67 km from Tbilisi, at the very foot of the Sheupovari mountain and forest area, lies the small town of Ananuri. 12 km away, where the Vedzathevi River flows into the Aragvi River, right on the Georgian Military Road, stands the Ananuri fortress.
The rich history of this defensive structure and the amazing beauty of the surrounding nature attract not only residents of this region, but also numerous foreign tourists.
In ancient times, the castle was built to protect the road, which is currently partially flooded by the river. The modern road was built much later, and it runs at a higher altitude than the old one. Residents of nearby villages and people from more distant regions of Georgia were hiding in the fortress, fleeing from the enemy. Now there is not much left of the former grandeur of the ancient castle.
As the best-preserved ancient tourist attraction in Georgia, Ananuri is considered for inclusion in the UNESCO list.
- Entrance to Ananuri Castle is free.
- You can visit it from 10: 00 to 18: 00 on any day of the week.
What you can see on the territory of the fortress
The very first walls of this defensive structure of Ananuri had a height of 5-6 m, but it was not enough to effectively defend, so later they were completed by another 2-3 m. From the east and north, the lower fortress was added to the castle wall, the area of which was 3 times larger than the area of the upper one. At the moment, the walls of the lower complex are almost completely destroyed, and many buildings were built in its former courtyard in the XIX-XX centuries, which makes it impossible to restore its original appearance.
The circular wall of the upper fortress has completely survived, there are 3 temples and 5 towers-2 large and 3 smaller.
Entrance Tower
The entrance to Ananuri Castle was carefully defended. The side walls of the entrance square tower are equipped with special openings (loopholes and masticules), from which it was possible to shoot and pour hot resin on enemies.
The entire 1st floor is a solid gate, with 3 floors above it. On the second floor, housing facilities were equipped, and on the upper two, everything necessary for conducting effective defensive actions was prepared. At the very top is a terrace.
North Tower
On the north side of the fortress, a small tower is included in the wall, which protrudes in a semicircle in front of the fence. The walls of this 3-storey structure, which are very thick at the bottom, are gradually becoming thinner, and their upper edge has an original jagged design. The ledge located on the inner side is designed to allow people involved in the defense of the fortress to move along it.
Now the most intrepid tourists visiting the Ananuri Castle (Georgia) climb it to admire the picturesque views of the Zhinvali reservoir that open from there.
“Persistent” Sheupovari Tower
This square-shaped tower is the largest in the Ananuri complex. Its walls, which have a thickness of 1.5-2 m, gradually taper up. The Sheupovari Tower is a 7 – story tower with fireplaces on its 6th floor, in addition to loopholes and masticulae. Due to the fact that the inter-floor ceilings made of wood are quite well preserved here, tourists have the opportunity to walk up the steps to the very top of the structure. Photos to remember the sights of Georgia here are beautiful.
Pyramid Tower
Of all the buildings of Ananuri Castle, the most interesting is the pyramid tower, the roof of which is lined with steps. Similar towers have another name – khevsursky. It is believed that this structure in Ananuri was built first.
The tower has 4 floors, with the 1st floor starting at a height of 3 m from the ground, and everything below is a solid wall. On top is a domed room-it was used as a point for observation. In the wall of this room there is a small opening through which the gorge and the village of Ananuri stretched out next to it were viewed. Each window of the tower has similar niches for observation.
The walls of the pyramid tower are made of buta stone, and the corners are made of hewn stone. Once the walls were covered with plaster, but now it remains only in some areas.
Assumption Church
Just a few steps from the Khevsuri tower is the Church of the Assumption-this is the largest church in the Ananuri fortress (Georgia). It was built in 1689.
It consists of a 2-storey building made of brick and rubble, on the 2nd floor there is a staircase that is built into the walls. The building has 14 windows and several doors.
If we talk about the architecture of the Assumption Church, then it should be noted that such a solution is very rare for the XVII century – in all of Georgia there are only 3 churches with such architecture. The building has classical proportions and a dome, and the exterior walls are decorated with carvings with crosses, cherubs, people, animals, birds, and vines. The text on the exterior wall indicates that the building was built by Mdivanbeg Bardzim.
Inside the premises, you can see the preserved painting in some places. It depicts 13 famous monks-preachers, who were called the Assyrian fathers.
Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) – a picturesque village in the mountains of Georgia
Spassky Church
West of the Assumption Church in the Ananuri complex (Georgia) is the small domed Church of the Virgin Mary (it is called the Saviour’s Church or Gvtaeba). The construction of this church is attributed to the end of the XVI-beginning of the XVII centuries.
This building is made in Romanesque style, its facades are made of rubble stone and do not have any decorative finishing at all. The drum of the dome is brick, it is decorated with several false decorative arches, which are decorated with brickwork. The interior walls of the church did not retain any traces of plaster, no repairs were made.
In the temple there is a tombstone on which the text is carved. This text says that the gravestone was erected in 1674 by Anna Abashidze in honor of her husband, Eristav mdivanbeg Edisher of Aragva.
One-nave Church (Mkuriali)
Mkurnali belongs to the lower fortress of Ananuri, and its western wall is part of the fence of the upper one. The walls are constructed of rubble, they were not faced. This church has 2 entrances and several windows. The bell tower is decorated with beautiful arches with 8-sided columns.
Based on the style, the time of construction of this church can be correlated with the second half of the XVI or early XVII centuries.
How to get to Ananuri from Tbilisi
Tourists entering Georgia via the Georgian Military Road will not be able to miss Ananuri. This is the first fortress that meets passers-by. But those who got to this country by plane or ferry will be able to come to the sights from Tbilisi or Batumi. Although, if you go from Batumi, you will still need to get to the capital first.
So, how to get to Ananuri from Tbilisi?
From the Tbilisi bus station at the Didube metro station, you can take one of the minibuses that go to Gudauri, Pasanauri or Stepantsminda (formerly Kazbegi). They leave approximately every hour. Ananuri Castle is available at a surcharge of GEL 4.
If you have a license in Georgia, you can easily rent a car without a driver. It is best to book a car in advance and online. Coordinates for the GPS navigator: N 42°09.823; E 44°42.148.
You can simply walk along Kote Abkhazi (formerly Leselidze) Street in Tbilisi, choose your favorite car and arrange with a private driver. In this case, the trip will cost from GEL 130.
You can simply stop a taxi and take it on the street, or you can order it from one of the many companies – then the meter will definitely be turned on. The cost of the trip starts from GEL 50 in one direction.
Getting to the Ananuri fortress is not so difficult: you just need to choose the option that is most suitable for extreme and cost.
Useful tips
- On the bank of the reservoir there are places where you can pitch a tent and spend the night.
- The best views are from the fortress walls. Climbing them is not so easy, but the scenery is worth it.
- It is enough to set aside 30 minutes for sightseeing. If possible, use the services of a guide, then its visit will be more informative.
- Be prepared for a large number of people at the fortress during almost the entire day. This place is quite popular among tourists.
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