Lori fortress or berd is situated in the Lori region, about a three-hour drive from Yerevan, and lies to the northeast of Stepanavan, at approximately 1,500 meters above sea level. The fortress is located in a picturesque area, perched above the gorges of the Dzoraget and Miskhana rivers.
Lori Fortress was founded between 1005–1020 by King David Anhoghin of the Kyurikid branch of the Bagratid dynasty. The citadel covers about nine hectares, with main walls stretching 214 meters in length, up to 20 meters thick, and reaching 25 meters in height. The entire complex was built from local basalt stone.
The fortress was equipped with both round and square watchtowers positioned along the walls, as well as underground water channels and secret tunnels within the structure.
It is believed that Lori fortress had more than 10,000 residents during the 11th to 13th centuries, and served as a political, trade, and cultural center along the Ani–Dvin–Tbilisi route. The fortress was damaged several times: first by the Seljuks in the 12th century, then by King David IV of Georgia in 1118, and later devastated during the Mongol invasion in the 13th century.
Inside the fortress, remains of 11th–12th century bathhouses and civil buildings can be found, including a 14×12 meter hall with five entrances, which later served as a mosque in the 14th–15th centuries. There is also an 18th-century church in the area.
The fortress once held palace halls, baths, chapels, and apartments, revealed through archaeological excavations. The site is also rich with khachkars (cross-stones) and medieval tombstones.
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