Berdkunk Fortress

Name: Berdkunk Fortress
Monument type: Fortress
Region: Gegharkunik Province
Periods: Medieval

Name: Berdkunk Fortress

Other nomination: The Ishkhanats Berd (fortress)

Monument type: Fortress

Region: Gegharkunik

Community: Gavar

Residence: Berdkunk village

Location: North-eastern part of the village, shore of the lake, low promontory.

Preservation: Tumbled-down

Coordinates: 40°26´43˝N 45°06´41˝E

Elevation: 1920 m

Era and chronology: II-I millennium BC; X-XII centuries AD

Berdkunk Fortress: Lake Sevan’s Sacred Guardian

As the winds whisper through the aged stones, and the echoes of Lake Sevan’s waves lapping at its base reach your ears, Berdkunk Fortress unveils the mysteries of history and the resilience of human ingenuity.

Today, as you stand before its weathered walls and stones, you will witness how the significance of this ancient relic endures, transcending the centuries.

It serves as a living testament to the strategic foresight of its builders, who erected an impregnable fortress to safeguard the shores of Lake Sevan. Berdkunk Fortress remains a vital link in the fortification system that once encircled this azure jewel of Armenia.

Nestled in the northeastern embrace of the picturesque village of Berdkunk, on the tranquil shores of Lake Sevan, stands the enigmatic Berdkunk Fortress, a sentinel of ages past. With the moniker “The Ishkhanats Berd,”, this castle is perched at an elevation of 1920 meters, holding within its time-worn stones the secrets of two millennia.

Its origins trace back to the II-I millennium BC, when it served as a bulwark against the uncertainties of ancient times. With walls and towers adorned with the semi-finished basalt lining, emblematic of the Syunik architectural school, this fortress was a sight to behold in its prime. Its walls, meticulously plastered with lime mortar, earned it the Turkish name “Aghkala,” meaning White Fortress.

The Berdkunk Fortress reigns supreme over its surroundings, with a sprawling expanse of approximately 1 hectare. Its access point is found on the southern side, while some sections remain enclosed, hinting at the intricate layout of a bygone era.

The most striking feature of the fortress is the imposing walls that stretch along its north-south axis on the western side. These fortifications are punctuated by five semi-circular towers, each bearing the scars of time and history. The central, northern, and southern towers stand tall, while the ones nestled in between are more modest in stature.

A testament to the architectural ingenuity of its builders, these towers boast a table-shaped section with a broader base and a gradually tapering top, designed to withstand the tremors of earthquakes that have echoed through the centuries. The road leading to the fortress’s sole entrance is flanked by natural ditches, extending some 43 meters from west to east, showcasing the resourcefulness of the fortress’s defenders.

Within the fortress’s heart, square rooms are nestled against the walls, revealing glimpses of the residential areas that once bustled with life. The northern side of the promontory bears witness to the ruins of dwellings, standing as silent sentinels to a time long past.

In the annals of history, Berdkunk Fortress played a pivotal role in the defense system surrounding Lake Sevan, guarding the southern approach to the island-fortress of Sevan. As part of a larger network of fortifications, it formed a crucial link in the chain, working in harmony with its fellow nodes to protect the region.

FACTS

❈ Berdkunk Fortress, known as “The Ishkhanats Berd,” is a historic castle in Berdkunk village, standing at an elevation of 1920 meters, dating back over two millennia.

❈ Originating from the II-I millennium BC, it featured impressive walls and towers constructed with semi-finished basalt lining, typical of the Syunik architectural school.

❈ The fortress covers approximately 1 hectare, with access from the southern side and well-preserved imposing walls and five semi-circular towers designed to withstand earthquakes.

❈ Natural ditches flank the road leading to the fortress’s entrance, showcasing the defenders’ resourcefulness.

❈ Historically, Berdkunk Fortress played a vital role in guarding the southern approach to Lake Sevan’s island-fortress, serving as a key component of the region’s defense system.

Research history

XIX-XX century topographers and researchers were satisfied with only mentioning the location of the monument (H. Shahkhatunyants, M. Smbatyants, S. Mnatsakanyan). It was considered just as a castle of the early period in G. Mikayelyan’s book “The Cyclopean Castles of Sevan”. G.M. Sargsyan carried out small-scale excavations in the area of the castle in the 1980s. The medieval castle has not been fully explored yet.

Archaeological description

Location
The castle is located on the northern route of the Dvin-Partav medieval transit road stretching along the western bank of Sevan, in a settlement called “Free City” mentioned by topographers, the ruins of which have been preserved on the borders of Hayravank and Berdkunk villages. It was strategically important in the defense system created around Lake Sevan and closed the entrances to the island-fortress of Sevan from the south, cooperating with other nodes of the fortress chain.

Stratigraphy

There are no chronicle and lithographic sources about the monument. The medieval fortress was built on the ruins of the settlement in the II-I millennium BC, the walls and towers of which had semi-finished basalt lining characteristic of the Syunik architecture school and are plastered with lime mortar: that is why when the Turks settled here it was called Aghkala meaning White Fortress. The rooms adjacent to the enclosure were revealed in the 1980s.

Architecture
The castle stands on a large rock hill and has a commanding position over the surroundings. It occupies an area of about 1 ha. It is accessible by the settlement stretching on the southern side, and some areas are enclosed. The only preserved standing structure of the castle are the walls stretching along the north-southern axis on the western side, in the narrow part of the promontory. They are fortified by five semi-circular towers of irregular structure and arrangement. The central, northern and southern ones are relatively large, and those located in between are small. In a tower stack, the rows are horizontal with the same height, the height of the upward rows decreases as the blocks get smaller. The walls of the citadel towers have a table-shaped section with a wider base and a tapering top to provide earthquake resistance. The road leading to the only entrance is bordered by natural ditches stretching about 43 m from west to east, which have been used by humans for defensive purposes. Square rooms are attached to the wall internally, where residential areas have been excavated. On the northern side of the cape, ruins of dwellings have also been preserved

Significance

It is one of the links of the fortification system created around Lake Sevan.

Sources

Literature

Mikayelyan G. 1968, Cyclopean fortresses of the Sevan basin, Archaeological monuments of Armenia, Vol. 1, Yerevan, Academy of Sciences of ASSR ed., 65 pages.
Smbatyants M. 1895, Topographer of Gegharkun Tsovazard Province, Vagharshapat, Mother See of St. Etchmiadzin, 843 pages.

List of monuments

Gegharkunik 5.20/1