Petres-Tsikhe Fortress (Region of Samtskhe-Javakheti)
Petres-Tsikhe (Georg. პეტრეს ციხე) (Petre Fortress) is the most famous fortress-castle in the vicinity of Borjomi. It is believed that its former name was “Kverbilis-Tsikhe”. The remains of the ancient structure are located on a rock in the Borjomi gorge, opposite the palace of the royal family of the Romanovs in Likan. There is no exact data on the date of construction of this structure. In the past, the fortress belonged to the feudal Avalishvili family and blocked the road in the Borjomi gorge. After the conquest in the 16th century by the Ottoman conquerors, the fortress became the center of the Ottoman administration. At the same time, the population left the fortress settlement.
The architecture attracts attention with its pronounced upper part and several tiers. The fortress consisted of a citadel and a lower courtyard associated with it. The ruins of various structures have been preserved between the wall and the inner space; in the inner part of the fortress, you can see the remains of living rooms, bins and qvevri. There are embrasures and loopholes in the fortress wall. The fortress has been restored many times. Early horizontal masonry stands out in some places. At the foot of the fortress there is a church and a cemetery. The fortress was built from large pebbles, but, unfortunately, gradually collapsed over time.
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