Sev fortress

Sev fortress is one of the architectural reminders of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. Under the hill more ancient strata has been found, and today there are archaeological excavations going on there. During the Russian-Turkish and Russian-Persian wars in the early XIX century, the traditional perception of Armenia as a very special area was stated by the exiled Decembrists. Quite unexpectedly, they discovered the land, which by virtue of its accumulated heritage deserved a more dignified existence. Dekabrist Evdokim Lachinov wrote: “You, the wild peoples, who never celebrated their citizenship, who never were well-educated, you can be sure that the day will come for you to shine on the world stage. But you, once famous Armenia, you left us so many monuments of power, wealth, and their arts, hitherto astonish us, – that be you? Whether you must go back to the field of glory, or sad your sons with forever defined bleak existence? Important events should be opened in this century, it seems, should resolve the issue: whether can revive the kingdoms, that have outlived their time? ” These words were read in the bastion of Gyumri, which after joining the Russian Empire was renamed in honor of the wife of Nicholas I, Alexandra. Old Alesandropol is a real panorama of the XIX century wars!