fortress is impregnable.

To your right stands the watchtower. Though now in ruins, it was once a strong, two-tiered structure. Come in, don’t be afraid.

Here, we spent many sleepless nights. In peaceful times, we shared stories of battle; in troubled times, we listened carefully for any rustle in the dark. When enemies approached, we greeted them with a barrage of fire from the second floor of the tower.

Did you notice the opening above the gates as you entered? That’s a loophole. Its narrow exterior made it difficult for attackers to aim at us, while the wide interior allowed us to shoot with precision at any enemy daring to approach the tower.”

Now Face the gorge. The entrance to your right was built by the Zakaryan princes in the 13th century. The entrance on the left is the old entrance to the fortress, erected during the time of the Bagratuni kings.
The Bagratuni built the fortress walls from large basalt blocks, as they rarely used lime mortar in their time, and the wall held up under the weight of the giant stones.

Now look at the wall built by the Zakaryans – here the stones are smaller because by the 13th century, Armenian builders were already using lime mortar extensively.
Sometimes the defenders of Amberd resorted to military cunning. They would let a small enemy detachment into the stone trap between the two entrances – and the invading enemy would find himself in a trap. The garrison of Amberd would surround the enemy and destroy them with the accurate fire of Armenian archers.

Water was of paramount importance for the life of Amberd, as a besieged fortress would not survive long without a significant water supply.

At one time, there were three water reservoirs in Amberd. This is the second of them.

Water flowed into Amberd from a spring located five kilometers from the fortress carried through buried clay pipes to ensure a constant supply. Initially, water filled the first covered basin, located within the citadel. Once that basin was full, the excess was drained into the second, larger reservoir. The water from the first basin was used by the princely family and palace servants, while the second was reserved for the townspeople. A third, open reservoir near the church was dedicated to providing water for livestock.

Before pouring into the basin, the water was filtered twice in clay amphorae – karases. First, it was poured into the first karas: sand and silt settled to the bottom of the vessel, and clean water flowed into the second karas, where it was filtered again before filling the reservoirs.

Of course, the inhabitants of Amberd could not rely solely on the buried pipes – if discovered by the enemy, they could easily breach the defenses of the impregnable fortress, as the water supply would not last long. Therefore, two secret passages were dug in the fortress – stone galleries covered with massive slabs: one descended from the southern wall of the palace to the Amberd River, and the other began at the western wall of the fortress.

Let’s continue our journey. If you turn left, you  will reach the palace, and if you turn right, you  will find the royal bath, the fortress chapel, and the path leading to the city.

This path leads to the citadel. But let’s first admire the magnificence of this ancient structure.

 

The palace had three floors. Do you notice the narrow windows on the first floor? Behind them were utility rooms and quarters for the palace servants. The large windows on the second floor overlooked the chambers of the princes of Amberd.

Although the third floor no longer stands, you can still spot the window niches. This was where the palace guard was stationed. The guards kept watch day and night from the flat roof of the citadel. The roof and towers were crowned with battlements, offering a vantage point for warriors to take cover, rain arrows on the enemy, or pour boiling pitch below.

Now, follow the left path all the way to the entrance of the citadel. This is the very route the rulers of Amberd once took when heading to the city—whether to the church or the market.

The citadel of Amberd had two entrances. The western, “service” entrance was intended for servants and warriors. And this is the southern, grand entrance of the princely palace.

The basalt slab to the right is the stone door of the citadel, used during wars and uprisings. It could easily rotate on stone pivots – do you see this hole at the entrance? Thick beams securely held the door against the pressure of unwanted guests. In peaceful times, the guards used a wooden door, which did not survive the fire that engulfed the fortress.

To the left of the entrance, in a semicircular niche, stood a guard, checking who was approaching: friend or foe?

You start going up the once-wide grand staircase of the palace while I continue my tale.

The first two floors of the citadel were divided by a longitudinal wall into two halves: one adjoined the wall with the towers and served as a corridor, while the other contained five rooms. Today, only the staircase and collapsed walls remain of the citadel, but once there was a true palace here.

