Location & Setting
High on a forest-covered mountain, about 16 km southwest of Ijevan, stands the Girl’s Fortress — watching over the Aghstev Valley as it has for centuries. The fortress rises from a naturally fortified hilltop, wrapped in sheer cliffs and strengthened by its pyramidal stone walls. Even from afar, it feels less like a ruin and more like a guardian, keeping the memory of an ancient world alive.
Internal Structures
Just beyond the narrow entrance, a small guardroom appears on the right — a quiet reminder, hinting at the fortress’s once-active military life. Inside the walls lie the ruins of ancient dwellings, two water reservoirs, and the foundations of a cross-shaped church. One of the reservoirs is remarkably large: water traveled through a clay pipe into a small settling basin, then continued through a second pipe into the main cistern — a precise hydraulic system built centuries ago.
Building Materials & Preservation
Every wall and structure here is built from bluish basalt, held together with tough mortar that has outlasted storms, winters, and centuries of silence. Thanks to these materials, Aghjkaberd has survived nearly intact, giving archaeologists and travelers a rare chance to see a fortress almost as it once was. But stones alone don’t tell the full story. This place carries a legend — one that has traveled through generations.
The Legend of the Brave Girl and Her Fortress
Long ago, people say, there lived a young princess of striking beauty and sharp mind — a leader who commanded her own loyal warriors. Princes from near and far sought her hand, drawn by her grace and strength, yet she refused them all. When persuasion failed, some tried force. To protect her people and her freedom, the princess built a fortress on this high mountain and took her stand. From these very walls, she and her army drove back every attack that approached the valley.
Meeting with Prince Mantash
Among those captivated by the princess was Prince Mantash. Her courage, her defiance — the very things that made her legendary — only sharpened his determination. Across the valley from Aghjkaberd, he raised his own fortress, Mantashaberd, and from there he launched repeated assaults. Yet battle after battle ended the same way: the girl stood undefeated; her fortress unbroken.
Truce and Friendship
Once, she even led her army to Mantashaberd and won again. After this final defeat, Mantash realized the futility of war and asked for peace. The two agreed to remain in their own fortresses, and as a symbol of reconciliation, they built a shared bathhouse on the banks of the Aghstev River, which became their place of meeting.
Visiting The Girl`s fortress
- Location: 16 km southwest of Ijevan, Tavush Province
- Altitude: ~1,200 m; moderate 4-5 hour hike
- Best seasons: May–June and October
- Attention: it is a fragile ruin in a natural setting