Kachaghakaberd

Kachaghakaberd (Armenian: Կաչաղակաբերդ, Azerbaijani: Qaxaç qalası) is a mountain-top fortress located between the villages of Kolatak and Khndzristan, in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, de facto in the Askeran Province of the Republic of Artsakh, de jure in the Khojaly District of Azerbaijan.[1]

Kachaghakaberd
Armenian: Կաչաղակաբերդ
Azerbaijani: Qaxaç qalası
Location in Republic of Artsakh
Kachaghakaberd (Azerbaijan)
Coordinates39°58′17.0″N 46°36′53.5″E
Locationbetween the villages of Kolatak and Khndzristan in Nagorno-Karabakh
TypeFortress
Completion date9th century

The Janapar Trail runs very near to the fortress. A short side trail takes to the top of the fortress.

Etymology
Khachaghakaberd fortress

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]

  • View of the tower
  • View from the tower
  • View of Kolatak village from the tower

See also

References
  1. "Качагакаберд".
  2. Brady Kiesling (Author), Raffi Kojian (Author, Editor). Rediscovering Armenia. Publisher: Matit; 2nd edition (June 1, 2005), ISBN 9994101218; ISBN 978-9994101214
  3. 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
  4. Bonnie Marshall. The Flower of Paradise and Other Armenian Tales (World Folklore Series). 2007. photo section
  5. Boris Baratov. Paradise Laid Waste: A Journey to Karabakh, Lingvist Publishers, Moscow, 1998, pp. 50
  6. 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
  7. Brady Kiesling (Author), Raffi Kojian (Author, Editor). Rediscovering Armenia. Publisher: Matit; 2nd edition (June 1, 2005), ISBN 9994101218; ISBN 978-9994101214
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