Description of the attraction
The ruins of the Bagrat castle is one of the most popular archaeological sites on the territory of the Republic of Abkhazia, located near the city of Sukhumi, on its eastern outskirts, not far from the "Abkhazia" tourist center, on the top of a hill. A road has been laid there.
The construction of the castle dates back to the X-XI centuries. This period in the history of Abkhazia is famous for the reign of Bagrat III (980-1014) - the first king of united Georgia. Bagrat III spent the entire period of his reign in continuous campaigns and wars, simultaneously erecting castles, fortresses and temples. In the spring of 1014, the ruler died (he was buried in the Bedia temple), not having time to fully unite the autocratic local princes (aznaurov). The civil strife continued. The new king Bagrat IV Kuropalat (1018-1072) continued the wars for the reunification of lands and liberation from the Seljuk Turks. Some historians attribute the construction of a castle in the vicinity of Sukhumi to Bagrat IV.
The castle was erected on a hill above the sea and the Basla river valley. The southern approaches to Sukhumi and the port at the mouth of the river were controlled from the walls and four towers of the fortress. Nowadays, only ruins remain of the two-meter walls made of rubble stone, lined with round cobblestones. Separate fragments of walls and towers reach a height of 10 meters. Through the embrasure of one of the towers, a magnificent view of the surroundings opens. During excavations in the fortress, objects were discovered that testify to traditional crafts and a peculiar way of life of the Abkhaz - fragments of pottery, bones of domestic animals, nails, fragments of glass jewelry.
Since ancient times, Abkhazia has been famous for viticulture and winemaking, which is confirmed by the pithos found in the castle - large vessels designed to store food - grain, olive oil, salted fish and, of course, wine.
