Drisi Fortress (Region of Shida Kartli)
Drisi Fortress (Georgian: დრისის (ჯავახაანთ) ციხე) – The Fortress is located in the Shida Kartli region, on the left bank of Tedzami river (Georgian: მდინარე თეძამი), on the top of a rock. The fortress of the late medieval era XI – XV centuries, was built by Georgian feudal lords Toreli (Georgian: თორელი). Later it belonged to the Javakhishvili clan. That is why this monument is also called Javakhishvili or Tamaris-Tsikhe (Tamarisi) – the fortress of Queen Tamara. The fortress built on a rocky cape of complex configuration is heavily damaged, but its importance can be assessed at first glance. Once a mighty fortress, it closed the northern side of the Tedzami Gorge.
The complex, which included a church, a tower, a palace and warehouses, was surrounded by a two-tiered protective wall. The builders used a flat surface of a rocky promontory. All the buildings, except the church, are built of sandstone and cobblestones. There is a tower to the north and a tower to the south palace, which is now completely destroyed. The Church of St. George standing on the upper level of the castle, is made of well-smoothed blocks of green tuff. A deep round storage room is carved on the floor near the altar. The complex also includes agricultural buildings, which have been preserved in a damaged state. Drisi Castle has been categorized as an immovable cultural monument of national importance.
Chkopiani village (Georgian: სოფელი ჭყოპიანი), Kaspi Municipality (Georgian: კასპის მუნიციპალიტეტი)