Ananuri fortress is called a large castle located near the Zhinvali reservoir. This historic building is well preserved and today is a very popular tourist attraction. Georgia is proud of this beautiful castle. Ananuri is a place where the atmosphere of the late Middle Ages is felt.
Where is?
Ananuri Castle (Georgia) is located on a site near the modern Georgian Military Highway, seventy kilometers from the capital and about twelve from Zhinvali. The fortress is considered to be one of the most famous in the country. Guided tours are held here, as this monument is perfectly preserved today.
How to get there
A great place for a cultural pastime is Ananuri Castle, Georgia. How to get a traveler there yourself? If you go by car from the border with Russia or from the capital of Georgia, then the castle is on the road called Georgian Military. The castle can also be reached by bus or by shuttle bus from Didube Station in Tbilisi. The main thing is that they go to Gudauri or Pasanauri. In addition, you can use this method of budget travel, as hitchhiking. The fortress cannot be missed or missed, as it is visible from afar.
From the history of Ananuri
Ananuri fortress (Georgia) is usually attributed to the early feudal period. It was a defense outpost that blocked the path from the Darial Gorge. Its owner was a strong feudal family of the era of the Georgian Middle Ages - Aragwa eristavs. These were powerful nobles who dealt with issues of national importance, and also influenced the rulers of the country.
As the residence of the eristavs, the village of Dusheti was used in the 17th century. From there, the main path went north through a narrow gorge called Vedzathevi. When the Aragvi river merged with this river, a kind of natural gate appeared. This strategic point became the site for the construction of the tower, and then the fortress, which today is famous for all of Georgia - Ananuri.
After a certain time, King Constantine attacked the possessions of the eristavs. Another direction threatened with Turkish attacks. The nobleman from eristavstvo, called Revaz, could not resist the attack and was forced to retreat to Mtiuleti. The king correctly used this moment and attacked the castle.
In the future, the fortress changed hands several times. In the mid-18th century, she was occupied by King Teimuraz. When in 1744 a candidate for the throne of Iran was captured by him and his son Irakli, he was imprisoned in Ananuri. And after that he was issued to the representative of the Iranian authorities. Then the fortress was owned by Heraclius, who from this place carried out the management of military affairs.
The castle thirty years later during the Russian-Turkish wars was dominated by Russians. During this period, the strategic weight of Ananuri increased significantly.
In 1795, when the Battle of Krzanis was completed, the fortress was the last refuge for the elderly king Heraclius.
When Georgia was annexed to Russia at the beginning of the 19th century, Ananuri also played an important role.
First, Russian troops were constantly stationed at this place, guarding the section of the main highway that connected the countries and was a reliable point of support for order in the district. The 1812th was the year of the uprising of the highlanders, who failed to capture the fortress. The troops sent from the capital as reinforcements toughly dealt with the rebels. In the subsequent period, Ananuri Castle was for some time the base of the Russian troops. They assumed the construction of a military camp on this site, the project of which they managed to develop, but did not begin to implement. When Georgia was abandoned by Russian military units, Ananuri remained empty. The once formidable fortress slowly turned into a kind of ruin.
By the way, they consider the great poet Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, who came here in 1829, to be the first Russian tourist in this area.
What to see in this area?
In the fortress, all the walls, two large-scale turrets and several more small ones have been preserved. In the construction of a round shape, no overlap was preserved. The square tower has several floors and stairs. According to reviews, tourists like that they can get not only to the territory of the castle, but also to one of the buildings. Moreover, the rise in the tower is possible to the very top, where travelers admire the view.
Assumption Temple
Tourists love to come to Ananuri Castle (Georgia). Attractions of this place include another historical monument - the building of the Assumption Church, which was built at the end of the 17th century. The church is made according to the classical canons of the time, has a dome, and its western facade is decorated with carved elements in the form of crosses and grapes. The interior of the temple is complemented by frescoes, some of which have survived to this day, as well as wall paintings. They depict the holy fathers. The temple, together with its murals and frescoes, is an excellent example of Georgian art of the late Middle Ages. It is really amazing, since similar structures have not been built on this territory since about the 12th century. It is also strange that the church is located close enough to the towers that cover all the elements that adorn the temple. The altar was created by Georgian artists in about 1800, however, many historians believe that nevertheless the temple cannot be unambiguously called Georgian.
Church of the Savior
In the western part of the territory of the fortress is the building of the Spassky Church, or, as it is also called, the Virgin Mary. This building is distinguished by its prescription, when compared with the Assumption Church. This building has a dome, as well as an extension of the second half of the 17th century. The oldest structure in this complex is considered to be a tower with a pyramid roof, which, most likely, dates back to the 16th century. If you also go down from the fortress to the lowland, to the reservoir, you can find a dilapidated temple with mysterious ruins.