|
Gremi Fortress Gremi was the capital of the Kakheti region and the seat of the East Georgian kings for around 150 years. The city played an important role in the country's economy, as the Silk Road passed through Gremi and it was one of the country's largest markets, where traders from Persia, China and various Middle Eastern countries met and exchanged goods. The preserved monuments of Gremi are a popular tourist destination in Kakheti, mainly because of its interesting location, exceptional architecture and the dominant turquoise colour of the main church. History of Gremi There was a settlement on the territory of Gremi as early as the Bronze Age. However, Gremi did not become the royal seat and capital of Kakheti until the 15th century. A number of factors led to Kakheti, one of several regions in Georgia, becoming an independent kingdom and the king making Gremi, of all places, his capital. In 1453, Constantinople fell and Georgia lost its important Christian ally, Byzantium. At this time, King Giorgi VIII ruled a united Georgia and sought a new alliance further west in Europe. He sent several ambassadors to Pope Pius II and to the French King Charles VII and his son Louis XI, but the partnership and coalition failed to materialise. Internal conflicts soon broke out in Georgia and King Giorgi VIII was forced to seek refuge in Kakheti after several defeats in his own country. There he founded a kingdom and chose a new city - Gremi - as his royal seat, rather than Telavi as his predecessors had done. In Kakheti, he was no longer Giorgi VIII, but Giorgi I, the first Kakhetian king to be called Giorgi. King Giorgi's successors continued to expand the city, turning it into the economic and cultural centre of eastern Georgia. Unfortunately, Gremi's prosperity was short-lived. In 1616, following the invasion of Kakheti by the Persian Shah Abbas I, the entire region and its capital were razed to the ground and its inhabitants deported to Persia. Gremi ceased to exist as a city and the once thriving regional capital was reduced to a small village. The surviving parts of Gremi, such as the Church of the Archangels, the tower and the ramparts, were restored by King Irakli II in the 18th century. In the 20th century several archaeological excavations were carried out in Gremi and in 1975 a museum was opened with over 2000 exhibits. Since 1989, after a long break, services have been held again in the Archangel Church of Gremi. In 2011 the monuments of Gremi were thoroughly renovated and the museum was modernised. In 2007, Gremi was included in the provisional list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Building complex of Gremi The city once covered an area of 50 hectares and consisted of three quarters: I. Archangel Quarter (Archangel Church, defence and bell tower and the defence wall) II. Royal quarter with royal palace, bath house, several fountains, etc. III. The market quarter with caravanserais, shops, bathhouses. I. District: Archangel Quarter Church of the Archangels The Archangel Church of Gremi was built under King Levan I (1518-1574) in the 16th century. The church is architecturally cruciform with a narrow dome, characteristic of the Kakheti region. The roof of the Gremi church is made of glazed ceramic in a turquoise blue colour. Although this colour is unusual for a Georgian sacred building, it gives the church a very special aura. The choice of turquoise can also be explained by the increasing Persian influence at this time, which is evident not only in the colour of the roof, but also in the interior of the church, the design of the interior and the structure of the frescoes. The Archangel Church of Gremi was built of brick and, as is typical of brick buildings, there is very little decoration on the facades of the church. This makes the contrasting combination of red brick and turquoise blue roof all the more striking. The church has three entrances, from the north, south and the main entrance from the west. The church was frescoed after construction and, unlike almost all Georgian churches, the Church of the Archangel is painted from floor to roof. Carpets are depicted in the lower row and there are upholstered seats on the sides of the interior. On the west wall, the founder, King Lewan I, is depicted holding a model of the church. His tomb is also located below his fresco. Gremi defence tower, residential tower and bell tower The first residential and defence tower in Gremi was built in the 15th century under King Giorgi I. In the 16th century, after the construction of the Church of the Archangel, the tower was enlarged and also took on the function of a bell tower. The tower has three floors and is integrated into the defensive wall. The bell tower was installed on the third floor in the 16th century. There are several embrasures and small openings on each floor. There are two narrow staircases in the tower that run along the inside of the wall. Interestingly, the first staircase leads to the second floor and the second to the third. Opposite the entrance to the tower is an adjoining room with a medieval toilet. *** Good to know: There is an entrance fee to the tower and a number of exhibits and artefacts are displayed at the entrance to the tower. Defence wall The 16th-century ramparts surround the Church of Our Lady and the tower. The wall is built on a hill with difficult terrain and has a relatively narrow entrance on the north-west side. The wall is about 10 metres high and has numerous embrasures. There is a secret tunnel on the south side of the wall that leads to the Intsoba River. The wall and the church of the Archangel were restored in the 18th century by King Irakli II. On the north-east side there is a wine cellar with several amphorae and a wine press. There is also a forge for metalworking. Conveniently located at the confluence of the Bolia and Intsoba Rivers, the first district could exist independently of the rest of the city if necessary. II District: Royal Quarter The Royal Quarter of Gremi is located below the Archangel Quarter and consists of several buildings such as: the Royal Residence, the Royal Bath (built in brick), an octagonal tower and a well house. This part of Gremi is the least preserved and the monuments here were only identified during archaeological excavations (1939-1949 and 1963-1967) and later partially reconstructed. III District: Gremi Market Quarter The market square was in the shape of a square and was surrounded by shops on both sides. There were 30 shops in all. The shops were 10 to 15 square metres in size, each had a veranda and some also had a cellar. To the east of the shops was an 80-metre-long caravanserai with many rooms and storerooms. In the market quarter, on the south-west side, there was a large two-storey bathhouse with several bathing rooms. There were boiler rooms in the lower part of the bathhouse and changing rooms, hot and cold baths in the upper part. The market area, like the town of Gremi in general, was well supplied with water. There were several ceramic pipes from Lake Lopota, laid in the 16th century. The water from the wide pipes was used for irrigation and the water from the thin pipes was used for washing, bathing and drinking. In the western part of the market there is a church built in the 16th century. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and used to be surrounded by a small defensive wall. The complex of the church and the small wall is also known as "Tarsa Galavani". Museum of Gremi There are 2 museums in the area of Gremi. The main museum, located under the Church of the Archangel, contains many local, Persian and Chinese artefacts found during the excavations. The second museum, or rather the second part of the museum, is located in the defence tower, which stands close to the Archangel Church to the south. The museum is open every day except Monday and the entrance fee is 10 lari (as of 2023).7 On following trip, you will visit Gremi fortress |
