Abkhazia, Anakopia fortress (New Athos): description, history. Abkhazia New Athos - “Anakopia fortress, or sights that you won’t notice right away.” Description of the Anakopia fortress
- a 5th century structure on Iveron Mountain in the city of New Athos, Abkhazia, built by the Romans and Abazgians. Presumably the construction of the fortress began in the 4th century. This is one of the best preserved fortifications of its time on the territory of Abkhazia.
It is generally accepted that the word “Anakopia” itself is translated from Abkhazian as “cut up” or “cut.” Those whose native language was Greek called the fortress Trachea, that is, “harsh rocky.” There are many historical sources in which this structure is found under the name Trachea Anakopia.
The fortress was designed to protect these lands from the invasions of the southern hordes, just like the Gagra stronghold in the north.
The first mention of the citadel dates back to 736−737. It was during these years that, thanks to the fortress, it was possible to stop the army of Arabs, whose number, according to historical data, was 60 thousand.
Based on historical sources, scientists were able to find out that the Georgian king Archil was hiding in the citadel along with his army. They repulsed the Arabs, whose army was led by Murwan ibn Muhammad, who is also known by the nickname Deaf. This is what his contemporaries called him because of his cruelty towards people whose pleas he did not want to listen to.
The Arab army suffered a crushing defeat, despite the huge number of soldiers, and they never returned to the territory of Abkhazia.
After this event, the Anakopia fortress became the center (cultural and political) of Abkhazia for almost a hundred years.
In 788, the Arab commander Suleiman ibn Isam attempted to attack the Anakopia fortress, but the same fate awaited him as Murwan ibn Muhamed, and the Anakopia fortress was saved again.
On the cliff of the fortress on the northern side, at the beginning of the 9th century, a temple was erected in honor of Theodore Tiron. This building has been reconstructed many times, and practically nothing remains of its original appearance.
Now we can say with confidence that the altar part from the original building has been preserved. In addition, limestone slabs were preserved intact, on which you can see various images related to Christian symbols from the time of the beginning of the birth of this religion.
Today the slabs can be seen at the altar, where they were specially collected.
On Mount New Athos, a gate temple was built in the name of the Blessed Virgin, where her image was placed. For several centuries there was a miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin in the Anakopia temple. 
As the legend goes, the monks noticed a pillar far out in the sea that seemed to be made of fire. That same night, the Mother of God appeared to one of the monks, Elder Gabriel, in a dream. She told the elder to walk on the water and take the icon to the monastery. The monks prayed to this icon for several days and nights, and after that the miraculous image was placed in the church. But already in the morning the icon was discovered by the monks above the gates of the monastery. And the Holy Virgin again appeared to Elder Gabriel in a dream, telling him about her will - she wanted to be the Guardian of this place. It was then that the monks decided to build a gate temple.
In addition, the Anakopia fortress is also of interest to archaeologists. On the territory of Anakopia, among the oldest burials, in addition to human remains, scientists find various weapons: swords, spears, shields.
In the 3rd-4th centuries AD, artisans in the Anakopia fortress created not only weapons, but also tools for agricultural work and jewelry, among which were found various figurines, a large number of rings, bracelets and beads.
Already in the 4th century, this place became the residence of the rulers of Abkhazia, and Anakopia was one of the largest cities.
Nowadays, an asphalt road leads from the city center to the fortress, from the turn of which beautiful views open up: cypress alleys, blue domes of the cathedral and monastery buildings, red and silver roofs of houses, covered with greenery of gardens and parks, Mount Athos and the endless sea - all this is New Athos.
Further the road leads into an oak forest. Suddenly, limestone slabs, light gray walls and towers appear through the thicket.
This entire ancient architectural creation, or rather its remains, is covered with climbing bushes and other plants.
Just one bend in the road and a wide gap in the destroyed wall appears in front of us.
Here is the oldest building of a fortress, the walls of which, representing a small mountain ring, were built from well-processed large blocks of limestone. All of them are built in the spirit of the best building traditions of Rome.
The fortress gates, made of three limestone monoliths, are raised quite high above the ground: to get into the fortress, it was necessary to install a special wooden staircase. The eastern part of the fence has stone steps - along them the ancient warriors climbed up.
Over the past eighty years, tourists and pilgrims have been attracted by the inexhaustible well - one of the “miracles” of the ancient fortress.
This phenomenon is usually explained by the fact that water enters the well through a natural channel, operating on the principle of communicating vessels, from remote places, those where there is a stable level of glacial waters.
True, Iverskaya Mountain does not at all confirm the existence of a natural vertical channel through which water could rise upward. On the contrary, the mountain is completely covered with cracks, through which rainwater is absorbed deep into the bowels of the mountain.
That is why such a natural well in the Anakopia fortress simply cannot exist from a natural point of view.
- The height of the fortress walls is up to 5 meters.
- The height of the East Tower is 16 meters.
Anakopia fortress on the map
How to cross the border between Russia and Abkhazia?
- To do this, you must have a Russian passport or international passport.
- To cross the border, a child under fourteen years old needs a birth certificate, which will indicate citizenship. The new birth certificates already indicate the citizenship of the parents.
