Kvaratsikhe

The Kvaratsikhe fortress is located in the village of Skhvava, in the Ambrolauri Municipality, Racha, on the right bank of the Krikhula River, on a high rock. It dates back to the 11th century. During the late Middle Ages, it was in the royal possession. In the 16th century, it was seized by the king of Kartli Simon I, and at the beginning of the 18th century - by the feudal family Iashvili. Since 1769, Kvaratsikhe was again under royal rule. In 1802, the Akhaltsikhe Pasha Sabud was beheaded here. In 1810, during the annexation of the kingdom of Imereti to the Russian Empire, the fortress surrendered to the Russian army. In subsequent periods, it lost its former significance. Kvaratsikhe is a hardly reached fortress, which is surrounded by high walls and fortified with towers. Inside the fence, a two-story residential tower with a circular layout, a small church, a swimming pool and the remains of other buildings have been preserved.