Cheremi settlement (Region of Kakheti)
Cheremi Historic site (Georgian: ჭერემის ნაქალაქარი) – Historical-architectural and archaeological monument, medieval town in the historical region of Georgia – Ereti (Hereti) (Georgian: ჰერეთი). On the territory of the ancient city of Cheremi there are numerous ruins of churches and other buildings. Excavations have made it clear that in the form of Cheremi we are dealing with two cities of different periods. The first is a city that arose on an economic basis in the second half of the 3rd century, located on an important highway coming from the east (its main territory includes the territory of today’s village). The second is a fortress city and a strategic point, the foundation of which is attributed to Vakhtang Gorgasali (Georgian: ვახტანგ გორგასალი), located 4-5 km from the present-day village of Cheremi. Layers from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Middle Ages were discovered.
As already mentioned, Cheremi was located on an important highway coming from the east (Khornabuji, Velistsikhe, Cheremi, Ujarma). The shortest road connecting inner and outer Kakheti – Velistsikhe-Cheremi – Chailuri – passed through Cherami. An important strategic point was rapidly developing. The city was adorned with magnificent church and secular buildings, castles, and dwellings. Cheremi was one of the main strongholds of the city in the process of political integration of Kakheti with the Kartli region. After the successful completion of this policy, Cheremi lost its strategic and political importance. At the end of the 5th century, after the raid of the Iranian army, it fell into further decline and only the status of a religious center was preserved. The remains of the ancient settlement of Cheremi include a 10-hectare citadel with the ruins of a castle, palace, churches, ring wall and other buildings.
Cheremi Village (Georgian: სოფელი ჭერემი), Gurjaani Municipality (Georgian: გურჯაანის მუნიციპალიტეტი)