Akhaltsikhe is a city near a medieval fortress. Interesting magazine Stories of Russian tourists about the city of Akhaltsikhe

Akhaltsikhe(Georgian ახალციხე, literally - New fortress(Georgian “ახალი ციხე”, “Akhali Tsikhe”);) - a city in southern Georgia. District center of the Akhaltsikhe region, administrative center of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region. It is located on the Potskhovis-Tskali River (a tributary of the Kura), highways to Batumi, Borjomi, and Akhalkalaki pass through the city. The railway station of the Georgian Railway is 52 km from Borjomi on the Khashuri - Vale line. There is a theater in the city. Abastumani resort is 28 kilometers from the city.

Story

Founded in the first half of the 12th century AD. e. From the 14th century to the 80s of the 16th century, Akhaltsikhe was the center of culture, politics and economics of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region and the residence of atabegs from the Jakeli clan. In 1579 the city came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire and from 1628 the city became the center of the Akhaltsikhe province of Tur. Ahıska of the Ottoman Empire.

In December 1810, Tamaz Orbeliani took part in the campaign against Akhaltsikhe together with General A. Tormasov, and after a ten-day siege he was forced to retreat to the Borjomi Gorge. There his fighters discovered Borjomi mineral springs.

During the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-1829, in August 1828, near the walls of Akhaltsikhe, a battle took place between Russian troops under the command of General I.F. Paskevich (9 thousand people) and a 30 thousand-strong Turkish army under the overall command of Kios-Magomet- Pasha. The Turkish troops were defeated and retreated, after which the fortress was occupied by Russian troops. In February 1829, Turkish troops tried to recapture the fortress. The defense of the Akhaltsikhe fortress under the leadership of General Muravyov lasted from February 20 to March 4, 1829. Having repulsed the first assault, the garrison held out for another 12 days, after which reinforcements approached them, forcing the Turks to retreat.

In 1829, following the Peace of Adrianople, the Akhaltsikhe fortress was annexed to the Russian Empire.

Attractions

View of the Akhaltsikhe fortress and Akhmediye Mosque

• Akhaltsikhe Fortress (Rabat)
• Ahmediye Mosque
• Church of the Epiphany of the Holy Cross (Akhaltsikhe)

April 22nd, 2013

Just a couple of years ago I would have seriously thought about whether it was worth going here at all. Georgia is so rich in attractions that God knows what ruins of a fortress near the Turkish border could be safely discarded in favor of more popular places. Why haven’t I seen any fortresses? But last summer, restoration work ended in Akhaltsikhe, the white and red national flag flew over the main tower of the Rabat fortress, and from that moment on the city seemed to change its aura. Now, not visiting here means not seeing modern Georgia and not feeling the idea that the authorities are putting into restoring the country.

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Until recently, the city of Akhaltsikhe, the capital of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, had a reputation as a hopeless place. If in neighboring Borjomi there was a glimmer of life thanks to tourism and water extraction, here everything was completely silent. I will give a short excerpt from an article from 2005; you can read the entire article as a primer by following the link. Above all this devastation towered the ruins of the old fortress. I specifically tried to find photographs or reports on the Internet about the Rabat fortress before reconstruction, but there are almost none, and those that I managed to find do not say anything. This is an indicator that tourists did not come here. The most eloquent ones were satellite images on Google and Yandex. Here's what it all looked like:

That is, no way. There were walls in moderate condition, a couple of buildings and that was it. And this is what it looks like now, with only a small piece of the complex included in the frame:

There is no information about who made the decision to reconstruct the fortress and Akhaltsikhe itself. There are rumors that a native of the neighboring village of Ude, the former Minister of Internal Affairs (it was under his leadership that the well-known police reform took place), and now the head of the presidential party of the United National Movement, Vano Merabishvili, could have contributed to this. If this is so, then another plus for him. By and large, it wasn’t even a reconstruction – the fortress was almost rebuilt, adding various pseudo-historical details. Almost all the buildings, with the exception of the mosque, are new. The result is some kind of incredible mixture of styles, which at first plunges you into a slight stupor. Yes, it is now difficult to call this object historical; the fortress has rather turned into an attraction, but I can confidently say that this is one of the most photogenic places in Georgia. There's a good angle around every corner here. I clicked several hundred photographs, and later, seeing photographs of other authors on the Internet, I was convinced that this topic was not exhaustive here.

