Sev Berd Սև բերդ
Gyumri, Shirak Province, Armenia
Sev Berd Սև բերդ
Coordinates	40°46′56″N 43°49′31″E / 40.782222°N 43.825278°E / 40.782222; 43.825278
Type	Fortress
Site information
Controlled by	Armenia
Site history
Built	1834–1847

Sev Berd or Black Fortress (Armenian: Սև բերդ; Russian: Чёрная Кре́пость, Chornaya Krepost) is an abandoned Russian imperial fortress in Gyumri, Shirak Province, Armenia. The fortress, which lies 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the Turkish border, was built in response to the Russo-Turkish War of 1828–1829. It is a national cultural heritage monument in Armenia.

Gyumri, which lies on the border with Turkey, became part of the Russian Empire after the Treaty of Gulistan. Gyumri was renamed Alexandropol in 1837 after the visit of Tsar Nicholas I, in honor of his wife, Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna.^[1]

The fortress was built on top of a hill, and the full fortification took a decade after the first stones were laid in 1834. The fortress is a 360-degree round structure made of black stone, from which it gets its name. After Russia's loss in the Crimean War, Sev Berd was upgraded and designated a "first-class" fortress. It never underwent a siege, but was of strategic importance in victories over the Turks in subsequent wars that lasted through 1878. The fortress was downgraded to "second-class" status in 1887, after the final Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 that saw Russia gain strongholds in Kars and Batumi.

The Russian 102nd Military Base was built in the 1940s next to Sev Berd. The base remains active today for the Russian military, which provides national defense support for Armenia.

The fortress was purchased by the Balasanyan family in 2012. Owner Misak Balasanyan intends to turn Sev Berd into a tourist attraction.^[2]

Archeological efforts are ongoing at the site.^[1]

40°46′56″N 43°49′31″E / 40.78222°N 43.82528°E / 40.78222; 43.82528

v t e Gyumri
Places of worship	Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God Holy Saviour's Church Surp Nshan Church Saint Gregory the Illuminator's Church Saint Jacob of Nisibis Church Saint Nikolai the Wondeworker Church Saint Arsenije Church Saint Alexandra the Martyr's Church Cathedral of the Holy Martyrs
Landmarks	Kumayri historic district Sev Berd Fortress Poloz Mukuch Beerhouse Mother Armenia Diocese of Shirak Vartanants Square Independence Square Charles Aznavour Square
Museums and culture	Dzitoghtsyan Museum of National Architecture Gallery of Mariam and Eranuhi Aslamazyan Sisters House-Museum of Avetik Isahakyan House-Museum of Mher Mkrtchyan Hovhannes Shiraz House Museum Sergey Merkurov House-Museum Vardan Ajemian State Drama Theatre
Science and Education	Shirak State University Progress University Gyumri Academy of Fine Art Lord Byron School Gyumri Technology Center
Sports and recreation	Gyumri City Stadium Shirak SC Gyumri Football Academy Gyumri Chess School October Cinema Gyumri Central park
Transportation	Shirak Airport Gyumri railway station

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