Samshvilde Settlement (Region of Kvemo Kartli)
Samshvilde Settlement (Georgian: სამშვილდის ნაქალაქარი) – The historic fortress town in Georgia, founded in the middle of the first millennium BC and lasting until the 18th century. The town grew and developed over the centuries, but probably acquired its appearance in the early Middle Ages. A naturally fortified cape was chosen for the town, located at the confluence of the Chivchavi (Georgian: ჭივჭავი ) and Khrami (Georgian: ხრამი ) rivers, with rocky and steep cliffs on two sides and a surrounding wall on the third side. Samshvilde was a strong strategic city and quite impregnable, since by blocking the western part of the plateau on which the city was built, it protected and controlled the entire territory. The remains of the defensive wall are not of the same thickness. From the western side, the fortress almost constantly received strong and targeted blows from the enemy. The wall on the western side was 6 meters thick, with a height of 12 meters.
Samshvilde as a fortress town is mentioned by historians of the period of Alexander the Great, during the campaign of the famous commander in Iberia (Georgia). The fortress town was rebuilt many times, but the main buildings here still date back to the period of antiquity. In Saishvilde there are many ruins of fortifications, cult and other buildings, the most important of which is a monument of Georgian architecture of the 8th century, the central-domed large bishop’s cathedral – Samshvilde Sioni (Georgian: სამშვილდეს სიონი). The temple is in ruins, the eastern part is comparatively better preserved. The history of the construction of the temple is told by fragments of a long inscription preserved on the eastern facade. Samshvilde is undoubtedly a unique complex of Georgian culture and history, and it must be protected and preserved for posterity.
Samshvilde village (Georgian: სოფელი სამშვილდე), Municipality of Tetritskaro (Georgian: თეთრიწყარო)