Work began in the fall of 2011 and was completed only in August 12th. The opening was celebrated on August 17 in the presence of the president. The guest of honor was Charles Aznavour, his father was born in Akhaltsikhe, and the graves of his grandfather and grandmother are located. In honor of the opening of the complex, the singer gave a big concert.

There is really no information about the history of the fortress; some sources say that it was founded in the 9th century, others mention the 12th century. From the 14th century to the 80s of the 16th century, Akhaltsikhe was the center of culture, politics and economics of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region. In 1579, the city came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire and from 1628 became the center of the Akhaltsikhe province. In 1829, following the Peace of Adrianople, the Akhaltsikhe fortress was annexed to the Russian Empire.

The fortress remembers several large and brutal battles, both during the Russian-Turkish War of 1828-29, and later in the Crimean War of 1853-56. To appreciate the scale of the massacres that took place there, it is enough to look at the painting by Y. Sukhodolsky “Storm of the Akhaltsykh fortress on August 15, 1828.” (The surviving mosque is in the picture, by the way.)

It’s no wonder that during restoration work a lot of skulls and cannonballs were found here. Where is all this interesting?

The territory of the complex is divided into two parts, the first contains boutiques, a tourist center, and cafes. This part is free, but entrance to the second half, where you can climb the highest tower of the fortress, visit the mosque and museum, costs money and seems not even small by local standards. The first time I came here the weather was not very good, and I decided to postpone the paid half until better times. On my second visit, the weather turned bad just while I was in the fortress... We move on to the paid part.

The purposes of some structures here are simply not clear:

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Let's take a look at the Ahmadiye Mosque:

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It's empty inside. I was impressed by the domed brick ceiling.

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Recently, serious passions flared up around the mosque. The Turkish side asked to remove stone steles with crosses outside the mosque. Part of society took this request painfully.

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A nice new-built church built into the wall:

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Inside there is a little more than nothing:

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A very beautiful carved gazebo with a fountain inside:

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Swimming pools - small and large, old and new:

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22. It looks like they were going to build a hotel here, if this is the same place, then the other day there was information that the hotel was operational:

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A small but stylish historical museum can be visited just before climbing the main tower itself. The museum is not bad, but they don’t allow you to take photographs there. I took one illegal shot:

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Young visitors:

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We will climb the bastions, because, as you know, the best view is the view from above.

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29. View of the free half of the complex:

Let's go to the very top:

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And we look at the entire fortress:

31. The T-shaped building below is a museum:

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And on the opposite (western) side there is an impregnable wall and a gorge through which an aqueduct is thrown.

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From the fortress wall there is a wonderful view of the city:

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It is clear from the new roofs that part of the city also came under restoration.

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Actually, Rabat - if I understood correctly - is the name of the old part of the city, in which the fortress is located. Over time, the fortress itself began to be called that. The house was done very well, it’s a joy to the eyes, bravo!

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Now let's zoom in a little. This is what the entrance to the city center looks like from Borjomi, this is Tamarashvili Street. The photo shows the Public Register building, Vissol gas station and Police.

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A lot of Armenians live in Akhaltsikhe. From the fortress you can clearly see the Armenian Church of Surb Nshan (1862) located on a hill in the Marda quarter.

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New church and monument to Queen Tamara. Since the region developed greatly during her reign (for example, the Vardzia cave complex was built), there is a possibility that the fortress was also founded during that period. Perhaps that is why the national holiday Tamaroba, dedicated to the queen, is celebrated here on a special scale.

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Now let's go down to the city.

