I came to the fortress at 16:10 everything is closed, no announcements. The working hours are written until 16:40, the last excursion is at 16:20. It was Wednesday, and they have a day off on Monday.
I spent one fabulous month in Armenia and kept my impressions of this ancient proud land for the rest of my life. I have not seen the Egyptian pyramids, I have not wandered around the Palace of Knossos. To my great regret… But a long time ago, I spent almost a whole day in one of the most ancient fortresses in the world. The Armenian people call it a place of power. And for a reason. It was here that the center of the small but very strong ancient state of Urartu was located for six centuries. The fortress is located on a hill with the name Arin-Berd, which means "Bloody Fortress". The name does not mean blood spilled here, it's just that poppies bloom in spring, and when they bloom, it seems that the whole hill is covered in blood. The fortress walls offer a beautiful view of ancient Yerevan. The feeling of belonging to almost three thousand years of history is difficult to convey in words.
It makes sense both to visit the museum at the foot of the hill and to wander through the ruins of the fortress. I advise you to book an excursion at the museum (you can do it in Russian), and to visit the fortress (of course, it's better to do all this in one day and start with the museum) choose a day that is not rainy and not too hot (or, at least, not the hottest time of the day). You need to climb to the fortress on foot, by stairs.
An incredibly strong place. You are in a story that is almost 3 thousand years old!
An open-air city. Buildings are understandable. Frescoes have been preserved! It is terrible that the young vandals attributed and scribbled "Vasya was here." You definitely need to get to the museum and take a guide. It tells a story, not the composition of a pot or plate.
A must-visit!