Speri Fortress (Region of Speri)
Speri Fortress (Geor. სპერის ციხე, Tur. İspir kalesi) – fortification in historical southern Georgia – Speri, on the territory of modern Turkey, in the city of Ispir (Georg. სპერი, Tour. İspir), in the province of Erzurum(Georg. კარნუ-ქალაქი). The current Turkish name of the oldest Georgian castle-İspir Kalesi. The castle is built on several terraces. In the central part of the castle, fragments of a large Orthodox basilica have been preserved. The castle has been significantly restored and rebuilt. In the 1800s, at the top of the castle, Jame was built.
In the V century BC. Herodotus mentions Speri as an integral part of the Georgian ethnic, state and cultural circle. In the II century BC. Speri was captured by Armenia. Later the Georgians took him back. In the VII century, he was conquered by Byzantium. In 1123, David Agmashenebeli took it back. Until the end of the XVI century, most of the Speri district and the old town of Speri were always part of the borders of the Kingdom of Georgia. Since 1578, this territory was captured by the Ottoman Empire.
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