- Type
- Fortress
- Origins
- 1582 · 16th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Coordinates
- 40.1731°, 44.5028°
History
The fortress above the Hrazdan gorge was built by the Ottoman Turks in 1582–1583 under Ferhad Pasha. As early as 1604 it was taken by Shah Abbas I, and for the next centuries it changed hands repeatedly between Persia and the Ottoman Empire. In the 18th century it became the seat of the Persian governors, the sardars, who built a palace and a mosque within its walls. In October 1827, during the Russo-Persian War, it was captured by the troops of General Ivan Paskevich. In the 19th and 20th centuries its walls and buildings were gradually pulled down.
What to see
Almost nothing of the fortress survives beyond fragments of wall above the Hrazdan. Its site is now occupied by the Ararat brandy factory, and relics of the sardar's palace, including portraits from its mirror hall, ended up in museums. From the bridge over the gorge you can picture the old stronghold on its steep cliff.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q12073345
Popularity: articles about this site in 19 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).