Teishebaini

Teishebaini
Կարմիր Բլուր

Karmir Blur "Red Hill"
Shown within Armenia
Alternative name	Karmir Blur
Location	Yerevan, Armenia
Coordinates	40°09′14″N 44°27′12″E / 40.153888°N 44.453366°E / 40.153888; 44.453366
Type	city, palace, and citadel
Area	44.5 ha (110 acres)
Height	901 metres (2,955 ft)
History
Builder	Rusa II
Founded	Between 650 and 600 BC
Abandoned	585 BC
Site notes
Excavation dates	1939-?
Condition	Ruins (portions of walls remain)
Public access	Yes
Website	Erebuni Historical & Archaeological Reserve: Teishebaini Citadel

Teishebaini (also Teshebani, modern Karmir Blur (Armenian: Կարմիր Բլուր) referring more to the hill that the fortress is located upon) was the capital of the Transcaucasian provinces of the ancient kingdom of Urartu. It is located near the modern city of Yerevan in Armenia. The site was once a fortress and governmental centre with towered and buttressed perimeter walls, massive gates, a parade ground within its walls, and storage rooms that entirely occupied the ground floor. The site of the city, palace and citadel together measure over 0.45 km² (110 acres).^[1] The name Karmir Blur translates to "Red Hill" because of the hill's reddish hue. It became this color after the city was set on fire and the upper walls which were made of tuff fell and crumbled because of the heat. After the tuff was heated by the fire, it took on a more intense red color and therefore the hill became red. The lower portions of the walls were left standing after the fire since they were built with a stronger stone. Teishebaini is situated at a height of 901 metres (2,956 ft).^[2]