Tmogvi Fortress

Tmogvi Fortress is a magnificent fortification on South Georgia. It is hard to believe that people were able to build such a fortress on an almost inaccessible rocky mountain in the middle of a wild valley.

Although only the ruins of Tmogvi Fortress remain today, it’s fascinating and terrifying sight leaves no traveller indifferent.

General description of Tmogvi Fortress

Tmogvi Fortress is built on a rocky mountain that is extremely difficult to access. Due to the uneven terrain, the walls of the fortress vary in height.

The western part of the fortress is the best preserved, with three different layers of walls. The south-eastern part is built on the rocks and from this side you can get down to the river through a narrow tunnel. The total length of the wall is about 150 metres.

Inside the wall, in a relatively small area, the ruins of several buildings have been preserved, including a residential building, a bathhouse, a prince's palace and two churches. In one of the churches, which has a cupola, 13th-century frescoes have been preserved beneath the walls. The ruins of this church can also be seen from the main road.

History of Tmogvi Fortress

The fortress of Tmogvi had the function of controlling an important road from Asia to Georgia through the Kura valley. The fortress itself was not built in one piece, but was extended over time.

It first appears in written sources in the 10th century, when the Arab general Yusuf ibn Abi'l-Saj besieged the fortress but was forced to withdraw his troops after several failed attempts to conquer it.

In the early 11th century, the first king of united Georgia, Bagrat III, succeeded in incorporating the once-independent principality of Tmogvi into the Georgian kingdom. Since then, the fortress has been ruled by the loyal princes of the country, the Quabulisdzes, Tmogwelis and later the Shalikashvilis.

The Tmogvi fortress was considered impregnable for centuries, but two earthquakes in 1089 and 1283 severely damaged the complex.

After the Mongol invasions from the end of the 13th century, Tmogvi came into the possession of the Jakeli princes, who retained control of the fortress for many centuries until Tmogvi and the surrounding area were incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century.

After the Russo-Ottoman war, Tmogvi became part of Georgia again in 1828.

The fortress of Tmogvi today

Today, only ruins remain of the once impregnable fortress. However, Tmogvi has not lost its charm and remains a popular tourist destination, especially for those who are good walkers.

In 2007, the fortress was declared a 'cultural monument of national importance' and restoration projects are now underway. However, the country still needs to get back on its feet economically.