Hatis Fortress

Armenia, Armenia

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Hatis Fortress, also called Hatis Castle or Shamiram Fortress, is an ancient hilltop fortress located on the peak of Mount Hatis, a mountain about 2,528 meters high in the Ararat region of Armenia some 30 kilometers northeast of Yerevan.

The site was identified in 2019 during archaeological excavations by an Armenian‑Italian team as a 3,000‑year‑old Bronze Age fortress, with walls ranging from about 2 to 4.5 meters in width and a clear strategic position on the conical summit. The fortress has suffered serious damage in recent years, when construction began on a large statue of Jesus Christ and an associated 1,700‑step staircase and road on the mountain; although the project was halted by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture in 2022, reports indicate that much of the central and western parts of the fortress were destroyed or irreversibly damaged during the work.

Before the damage, the site was described as a well‑preserved and strategically important fortress with systematic excavations ongoing since 2019, and it is considered part of the broader historical and cultural heritage of the area rather than a major medieval fortified city like nearby Armavir or Arthur. Today the ruins remain a point of concern for archaeologists and heritage advocates, and the hill continues to be seen as a potential tourist and historical site, though its integrity has been significantly impaired by the construction controversy.