The builders bound the stone masonry of the outer walls of the palace with lime mortar, while for the construction of the inner walls, they decided to save – they bound the stones with earth.

The ceiling of the first floor served as the floor of the second. Look closely at the wall – do you see the protruding stones in the masonry? The builders laid giant logs on them, which supported the ceilings.

Now take a look at the arched openings in the wall. These are the windows of the princely chambers, once protected by iron gratings. The Armenian king would rest in the chambers on the left. If you look closely, the walls still bear traces of plaster. These are the only rooms in the palace that were plastered, and who knows, perhaps they were richly decorated as well? The height of the ceiling, significantly taller than in the other rooms of the palace, indicates the high status of the owner of these grand chambers.

So, did you get tired? Then sit down, and admire the gorge. Try to imagine the bustling city sprawling on the cliff, bordered by two mountain rivers…

It’s time to continue our journey – there are many secrets of the fortress yet to be uncovered.

This is the royal bath. Guests arriving from afar to visit the princes of Amberd had to wash before entering the palace to cleanse themselves and avoid infecting the owners of the fortress. This hypothesis is quite plausible, considering that as early as the 12th century, the Armenian healer Mkhitar Heraci wrote about the existence of bacteria that spread disease.

Let’s explore the bath – we’ll start with the inner room.

Hovsep Orbeli, who led the excavations of Amberd in the 1930s, believed that the bath was built in the 11th century and operated continuously until the end of the 13th century. The bath was heated by the hypocaust system, known in Armenia since ancient times: the stone floor of the bath was supported by columns and heated by hot steam rising from the ground. The warmest room, the bathing room, was located by the stove, while the first room from the entrance served as a changing room and a place to rest.

Now look at the opening in the wall of the bathing room. The two-tiered niche behind it served as the furnace: the fire was kindled on the first tier, while the second served as the boiler, as evidenced by the stone walls covered with a thick layer of waterproof lime mortar. Later, the stone boiler was “replaced” with a copper tub, from which hot water flowed through iron pipes into stone vessels for washing. Iron pipes were a rarity in the Middle Ages, while Amberd’s bath even had bronze faucets with valves. They also improved the heating system – hot steam now flowed not only under the floor but also through clay pipes in the walls of the bath.

During the excavations, archaeologists discovered a system of clay water pipes, one of which reached the fortress wall, passed through a small hole in the wall, exited the fortress, and ran several kilometers up the slopes of Aragats – this is how water was supplied to the royal bath of Amberd.

During the excavations beneath the bath floor, a jawbone was first found, followed by other bones of a person, among whose crushed ribs lay the bones of a rooster. This was the grave of the court jester. The jester had a broken jaw, his mouth open in an eternal wide “smile.” His spine was also deformed – the court jester of Amberd was a hunchback.

Since ancient times, comedians in Armenia have been called “kataki” – jokesters. The mutilated skeleton found in Amberd gives insight into the monstrous significance of the Armenian word “khekhatak” – a mutilated joke. And since it was not customary in Armenia to deliberately maim children to later sell them to the prince’s or king’s court, the court jester found in the bath of Amberd was clearly brought from distant lands.

Get out of here – do not disturb the peace of my betrothed. In this chapel lies Prince Vachutyan. My prince was brave and handsome. But he perished fighting the Seljuks. Do you know what I did? I cut off my long braids, donned the armor of a warrior, took a bow and arrows – and avenged my beloved prince.

This path will lead you outside the fortress walls – to the city that occupied the entire mountain plateau during its peak. To give you a better sense of the size of the settlement, I’ll tell you that the Vagramashen church was located in its very center. Every pit, every pile of stones on your path once housed the homes of merchants, craftsmen, and clergy… Nearby the church was the third reservoir of Amberd – a large open basin from which the townspeople watered their livestock.

Well then – go! We will meet at the church.

Before entering the church, let’s stop and take a look at Ararat. If you’re lucky and the mountain is visible, you’ll see just how beautiful Ararat is from here!

