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Ananuri Fortress Ananuri Fortress Church is one of the country's most important sights and the most photographed monument in Georgia. Complex of Ananuri Fortress 1. Upper and lower fortifications Where is Ananuri Fortified Church? Ananuri Fortified Church is located about 65 km. North of the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, at the Jinvali reservoir, in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, the historical name of the region is - Mtiuleti. Historical overview, facts and dates Ananuri is also the name of the village where the complex is built. There are written records about the settlement of the village in Ananuri only since the XIII century. What happened in the XIII century and why was a fortress built here of all places? In the 13th century, during the Mongol invasions and the severe weakening of the Georgian Kingdom, numerous independent principalities emerged, including the Principality of Aragvi (Aragvi is the name of the river that flows in front of the complex and flows into the reservoir). The princes chose the village of Ananuri as their main residence because it was located at the important crossroads of various routes and the princes quickly realised the strategic importance of the area. Many families settled around the complex and a small village became a small town of over 2,000 people. Today the village of Ananuri is home to around 50 families. The first and oldest monument in the complex is the narrow XIV century defence tower with a distinctive pyramidal roof. Such defence towers were common in the northern parts of Georgia, especially in the Khevsureti region, which is why the tower is also known as the Khevsureti Tower. The tower is 18 metres high and has 4 floors, the ground floor is filled with stones for better stability, the entrance is on the first floor from the eastern side, which is hardly visible at present because the main church is very close to it. The main church, dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, dates from the XVII century. The largest monument in the complex is the Church of the mother of God, built in yellow sandstone in the XVII century and commissioned by Prince Bardzim Mdivanbeg. The church is notable for its elaborately decorated facades, especially the south side, which is richly decorated with the Tree of Life, archangels, grapes, deer, dragons and finely carved stones. The interior of the church was painted white in the XIX century, and after the paint was removed, many frescoes from the XVII century were revealed. On the columns, in the middle of the central space, you can see the images of the Syrian priests who came to Georgia in the VI century and founded various monasteries, especially in eastern Georgia. On the western side, St. George on horseback is clearly visible, and on the southern side, the best preserved is the rather brutal depiction of the Last Judgement, with Jesus as the Judge in the centre and the righteous going to heaven and the sinful on their way to hell after the Last Judgement. Church of the Redeemer from the XVI-XVII centuries (smaller church, next to the large main church) The cross-domed church above the Ananuri complex dates from the late XVI and early XVII centuries and is built of river stone and brick. The facades are barely decorated and inside the church you can still see the remains of the old murals. The Donjon (Scheupovari) The mighty crenelated curtain wall is reinforced by a square Georgian "Scheupovari" (impregnable) keep in the centre and two other corner towers on the left and right. The keep in the centre of the curtain wall dates from the XVII century. It measures 6.80 x 8.20 metres and has 5 stores. Part of the tower is outside the wall and originally had 6 storeys. The keep was also a residential tower, as evidenced by the chimneys that can be seen on each floor of the tower. Church of the Redeemer from the XVI-XVII centuries (smaller church, next to the large main church) The cross-domed church above the Ananuri complex dates from the late XVI and early XVII centuries and is built of river stone and brick. The facades are barely decorated and inside the church you can still see the remains of the old murals. Water reservoir The two-part water reservoir is located inside the defensive wall, just to the right of the main entrance in the upper part of the Ananuri fortified church. The total size of the reservoir is 12.9 x 9.6 m. It is built of river stones and the water supply was provided by a ceramic water pipe brought down from the mountains (about 100 m to the north-west). The water pipe is buried quite deep in the ground (about 2 metres). In the complex, on the south-east side, there is another water reservoir. It is 6 metres deep and 1.2 metres wide. The bell tower The bell tower with wide open windows, on the east side, about 10 metres east of the main church. The tower dates from the second half of the XVII century and is made of brick, the top of the tower is made of polished river stone. The tunnel (underground cell) Between the main church and the bell tower is an octagonal underground cell that connects the two parts of the Ananuri complex, the upper and lower. You can enter the cell via the stairs, but further access is currently blocked. Etymology There are several versions of the origin of the name Ananuri According to one version, the name of the fortress and the village is linked to the prince's beautiful daughter, Anna. She fell in love with a young man from neighbouring Dagestan and let him into the fortress, but the young man had other plans. He secretly unlocked the gates of the fortress at night and let attackers from the North Caucasus into the fortress. Anna deeply regretted having trusted the young man, and later generations called the fortress "Anna's Remorse" (Anas sinanuli) or Ananuri. According to the second version, during the siege of the fortress, the enemy pitched their tents on the banks of the Aragwi River. During the night there was a violent thunderstorm and most of the tents were flooded, killing many of the besiegers and making the survivors regret having besieged the fortress in the first place. Again, the word "regret" (Sinanuli) is used as the origin of the name. However, visitors to the site will never regret having seen and admired this magnificent site with their own eyes. On following trip, you will visit Ananuri |
