In brief: It’s gorgeous in Georgia’s Caucasus Mountains, but the Svan Towers make this not just a pretty space.
Clearly, it’s gorgeous in Georgia’s Caucasus Mountains. These photos might give you an idea of how we felt while wandering and gazing, and gazing, and gazing some more during our five day visit to the Svaneti area in northwest Georgia.
Mount Tetnuldi knows how to look very picturesque in Mestia by positioning itself in that green cleft. It was impressive throughout our stay, but only on our last day did its puffy clouds completely disappear. This was the view from our room as well.
Sitting through the late afternoon on a rooftop in Mestia delivers oohs and aahs from the shifting light on the snow-capped mountains to the east and along the valley filled with medieval Svan towers to the west. Our last post featured those UNESCO buildings. We also started conversing with others who appreciate the beauty, like the European couple from Senegal vacationing from their work at global aid organizations or the Pakistani family from Dubai seeking cooler weather.
This jagged ridgeline accompanied us on our hike above Mestia and peeked occasionally out of the clouds to impress us.
Crossing a meadow on our hike above Mestia
High atop Mestia, we were treated to spectacular vistas like this.
The 12th century Lamaria stone church at Ushguli (the end point of a renowned four day hike from Mestia). Behind the church stands its traditional stone watchtower and a side building formed of slate. Initially honoring a Svan goddess of fertility, the site shifted its adoration to Mary over time.
The dark interior of Ushguli’s Lamaria church revealed colorful ancient frescoes once our eyes adjusted.
Up-valley view from the Lamaria Church of Ushguli
One of the many waterfalls we saw while driving up into the Caucasus Mountains. Most are cut deep into distant ravines, but this beauty dropped right near the road.
This woodland river attracted local bathers and our attention in the foothills of the Caucasus, where walnuts and hazelnuts are a plentiful crop. We saw this river a second time after turning back from a blockade by protesting villagers and took a chance with an alternate route along the river. It worked!
The Svaneti region has had a distinct culture, food, and even history within Georgia. Its mountains long divided the country from Russia. But they also enticed peaceful traders and predatory attackers out of Asia.
Against the attackers, from the 9th to 12th century, the Svan people erected a region-specific style of stone tower, 3 to 5 stories tall and generally attached to a family’s stone house. Legend says the heroic warrior Amiran himself laid stone upon stone to make these defensive structures like mini-fortresses. Enemies from beyond overran many – though 200 UNESCO Heritage towers still survive in the region. Sadly, later, enemies from within became the bigger problem as feuds set families against each other.
In our travels, we’re often saddened to learn of past grandeur and history broken into dust by conflict. Our consolation is the wonder we feel at those relics that still stand.
Here in Svaneti, the towers that remain stand tall as picturesque symbols of this special place and the intersection of cultures in its past. “Was this the place that launched a 1000 pics and op’ed the broken towers of Svaneti?”
Dozens of Svan towers on the gorgeous hillside of Mestia savor the evening sun
The small town of Ushguli is the end point for a popular four-day trek out of Mestia. In the environs are countless towers, including these seven nestled protectively together.
Many towers have been configured for easy tourist access. But we found one in Mestia attached to a guest house adapted from a family home and outfitted, as originally, with rough wood ladders to climb three levels up to the tower rooftop. To us, the typical stone caps of the towers looked like eyes on the watch for threats.
We walked into the guesthouse and asked if we could see the tower; the courteous owner showed us the way and let us climb.
After we scampered across the roof of the house to reach it, we carefully mounted this first ladder up to the dark second level.
Nancy enjoys a brief rest after our climb to the 3rd level of the tower underneath its wood roof. Those holes in the stone wall are the “eyes” of the tower’s cap.
Here we are at the top level where you can only see the surrounding town through the narrow openings used to fire projectiles down.
A more touristy tower – in an exquisite setting – kept vigil out in the countryside, with an external sturdy staircase for access.
(To enlarge any picture above, click on it. Also, for more pictures from Georgia, CLICK HERE to view the slideshow at the end of the itinerary page.)