The Church of the Holy Mother of God is more commonly known as Vagramashen. The church was built in 1026 when the renowned commander Vagram Pahlavuni received Amberd as a gift from King Ovanes-Smbat of the Bagratuni dynasty and founded a city on the plateau before the castle. Incredibly beautiful, with a two-story altar and a dome-shaped like an umbrella, Vagramashen is perhaps one of the most elegant medieval structures in the Armenian world.
Due to the strong winds blowing from the gorge, Vagramashen lacks a western entrance – the church has two doors, one on the southern facade and one on the northern. Look how beautiful the main southern entrance is – adorned with a bundle of columns that support the arch. Notice how invitingly the capital of the columns is positioned at an angle to the facade?
Above the door, on the tympanum, one of the three lapidary inscriptions of Vagramashen is barely discernible – it has weathered significantly and is almost unreadable.
Before we enter the church, let’s take a look around. Near the southern entrance, you will see many gravestones. In the 13th century, the fortress was besieged by the warriors of the Horde, and the castle and city ran out of water, leading to an epidemic that was the cause of Amberd’s downfall. Those who died from the epidemic were buried around the church.
Now direct your gaze to the opposite side of the gorge. Look slightly lower. Do you see the giant footprint on the slope? Legend has it that this is the footprint of Ashot the Iron-Headed: a king so great in the memory of the Armenian people that it is said that while crossing deep gorges, he rested one foot on one slope and the other foot on the opposite slope of the gorge.

The most important lapidary inscription about Vagramashen is preserved on the tympanum of the northern entrance: “I, Prince Vagram, built the cathedral throne…” It is from this inscription that we learn that the church was erected by Vagram Pahlavuni, and that the throne of the bishop of Amberd governed the northern and eastern borders of the Bagratuni kingdom, overseeing the regions of Nigh and Aragatsotn, as well as Vagarshapat, or Etchmiadzin. The regions paid tribute to Amberd: millet was brought from Nigh, wine from Aragatsotn, and cotton from Etchmiadzin. There was a time when the bishopric of Amberd played an important role in the spiritual life of Armenia.
Now listen to the silence of the church. (Pause)
It is always serene and cool inside the church. In August, there are many snakes here – they hide from the heat along the church walls. Be careful – do not startle them!
Now take a look at the windows. Remember I mentioned that strong winds blow from the gorge? That’s why the windows are narrow on the outside. But they significantly widen inside the church – so that the entire temple is filled with divine light!

Who’s there? Don’t be afraid! It’s me, hermit David. I have lived here for many centuries, far from the transient world. I followed in the footsteps of Gregory the Illuminator – for he too lived as a hermit on the slopes of Aragats. I don’t even know why only I have the honor to rest within the church itself: many holy fathers are buried in churchyards or in the naves of temples, but not in the vestry, like me.
Now go out – do not disturb me while I pray. “Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Sheer cliffs and deep ravines protect Amberd on three sides, leaving the northeast part of the fortress vulnerable. The unprotected natural boundary is surrounded by a wall with a dense row of round towers. The wall is divided into three sections, with four towers in each. The two middle towers are set back in relation to the two outer towers. This design means that when the enemy approached one of the middle towers, the guards from the three others could strike him not only from the side but also from the rear, and to ensure that the archers shot more accurately, the maximum distance between two adjacent towers does not exceed thirty meters.

These are the Arkashen gates of the Amberd fortress. Travelers coming from the Ararat valley entered Amberd through these gates. Look at how the entrance arch is constructed, with a wedge-shaped keystone placed in the center. The arch is designed so that the stones support each other through their weight and narrowing shape at the bottom. It’s amazing how this medieval stone tetris has withstood the test of time and has not collapsed over the centuries!

Well, our journey has come to an end. You can follow this path around the ghost town and exit to the gates of the reserve. I hope you were impressed by one of the majestic fortresses of the Armenian land, and you will long cherish memories of the proud kings and princely dukes, the brave defenders of the fortress, the talented stonemasons, and the wise Armenian builders. Don’t forget to pause for a moment on your way back to say goodbye to the impregnable Amberd, lovingly wrapped in serene clouds.

Safe travels to you!