Handaberd ( hy, Հանդաբերդ), also known as Lekh Castle ( az, Lex qalası, Löh qalası) or Lev Castle, is a 9th-century fortress located in the
Kalbajar District
Kalbajar District ( az, Kəlbəcər rayonu) is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the west of the country and belongs to the East Zangezur Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Lachin, Khojaly, Agdam, Tart ...
of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
, near the villages of
Lev
Lev may refer to:
Common uses
*Bulgarian lev, the currency of Bulgaria
*an abbreviation for Leviticus, the third book of the Hebrew Bible and the Torah
People and fictional characters
*Lev (given name)
*Lev (surname)
Places
*Lev, Azerbaijan, a ...
and , on the right bank of the
Levçay River.
It was built by
Atrnerseh I, ruler of the Armenian
Principality of Khachen
The Principality of Khachen ( hy, Խաչենի իշխանություն, Khacheni ishkhanutyun) was a medieval Armenian principality on the territory of historical Artsakh (present-day Nagorno-Karabakh). The provinces of Artsakh and Utik were ...
, who resided there.
We must now turn our attention to the Siwnids of Xačíēn, the third line of the House of Siwnik', 13 descendants of Atrnerseh I, the brother of Gregory - Supʻan I . D . West Siwnik' (Xačʻēn) Atrnerseh I, the first Prince of Xačʻēn and builder of Handu Castle (Handaberd), ruled over what must have represented more or less the entire mountain country along the southeastern slopes of the Armenian plateau, i.e., the former land of Arc'ax .
History
![Храм Андаберд7](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/%D0%A5%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC_%D0%90%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B47.jpg)
One of several castles in the highlands of Kalbajar, Handaberd was constructed over the Ayrım Gorge, on a high mountain ridge surrounded by thick forest, from the right bank of the
Levçay River flowing by
Ganlykend village. Handaberd is first mentioned as "Handu berd" by the 10th century Armenian historian
Movses Kaghankatvatsi Movses Kaghankatvatsi ( hy, Մովսէս Կաղանկատուացի ''Movses Kaġankatvac’i''), or Movses Daskhurantsi ( ''Movses Dasxuranc’i'') is the reputed author (or authors) of a tenth-century Classical Armenian historiographical work on ...
, who wrote in his work ''
History of the Country of Albania'' that the fortress was built by
Prince Atrnerseh of
Khachen
The Principality of Khachen ( hy, Խաչենի իշխանություն, Khacheni ishkhanutyun) was a medieval Armenian principality on the territory of historical Artsakh (present-day Nagorno-Karabakh). The provinces of Artsakh and Utik were ...
in the second quarter of the 9th century.
Atrnerseh, a member of a branch of the
Siunia dynasty The Siuni or Siwni dynasty () was an ancient Armenian princely () dynasty which ruled the province of Siwnikʻ, with which the dynasty shared its name. They were one of the most important and powerful princely houses in antique and early medieval A ...
, ruled over an area approximately corresponding to the historical Armenian province of
Artsakh.
Handaberd was located in the Tsar province (also known as Upper Khachen) of the
Principality of Khachen
The Principality of Khachen ( hy, Խաչենի իշխանություն, Khacheni ishkhanutyun) was a medieval Armenian principality on the territory of historical Artsakh (present-day Nagorno-Karabakh). The provinces of Artsakh and Utik were ...
․
It served as Atrnerseh's residence as well as a prison for prisoners sentenced to death.
According to the inscription on one of the
khachkars
A ''khachkar'', also known as a ''khatchkar'' or Armenian cross-stone ( hy, խաչքար, , խաչ xačʿ "cross" + քար kʿar "stone") is a carved, memorial stele bearing a cross, and often with additional motifs such as rosettes, in ...
kept at
Dadivank
Dadivank ( hy, Դադիվանք) or Khutavank ( hy, Խութավանք, translation=monastery on the hillЖеан-Паул Лабурдетьте, Доминикуе Аузиас, Армения, Petit Futé, 2007 – p. 203) is an Armenian Ap ...
