Amberd Fortress and Byurakan Observatory and Church in Central Armenia
Amberd Fortress and Byurakan Observatory and Church in Central Armenia
Amberd Fortress
On the southern face of Mt. Aragats, Amberd Fortress is a quick trip from Yerevan and a popular escape from the Yerevan summer heat. The fortress looms over a small church, and both overlook the Ararat Valley and Mt. Ararat across the valley. Further up the mountain is a nice lake which is the starting point for the hike up to the southern peak of Mt. Aragats.
Before reaching Amberd, the village of Byurakan offers the ancient church of S. Hovhannes. Tucked away behind some houses, it is marked with the old Christian cross used before the Armenian cross design came into use. The observatory in the same village was home to Viktor Ambartsumian, a famous astrophysicist, and offers tours during the day, or star gazing at night. Both are usually by appointment, though showing up and asking nicely has been known to work.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Central Armenia
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Central Armenia - updated May 2024
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Central Armenia Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
