The Ksani fortress ( ka, ქსნის ციხე, tr), also known as the Mtkvari fortress (მტკვრის ციხე, ''mt'k'vris tsikhe''), is a fortress in eastern
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, strategically perched on a mount overlooking the confluence of the
Ksani river
The Ksani (, , ''Ĉysandon'') is a river in central Georgia, which rises on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range in South Ossetia and flows into the Kura (''Mtkvari''). It is long, and has a drainage basin of . with the
Mtkvari
The Kura is an east-flowing river south of the Greater Caucasus Mountains which drains the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus east into the Caspian Sea. It also drains the north side of the Lesser Caucasus while its main tributary, the Ar ...
(Kura) in the historical district of
Mukhrani
Mukhrani ( ka, მუხრანი, originally Mukhnari უხნარი i.e., "oak-grove") is a historical lowland district in eastern Georgia, currently within the borders of Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, north of the town of Mtskheta. It lie ...
, now part of the
Mtskheta Municipality
Mtskheta ( ka, მცხეთის მუნიციპალიტეტი) is a district of Georgia (country), Georgia, in the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti. Its main town is Mtskheta. Population of Mtskheta Municipality - 47 711 inhabitants. ...
. It was built by
Bagrat I, Prince of Mukhrani
Bagrat, Prince of Mukhrani ( ka, ბაგრატ I მუხრანბატონი, ''Bagrat I Mukhranbatoni''), (c. 1487 – c. 1540) was the third son of King Constantine II of Georgia, of the Bagrationi dynasty, and the founder of the Ho ...
, in 1512 and reconstructed by his descendant in 1746. The fortress is inscribed on the list of Georgia's
.
Location and layout
The Ksani fortress tops a 600-meter-high Mount Sarkineti on the left bank of the Ksani in the vicinity of the village of
Tsikhisdziri
Tsikhisdziri ( ka, ციხისძირი) is a village in the Kobuleti Municipality, Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Georgia, on the Black Sea coast, 8 km south of the town of Kobuleti. Tsikhisdziri is home to an archaeological site and ...
, Mtskheta Municipality, in the
Mtskheta-Mtianeti
Mtskheta-Mtianeti ( ka, მცხეთა-მთიანეთი, literally "Mtskheta-Mountain Area") is a region (Mkhare) in eastern Georgia comprising the town of Mtskheta, which serves as a regional capital, together with its district and t ...
region. The fortress is strategically located, overlooking the confluence of the Ksani and Mtkvari. Accessible only from the southwest, it offers a view of both river valleys, and due to its commanding position, is visible from Georgia's main east–west highway.
The fortress is perceived as the mountain continuation. Two construction layers can be distinguished in the fortress, the original from 16th century and the reconstruction of 18th century. The latter event is documented by an inscription above the tower door. The extant fortress is irregular polygonal in plan. The original building is built of cobble stone. It had towers only at the northern corners. Mixed stone and brick lines are the result of the 18th-century reconstruction, when three multilevel towers were added. The walls are fortified with bastions and towers of different size and shape and crowned with
crenellated
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i.e., a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at interva ...
parapets
A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). Wher ...
. They are equipped with
embrasures
An embrasure (or crenel or crenelle; sometimes called gunhole in the domain of gunpowder-era architecture) is the opening in a battlement between two raised solid portions ( merlons). Alternatively, an embrasure can be a space hollowed ou ...
and
roundels
A roundel is a circular disc used as a symbol. The term is used in heraldry, but also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of differ ...
. The towers also served as accommodation. The southeastern tower basement had large water reservoir. In the courtyard there are also a pond and a wine-cellar. Water used to be supplied by an aqueduct which continued along the mountain ridge for several kilometres.
History
![Ksani fortress-5 (Photo A](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Ksani_fortress-5_%28Photo_A._Muhranoff%2C_2011%29.jpg)
The fortress is known from early modern historical records under the name of Mtkvari (archaically, Mtkuri) or Mtveri, but it is popularly and commonly known as Ksani. It was built by Prince Bagrat, who scrounged from his elder brother, King
David X of Kartli
David X ( ka, დავით X) (1482–1526) was a king of the Georgian kingdom of Kartli from 1505 to 1525. Life
David was the eldest son of Constantine II, whom he succeeded as king of Kartli in 1505. Although Constantine had recognised the ...
, the district of Mukhrani and carved himself out a principality. The fortress immediately became a target of the neighboring Georgian ruler
George II of Kakheti
George II ( ka, გიორგი II, ''Giorgi II'') also known as George the Bad, the Mad or the Evil (''Av-Giorgi'', ავგიორგი) (1464–1513), of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a king of Kakheti in eastern Georgia from 1511 to 1513 ...
, who laid a siege to Ksani. According to one account, after a three-month-long standoff, George mockingly sent fresh wine to Bagrat, thinking the defenders were starving. When, in return, he received a live salmon from the castle pond, George concluded that the siege was futile and withdrew.
The conflict endured and in 1513 Bagrat succeeded in seizing George and making him prisoner at the Ksani fortress. The fortress remained in possession of the
house of Mukhrani
The House of Mukhrani is a Georgian princely family that is a branch of the former royal dynasty of Bagrationi, from which it sprang early in the 16th century, receiving in appanage the domain of Mukhrani, in the Kingdom of Kartli. The family — ...
, founded by Bagrat, but gradually fell to ruin. In 1746,
Constantine III, Prince of Mukhrani Constantine III ( ka, კონსტანტინე III მუხრანბატონი, ''Konstantine III Mukhranbatoni'') (1696 – 26 October 1756) was a Georgian prince and the head of the Mukhrani branch of the royal Bagrationi dynast ...
, rebuilt it and placed a commemorative inscription above the gate.
References
{{reflist
Immovable Cultural Monuments of National Significance of Georgia
Castles and forts in Georgia (country)
16th-century fortifications