Akhaltsikhe

Akhaltsikhe (Georgian: ახალციხე), formerly known as Lomsia (Georgian: ლომსია), is a city in Georgia's southwestern region (mkhare) of Samtskhe–Javakheti. It is the administrative center of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality and the Samtskhe–Javakheti region. In 2024, by census reports, the city has a population of 17,287 people. The city lies at an elevation of approximately 1,000 meters (3,280 ft) in the Akhaltsikhe Basin. It is situated on both banks of the small river Potskhovi (a left tributary of the Kura), which divides the city between the old city in the north and new in the south. The Georgian translation of Akhaltsikhe is "new fortress"; this is significant of the city's historical use and background as a fortified settlement, as well as existing as strategic stronghold in a heavily contested region of the Caucasus.

Starting from the 13th century, the city served as the seat for the House of Jaqeli ruling dynasty of Georgia as well as the capital of the Samtskhe-Saatabago principality. The Ottomans captured the city during the Ottoman-Safavid War in the 16th century and maintained authority over the city for nearly 250 years. In 1828, Russian forces recaptured the city from the Turks and formally incorporated it into the Russian Empire via the Treaty of Adrianople in 1829.

The 9th-century Akhaltsikhe Castle (Rabati), which recently underwent restorations, is located in the old part of the city. The castle represents the city's multicultural history, as it consists of an Orthodox church, a mosque, and a madrasa within its single walled enclosure. It remains as one of the main heritage sights of the region, alongside Vardzia, Khertvisi, Vale, Okrostsikhe and Zarzma.