Fortress of Andzavi (Region of Tao)
Fortress of Andzavi (Georg. ანძავის (ანზავის) ციხე, Tur. Anzavi (kayaalti) kalesi) – the medieval fortress is located in the historical region of Georgia – Tao (Georg. ტაო), not far from the historical village of Andzavi (Georg. ანძავი), now Kayalti ( Tur. Kayaalti). The fortified complex was built at the confluence of the Kineposi (Georg. კინეპოსი) and Anzavi rivers, on a high rock, the upper part of which is relatively flat, and includes a castle and a church. The castle is a quadrangular building. The fortress walls of the castle follow the contour of the rock with a curved line on which it is located. Some parts of the walls have survived relatively intact to this day.
Access to the territory of the complex was carried out through a tower attached below, which is now destroyed. The church standing on the territory of the complex, a building with an additional nave and built of large stones, was well painted at one time. Only minor fragments of the frescoes remain today. According to the surviving parts, it was established that the church was of the basilic type and probably should have been built in the XIV-XV centuries. The roof covering collapsed, while the northern part and the vault covering remained relatively intact. Window openings have been preserved on the western and eastern walls of the church. The shape of the altar is pointed. The inner territory of the castle was excavated by Turkish gold diggers.
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