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Past the restored houses on the street leading to the fortress:

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Let's take a closer look at Tamara the Great:

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Let's appreciate the outlandish foreign architecture:

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The railway station (under restoration) and the monument to those killed in the Second World War opposite the House of Justice (Public Register). They say that now there are no trains to Akhaltsikhe...

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The actual center of the city is located on a slight hill between the streets of Shota Rustaveli and Merab Kostava. Despite the fact that the center is small, for a city with a population of 20,000 people it is quite cozy and beautiful.

49. View from Kostava Street to the Rabat Fortress:

50. Monument to Shota Rustaveli:

In the very center:

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53. Cafe for the cool:

54. Cafe for the simple:

55. Library:

Well, I’m not me if I don’t add a fly in the ointment. Outside the front part the city looks very shabby. I even had a rough association with the old Moskvich that came into my frame. It is barely alive, rusty and barely drives, but it has retained intact a rare collectible item - a plastic flag on the MZMA emblem.

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57. Private house in the very center of the city:

58. Private house on the outskirts of the city:

Safar Monastery is located in the mountains near Meskheti in a south-eastern direction. It was founded by St. Savva in the 13th century.

The Safara Monastery has preserved the spirit of antiquity, lost by many Georgian churches during the current period of great and merciless renovation of Georgia.

Safara Monastery is a functioning monastery, which is located in the mountains of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region near Akhaltsikhe. 20 monks live there and farm with donations from the population. The monastery has many unique frescoes, some of them have been preserved from distant times of the past. Built in the 10th-12th centuries.

To get to the monastery, you first need to get to the city of Akhaltsikhe. The journey can be made by minibus, which departs every half hour into the city from the Tbilisi bus station (near the Didube metro station). The monastery is located 12 kilometers from the city. There are no minibuses going to the monastery. Therefore, it is better to hire a taxi.

Lake Hosapini

Lake Khozapini belongs to the territory of Samtskhe-Javakheti - a marvelous land located on a volcanic plateau. The border with the Turkish state runs directly along Lake Khozapini.

The surrounding landscape is devoid of bright colors. On one side, there is a descent to the lake from steep slopes covered with grass, and on the other, mountain flowers can be seen here and there. However, in the harsh local climate, they can only be found in mid-summer.

The only village located nearby is the village of Kartsakhi, which is located on the very border and stands on the banks of the Kura River.

What sights of Akhaltsikhe did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.

Church of the Epiphany of the Holy Cross

The Church of the Epiphany of the Holy Cross in the city of Akhaltsikhe is a temple of the Armenian Catholic Church. The building was built in the 17th century in the Armenian architectural style. The architects doing the work are unknown today, but, according to experts, the church looks more like a building built in the 18th century. It was built for the use of the Armenian Apostolic Church, but some time after construction it passed to the Armenian Catholic Church.

Currently, the Church of the Epiphany of the Holy Cross is in a dilapidated state, since several years ago the Georgian Catholic community began restoration work that aimed at re-specializing the building. As a result of unprofessional activities, the foundation of the church was damaged, and questions are now being resolved about the future of the Church of the Epiphany of the Holy Cross.

In addition, the Georgian and Armenian churches are in dispute, since Armenian historians do not agree to give the building to the Georgian disposal. The explanation for this is that remains with Armenian inscriptions were found on the territory of the church, so the only thing that can be doubted is the Catholic or apostolic affiliation of the Church of the Epiphany of the Holy Cross.

Javakheti National Park or Samtskhe-Javakheti. There are several parks here, but officially only two.

The first is the entire territory adjacent to Lake Tabatskuri - there you can meet birds that are stunning in their beauty and mystery. The second national park and reserve is Borjomi - the largest in length - and famous for Borjomi mineral water, which was very popular in the former Soviet Union. It is also worth noting that these mineral waters have a beneficial effect on health, so very often you can meet people with poor health at these sources.

There is another small reserve - Tetrobi - but the essence of its origin is not clear.

Samtskhe-Javakheti is also famous for the fact that it has world-class ski resorts, cave cities and monasteries on the tops of rocky mountains - all this is quite interesting for both tourists and local residents.

