Erebuni Fortress

The ruins of the Erebuni fortress, located on Arin Berd hill on the southern outskirts of modern Yerevan, are an invaluable find from the era of the kingdom of Urartu. The city was founded in 782 BC by King Argishti I, ruler of the Urartian state. In fact, the name Yerevan is Erebuni, after many years of transformations, and the founding date of Yerevan is considered to be 782 BC. The day of the city of Erebuni-Yerevan is celebrated on the second weekend of October. The fortress city had the shape of a square and was surrounded by high walls. Inside the city there were residential houses, temples, shops and other structures. The city walls were made of stone and had a height of about 10 meters. It was built on a hill and played an important role in the defense and administrative governance of Urartu. It was surrounded by strong walls and had a developed infrastructure, including palaces, temples, warehouses, workshops and residential buildings. During the excavations, many archaeological finds were also discovered - ceramics, jewelry, weapons and household items, which provide valuable information about life in Urartu. Erebuni was destroyed as a result of the invasion of Assyrian troops in 590 BC, and after that it was abandoned and forgotten. However, in the 20s of the 20th century, archaeological excavations restored this unique archaeological monument. Today Erebuni is a popular tourist destination, where visitors can see the remains of the ancient fortress city and learn about its history and culture through museum exhibitions and guided tours.