, a nearby Armenian monastery, from 1142 to 1182 Handaberd belonged to Hasan I Vakhtangyan, prince of Upper Khachen.
Some time after the initial construction under Atrnerseh, the fortress was significantly expanded.
Around 1250, the fortress is mentioned in the history written by the Armenian historian
Kirakos Gandzaketsi
Kirakos Gandzaketsi (; c. 1200/1202–1271) was an Armenian historian of the 13th century S. Peter Cowe. Kirakos Ganjakec'i or Arewelc'i // Christian-Muslim Relations. A Bibliographical History / Edited by David Thomas & Alex Mallet. — BRILL, 2 ...
.
According to one legend, the fortress was repaired using funds sent by
Levon I, King of
Cilician Armenia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (Middle Armenian: , '), also known as Cilician Armenia ( hy, Կիլիկեան Հայաստան, '), Lesser Armenia, Little Armenia or New Armenia, and formerly known as the Armenian Principality of Cilicia ( hy, ...
, and called Levonaberd (see variations thereof below) in his honor.
Handaberd's inscriptions were studied by the French orientalist
Marie-Félicité Brosset
Marie-Félicité Brosset (24 January 1802 – 3 September 1880) was a French orientalist who specialized in Georgian and Armenian studies. He worked mostly in Russia.
Early life and first works
Marie-Félicité Brosset was born in Paris in ...
in the mid-19th century. Less than a kilometer to the east of the fortress is a medieval monastery complex bearing the same name, which has also been excavated.
The fortress has historically been referred to by various names and renderings, such as Lev (also the Armenian name for the
Levçay River), Levaghala, Levkala, Levonaberd, Lohaberd, Handberd, and Handuberd.
Features
The castle is surrounded by steep rocks and streams from three sides, and looks like a natural rock relief. The only entrance to the castle is from the gates on the north-eastern edge. The internal length of the castle is , and its width is . The internal castle is in the higher south-western corner. The average thickness of the walls of Handaberd fortress is .
There are 5-6 water wells deep that were used for storage, the cooling of food, and as a source of drinking water.
[
] Nowadays, the walls are in ruins. Around Handaberd fortress, there are other smaller satellite castles on surrounding mountain peaks such as Pahak or Garavul (both meaning guard) and Jomard castles.
Close to the Handaberd fortress there are two caves where archaeologists found items indicating the early presence of
human beings
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, an ...
.
The castle is designated as a place bearing state historical importance in Azerbaijan.
Gallery
Handaberd Fortress.jpg, Handaberd fortress
The Handaberd fortress.jpg, Gates, remains of the walls, view from the courtyard of the fortress
Walls of the Lekh fortress.jpg, Fortress walls
Walls of the Lekh fortress2.jpg, Fortress walls
Tendir in Lekh fortress.jpg, Tonir oven in the fortress
Храм Андаберд2.jpg, Handaberd monastery
Крепость Андаберд.jpeg, Handaberd fortress
See also
*
Kalbajar
Kalbajar ( az, Kəlbəcər , ) is a city and the capital of the Kalbajar District of Azerbaijan. Located on the Tartar river valley, it is away from the capital Baku.
The city had a population of 7,246 before its capture by Armenian forces on ...
*
Shusha State Historical and Architectural Reserve
Shusha ( az, Şuşa, ) or Shushi ( hy, Շուշի) is a city in Azerbaijan, in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Situated at an altitude of 1,400–1,800 metres (4,600–5,900 ft) in the Karabakh mountains, the city was a mountain reso ...
References
External links
About Handaberd
{{Castles and fortresses in Azerbaijan
Monuments and memorials in Azerbaijan
Palaces in Azerbaijan
Tourist attractions in Azerbaijan
Architecture in Azerbaijan
Castles and fortresses in Azerbaijan