Gori Fortress is a 13th century castle, situated on a hillside not far from the Stalin Museum. Because of its location, the site was continuously at the epicentre of various battles. The fortress was captured by the Ottomans in the 16th century and thereafter changed hands between the Turks, the Georgians and the Persians.
After Russia’s annexation of Georgia in 1801, the fortress was garrisoned by a Russian grenadier battalion, but its importance gradually declined and its fortifications became defunct. The structure seen today dates to the 17th and 18th centuries.
The view of the fortress is better from afar and once inside the fort there is little to see but the views, especially on a clear day when the mountains are visible in the distance.
The real gem is hidden away at the western end of the fortress where multiple layers of fortifications slope down to end up at the same level as the road and are adjoined by supplementary walls. Bear in mind that there is no exit from there and one needs to climb back up the same way.
