Gagi Castle

Gagi Castle lies next to the village of Kushchi, in the Marneuli municipality in the Kvemo Kartli region in Georgia.

Gagi Castle is said to have been built by Gagik I, who was King of Armenia between 989 and 1020. Archaeological evidence, however, showed that the site had been of strategic importance since centuries and that the fortification is much older. So probably Gagik only rebuilt an earlier fortification on this site.

The castle controlled the route leading to Tbilisi from the south. During the 15th century it also got known as Aghjakala, meaning 'White Castle', due to the color of its walls.

Gagi Castle was built on a solitary elongated rocky hill on the Marneuli plain, next to the Debed river. It was equipped with several protruding round towers. There was a gate at its southern side where there is also a round bastion. Sadly enough no structures survived on top of the hill. 

At present Gagi Castle is freely accessible. A very nice castle ruin.

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