The Castle of Gevorg Marzpetuni (Tapi Berd)

The Castle of Gevorg Marzpetuni, also called Tapi Berd, lies 6 km north-west of the village of Urtsadzor in Ararat Province. The complex was founded in the 10th–13th centuries.

The castle church was built in the 13th century. It is a hall with a vaulted ceiling, built of carefully dressed blocks of white felsite. The church is surrounded by rectangular walls whose four corners are strengthened by round towers. Vaulted living and service rooms stand by the southern and eastern walls. According to the source, such fortresses were always among the most important military strongholds of Armenia.

The photograph shows the walls and towers among green slopes, with the church with its gabled roof inside.