Tigranakert City

Region

Artsakh

Distance from Yerevan

339.7 km

Type

Monument/Memorial complex

Tigranakert, founded in Artsakh and named after King Tigran the Great, is one of four cities of the same name and holds a unique place on the map of ancient Armenian civilization. The first references to it come from the 7th-century authors Sebeos and Moses of Kaghankatvats, who testify to the city's importance and existence since the early Middle Ages. Tigranakert was inhabited until the late Middle Ages, being part of the domain of the Khachen noble house. At that time, the inner valley of Khachenaget was known as the Tigranakert plain, and the local inhabitants preserved the ancient name as a legacy and memory.The city is located near Mount Vankasar, built with white limestone, which gives it its characteristic white sheen. The archaeological site was first discovered in 2005, and excavations began in 2006, conducted in three main phases. Sections of the inner fortress walls, neighborhoods with rock-cut foundations, retaining walls, and a part of the central basilica church have been uncovered. Investigative excavations have been carried out both in the central neighborhood and in the worship cave complex, in a rock-cut channel, and in an early medieval fortress located on the left bank of Khachenaget.