- Type
- Ruin
- Coordinates
- 39.2149°, 46.2776°
History
The fortress guarded the Voghji valley in the district of Baghk, in the south of historic Armenia. It is known from the 4th century: in the middle of that century Prince Andok of Syunik took refuge here and beat off three assaults by the army of the Persian king Shapur. In the 10th to 12th centuries it was one of the main strongholds of the Kingdom of Syunik, also called the Kingdom of Baghk, and part of the defences of its capital, Kapan. When the Seljuks under Emir Chortman took Kapan by treachery in 1103, Baghaberd held out against them and became the royal seat. In 1170 the troops of Atabeg Eldiguz, helped by the betrayal of people from a nearby village, seized the fortress by night, bringing the kingdom to an end. Afterwards the stronghold lost its importance, and the centuries and earthquakes reduced it to ruins.
What to see
What survives are stretches of double rubble-stone defensive walls and the remains of towers and buildings on a narrow, steep ridge high above the river; excavations have uncovered clay bread ovens and storage jars among other finds. The ruins lie west of Kapan, by the road to Kajaran, near the village of Andokavan, and reaching the top takes a steep climb. The summit looks out over wooded gorges and the mountains of Syunik province.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q2664904
Popularity: articles about this site in 15 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).