About Gori

The town is placed in the core of Kartli, on the main traffic artery of Georgia. Since ancient times, here crossed many roads passing through the large and small river Liakhvi and Mejuda. Gori is not very large, but the basics of the fortress and the city were laid on the rocky hill that rises in the middle. From this place were well-seen the approaches to the borough and the foe could not sneak up unnoticed.

Opposite the city, on a height stands the ancient temple Goridzhvari. In the IV century the cross was fixed on the hilltop, and then it was named as a mountain of cross. This temple is called after St. George. As confirmed by historical documents, in the hill stood two churches, one of which was the structure of the VIII-IX centuries.

The second church building was later centuries. An earthquake in 1920 destroyed completely Goridzhvari and its surroundings.

On the remains of the bastion is possible to distinguish the layers of different periods, but from the old town was almost nothing left and erased by new buildings.

Early chronicles of Gori almost nonexistent, but the earthquake in 1946 destroyed the northern slope opened a very interesting page of history: A very good construction of ancient walls, similar to the walled cities, as Bagineti, Tsitsamuri and others. Together with them, found walls can be dated back to the last centuries of the first millennium BC.

Last earthquake severely damaged the walls on the ridge mountains and thus upper part is completely absent. A thick walls of preserved part are completely deaf. Apparently, weapon components for protection during attacks are positioned exactly at the top.

Relatively more information about Gori there syne the XIII century. Weakened by the struggle with the Mongols, Georgia has also become a victim of an emboldened Ossetians from another edge of the Caucasus, who invaded and captured Gori. Despite the resistance of Georgians, Ossetians with Mongol support permanently ingrained in Gori. It was only in the 20s of the XIV centenary their expulsion succeeded by George V. Taking this mighty fortress town, was possible only after a three-year siege.

After that, for almost a centenary and a half, no any information about Gori. Just in 1474, according to the notes of Venetian traveler, known that there was a ligneous castle. Apparently, on the spot of the destroyed by enemies Old Castle Georgians erected a temporary wooden castle.

At the 18th century Citadel Gori is still considered to be reliable. Vakhtang VI was a frequent visitor here, and when he was forced to leave to Iran, as a Kartli governor left his brother and gave the seat of Gori.

The fortress lost its significance only in the XIX century. And from the same period, the wall extending round the town stopped to function.

Its favorable geographical location Gori Fortress has always attracted by people. And so around him gradually formed the city which then increased. In the 19th century, it changed the appearance and for nowadays is amongst the most significant cities in the country.

Near Gori there is a unique monument of Georgian culture – the cave city, is the oldest settlements of the Caucasus. Monument originates in II-I millennia and was a strong political and cultural center of the land. Almost intact preserved urban structures of the time, a magnificent temple, residential and agricultural halls carved in the rock, secret tunnels, streets and squares.

During archaeological excavations found gold, silver, bronze jewelry, magnificent examples of pottery.

These lands were the veil since the early Bronze Age. Uplistsikhe – ancient city that keeps a lot of interesting stories from immemorial time , and as a unique museum today receives many visitors.