Lori

Lori 

(also Loriberd), an ancient Armenian city, center of the Tashir region, or Tashratap, now included in Stepanavan and Kalinin raions of the Armenian SSR. The ruins are located near the city of Stepanavan.

Lori was founded by King David I the Landless (ruled 989-1048) of the Kyurikid Dynasty. Situated on a high triangular plateau, it was protected by ravines on two sides and by fortress walls on the third side. From 1065 it was the capital of the Armenian Tashir-Dzoraget Kingdom, which arose in the second half of the tenth century. In 1118, David the Builder (ruled 1089-1125) annexed the city to Georgia. Lori became the center of the Armenian principality of the Zakharids, a vassalage of Georgia. During the invasion by Timur (Tamerlane) at the end of the 14th century, Lori was destroyed. In 1441 it became part of Kartli. The remains of fortress walls, watchtowers, bridges, and religious and civic structures have been preserved.