The most popular attractions in Akhaltsikhe with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Akhaltsikhe on our website.

Individual and group

Population

According to the All-Russian population census of 1897, 15,357 people lived in the city of Akhaltsikhe, of which:

• Armenians - 9,035 (58.8%)
• Georgians - 3,576 (23.3%)
• Russians - 1,172 (7.6%)
• Jews - 438 (2.9%)
• Ukrainians - 404 (2.6%)
• Poles - 345 (2.2%)
• Tatars - 108 (0.7%)
• Lithuanians - 73 (0.5%)
• Turks - 59 (0.04%)
• Germans - 53 (0.03%)
• Ossetians - 11 (0.07%)
• Assyrians - 10 (0.07%)
• Greeks - 10 (0.07%)
• Chechens - 8 (0.05%)
• Avars - 6 (0.04%)
• Belarusians - 4 (0.03%)
• Persians - 4 (0.03%)
• Czechs - 4 (0.03%)
• Latvians - 3 (0.02%)
• French - 2 (0.01%)
• Kurds - 1 (0.007%)
• Lezgins - 1 (0.007%)
• Chuvash - 1 (0.007%)

The population of the city in January 2016 was 14,000 people, in January 2014 - 20,000 people, in 2002 - 18,500 people, in January 1989 - 24,570 people.

Story

Founded in the first half of the 12th century AD. e. From the 14th century to the 80s of the 16th century, Akhaltsikhe was the center of culture, politics and economics of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region and the residence of atabegs from the Jakeli clan. In 1579 the city came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire and from 1628 the city became the center of the Akhaltsikhe province of Tur. Ahıska of the Ottoman Empire.

Attractions

Gallery

Bonne georgie 1780.jpg

Akaltsykh from Winkler.jpg

Historical coat of arms of the city, 1843

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Links

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

Akhaltsikhe is the administrative center of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region. The city is small, has approximately 20 thousand inhabitants, mostly Georgians and Armenians. Located on the Potskhovi River, a tributary of the Kura, which divides Akhaltsikhe into two parts.

Georgians believe that you cannot come to Southern Georgia and not see Akhaltsikhe. By the way, the name of the city means “New Fortress”. Akhaltsikhe is a fairly old city, its age is more than eight centuries. The city once belonged to the Jakeli family and was called Lomsia. In the city and its surroundings, many ancient fortresses, temples, ruins of ancient buildings, and the Sapara monastery have been preserved.

How to get there

Two highways pass through Akhaltsikhe - to Turkey and Batumi-Tbilisi. On Tamarashvili Square, which is located on the main city highway, there are two stations - a bus and a train station. Intra- and inter-district minibuses depart from the bus station, as well as 2 international flights to Armenia. In the latter case, these are flights to Yerevan, which can be reached for 25 GEL, and Gyumri (20 GEL).

A bus service connects Akhaltsikhe with major cities of Georgia (Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Borjomi, Gori, Rustavi, etc.). The fare ranges from 6 to 20 lari. Tickets for intra-district minibuses cost 2-3 GEL.

You can also get to Akhaltsikhe by Tbilisi train (for about $5) or by car. But motorists should take into account that Georgian roads leave much to be desired: they have not been repaired for many years, and in some areas there may be no road signs. The number of gas stations is insufficient and the quality of gasoline is very poor.

Prices in local stores and hotels

There are both hotels and guesthouses in Akhaltsikhe. Although there are few of them, they are quite comfortable and inexpensive. You won’t find Soviet-built hotel buildings in the city - everything is very neat and inexpensive compared to Tbilisi. As for hostels, there are none as such, but the prices in some hotels are very economical.

The most pretentious hotel in Akhaltsikhe is considered to be “Rabati”. It is modern, new and quite expensive, located directly next to the Rabat fortress. Room prices range from 125 GEL for a single room to 315 GEL for a suite.

Hotel "Lomsia" - city center, beautiful, modern, 63 rooms. Cost from 100 GEL (single room) to 325 GEL for luxury apartments.

