Partskhisi

Partskhisi castle is located in Tetritskaro region, on the left side of Algeti river, on high hill (coordinates: 41.345671 44.341300). The fortress had strategically favorable location, controlling one of the main trunk-roads of Kvemo Kartli. Birtvisi and Orbeti castles, as well as Kojori area, were seen from here. The castle represented prolonged structure with rounded ends. There was citadel in the middle. It was surrounded by concentric wall. 3-4 storied tower was standing in the west section of the citadel. There is small structure to the east from the gate, where a tunnel took start; according to information, it was going to the river Partskhistskali in 300 m distance (it is collapsed).

There is no information about building Partskhisi. Although it is mentioned in the chronicles only since the reign of Bagrat IV (1027- 1072), it should be built much earlier. Obviously, its bad accessibility wasn’t a determining factor for its builders, but its strategically well-chosen location. The castle is ruined and only here and there walls have survived. Before excavations it was impossible even to guess the full layout. The castle had long layout, rounded in the ends. We can guess that the castle consisted of two parts. The central part was occupied by the citadel along the whole length, and around it, almost concentrically, there was a wall, the traces of which could now be seen only in the west and north. Entrance is not seen in external walls of the castle, and in the upper one the entrance is in the north. The gate is wide, covered by arch. Unlike other sections, brick was used here, bearing obvious traces of restoration. And old walls of the castle are built of cobble-stones and quarry-stones. Cut stones are also used in upper layers at some places.