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All Georgia Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Towers of Svaneti

Towers of Svaneti

Fortified homes of highland warriors that are still in use today.

Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Georgia

Added By
Stanislav Stanković
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Towers of Svaneti   jan-one on Flickr
Towers of Svaneti   Susan on Flickr
Towers of Svaneti   deguonis on Flickr
Towers of Svaneti   Martijn.Munneke on Flickr
Towers of Svaneti   deguonis on Flickr
Towers of Svaneti   Wikimedia
View of Caucasus mountains.   Wikimedia
Svaneti Tower   Photo by Vladimir Popov
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About

Life was never easy in the high Caucasus. Nomads from northern steppes eager to get their hands on the riches of Mesopotamia, and Empires battling for supremacy—Assyrians, Macedonians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks, and Mongols—all clashed with fearless locals. The list of invading armies is nearly endless.

Svans, a subgroup of Georgians, who speak their own unwritten Svan language, practice blood revenge, and sing complicated polyphonic vocal songs, were the traditional gatekeepers of mountain passes, and since the time immemorial have been hardy survivors, the archetypal highland warriors. Every household in Svaneti is a true fortress. Villages in these rugged landscapes are often too scattered to be encircled with a protective wall. Each individual house thus had to be separately fortified.

The tower homes of Svaneti were at the same time familial living quarters, fortified fortresses of defense, and personal treasures. They offered protection to their owners and to their livestock, and also served as shelters for the most valuable possessions of every family, as well as copies of holy scriptures and religious icons and relics. Most of the towers date back to the period between the ninth and 12th centuries.

The turbulent history of the region ensured that these fortifications remained in use long after similar defenses become redundant elsewhere in Europe. In recent times families have slowly begun moving out into more comfortable living spaces. However, many of Svan towers still remain in use, and the village of Chazhashi boasts as many as 200.

The similar dwellings can be found in a much wider area all over the Caucasus. However, the typical Svaneti towers are concentrated in Mestia district, 128 kilometers northeast of the regional capital of Zugdidi. Anyone wishing to see the towers should head to the remote village of Ushgulan i.

With elevation of 2, 086 meters Ushguli is one of the highest inhabited places in Europe. According to local lore, in the Middle Ages, it served as a summer retreat for fabled Queen Tamar. Since 1996, the traditional towers of upper Svaneti have been protected as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Related Tags

Fortresses Houses Architectural Oddities Eccentric Homes Towers Architecture Homes

Know Before You Go

One can get to Mestia from Tbilisi and Zugdidi by a mini van. They all go via Zugdidi. The other road is from Lentechi Kutaisi but there is not regular transport going on there.

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Community Contributors

Added By

stanestane

Edited By

Mantas Vitkunas, Allison, EricGrundhauser, irino4ka

  • Mantas Vitkunas
  • Allison
  • EricGrundhauser
  • irino4ka

Published

January 24, 2010

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Sources
  • http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/709/
  • http://svaneti.ru/photo/
Towers of Svaneti
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
Georgia
42.917797, 43.015672

Nearby Places

Queen Tamar Airport

Mestia, Georgia

miles away

Mount Elbrus

Russia

miles away

Prometheus Cave

Kumistavi, Georgia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Georgia

Georgia

Europe

Places 45
Stories 13

Nearby Places

Queen Tamar Airport

Mestia, Georgia

miles away

Mount Elbrus

Russia

miles away

Prometheus Cave

Kumistavi, Georgia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Georgia

Georgia

Europe

Places 45
Stories 13

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