Birtvisi Fortress
ბირთვისის ციხე
Kvemo Kartli, Georgia
Sheupovari [dauntless] tower of the fortress in 2011.
Birtvisi Fortress Show map of Kvemo Kartli Birtvisi Fortress Show map of Georgia
Coordinates	41°36′32″N 44°32′21″E / 41.60889°N 44.53917°E / 41.60889; 44.53917
Site information
Condition	Ruined
Immovable Cultural Monument of National Significance of Georgia
Official name	Tmogvi Castle-Ruins complex
Designated	November 7, 2006; 17 years ago (2006-11-07)
Reference no.	1772
Item Number in Cultural Heritage Portal	6613;
Date of entry in the registry	October 3, 2007; 16 years ago (2007-10-03)

Birtvisi (Georgian: ბირთვისი) is a ruined medieval fortress in Kvemo Kartli, Georgia, nested within limestone cliffs in the Algeti river gorge. It is now within the boundaries of the Tetritsqaro Municipality, adjacent to the Algeti National Park, south-west of the nation's capital Tbilisi.^[1]

Ruins

Birtvisi is essentially a natural rocky fortress of 1 km², secured by walls and towers, the most prominent of which – known as Sheupovari ("Obstinate") – tops the tallest rock in the area. Various accessory structures, an aqueduct included, have also survived.^[2]

History

In written sources, Birtvisi is first mentioned as a possession of the Arab amir of Tiflis of which he was divested by the Georgian nobles Liparit, Duke of Kldekari and Ivane Abazasdze in 1038.^[3] In medieval Georgia, Birtvisi entertained a reputation of an impregnable stronghold whose master could control the entire strategic Algeti gorge. The Turco-Mongol amir Timur notably reduced the fortress during one of his invasions of Georgia in 1403.^[4] After the partition of the Kingdom of Georgia later in the 15th century, Birtvisi was within the borders of the Kingdom of Kartli and in possession of the princes Baratashvili.^{[2] [5]} Birtvisi Fortress is not studied archeologically. ^[6]