The Ananuri fortified ensemble, dating from the XVII century, is located on the left bank of river Aragvi, along the famous Georgian Military Highway, about 66km from Tbilisi. It incorporates a circuit wall with turrets, a porch, the Church of the Assumption, the minor Church of Gvtaeba, a tower with a stepped pyramidal roof, a single-nave Church Mkurnali, tower Sheupovari, a bell-tower and a spring. This architectural complex, that has witnessed several serious battles throughout its history, is located in a magnificent setting at the very shore of Jinvali Water Reservoir. Some of the Eristavis (dukes) of Aragvi river valley are buried in and outsite one of the churches. The Church of the Assumption, built in 1689, has richly decorated facades with the fine relief carvings featuring human, animal and floral images, including a carved Northern entrance. It also contains the remains of beautiful frescoes. The wall paintings, executed between the XVII and the XVIII centuries, contain the depiction of Thirteen Assyrian Fathers (prominent ecclesiastical figures), which represent a convincible evidence for the study of the iconography of these figures. In 2007, the Ananuri Architectural Complex has been put on the tentative list for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage Site program.
Reaching Ananuri Architectural Complex and Jinvali Water Reservoir is easy via Georgian Military Highway – only an hour non-stop drive from Tbilisi is needed to dive into harmony of this beauty…
Jinvali Water Reservoir:
Churches of Ananuri, as seen from the tower Sheupovari:
Ornaments on the facade of the Church of the Assumption:
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