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Rabati Castle Rabati Castle, also known as Akhaltsikhe Castle, is the only complex of its kind in Georgia that is not only a tourist attraction but also a working one. It houses small cafés, a restaurant, a hotel, a museum and a large square for theatre performances and concerts. Architecturally, Rabati has a strong oriental influence, making it different from any other castle or fortress in the country. The name In the town of Akhaltsikhe, where Rabati Castle is located, there are several neighbourhoods with different names. The area where the castle is located was historically called Rabati, which is why it was given this name. The reason for this name may have been due to the variety of nations that lived here, from Georgia, Armenia, Greece, Poland, Russia, Turkey and Israel. However, it was only after its extensive restoration in 2012 that the fortress was named Rabati. Before that it was called Lomsia from the 9th to the 13th century and Akhaltsikhe from the 13th to the 21st century. History of Rabati Castle The first fortress on this site was built by Guaram Mampali under the name of Lomsia. Guaram Mampali was the founder of the Bagrationi royal dynasty, which ruled the country for about 1000 years until the beginning of the 19th century. Guaram built a total of three fortresses in the region, from which the name "Samtskhe" is derived ("Sami Tsikhe" means "three fortresses" in Georgian). At the end of the 13th century, the entire region came under the control of the Jakeli princely family, who restored and extended the old fortress of Lomsia in the same century. They then gave the fortress a new name, Akhaltsikhe, which translates as 'new fortress'. Akhaltsikhe became the seat of the princely family and the capital of the Samtskhe region. In later centuries, when Georgia was repeatedly invaded by the Ottomans, the Jakeli family converted to Islam. This enabled them to maintain a harmonious relationship with the neighbouring Ottoman Empire, which also spared Akhaltsikhe from destruction. However, after the 'Treaty of Constantinople', both the fortress and the entire region of Samtskhe remained outside the control of the Central Georgian Kingdom and were ruled by the Ottoman Empire. In 1810, the Georgian-Russian army under General Alexander Tormasov attempted to take Akhaltsikhe fortress, but after an epidemic broke out in the region, he abandoned the plan. It was not until 1828 that Georgian and Russian troops under General Paskevich took the fortress. The Turks tried to retake the fortress the same year, but failed. In 1829, the entire region was incorporated into Tsarist Russia and a Russian garrison was stationed at the fortress. During this period, parts of the ramparts and several buildings in the complex were restored. In 1853, during the Crimean War, the Turks launched another offensive against Akhaltsikhe, but General Andronikashvili, who was stationed in the fortress, was able to hold Akhaltsikhe. In 1918, after the turmoil of the October Revolution, the Ottomans were able to take the fortress for several months, but soon had to give it up. During Soviet times, several thousand Soviet soldiers were stationed in the region around Akhaltsikhe, on the border with Turkey. Part of the Akhaltsikhe fortress was used as a military hospital, but the complex was largely neglected. Following Georgia's independence in 1991, the fortress remained unattended for many years as it was badly damaged by the battles of the previous centuries and required a great deal of funding for restoration. It was only in 2011 that Georgia had the financial means to thoroughly restore this once grandiose castle and rebuild parts that had fallen into disrepair. After about 2 years of restoration, Akhaltsikhe Fortress was reopened and named Rabati after its historic location. Since then, Rabati Castle and Fortress has been a major attraction for both local and foreign tourists. The restoration of the complex cost Georgia a total of 34 million Lari. Location, architecture and points of interest The Rabati Fortress is located 1000 metres above sea level on the right bank of the Potskhovi River and covers an area of 7 hectares. The fortress was originally surrounded by three walls and had several defence towers. There were several functional and economic buildings on the Rabati site, such as a court of justice, a treasury, a barracks and a granary: Court of Justice, Treasury, Barracks, Mint, Workshop, Baths, Mosque, Church, Synagogue and a central market for kidnapped or captured people who were later taken to the slave market in Istanbul. The current architecture of the castle complex has a strong oriental influence and differs in part from the original image. Notable buildings in the castle complex The Mosque The Ahmed Mosque, built in 1752 in the style of the Hagia Sophia, is a special monument in the Rabati castle complex. According to oral tradition, a small church once stood on the site and the mosque was built on its foundations. The mosque was founded by Ahmed Pasha, an Islamicised Georgian from the Jakeli family. According to tradition, he hired an Italian architect to build the mosque. According to another version of the story, a Georgian architect built the mosque, but was subsequently sentenced to death because the mosque was too reminiscent of the Hagia Sofia, with a similar architectural style and 12 windows under the dome. After the fortress was retaken in 1828, an altar was built in the mosque and it was converted into a church. Madrasa or madrasah (school where Islamic studies are taught). The two-storey madrasa building from 1750 is also very interesting. The building consists of classrooms and living quarters, and has an arcaded corridor on one side, with greenish stone on the columns. The building was faithfully restored in 2011-2012 and is one of the most outstanding medieval madrasas in the world. Rabati Castle today The castle complex consists of an upper and a lower part. The upper part can be visited for a fee and includes a church, the former mosque, the madrasa building, the main tower with citadel, prison cells, an amphitheatre, a small garden with a fountain and the historical ethnographic museum. The lower part of the complex is free to visit and contains various functional buildings such as Cafes, a restaurant, a hotel, an information centre, several towers with crenelated walls, a vineyard with terraces and a small avenue with ornamental trees. Opening hours and prices The castle is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. A visit to the upper part costs 15 Lari per person. The museum in the upper part of the castle is open from 10am to 6pm and costs an extra 5 Lari to visit. The museum displays artefacts from 10 million years before our time to the 19th century. The exhibition is divided into historical periods and is very well organised. All artefacts and exhibits in the museum are labelled in both Georgian and English. Tickets for the upper level can be purchased in the lower part of the complex, immediately to the right of the entrance. Tickets for the museum can also be purchased in the museum building. Guided tours are available in Georgian, Russian, German, English, French and Turkish and cost between 20 and 30 Lari, depending on the size of the group. On following trip, you will visit Rabati: |
