In the footsteps of the Georgian film "Sherekilebi - Skhivlo Castle. The history of the ancient structure.
A real castle, like a fairy tale! The ancient 600-meter high fortress of Skhvilo - the former residence of the princes of Amilakhvari. Incredible green scenery and introduction to the history and culture of Georgia. A true atypical attraction for a self-guided tour.
The answer to the question: what to see in Georgia, without a bit of doubt can be Schvilo Castle, which is located near the village of Kvemo Chala in the Shida Kartli region, municipality of Kaspi.
History
First mention of the castle was found in chronicles in X century. In XVII century this place was the residence of family with surname Zedginidze-Amilakhvari. The history of the prison of the XIV century is also associated with this family name.
Since the XVII century Schvilo Castle is often mentioned in various historical sources. In 1629, some time after the death of Shah Abbas, Teimuraz I attempted to renounce submission to Iran.
For this, the ruler Simon II, who was imprisoned in the prison-fortress of Skhvilo, had to be destroyed. The severed head of Simon II was brought to the feet of the king by Zurab Eristavi, who killed the aforementioned.
In 1632 Rostom after his ascension to the throne tried to entice Teimuraz's supporters into his entourage. The main target was Iotam Amilakhvari. Attempts were unsuccessful, and Rostom took the castle by storm.
In these battles the structure was colossally destroyed.
The fortress Skhvilo was of great importance in the XVIII century. The Georgian people took refuge in the walls of the castle during battles with Lek, Ottoman and Kyzylbashi warriors. It usually helped them to defeat the enemy.
Also, the building had time to be a gathering place for revolutionary-minded peasants in the period from 1905 to 1907. However, in the 19th century, Shvilo lost its fortification importance.
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Architecture
The castle of Schwilo combines a fence, a main tower and a secondary tower, a church, a reservoir, and houses adapted for living and buildings for farming.
The castle itself is built of cobblestones and is protected from the outside by a very thick high fence with battlements, on which seven more pillars were built. The top of the fence was designed for observation, with a loophole, holes in the walls and places designed for soldiers.
The fence on the north side was occupied by a tower with five stories, called the main tower. The entrance was unique of its kind, situated six metres above the ground on the ground floor. The fourth floor was a connecting wall, so it was covered by an arch built of stones. The rest of the stories had timber roofs. There was more than one embrasure in the tower tier.
The fifth tier had a balcony ledge of timber, with a wide opening opening to the entire courtyard. A comparatively small tower was on the south side of the fence, the lower part of which was capped. It was entered from the courtyard two meters from the land surface. The first and second stories were covered with a stone canopy, while the roofs of the top three stories were timber.
The door to the balcony opened from the second and fifth floors. Unfortunately, the balconies have not survived to this day.
The church of Schwylo is a two-story structure located on the southeast side of the courtyard. In its first appearance, it was a one-story church, but over time a second church was added to it. Both churches, however, have been rebuilt several times.
The church of St. George was located at the bottom, it is made of pieces of blue stone.
The church was built by Zedgenidze during the reign of Alexander I, as we know from the inscription "Asomtavruli" (it means "Propiska"), which is painted on the western facade of the building.
The apse of the church had the form of a semicircle. The upper church is St. Theodore's. A cobble-stone served as a building material for it. The apse had the form of a trapeze. Within the castle walls in the courtyard on the west side are the ruins of what was once a three-story residential building.
Similar three-storey buildings were located in the eastern and northern part of the courtyard. The buildings, intended for farming, were covered with sheds, their entrance was usually made from the level of 5-6 meters from the land.
The central part of the courtyard was occupied by a fireplace working from all four directions of light. It is probable that there was also a structure with two or three stories in the same places. On the west side of the castle wall there was a water reservoir, which was covered by a vault, with a ceramic water pipe leading out from the north to it.
Skhvilo Castle is of great importance for the history and culture among the monuments of Georgia. It is no less recognizable because of the surrounding countryside. The castle is built on a hill, from where one can enjoy the stunning views of the Kartli valley. In addition, in Schvilo Fortress and the surrounding land, pictures of "Sherekilebi" were taken. - the Georgian director's celebrated film.
So if you are still undecided about what to see when you travel to Georgia, turn on this wonderful film: look at the picturesque landscapes and sights of Georgia, get inspired to travel.
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Photo source: travelgeorgia.ru
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