Svan Towers

Svan Towers

Svan Towers are medieval fortifications on the territory of Svaneti, considered one of the symbols of mountainous Georgia. Supposedly, they were used as guard posts. When danger was imminent, a warning fire was lit on top of the stone structures. In times of enemy raids or natural disasters, the fortifications served as shelters for the inhabitants of the surrounding houses. Most of all medieval towers have been preserved in Ushguli and Mestia. There are several dozens of them here. The newest of the fortifications were erected just over two centuries ago, while the oldest ones date back to the VIII-XIII centuries.

Video: Swan Towers

Highlights

Svan towers were symbols of clans and were erected at the will of the elders. They were built by hand and symbolized the prosperity and wealth of a Svan family. The more men there were in the clan, the higher and more representative the tower grew.

It is noteworthy that watchtowers can be seen in other parts of Georgia as well. However, only in Svaneti they have survived in large numbers, so this mountainous region is often called “the country of a thousand towers”. Many travelers come to see the ancient structures. Thick walls and massive bases make Svan towers very strong. It is no coincidence that despite the past centuries and natural disasters, towers continue to decorate mountain villages.

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Almost all Svan towers today stand derelict. Some of them are privately owned and some are state-owned. Many owners go to turn the old buildings into small hotels or make cafes in them. But all Svan towers are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, so any construction work in them can only be done with the permission of special authorities.

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There are also new-made towers, built quite recently. One of them – “Svan Tower” – rises in Zugdidi, and the other is located at the entrance to Mestia from Jvari.

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Why stone towers were erected

Not everyone agrees that Svan towers served solely for defense. The fact is that most of them were built during the so-called Golden Age, which lasted from 1000 to 1236. This was the period between the liberation of the Caucasus from Arab rule and the Mongol invasion. During the Golden Age, Svanetia was prosperous and enemies did not raid its territory.

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In addition, in the form in which the Svan towers have survived to this day, they are not suitable for combat. There is only one window on each floor of the towers, which is usually facing south. These windows have no slopes, and they are so narrow that it is inconvenient to fire from them. Especially from such windows it is impossible to throw down any objects.

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In Ipari, near the village of Bogreshi, on the bank of the Inguri River, there is a lonely tower. It stands on a large stone, and there are no houses around it. This building is called the “Tower of Love”. According to legend, a hunter died here. His beloved came to the place every day. Seeing her inconsolable grief, the girl’s father built the tower so that the young Svanka could spend the rest of her days in it.

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There is also a version that Svan towers covered houses from snow avalanches. However, not all of them were erected near avalanche-prone slopes. It is believed that the towers appeared during the period of military danger. But then, when the enemy attacks stopped, they were used for economic needs. Meat and vegetables were stored inside the stone buildings. These traditions continue today – the old towers serve as barns for potatoes and other supplies.

Architectural features

All Svan towers are similar to each other. They are built of cobblestones or slabs of slate. The thickness of the walls at the base reaches up to 1.5 meters, and tapers to 0.7-0.8 meters at the top. The first floor is usually monolithic, but may be divided into separate rooms.

Square in plan fortifications have wall dimensions of 5 by 5 meters and rise to a height of 20-25 meters. The towers are divided into 3-5 stories and taper towards the top. Now they are covered with a boarded or slate roof. There used to be inter-storey partitions made of wood or flagstone inside the towers. But they have long since dilapidated and collapsed, so it is difficult to climb to the top of the towers. At the top in the masonry you can see several small windows, necessary for a view of the river valley or mountain slope.

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The top of the tower or “crown” overhangs the walls. It has loopholes framed by arched machicolations resembling dentils. It is noteworthy that no Svan tower has fireplaces or chimneys. However, there are severe frosts in the mountains of Svaneti, which means that no one lived in stone buildings for a long time.

The entrances to some towers were located at the level of a machuba – a traditional house in Svaneti. They were accessed by wooden staircases. Other towers were built away from residential houses and could be accessed through a secret underground passage, which was known only to members of the Svanetian family. Today the towers are equipped with special entrances for tourists.

Towers in Ushguli

Due to the building material, the Svan towers in Ushguli are darker in color than those in Mestia. For the most part, they are covered with stone slabs. Unlike the roofing used in the Western Caucasus, here the roofs of the towers are made flat or gable.

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The villages of Chvibiani and Chazhashi have preserved unusual twin towers. The most notable towers in Ushguli are the tower near the Lamaria temple in the village of Zhibiani, the Chazhashi towers covered with flagstone, the towers of the Nijaradze family and the towers of Queen Tamara.

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How to get there

The Svan towers in Mestia can be reached by bus from Tbilisi or by airplane from the capital of Georgia. From Zugdidi to Mestia is 140 km of asphalted highway. There is a shuttle bus to Mestia once a day. In addition, cab drivers willingly take tourists to the mountain village.

Travelers usually get to Ushguli via Zugdidi. From Batumi to Zugdidi in 2 hours by bus or minibus, and then go to Ushguli by SUV. Another option is to come to Ushguli from Mestia. There is a 45 km dirt road from Mestia to Ushguli, which, except for SUVs, can be handled by crossovers with high clearance.