Smbataberd fortress, Medieval fortress on a mountain ridge in Vayots Dzor, Armenia

Smbataberd is a medieval fortress perched on a mountain ridge at about 2000 meters elevation in the Vayots Dzor region. Its basalt walls surround the site with multiple levels and structures that developed over the centuries.

Sources date Smbataberd's construction to the 9th–11th centuries, though some suggest it existed by the 5th century and was heavily fortified in the 10th. It was the citadel of Yeghegis, residence of the Syuni princes in the 9th–10th centuries. In 1002 or 1003 the local Syuni branch submitted to King Gagik I Bagratuni. In the 13th century Smbat Orbelian (r. 1251–1273) restored and strengthened it.

The name means "Fortress of Smbat". Locals link it to the 10th-century Syuni prince Smbat, while another account ties it to the Orbelian ruler Smbat (1251–1273), buried at nearby Yeghegis. Ghevond Alishan held the name to be purely popular and called the site after the nearby Tsaghats Kar monastery.

Reaching the fortress requires a demanding hike on a steep mountain path, so sturdy footwear and plenty of water are essential. The best time to visit is from May to October, when the trails are accessible and the weather is more forgiving.

Local legend says the Seljuks took Smbataberd by cutting its water supply: they found the spring near Tsaghats Kar monastery by leading a mule, deliberately kept thirsty, to sniff out the pipeline. The fortress had drawn water from those springs through a conduit, and the same story is told of Proshaberd.