Ananuri Fortress: what to see and how to get there

Ananuri is a castle-and-fortress complex on the Aragvi river, once the seat of the Aragvi eristavis. In 1739 the fortress was seized and burned during a feud, yet it stayed in use right up to the early 19th century. Today Ananuri stands on the shore of the Zhinvali Reservoir, and since 2007 it has been on UNESCO’s tentative list.

History of the fortress

Ananuri served as the castle and seat of the eristavis (dukes) of Aragvi - the local nobility who ruled this part of the valley. In the feud of 1739 the fortress was burned by the forces of a rival house, that of Shanshe of Ksani.

Notable buildings survive within the walls. The larger of the churches, the Church of the Assumption, was built in 1689. The upper fortification includes the “Sheupovari” (“undaunted”) tower - its name recalls the sieges the garrison withstood.

How to get there

Ananuri Fortress above the turquoise reservoir — The classic view of Ananuri above the turquoise water on the road to Kazbegi. Photo: shankar s. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

The fortress is in the Dusheti municipality, about 70 km north of Tbilisi on the Georgian Military Road. Ananuri sits right by the highway towards Gudauri and Kazbegi, so it’s almost impossible to drive past - the easiest way is to stop in by car along the way.

The Ananuri castle-and-fortress complex with churches — The Ananuri castle-and-fortress complex with its two churches. Photo: Arian Zwegers / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Nearby

A ramp up onto the fortress wall at Ananuri — A stone ramp leads up to the top of the Ananuri fortress wall. Photo: shankar s. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Ananuri is a natural stop on the Tbilisi → Kazbegi 2-day route: further along the same road lies Gergeti Trinity Church. If it is the drive itself you are after - where to pull over for photos, what happens to the tarmac up in the mountains and how the Jvari Pass plays out - the fortress is written into the stop-by-stop guide to the Georgian Military Road. Other places are in the things to see section.

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