The extant Lori fortress is a medieval fortress, with all the attributes characteristic of this time. But, like many, or almost all, medieval fortresses in Armenia, it was built on the site of an older fortress with its own settlement.
The road to the fortress (settlement) of Lori passes through the city of Stepanavan. The settlement is located five kilometers South-East of the city — on an elevation that is formed by the gorges of the Dzoraget and Urut rivers (Miskhana) and is located at an altitude of 1380m.
Favorable climatic conditions, fertile soil, forests, the presence of minerals (gold, copper and other metals), contributed to the settlement of this area since ancient times. Here were found tombs three thousand years ago, where were buried as representatives of the ruling classes and priests, and commoners.
The fortress was rebuilt from the ruins of a megalithic fortress by king David Anhakht, around 1005-1020. like most medieval Armenian fortress cities, Lori consisted of a citadel, the city itself, and a suburb. The entire territory of the fortress occupied 33 hectares, of which 8.5 occupied the citadel. Originally founded as a fortress, Lori became the capital of the Tashir-Dzoreget Kingdom in 1065 and the development of the fortress city began. Lori was connected by trade routes with other major cities – Ani, Dvin, and Tphis. The fortress was impregnable due to its location and walls built between the gorges of Dzoraget and Uruta.
Gndevank
From the gorge of the Arpa River there is a path leading to the Gndevank Monastery. The monastery is located near the city of Jermuk. It is a medieval monastery built in the 10th century AD. It is located along the Vayk-Jermuk road, near the village of Gndevank, not far from the Jermuk springs. In this monastery, there are old khachkars and a wall painting of the Virgin Mary. There are also tombstones around the territory, on which various images are carved (for example, hunting scenes).
Considering its age, the structure and treasures of the monastery are well preserved. It has suffered through earthquakes, but has been rebuilt, keeping its original appearance. You can see the fort walls that surround the whole complex. Princess Sophia of Syunik, who founded the monastery, left an inscription on the western wall: “Vayots Dzor was a ring without a stone, and I put a precious stone on it”. The main building is the St. Stepanos church. There are also buildings where monks live.