Hotel "White House" is the very center of the city, designed for 70 guests, has all the necessary infrastructure for a comfortable stay.

Inexpensive options include the Meskheti Palace Hotel (city center, 60 GEL for a single room with breakfast, up to 100 GEL for a suite), the Prestige Hotel (an old, experienced establishment with beautiful views from above, cost from 40 to 75 GEL), guesthouses “Popular” and “Edelweiss”.
As for prices, we can generally say that everything in Akhaltsikhe is quite affordable: both food and souvenirs. In particular, on the territory of the recently restored Rabat fortress, stores of such brands as Puma, Diesel, Pierre Cardin, Swatch, Mex, Beneton are concentrated. So shopping lovers can combine shopping and exploring the historical sights of the city.

Cafes and restaurants in the city

Like any Georgian city, Akhaltsikhe has establishments serving both national Georgian cuisine and modern cafes and bars. But still, if you come to Georgia, then it is best to take advantage of the opportunity to fully enjoy local dishes.

According to tourists, the best khinkali in the world is served in the U Sergo restaurant, which is located near the Rabat fortress. You can eat to your heart's content for about 10 euros while listening to Georgian music and conversations from the hospitable host.

On the territory of the fortress itself there is a restaurant “Rabat” with a very unique design, in which Meskhetian and oriental styles are intertwined with the ultra-modern. Here you can taste dishes of Georgian and Meskhetian cuisine; the menu is compiled in three languages ​​(Georgian, Russian and English). Two halls - Meskhetian (50 seats) and European (35 seats), compartments for 2-8 seats, VIP room (30 seats). Parking, Wi-Fi, all types of credit cards accepted, live music.

What to see in Akhaltsikhe

The main attraction of Akhaltsikhe is the Rabat Fortress, restored in 2012. Having visited it, you begin to understand that it was not in vain that the ancient rulers chose this place as their residence - after all, there is such beauty here that it literally takes your breath away. In addition, the surrounding atmosphere still reminds of the great events that took place here many centuries ago. is 3,650m.

And since Rabat is located directly in the center, an amazing contrast is created between fortified buildings and modern buildings. A visit to the Rabat fortress is included in the mandatory program of tourist routes in Georgia. But Rabat is not only fortresses, churches, towers, mosques and cells. This is a modern complex with business institutions, hotels, restaurants and shops.

The city has an Armenian Catholic church, a local history museum, and a monument to Queen Tamara, who is the patroness of Akhaltsikhe and is revered by the townspeople as a saint.

A few kilometers from Akhaltsikhe there is another attraction - the active male monastery of Sapara (Safara). Translated, this word means “hidden.” The monastery was built in the 10th-11th centuries. It took a long time to be restored, and is currently open to the public (you can even stay overnight). Amazing frescoes have been preserved on the monastery walls, and in general this is a place where a unique spirit of antiquity hovers.

The monastery is home to 20 monks who earn their living from agriculture and donations. To get to the monastery, you need to hire a taxi, since minibuses do not go here.
Other attractions include the Kokhta fortress, Shoreti monastery, Zarzma monastery, Atskuri fortress, Abastumani sanatorium and the observatory of the same name. You can get to the city of Borjomi, the cave city of Varadzia, Lake Tabatskuri. All this is within a very accessible distance.

From the history of the city

The history of the city begins in the first half of the 12th century. From the 14th to almost the end of the 16th century. Akhaltsikhe was the political, economic and cultural center of Samtskhe-Javakheti. The residence of the atabegs of Jakeli was located here.

In the second half of the 16th century. (1579) Akhaltsikhe fell under the rule of the Turks, and in 1628 it became the main city of the Akhaltsikhe province of the Ottoman Empire.

In 1810, Russian soldiers under the leadership of General Tormasov besieged Akhaltsikhe. Ten days later they had to retreat. They ended up in the Borjomi Gorge, where they were lucky enough to discover mineral springs, which later became famous throughout the world.

As a result of the Peace of Adrianople (1829), the Akhaltsikhe fortress became part of the Russian Empire.