Amberd  

   

     Amberd means “a fortress in the clouds in Armenian - a fitting name given its elevation at 2,300m on the slopes of the Mount Aragats. The Amberd Fortress is located 4 miles from the village of Byurakan. The fortress was founded in the 7th century A.D. during the rule of the Kamsarakan princes. It was rebuilt 4 centuries later by Vahram Vachutian Pakhlavuni. He added thick stone walls and 3 bastions along the ridge of the Arkhashyan ravine, where there were no natural defenses. An inscription above the entry to the church within the fortress indicates that it too was built in 1026.

Mt. Aragats

     The region of Aragatsotn encompasses the alluring Mount Aragats, and its picturesque foothills. The spiritual subject of many Armenian writers and painters, Mount Aragats (Ara + Gah, means the throne of Ara) has exuded a mystic and magical aura throughout the ages. Aragats, with its four peaks, is Armenia's highest mountain. Its splendor has awed and attracted travelers throughout the ages. In addition to its raw natural beauty, the region, with more than 1000 historical monuments has much more to offer.