Kachaghakaberd
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39°58′45.2″N 46°36′46.5″E / 39.979222°N 46.612917°E | |
Location | Khojaly District, Azerbaijan (de jure) Askeran Province, Artsakh (de facto) |
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Type | Fortress |
Completion date | 9th century |
Kachaghakaberd (Armenian: Կաչաղակաբերդ, Azerbaijani: Qaxaç qalası) is a mountain-top fortress de jure in the Khojaly District of Azerbaijan, de facto in the Askeran Province of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh.[1]
The Janapar Trail runs very near to the fortress. A short side trail takes to the top of the fortress.
Etymology
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Khachaghakaberd_fortress_between_Kolatag_and_Patara.jpg/220px-Khachaghakaberd_fortress_between_Kolatag_and_Patara.jpg)
Kachaghakaberd is translated from Armenian as magpie's fortress, a combination of the words կաչաղաք (kachaghak, designating the bird magpie) and բերդ (berd, meaning fortress).[2][3]
Architecture
The fortress was an important fortification of the medieval Armenian Principality of Khachen that thrived in the High Middle Ages,[4] and is located at a height of more than 1700 meters, surrounded by vertical limestone cliffs with the heights of 50–60 meters, has a hard-to-reach entrance from the southern side of the fortress. During its history no one could ever storm the fortress. Parts of the defensive walls remain standing.[5]
The territory of the fortress occupies a large area, though it seems small. Many rooms, secret passages cut into the cliffs, and special loopholes for throwing stones at enemies are inside its territory.[6] The water supply problem was solved by a unique method: two rock-cut reservoirs to store rain and melt-water are in the center of the fortress. Fresh water was brought from a spring at the foot of the mountain.[7]
Gallery
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View of the tower
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View from the tower
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View of Kolatak village from the tower
See also
References
- ^ "Качагакаберд".
- ^ Brady Kiesling (Author), Raffi Kojian (Author, Editor). Rediscovering Armenia. Publisher: Matit; 2nd edition (June 1, 2005), ISBN 9994101218; ISBN 978-9994101214
- ^ Shahen Mkrtchian. Historical and Architectural Monuments of Nagorno-Karabakh. pp. 10, 21, 25. Yerevan, 1989, in Russian. Original: Шаген Мкртчян. Историко-архитектурные памятники Нагорного Карабаха. стр. 10, 21, 25. Ереван, 1989
- ^ Bonnie Marshall. The Flower of Paradise and Other Armenian Tales (World Folklore Series). 2007. photo section
- ^ Boris Baratov. Paradise Laid Waste: A Journey to Karabakh, Lingvist Publishers, Moscow, 1998, pp. 50
- ^ Shahen Mkrtchian. Historical and Architectural Monuments of Nagorno-Karabakh. pp. 10, 21, 25. Yerevan, 1989, in Russian. Original: Шаген Мкртчян. Историко-архитектурные памятники Нагорного Карабаха. стр. 10, 21, 25. Ереван, 1989
- ^ Brady Kiesling (Author), Raffi Kojian (Author, Editor). Rediscovering Armenia. Publisher: Matit; 2nd edition (June 1, 2005), ISBN 9994101218; ISBN 978-9994101214