Smbataberd Fortress

Smbataberd stands on a long spur in the Yeghegis valley with gorges falling away on both sides, which is why the walls only needed to close the ends. What survives is substantial: curtain walls, towers and gates in rough stone, running along the ridge for several hundred metres, dating in their present form to the tenth to thirteenth centuries. The climb up from the valley takes about an hour and the position explains the whole thing.

What you actually see

• The curtain walls - stone fortification running the length of the ridge.
• The towers and gates - round towers and gateways at the accessible ends.
• The double gorge - the ground dropping away on both sides of the spur.
• The valley view - the Yeghegis valley and the ranges beyond from the walls.

When to go

May to October is the season; snow makes the climb difficult in winter. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable for the walk. Mornings are best before the heat.

Honest expectations

The walk up is steep and unshaded and takes about an hour each way. There is no interpretation, no water and no fencing on the walls. A four-wheel drive can shorten the climb but the track is rough.

Nearby

Tsakhats Kar monastery is on the slope opposite, and Yeghegis village is below.