Vaհe H Apelian
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| Detailed in the text |
On April 28, 2026, the PM Nikol Pashinyan and the Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan presented to the public the new Armenian passport, page by page. Surely, a lot of work has gone into the conceptualization of the passport design. I was under the impression that the passport fell under the jurisdiction of the foreign minister. Apparently, it is the young Interior Minister Arpine who has a significant input in design of the passport, some of which are by law, but some of it is the artistry, in way of imparting Armenian character to the passport by choosing the cultural and historical milestones presented in the passport as illustrated photographs.
“The Government of the Republic of Armenia” site, presents a detailed biography of the members of the government. It is noted that Arpine Sargsyan is born on April 1, 1994, in Verdi city in Armenia. She holds a Bachelor and Masterof Law degrees, from the Yerevan State University, where she also is continuing her PHD education. She was appointed the Minister of Internal Affair on November 20, 2024. She is non-partisan and has no party affiliation and is married. It was pleasure for me to hear comment on the passport, along with the PM. What is noteworthy was the following. Some of the historical presentations were purposely chosen to depict sites that are not commonly seen and even known, to stir the imagination of the passport holder and to promote sites that are well beyond the regular touristic sitings. The other consideration has been to have these illustrations focus on Armenia for the obvious reason that is the Armenian passport.
According to records I jotted down, hearing their presentation, the new passport has 20 photographic illustrations, which are artistic presentations of actual photographs or are basic on actual photographs with artistic rendering. The first illustration is the Armenian Alphabet. Four fortresses and a historical border marking are included among these illustrations. They are the following as they appear in the passport. I have jotted a few words about each one of them I gathered from the Internet.
Erepuni Fortress
Erebuni Fortress (Armenian: Էրեբունի ամրոց) is an Urartian fortified city, located on the Arin Berd hill in modern-day Yerevan, Armenia. Often cited as the "birth certificate" of Yerevan. This 8th-century BC military stronghold served as a major political and administrative center, featuring palaces, temples, and vivid frescoes. In the autumn of 1950, an archaeological expedition led by Konstantine Hovhannisyan discovered an inscription at Arin Berd dedicated to the city's founding, which is depicted in the photographic illustration.
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| Erepuni Fortress conceptualized with inscription |
Historical border marking
The historical border markings are limestone markers by King Artashes I (c. 189–160 BC). They are rectangular shaped boundary stones, often shaped as three-pronged spears, featuring Aramaic inscriptions to define territories of feudal lords in ancient Armenia. Over a dozen found in the Lake Sevan region, they signify the unification of Armenian lands, land reform, and Artashes' legitimacy as the monarch.
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| Three prongs boarder marking depicting toiling on feudal lands. |
Lake Sevan Fortress
The fortress at lake Sevan is Berdkunk Fortress, known as “The Ishkhanats Berd.” It a historic castle in Berdkunk village, standing at an elevation of 1920 meters, dating back over two millennia. Historically, Berdkunk Fortress played a vital role in guarding the southern approach to Lake Sevan serving as a key component of the region’s defense system. The photographic illustrations also show small recreational boats.
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| Fortress at Lake Sevan with recreational boats on the lake. |
Lori Fortress
Lori Fortress (Armenian: Լոռի բերդ), is an 11th-century Armenian fortress located near the Lori Berd village in Lori Province, Armenia. As of 2024 there are restoration works going on to preserve the fortress. It is estimated to be finished after the several years. There were once approximately 10.000 inhabitants living in the fortress Fortress walls. Two bath houses and a civic building which once served as a church are planned to be restored.
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| Lori Fortress with the triocolor Armenian flag at boarder |
Syunik Fortress
The Fortress of Gaban (Kapan) in the Syuni province featured as one of the illustrative images inside the Armenian passport, is Baghaberd (also known as the Fortress of Davit Bek). it is a 4th–12th century Armenian fortress located near Kapan in the Syunik Province. This formerly impregnable stronghold served as the capital of the Kingdom of Syunik. Access to it is reporte dto be challenging and requires a steep hike. It is often described as a "hidden gem". It is reported that there are other historical sites such as Vahanavank Monastery, 6 km away; Halidzor Fortress: 9 km away.
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| Gaban Fortress in the Syunik region |