- Children over the age of fourteen will not be able to cross the border without a passport.
- For children under eighteen years of age who are going to cross the border without their parents, it is necessary to obtain parental consent from a notary for the children to leave the Russian Federation for the Republic of Abkhazia.
How to get to the Anakopia fortress and how long to walk?
Most of the route can be covered by car. Then you should leave it in the parking lot, the cost of which is 100 rubles, and walk. It won't take long. You can reach the fortress at a leisurely pace in 10-15 minutes.
There is a high probability that on your way you will meet monks and pilgrims traveling to holy places.
Not only the residence of the Queen of Great Britain. This is a whole town with a post office, cafe, restaurant, hospital, cinema, club and other establishments.
Tourism occupies a special place. The list of the most interesting places includes the architectural monuments of London, the mysterious Stonehenge, legendary Scottish castles, the famous Loch Ness, beautiful headlands and cliffs.
In the first place are gastronomic masterpieces: from marzipan figurines to salami and Hungarian palinka. Porcelain and handicrafts from local artisans are also popular.
The Anakopia fortress in New Athos is one of the oldest and most mysterious sights of Abkhazia. The bastion, powerful even by modern standards, rises above the city on the southern slope of the Iverskaya Mountain. Once upon a time there was a residence of the Abkhaz kings, but now the ruins of the citadel are included in a large-scale historical and architectural reserve.
The height of the Anakopia fortress above sea level- 350 meters.
The fortress has two official names, enshrined in guidebooks - Anakopia and Trachea. The second name goes back to the canonical Greek pronunciation and literally means: “rocky ground,” which is close to the truth - the path to the top is strewn with boulders.
Story
There is still no consensus on when the Iveron Peak was decorated with the walls of the ancient bastion. Most researchers agree that the fortification could have appeared in the early Middle Ages, during the period of Byzantine rule. Around the 5th century AD, the Abkhaz lands needed protection from Muslim raids, and then the construction of walls began to shelter civilians during the siege and repel enemy attacks.
Every Abkhaz knows how impregnable the fortress turned out to be. The chronicles preserved two dates - 736 and 788, when Arab commanders tried to storm the citadel. Both campaigns failed, and the defense of Anakopia became a symbol of Caucasian courage. In memory of the victory, one of the internal halls was rebuilt into the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Greek immigrant monks founded a parish here, declaring this place a miraculous Christian shrine.
But the glorious period of history ended by the 15th century, when Genoese traders bought the rights to the land, taking control of the entire Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. The Italians were unable to hold the bastion, and after 200 years it was captured by the Turks, devastating the neighboring lands and driving the Abkhazians to slave markets. Only in the 19th century, with the establishment of the Russian protectorate here and the birth of the New Athos Monastery, did they begin to restore Anakopia.
Today the fortress is an architectural and archaeological ensemble of 13 internal objects, including the ruins of walls and defensive lines, as well as a completely reconstructed eastern tower. The restoration was completed in 2008, when Abkhazia celebrated the anniversary of independence from Georgia. To this day, this is one of the key and most visited places in both New Athos and the entire republic.
An inexhaustible well in the Anakopia fortress
This is the most popular site among tourists and pilgrims inside the citadel. It is still unclear when exactly it was founded, but the people of the Caucasus mastered the principle of “inexhaustibility” in ancient times. It's all about a complex system of communicating vessels in which precipitation and morning dew accumulated - so the people inside the fortress had supplies of drinking water all year.
In the 19th century, the well was rebuilt - now moisture accumulates in it due to the temperature difference and condensation on the stone walls. The entrance was also improved - gratings typical of grottoes appeared, and the tank itself was decorated with an arch in the medieval style. It is noteworthy that guides often call this place a “pool”, because its depth is more than 3 meters. Everyone can collect the purest water, but without unnecessary zeal - it takes time to restore supplies.
How to get to the Anakopia fortress
Despite the fact that only one serpentine road leads to the top of Iverskaya Mountain, the path ahead for tourists is long and difficult. The ascent due to the constant bends of the path exceeds 3 kilometers, there are mounds of stones everywhere, and an impenetrable oak grove grows around. The closer to the goal, the steeper the cliffs - you need to walk carefully and with constant attention.
The starting point of the route is New Athos Cave, from where you need to turn onto Chanba Street and walk along the right side of the curb to the nearest intersection. This will be the beginning of the ascent; it is impossible to miss it - the place is equipped with an observation deck, which also serves as a paid parking lot. There is also an inconspicuous kiosk with a sign: “Box Office”, where tickets to the fortress territory are sold and tour guides are hired.
Then there is only one way - up the serpentine road, without turning anywhere. There are no signs; you need to follow the winding path leading to the ascent. The first 500 meters is a wide cemented path, but then it narrows, turning into a snake with potholes, boulders and “traps” in the form of carved steps. Heaped logs on the roadside serve as a warning - there is a steep cliff behind them, and you need to be extremely careful.
The approach to the fortress gate itself is marked with a modest sign, followed by several signs for orientation. You should move around the territory itself with caution - often tourist paths are blocked during excavations. The approach to the observation deck is always open, the main thing is to see the “DANGER” signs in time so as not to fall into the abyss.
