Cyclopean Fortress Santha (Region of Samtskhe-Javakheti)
Cyclopean Fortress Santha (Georgian: სანთის ციკლოპური ციხე) – Megalithic fortress is located above the village of the same name Santha, on the southern slope of the Trialeti Range, at an altitude of 1580 m above sea level. The ruins of the cyclopean fortress date back to the Bronze Age (early 1st millennium BC). There is also a church of the 11th-12th centuries with lapidary inscriptions. The cyclopean structure consisted of two parts – the upper and lower castles. The settlement of the upper fortress, built on top of a high ridge, was completely surrounded by a defensive wall for some time.
The lower fortress of Santha was built to the south of the upper castle, on a unique natural terrace in the middle of a ridge, the southern part of which is a rocky hill. From the south, the complex is protected by a natural, steep slope, with towers on the other sides. Between the western and central towers was the entrance to the fortress, and a staircase climbed the wall between the towers. Fortified and unfortified settlements, in general, occupied several dozen hectares. By the order of the President of Georgia dated November 7, 2006, the Santa Fortress was included in the list of historical and cultural monuments of national importance in Georgia.
Village of Santha (Georgian: სოფელი სანთა), Municipality of Tsalka (Georgian: წალკის მუნიციპალიტეტი)
