Zarni Parni Cave Castle is located in the Lori region, in the north of Armenia, about a 4-hour drive from Yerevan. In 2004, the castle complex was added to the list of immovable monuments of history and culture of Haghpat as a monument of republican significance.
Zarni Parni Cave Castle dates back to the 10th–11th centuries, during the time of the medieval Armenian Bagratuni Kingdom.
The name Zarni Parni is actually made up of two words and refers to two sites located next to each other: “Zarni” is possibly named after a prince or local lord named Zareh, and Parni comes from the word paran, which in Armenian means “granary” or “storage room” — suggesting that this part of the fortress may have been used to store food or supplies.
Armenians also refer to the first site as Zarni Ayr, which means “Cave of Zarni” (most likely referring to a prince by that name).
The entrance to the main cave castle is surrounded by high basalt walls, behind which lies a large area of 605 square meters. The fortresses served a defensive purpose in early medieval times.
The complex was strategically built in an elevated position in the Lori region, near the town of Haghpat. Its rock-carved caves, rooms, and storage areas were also used as monastic shelters, homes, and even libraries.
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