Atskuri ( ka, აწყურის ციხე) is a
Georgian feudal
Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of struc ...
fortress on the right bank of the
Mtkvari (Kura) River, approximately 30 kilometres from
Borjomi
Borjomi ( ka, ბორჯომი ) is a resort town in south-central Georgia with a population of 11,173 (as of 2024). Located 165 km from Tbilisi, it is one of the six municipalities of the Samtskhe–Javakheti region and is situated in the ...
, in the
Samtskhe-Javakheti region.
Built in the 9th century, Atskuri Fortress was an important stronghold for the defense of Georgia during the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
.
History
The fortress was probably situated near the town of
Atskuri, of which no traces have been found. First mentioned in the 9th century, the fortress was significantly damaged in the 16th century, when it was occupied by the Turks. It was rebuilt in the 17-18th centuries. In the 1820s the fortress was abandoned.
[Zakaraya, P. (1983) Pamyatniki Vostochnoi Gruzii. Iskusstvo, Moskva, 376 p. akaraya, P. Monuments of the Eastern GeorgiaIn Russian)]
Architecture
Set atop a high cliff, the fortress occupies a vast area, and is made of several parts, with the citadel at its highest point. The fortress territory also includes ruins of a church with remnants of frescoes. A water-supply tunnel connects the fortress with the river.
See also
*
Atsquri church
References
External links
* , historical monuments of Georgia.
Atskuri Fortress photo gallery.
Information about Atskuri Temple
Castles and forts in Georgia (country)
Buildings and structures in Samtskhe–Javakheti
Immovable Cultural Monuments of National Significance of Georgia
{{Georgia-struct-stub