Tavush Fortress

Name: Tavush Fortress
Monument type: Fortress
Region: Tavush Province
Periods: Medieval

Name: Tavush Fortress

Other nomination: Tslik Amram fortress

Monument type: Fortress

Region: Tavush

Community: Berd

Residence: Berd town

Location: The castle is located in the south-eastern part of the city of Berd, on a rocky hill.

Preservation: In the territory of the ancient site, the northern walls of the citadel, some parts of the walls of the lower fortress, as well as St. Astvatsatsin Church foundations are preserved.

Coordinates: 40°52’33.55″C 45°24’00.05B

Altitude: 960 m

Era and chronology: Tavush fortress is a monument of the High Middle Ages dating back to the X-XIII centuries.

Tavush Fortress and Church: Where Power and Faith Converge

As you first gaze upon this magnificent site, it may strike first you as a silent sentinel, guarding the secrets of the High Middle Ages and the resilience of those who once inhabited its walls.

However, the longer you spend exploring this marvel from the 10th to the 13th century, the more inspired you will become to imagine the stories etched into its ancient stones. Gradually, it will begin to whisper to your soul, echoing its history—a past filled with mystique, glories, tragedies and legends.

Nestled in the picturesque Tavush region of Armenia, in the southeastern part of Berd town, the Tavush Fortress, also known as the Tslik Amram Fortress, stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of an era long past.

While its foundation remains a mystery, historical records and archaeological discoveries suggest that it flourished between the 10th and 13th centuries, fading into obscurity after the Mongol invasions.

This ancient citadel, built upon the steep rocky hill, spans an impressive 13 hectares. At its heart lies a citadel, its exact purpose lost to history, covering about 500 square meters. The northern walls of the citadel, remnants of the lower fortress, and the foundations of St. Astvatsatsin Church bears witness to the fortress’s storied past.

The fortress’s walls, fortified with semi-towers, stand as a testament to its impregnability. The southern face, shielded by a sheer rock foundation, makes it nigh impervious. To the east and west, additional defensive structures enhance its formidable stature.

Within the citadel’s precincts, we find a vault-shaped expanse that once housed economic and residential structures, surrounded by robust walls. According to Makar Barkhudaryan, a stream named Kililvan once quenched the fortress’s thirst through clay pipes.

The St. Astvatsatsin Church

Nestled on the hillside, partially buried by the passage of time, stands the St. Astvatsatsin Church. This small, single-nave hall, built in 1019, suffered the wrath of the Gandzak earthquake in 1139, only to be lovingly restored by Abbas Kyurikyan.

Excavations in recent years have unveiled more mysteries – dozens of tombstones, some inscribed, bearing witness to the lives that once thrived here. To the south of the church, wells of varying sizes and depths were hewn into the bedrock, a testament to human ingenuity.

The site has yielded a treasure trove of archaeological marvels. Among them, pottery of various shapes and purposes, alongside construction pottery, have a prominent place. Stone tools, including hand millstones and mills, reveal the daily life of the citadel’s inhabitants. Metal, stone, and glass items have also emerged from the depths of time.

Of particular note is a coin from the reign of Fadl I, the Shaddad ruler of Gandzak, offering a glimpse into the commerce of the era. Fragments of Iron Age animal-shaped vessels and medieval illustrated plaques add to the allure of this archaeological marvel.

Beyond its physical grandeur, Tavush Fortress is steeped in legend. Locals know it as Tslik Amram Fortress, often associating it with the rebellious governor Tslik Amram’s resistance against the Armenian king Ashot Yerkat. While this belief has little scientific basis, it is a testament to the fortress’s enduring presence in the hearts and minds of the people.

Another legend tells of Ashot Yerkat seeking refuge in the Tavush Fortress, battling fiercely against Arab invaders, and eventually escaping under the cover of night towards Lake Sevan. These legends weave a rich tapestry of folklore around this storied citadel.

FACTS

❈ The Tavush Fortress, also known as the Tslik Amram Fortress, in Armenia’s Tavush region, dates back to the 10th-13th centuries and stands as a testament to a bygone era.

❈ This ancient citadel, spanning 13 hectares, features a central citadel, fortified walls with semi-towers, and impregnable defenses,
with a mysterious purpose for its existence.

❈ The St. Astvatsatsin Church, partially buried by time, was built in 1019 and later restored after the Gandzak earthquake in 1139,
revealing dozens of tombstones and wells to the south.

❈ Archaeological findings at the site include pottery, stone tools, metal items, and a coin from the era of Fadl I, shedding light on
the daily life and commerce of the citadel’s inhabitants.

❈ Legends, such as the resistance of Tslik Amram and Ashot Yerkat’s battles, add to the folklore and enduring legacy of the Tavush
Fortress in the hearts and minds of the local people.

🔍 Research history

Topographer Makar Baptist Barkhudaryan was the first to refer to the monument description in the 1890s.,
The expedition headed by Karo Ghafadaryan visited Tavush fortress in 1935. After the site inspection, K. Ghafadaryan thoroughly described the general condition of the monument, preserved structures, and compared them with the information of previous researchers.
The expedition of the Monuments Protection Committee, led by archaeologist H. Yeghiazaryan visits Tavush fortress in 1954 for the purpose of studying historical monuments of Shamshadin region.
The first archaeological researches of the fortress were carried out in 1986-1988 by archaeologist by H.Yesayan. 5. The expedition of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography (led by T. Aleksanyan) carried out excavations in the fortress in 2020-2022.

