Fortress of Akhiza (Region of Klarjeti)
Fortress of Akhiza (Georg. ახიზის ციხე, Tur. Akhiza (Ferhatlı) Kalesi) – medieval castle built in the historical region of Georgia – Klarjeti (Georg. კლარჯეთი), today is within the borders of Turkey. Located in the historical Georgian village – Dzveli (old) Akhiza (Georg. ძველი ახიზა), in the province of Artvin. The Fortress is also called the castle of Ferhatli, after the name of the nearest village of Ferhatli (Tur. Ferhatlı). When exactly the fortress was erected on the rocky bank of the ArtanujisTskali River (Georg. არტანუჯისწყალი) is unknown. In the 5th century, simultaneously with the construction of the nearby Artanuji castle (Georg. არტანუჯის ციხე), it was restored by the Georgian king – Vakhtang Gorgasali (Georg. ვახტანგ გორგასალი).
The current remains of the castle probably belong to a later period. the fortification, built of rubble stone, lies in ruins today, but some fragments still stand. Nothing remains on the top of the castle rock, except for some parts of the outer walls. The ruins of the castle are in the public domain, but access to them is not easy and will require rock climbing. Once, by order of Vakhtang Gorgasali, the Klarjeti ruler Artavazi (Georg. ართავაზი), in addition to the restoration of the Akhiza castle, built a Monastery there. Along with other dioceses, Vakhtang Gorgasali created the Klarjeti diocese with its center in Akhiza. After the Arab conquests of the 7th – 8th centuries, the Monastery of Akhiza must have ceased to exist as an episcopal see. The castle and the cathedral church were heavily damaged by Turkish treasure hunters.
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