Kakavaberd, Medieval fortress in Khosrov State Reserve, Armenia

Kakavaberd is a medieval fortress sitting on a mountain ridge within a nature reserve, marked by strong defensive walls and towers. The site contains ruins of an ancient church and displays features typical of Armenian medieval construction methods.

Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi first records the fortress in the 9th–10th centuries as a Bagratuni family holding. In 924 the Arab commander Beshir attacked it after his defeat at Lake Sevan and was beaten by Gevorg Marzpetuni. It passed to the Pahlavuni in the 11th century and to the Proshyan in the 12th–13th; its last mention is in 1224, when Ivane Mkhargrdzeli took shelter there after losing the battle near Garni.

The fortress is also called Geghi Berd or Keghi Berd, names it shares with a fortress in Syunik. Muratsan set scenes of his 1896 novel Gevorg Marzpetuni here, and the 924 defeat of Beshir by Gevorg Marzpetuni is retold in James Issaverdens's 1874 book Armenia and the Armenians.

The site sits on the right bank of the Azat River but is difficult to reach from three sides due to steep cliffs and deep valleys. Visitors should prepare for rough terrain and bring suitable gear.

The fortress is surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides, making it one of the hardest-to-reach historical sites in the region. This natural isolation has helped preserve portions of its structure to the present day.