🧱 Archaeological description

Location
The total area of the ancient site is about 13ha, which includes the citadel built on the top of the hill, the lower fortress and the S. Astvatsatsin Church. The fortress has a commanding position over the territory and is known for its impregnability, which is also evidenced by written sources. The citadel of the fortress is built on top of a steep rocky hill and has an area of about 500 sq. m. No architectural structures have been preserved in its territory.

Stratigraphy
The exact date of the fortress foundation is not known. Based on the study of the written sources and archaeological materials found by excavations, it dates back to the X-XIII centuries, and did not exist after the Mongol invasions. The fortress was first mentioned by Armenian Catholicos and historian Hovhannes Draskhanakertsi in the X century. Presenting the rebellion against the Armenian king Ashot Yerkat (914-928), the historian notes that the governor of Utik, Tslik Amram, who kept his family in the Tavush fortress, was among the disobedient. Over time, the fortress was passed to the Kyurikyans, the Seljuks, the Zakarians, and suffered greatly from the Mongol invasions.

Architecture
Powerful walls with semi-towers were built on the northern, north-eastern and north-western sides of the fortress citadel: the southern part is inaccessible, protected by a high, straight-cut foundation stone, and in the eastern and western parts, besides the natural rampart, additional defensive structures were also built. A significant part of the citadel territory is occupied by the bedrock with its sharp parts stretching like a vein from the north-west to the south-east. The residential part of the citadel is a vault-shaped plane where economic and residential structures have been preserved. They were surrounded by well-preserved, strong walls from the northern, eastern and western sides. According to Makar Barkhudaryan, water from the stream called Kililvan was brought to the lower fortress with clay pipes.

St. Astvatsatsin Church is located on the hillside; before the archaeological works it was mostly covered with soil. The monument was mainly excavated in 1986-1988 and completed by excavations in 2020. During the excavations of the previous century, the construction inscription was found mentioning that St. Astvatsatsin was built in 1019, destroyed in 1139 by the Gandzak earthquake, and then restored by Abbas Kyurikyan. The church is a small, single-nave hall with an attached vestry on the south-eastern side. The only entrance is from the north-west. The vestibule was built later in the northern part and is relatively poorly preserved. As a result of the excavations, two dozen tombstones were discovered in the vestibule area and in the eastern part of the church. Only one of the tombstones has an inscription, which also mentions the name of the deceased: GOD’S MERCY MAMKANAI. To the south of the church, wells of different sizes and depths were dug into the bedrock.

🔨 Findings

During the excavations, a large number of archaeological materials were found, in which pottery findings dominate. There are pots of various shapes and meanings, samples of construction pottery among them. There are also a large number of stone tools, particularly, hand millstones and mills. Among the discovered items, there are also metal, stone, and glass items. The coin is particularly noteworthy, issued during the reign of Fadl I, the Shaddad ruler of Gandzak (rule years: 985-1031). Parts of the Iron Age animal like vessels and medieval illustrated plaques are also important.

🌍 Significance

It is a monument of republican significance. It is one of the monuments of regional importance characterizing the fortification achievements and developments of the given era.

📜 Traditional legends

Among people the monument is also known as Tslik Amram Fortress. It is believed that the governor of Utik, Tslik Amram, who rebelled against Ashot Yerkat, fought the king’s army here. This view has no scientific basis. This view is based on Hovhannes Draskhanakertsi’s testimony about Tslik moving his family here. According to another legend related to the fortress, Ashot Yerkat settles in Tavush fortress (Ghal stone) in order to protect himself from the Arabs. The Berdakans show fierce resistance to the enemy and do not give in. Ashot Yerkat manages to sneak out of the fortress at night and move towards Sevan.

📚 Sources

Literature

History of the Armenians of Draskhanakertsi by John the Catholicos, Tiflis, 1912, N. Aghanians printing house, 428 pages.
Aleksanyan T., Badalyan H. 2021, Past and present researches of Tavush Fortress, Issues of Armenian Studies (YEP), N 2, pp. 113-127.
Yesayan H., Saghumyan S., Shahnazaryan A. 1991, Excavations of Tavush Fortress, Journal of Social Sciences, N 2, p. 132-141.
Makar Baptist Barkhutaryants, Artsakh, Bagu, 1895, “Aror”, 462 pages.
Ghanalanyan A., Legends, Yerevan, 1969, page 207.

List of monuments
Tavush 10.2.2

📷 Gallery

Measurements of the Citadel (measurement: A. Hakhverdyan)
Citadel of Tavush Fortress, general view from the north (photo by L. Mkrtchyan)
3D image of the castle walls (edited by L. Mkrtchyan)
Citadel walls (photo by T. Aleksanyan)
3D image of the castle and its surroundings (edited by L. Mkrtchyan)
General plan and sections of the church (measurement by A. Hakhverdyan)
St. Astvatsatsin Church, general view from above (photo by L. Mkrtchyan)
A jar found in the citadel, XI-XII centuries. (photo by V. Hakobyan)
A fragment of a cruciform slab found in the excavations of the church, XII-XIII centuries (photo by V. Hakobyan).