Armenia`s government to allocate AMD 450mln for re-enforcement of  Amberd fortress 

ArmInfo.The Armenian government will allocate more than 450 million drams for the strengthening and repair work in the Amberd fortress. This was stated in a statement by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (MECS) in response to videos about the destruction of the fortress that were distributed on the Internet.

As noted in the statement by the MECS, the restoration work will be  carried out within 5-6 years. About 50 million drams will be  allocated annually for the implementation of the project. The start  of the program will begin this week. Before the start of the work,  cleaning work is being carried out inside the castle. "Entrance to  the castle will be partially restricted, about which additional  information will be provided," the statement by the department says.

The historical complex of Amberd, consisting of a 7th-century castle  and an 11th-century church, is located at an altitude of 2,300  meters, on the slope of Mount Aragats, at the confluence of the  Arkashen and Amberd rivers.

According to one version, the castle got its name precisely because  of its location high in the mountains:  "amperi berd" means "fortress  in the clouds". It is assumed that the castle was founded by the  Kamsarakan princes as their summer residence. Three centuries later,  these possessions passed to the powerful princely family of  Pahlavuni. In 1026, the Church of the Holy Mother of God was built on  the territory of the castle.  Above the doorway on the inside, you  can still see an inscription indicating that the customer of the  temple was the famous military leader Vahram Pahlavuni. Subsequently,  the Amberd fortress was bought by the Armenian rulers of the  Bagratuni dynasty, who turned the castle into the main outpost of  their kingdom.