Khornabuji Castle

Khornabuji Castle (Georgian: ხორნაბუჯი, romanized: khornabuji), also sometimes known as the Fortress of Tamar (Georgian: თამარის ციხე, romanized: tamaris tsikhe), is an ancient castle in the eastern part of Georgia. It is located approximately two miles / 3 kilometers north of Dedoplistsqaro in the region of Kakheti. The castle's ruined remains are located on the imposing Tsiv-Gombori Range. It was probably constructed, originally, at the end of the 1st millennium BC, at which time it was the only fortification controlling the valleys of the Iori and Alazani rivers.

Archeological works conducted during the 1970s in the area uncovered extensive evidence of a settlement that flourished in the flat land beneath the castle during and before the medieval period. The first surviving written records of it date back to the reign of Vakhtang I, during the 5th century. At that time, Khornabuji was one of the largest settlements in the Kakheti region. According to the chronicle, it was one of several places to which Vakhtang appointed a bishop after he had built the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral at Mtskheta.

Late in the 5th or early during the 6th century, Khornabuji was conquered by the Sasanians. It appears the surrounding town was destroyed, though something of the castle survived and the town once again reappeared on the area of flat ground to the south of the castle rock over the following centuries. During the thirteenth century, according to some sources, the castle was rebuilt on the instructions of Queen Tamar, although others suggest that references to Queen Tamara building a castle may have referred to a castle built at another site.

Tekst overgenomen uit “Khornabuji Castle” op de Engelstalige Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Khornabuji Castle staat op plaats 2.772 van 5.793 in de bekendheidsranglijst van deze atlas en op plaats 14 van de 37 die de atlas in Georgië in kaart brengt. Gebouwd in ca. 250 v.Chr., en daarmee ouder dan 99% van de gedateerde bouwwerken in de atlas — een van de 4 bouwwerken in de atlas die uit de 3e eeuw v.Chr. stammen. Zie hoe dat zich verhoudt in de kastelenstatistiek.

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