Amazing antiquity. The oldest fortress in Georgia is Gonio-Apsaros Fortress. Cultural heritage of Adjara.
If you think that you have already managed to fully explore Georgia, take a look at the Gonio-Apsaros fortress. For the last few years it has been located in a protected area, so you can enjoy the ancient architecture and unsurpassed landscapes. The MadLoba blog will pamper you with incredibly beautiful photos, real stories and reviews.
Приглашаем для общения про Грузию
There is a fortress in Adjara – Gonio-Apsaros, its history goes back two thousand years. It is located in the village of Gonio, not far from Batumi (15 km). There is a legend – the apostle Matthew, a disciple of Jesus Christ, is buried in the fortress.
At the beginning of its existence, in the 1st century, the fortress was called Apsaros. This is due to the ancient Greek myths about the Argonauts. There is a version that the son of King Aet – Apsirt is buried in the fortress. According to one version, his sister Medea killed him, and according to another, the argonaut Jason. The citadel had a very advantageous strategic position: It protected the entrance to the Acharistskali and Chorokhi gorges, which connected the Black Sea coast with the interior regions of the ancient Colchian Kingdom.
The name Gonio was first mentioned by the historian Mikhail Panaret in the 14th century. Ships from Genoa often came to the fortress. The locals somewhat transformed the name of the Italian city, and it turned out to be Gonio. For all the time of its existence, the fortress has changed little. A small reconstruction was carried out by the Ottomans during their possession of Gonio. The fortress was part of the Ottoman Empire from 1547 to 1878. According to the San Stefano Peace Treaty, which secured the end of the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-1878, Adjara was ceded to the Russian Empire.
The fortress has a square shape, the height of the walls reaches 5 meters, the perimeter length is 900 meters. 18 towers out of 22 have been preserved and only one entrance out of four. On the territory of the fortress, archaeologists found the remains of a hippodrome, a theater and a water pipe. In 1974, a treasure belonging to the 2nd-5th centuries AD was found on the south side.
Since 1994, the fortress has been a museum-reserve. Excavations in the fortress are continuing, scientific work is underway. The found artifacts are transferred to the local museum. Gonio-Apsaros Fortress is a monument of the Roman period in the history of Adjara. If you are vacationing in Batumi, take a trip to the past of Georgia.
11 comments
Log in to leave a comment
ного.Действительно место полное тайн которые когда-нибудь откроют новые находки.Отличная статья!
От места веет какой-то мистичностью и загадочностью, даже через фотографию.