Description of the attraction
The Narikala fortress, located in Tbilisi on the Holy Mountain of Mtsatminda, is the most famous and oldest monument of the city. Local residents call it “the heart and soul” of Tbilisi.
The fortress amazes with its impregnable towers and mighty walls. The defensive structure, founded around the 4th century, is the same age as the city of Tbilisi. Initially, the citadel was called Shuris-Tsikhe, which means "Enviable Fortress". During the Mongol invasion, the fortress received its new name - Naryn-Kala, which is translated from the Mongolian language as "Small fortress".
Since the fortress had a high-altitude position, a special water supply system was originally provided here, carried out through canals and aqueducts. Special underground passages were dug from the fortress to the river. In the VII-XII Art. along with the active growth of the city, the fortification also grew. The walls of the fortress descended directly to the river, thanks to which the rulers of the castle had free control of the trade routes that passed along the Kura river.
The fortress was fortified on all sides by rocks and river waters. But despite such a powerful fortification, it was still captured, destroyed and rebuilt. For example, the modern appearance of the citadel belongs to the Arab architecture of the VII-XII centuries. In 1827, the defensive structure could not withstand a strong earthquake, which significantly destroyed the towers and fortress walls.
In the 90s. they tried to restore the citadel. At that time, the church of St. Nicholas was rebuilt, which in the XII century. was located on the territory of the fortress. The remains of the temple were found in 1966 during archaeological excavations. The interior of the church is decorated with frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible and the history of Georgia.
In 2012, the construction of a cable car leading from the Rike Park across the Kura River directly to the Sololak ridge was completed. With this cable car you can get to the fortress very quickly.
Today, the Narikala fortress is the main historical attraction of Tbilisi, which keeps the entire history of the capital of Georgia.
