Akhalkalaki Castle

Akhalkalaki Castle lies in the town of the same name, in the Aspindza municipality in the Samtskhe–Javakheti region in Georgia.

Akhalkalaki Castle was probably built at the same time the town was founded; 1064, and belonged then to the Kingdom of Georgia. After that, it alternated between Georgian and Armenian rule until it finally fell to the Georgian Bagrationi dynasty. Then it became the political and economic center of the Javakheti region.

In the 15th century the town and castle were almost completely destroyed.

In 1637 it was conquered by the Ottomans who rebuilt Akhalkalaki Castle and transformed it into a powerful fortress, probably adding at that time the mosque and a caravanserai. Akhalkalaki then became the administrative center of the area. It stayed in Ottoman hands until the Russo-Turkish War (1828-29) when it was annexed to the Russian Empire when Russian armies, under the command of General Paskevich, occupied Akhalkalaki.

Akhalkalaki occupies the smallest area of a spur between the Paravani and Kirkhbulaki rivers. It has a somewhat rectangular ground plan with several square towers. Next to it are the ruins of an Ottoman mosque, now used as a shelter for cattle, and a caravanserai.

At present Akhalkalaki Castle is freely accessible. A curious assembly of ruins of a castle, a mosque and a caravanserai.

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