Birtvisi Fortress (Region of Kvemo Kartli)
Birtvisi Fortress (Georgian ბირთვისის ციხე) – The fortress of Birtvisi is located at an altitude of about 1000 meters, in the middle of the Birtvisi canyons, on a rock in the gorge of the river Algeti (Georgian: ალგეთი). It is not known exactly when this fortress was built. Birtvisi fortress has been mentioned in historical chronicles since the 11th century. Among the ruins of the fortress, buildings from both the early feudal and late feudal eras have been preserved. The fortress is a witness to the great history of Georgia and is a whole complex of defensive structures, the construction of which took advantage of natural features. Hard-to-reach rocky mountains with narrow passages between them formed impassable canyons.
Fortress of Birtvisi was considered impregnable because it was located in a naturally inaccessible place, surrounded by a high wall and towers. The builders of the fortress did a great job of artificially fortifying all exits and suspicious places. All necessary places are walled off and organized for protection. At the entrance to the slope stands a cylindrical tower for observation, the so-called “Stubborn”. The walls near the tower are equipped with an armory. In addition to the defensive structures, houses, agricultural buildings and water reservoirs can be seen among the ruins of the fortress. Very little of the ancient fortress has survived to this day – only a fragment of the wall, the gate, and the ruins of some buildings.
Algeti Gorge (Georgian: ალგეთის ხეობა), Tetritskaro Municipality (Georgian: თეთეთრიწყაროს მუნიციპალიტეტი)