Samtsevrisi Castle

Samtsevrisi Castle
სამწევრისის ციხე
Village of Samtsevrisi, Kareli Municipality, region of Shida Kartli, in Georgia
File:Samtsevrisi Monastery (23).jpg Samtsevrisi Castle
Site information
Type	Cyclopean fortress
Condition	Ruined
Location
Site history
Materials	stone
Cultural Heritage Monument of Georgia
Official name	Castle Complex
Designated	March 30, 2006 (2006-03-30)
Reference no.	2091
Item Number in Cultural Heritage Portal	6869;
Date of entry in the registry	October 3, 2007 (2007-10-03)

Samtsevrisi Castle is a large medieval Georgian castle or fortress in the village of Samtsevrisi, Kareli Municipality, in Georgia's region of Shida Kartli. Its construction time and ownership have been unknown. Presumably, it belonged to noble Panaskerteli-Tsisishvili ancestors, who settled here in the 15th century. One of the castle towers, though, belongs to the early medieval times. Meanwhile, the place was already inhabited by the 2nd millennium B.C. Part of the castle currently serves as the premises of Samtsevrisi Monasteri (since 1997).

History

It is not clear when and who built the castle. Archeological discoveries on the place revealed large amount of ceramic fragments, dating from the beginning of the 2nd millennium B.C. to the late medieval times. The large tower of the castle was built in the early medieval period. The large size of the castle presumes that it belonged to a rich prince, probably of Panaskerteli family, who settled in the castle in the 15th century.

Architecture

Built on the high, right bank of Mtkvari River, near the mouth of Dzama River, the castle has a shape of a prolonged polygon, with the area of 2000 sq. meters. The castle garrison was homed in its northern part, separated from the southern citadel. The southern part also has a hall church. The prominent largest tower was exceptionally well-built. The citadel encircled the family palace.