Smbataberd fortress

Smbataberd fortress, on a hilltop between the villages of Artabuynk and Yeghegis, was the main stronghold of the Armenian princes of Syunik, back when nearby Yeghegis served as the seat of the province's rulers. Its walls, built of basalt, have survived in good condition.

How old the fortress is remains an open question. Some accounts place its origins as far back as the 5th century; others date the structure to between the 9th and 11th centuries. What's clearer is its later history: the Orbelian dynasty, who took over rule of Syunik, expanded the fortress again in the 13th century.

The outer walls are what remain today. Inside, far less has survived — most of the interior structures are gone, leaving open ground where buildings once stood.

Smbataberd is in Vayots Dzor province, on the ridge between Artabuynk and Yeghegis, with Yeghegnadzor as the nearest larger town, east-southeast of Yerevan. The fortress is reached on foot from the villages below.