The Black Fort (Sev Berd) in Gyumri, Armenia

One of the most historic places to visit in the northwest of Armenia is the Black Fortress aka Sev Berd. It stands on top of the hill as a big round fortress overlooking the Armenian/Turkish border just 8 kilometers away. You can’t miss this fortress because it’s right next to the Mother Armenia statue and the highest point in Gyumri. The Shirak Province first became part of the Russian Empire in the early 19th century.

In 1837 the Russian Czar Nicholas I visited Gyumri and renamed the city Alexandrapol after his wife. The Russian fortress was built in 1837 in response to the Russian-Ottoman War nearly a decade before.

Since I moved to Gyumri in late June of 2017 I’ve been trying desperately to see this place. Every time I went the guards at the gate below said it was closed and couldn’t get an answer when it would open. I later learned that concerts were held inside of the fort. I wasn’t able to attend but was curious to attend. Two weeks ago I met a local reporter told me you have to have permission from the mayor’s office to enter since it’s going through renovations and the fact that he owns it. Luckily for me she made some phone calls and allowed my site mates and I to visit. Ideally I’d like to have visited in the summer but the only chance I had was in the winter.

It turns out that not only is it an old fortress and concert hall but a soon to be hotel too! As you walk up the incline to the entrance the first thing you notice are two canons in front of the entrance door. Once you go inside you have the option to go straight ahead into the main hall or upstairs where the private rooms and balconies are. In the center of the circular fortress you see a huge stage and underneath it is a museum showing ancient diagrams and pictures of how the city looked like before. The most interesting thing inside of the museum is the water well that goes down about 15 meters.

I can’t tell you when it’s going to be open to the public but it’s still worth to walk around the premises and see a piece of Armenian history.

Happy traveling.