Recently, Georgia has become very popular with tourists. Tourism in this country is developing quite rapidly. Many people go to Batumi, others go to Tbilisi. In the last city is a famous fortress. This fortress is located in the southeastern part of Tbilisi. Old city - this area of the city is so called. And when and how did this fortress arise? Now we find out.
History
About the Narikala fortress in Tbilisi is already mentioned in the ancient chronicles of the fifth century. Over more than a thousand-year history, one of the most famous Georgian strongholds has been destroyed more than once, but it was restored again.
The defensive structure in 627 was captured by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius. Later, around the beginning of the eighth century, the Narikala fortress fell under the rule of the Arabs, which lasted about four centuries. Then it became the center of the Georgian kingdom. Initially, the fortress was called Shuris-Tsikhe, which means "Enviable" in translation. During the Mongol invasion, the invaders called the Naryn-Kala citadel, which means the Small Fortress. True, other scholars argue that in translation this means "Thorny Fortress" or "Thistle Fortress." Its location was very successful, since on three sides the fortress was surrounded by impregnable cliffs. She was later called Narikala, which translates as “Unapproachable.” Since the owners of this fortress have changed several times over the centuries, the structure that has survived appears before the eyes of tourists as an example of Arabian architecture.
During the reign of the Arabs, a canal was brought to this fortress of Georgia, which made it possible to irrigate orchards and vineyards. Especially luxurious were those on Mount Mtatsminda. But by the end of the nineteenth century, they gradually became abandoned, since the cost of irrigation was too high for those times. The channel turned out to be unclaimed and therefore also fell into decay.
Description of Narikala Fortress (Tbilisi, Old Town)
The fortress survived many destructions. But the citadel received the most severe damage not from the siege weapons of enemies, but from nature. In 1827, there was a severe earthquake. The consequences of his pernicious effect on the defense structure.
At the very beginning of the twentieth century, Belgian engineers built a funicular that had been functioning properly for about a hundred years. Sixteen years ago, its cable broke and, unfortunately, has not been restored to this day.
The fortress is a kind of ancient Kremlin, but only without richly decorated palace rooms. This structure performed only defensive functions. The powerful walls of the fortress, over the construction of which the best craftsmen of this region worked for many centuries, have tower structures with an interval of several meters. At one of the corners is a fort that seemed to hide in an ambush behind the greenery of trees and shrubs.
Previously, it was the Shakhtakhti tower, which housed a real observatory. Now an observation deck has been built near its walls, from which a magnificent panorama of the old city opens. The fortress was being completed all the time. And if at the very beginning of its construction underground tunnels were led to the Kura River, which is located below the fortress, then gradually the walls of the castle structure were built lower and lower until they came close to the river. At the bottom of this structure is the tower of the Ganja Gate. She is notorious for being the place of execution for criminals accused of treason. The unfortunate people were simply thrown from this tower into the abyss.
Temples
On the way to the fortress are Orthodox churches. These are two churches: Lower Bethlehem and Upper Bethlehem, as well as the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin, built in the eighteenth century.
The millennial fortress of Narikala fascinates with its grandeur. Steps dilapidated by time give a unique charm to the old building. You can see this ancient attraction at any time of the day. When it gets dark, an unusual yellowish backlight turns on. Everything around here takes on a fabulous, magical look.
Narikala fortress is a place where newlyweds like to arrange photo shoots. For the convenience of tourists who climb to it, there is a very cozy and fashionable restaurant "Narila Hill". You can enjoy delicious local cuisine and stunning landscapes.
Church of St. Nicholas
On the territory of the fortress is a very old church of St. Nicholas. Scientists claim that it was built in the twelfth century. Inside the temple building there are unique frescoes, peculiar illustrations to some biblical subjects. They also depict scenes from the history of Georgia.
"Soul" of Tbilisi
The Narikala fortress, which seems to rise above the city, is poetically called the soul and heart of Tbilisi. It symbolizes the spirit of the Georgian people.
In addition to the fact that tourists can enjoy the view of the ancient fortress, climbing on it, they can admire plenty of other sights of Tbilisi. From the walls of the castle building you can clearly see the magnificent avenues and streets of the city, the presidential palace, the botanical garden and more.
How to get there
How can I get to the Narikala fortress in Tbilisi? How to get better? You can get to the fortress by bus number 124. There is another option. You need to take the funicular from Rike Park.
Climbing the cable car to the castle takes only a few minutes. But the hiking route is especially interesting. A beautiful road leads from Mtatsminda Park to the fortress. Its length is about five kilometers. The road, which is equipped with comfortable railings on both sides, is in the shade of the trees. Near her there are shops on which you can relax and move again on the road. On the way, you can admire not only the beauties of nature, but also see the monument “Mother - Georgia”. This is a monumental structure depicting a woman with a sword in one hand (for enemies) and a bowl of wine in the other (for friends). The monument was built on the 1500th anniversary of the city in 1958. The height of the monument is twenty meters. Initially, it was erected from wood. And after five years, replaced by aluminum.
Church of St. George
A few years ago, the church of St. George was erected in the fortress, but it was built on the foundation of an ancient church. The ancient cathedral was completely destroyed due to the fact that about two hundred years ago it was converted into a powder warehouse. And the aforementioned earthquake contributed to the fact that the church was completely destroyed.
While in the fortress, tourists can climb the ancient walls, but this is undesirable. Because one wrong move can lead to a fall from a great height.
Conclusion
Now you know about Narikala fortress (Georgia). Tourism in this country is developing tremendously fast. Such sights sometimes become the reason why people choose Georgia for their holidays.