Location, structure and history: The settlement is situated on the South and West sides of the village of Tsovak standing 50-60m higher than the environs. The site is accessible on foot through the road leading from the village of Tsovak to the mountain plateau or by using the Tsovak- Lchavan road to access the mountainous plateau, as well as taking the old Martuni-Vardenis road.
The citadel is surrounded with inaccessible slopes on three sides and joins the settlement in its Southern part. Due to its strong walls the fort was unapproachable from all sides. The wall and housing construction technique is the same with large, rocky Basalt stones, fitting together without the use of putty.
The site existed from at least the late II and early I millennium B.C. King Sardur II of the Kingdom of Van (764-735 B.C.) invaded and ruined this fort in 750 or 751, then reconstructed it according to his needs. He left a Cuneiform record on the Northern edge rock, which states that the fort and the surroundings were called Arquniki Yerkir (Arkunik/Royal Country).