Black Fortress
Shirak
Black Fortress
About
A circular 19th-century fortress on a hill in western Gyumri, built between 1834 and 1847 by the Russian Imperial Army from black volcanic tuff — the source of its name. It served as a military fortress and later a prison and munitions depot, was downgraded from first- to second-class status in 1878, and never saw a siege. Privately acquired in the 2000s, it has since been restored and repurposed as a cultural venue.
Categories
Cultural