Ancient Artaxata (Artashat)

Artaxata was a great capital of ancient Armenia, founded around 176 BC by King Artashes I on a series of hills near the Araks River; tradition links its planning to the exiled Carthaginian general Hannibal. For roughly six centuries it served as a royal seat, commercial hub and cultural center before power shifted to Dvin and Vagharshapat. Excavations have uncovered fortifications, Hellenistic structures and even a Roman-era aqueduct, testifying to its scale and connections. Khor Virap monastery stands on one of its twelve hills. The site spreads across open countryside near Pokr Vedi, blending deep history with sweeping Ararat-plain views.