Rustavi Castle

Rustavi Castle lies in the city of the same name, in the Kvemo Kartli region in Georgia.

Rustavi Castle was built during the 4th/5th century. It was built on the site of the ancient city of Bostan Kalaki and guarded a southern approach to Tbilisi.

In the beginning of its existence the castle and town took an important role in the political life in the Kingdom of Iberia. Between the 6th and the 11th century the territory in which Rustavi was situated changed hands several times; first to the Sassanians, from them to the Byzantines, then the Arabs, then the Kingdom of Kakheti, followed by the Kingdom of Georgia.

In the 11th century Rustavi was taken by the Turkish-Seljuks. Rustavi then fell into decline and became a small garrison town. In 1069 Rustavi Castle was taken back by David IV of Georgia.

In the late 14th century, during the invasions of Georgia by Timur (or Tamerlane), the Turco-Mongol conqueror, Rustavi Castle and the town were destroyed. The modern city of Rustavi was only rebuilt during the Soviet era in the 20th century.

Between the 5th and 8th century it had an outer wall with quadrangular towers and an inner wall with semicircular towers. Later, between the 9th and 11th century, both walls were joined to form one wall. In the 12th and 13th century an outer wall with a tunnel was added. The castle now has an irregular circular ground plan. Next to it flows a 5th century canal fed by the Kura River and on the other side it borders a small artificial lake.

At present Rustavi Castle was fenced off and seemed to be part of some kind of park. So it is not freely accessible. A nice castle ruin.

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