How to get there by car
Due to the unrecognized status of Abkhazia, international taxi services do not operate here. You can catch a car with checkers in any area of the city, and just say that you want to get to the Anakopia fortress, and the driver will already know where to go. There is one stop for everyone - this is the same parking lot near the ticket offices; it is simply impossible to go further.
For those traveling by private car, it is better to immediately follow the navigator:
coordinates - 43.092722, 40.802610.
Leaving your vehicle at the gate of the reserve costs 200 rubles. If you don’t want to pay for a parking space, you can stop below the serpentine turn at any private house and negotiate with the owners, perhaps they will agree to look after the car for free.
Many times, driving past New Athos, we looked at the Iveron Mountain and the visible fortress on its top, and thought that we must definitely climb there.
Anakopia is the ancient capital of the Abkhazian kingdom, the former name of New Athos, which, at different historical times, was also called Trachea, Nikopsia. The Anakopia fortress complex dates back to the 4th century and rises 350 m above sea level.
We decided to devote one of the days of last year’s Abkhaz vacation to this very interesting place. In the morning the weather was a little cloudy and, due to this, our journey to the top and the clouds became almost literal, but no less exciting. And therefore I really apologize for the quality of the photos (lights and lack of rich colors).
Yulyok relax_action , you would really like it here ;)
02. Getting to the cultural and historical complex "Anakopia Fortress" is easy, although at the very beginning we were even scared to imagine which side to approach this mountain. For those who have not been there yet, here is a hint: in New Athos you need to look for a stop in the form of a giant mosaic shell (the hands of Tsereteli, by the way), turn towards the mountain and follow the signs to the New Athos Cave. Near the entrance to the Cave complex, turn left onto Chanba Street and drive uphill.
03. Having reached the observation deck, you can leave your car in a small parking lot. There is also an observation deck with stunning views of the coast and mountains.
When we got up here it was only cloudy, but there was a slight hint of approaching rain, but that didn’t stop us and we moved up!
04. Borderline
05. Scheme of fortifications according to excavations carried out in 1957-1958.
06. Entrance to the territory costs 100 rubles.
Starting the climb on one side, at first we were a little disappointed by the presence of a concrete path, since we still expected to see wilder paths up the historical mountain. But on the other hand, such a path would make the path easier.
07. But, thank God, this terrible concrete path ended after 300 meters and we saw the first remains of the fortress.
08. While we were climbing, the rain line was inexorably approaching from the west. This was especially visible from the sea.
09. This path was more consistent with our ideas about the path to the fortress.
The Anakopia fortress had two main defensive lines and an outer line of defense. The total area of this complex of buildings occupied over 70,000 square meters. meters of area of the Anakopia (Iverskaya) Mountain. Along this road we approached the second defensive line. Anakopia is one of the earliest fortifications of Abkhazia. It was built by the Romans and Abazgians in the 4th-5th centuries.
“Anakopia” translated from the Abkhaz language means “rugged”, “protrusion”, “cut by steep slopes”. And people who spoke Greek called it in the Greek way - Trachea, that is, “harsh siliceous.” Under the name Trachea, Anacopia is listed in many sources.
10. Around the bend, a round tower appeared to our eyes - Gate Tower No. 1. It is notable for the fact that its location and shape made it possible to fire at the enemy from it at an angle of almost 290°. On the second floor of the oldest part of this tower, five loopholes located in special niches and an entrance covered with an arch have been preserved. The combat power of this tower was also due to the fact that it protected the approaches to the main fortress gates.
11. Since it started to rain, we decided to take shelter in the tower for a while and at the same time study it from the inside.
12. Above the road along which we climbed was the southern wall - the most powerful of the walls and included seven towers. The wall begins at the cliff of the Psyrdzkha River gorge, crossing the slopes of the mountain and going down below, ending above the cliff of the Mysra River gorge and this tower.
13. The fortress walls of the second line and towers were approximately erected in the 7th century. The tower is built of brick, white stone and mortar. The construction technique of the Romans and Byzantines was used here, consisting of alternating masonry of white stone with bricks. The lower two floors of the tower date back to the 7th century, and the upper superstructures date back to the 11th-12th centuries.
15. In this photo you can see how it rains:)
17. But where this column came from and what it served for - it was not possible to find information about this. And for now this is the mystery of the century :)
18. I love looking at the masonry of ancient walls
19. The coastline of the sea is practically invisible. The rain did not stop, but we decided not to retreat and move on.
20. I really liked this tree, covered with moss from the roots to the top.
21. To understand the size, my husband’s height is 1.9 meters
23. Seven towers of the southern wall were located every 30-60 meters and protruded slightly forward from the walls. During excavations in the area of the second line of defense, very interesting historical items and objects were found. Among them are the remains of a small hall-type temple, a lime kiln, eleven human burials with Christian burial rites, a large number of fragments of pottery, and more.
Remains of Tower No. 3.
24. Despite the weather and rain, the views were impressive. View of New Athos and in the distance beyond Cape Sukhum.
26. Once inside the fortress wall, the road up became a little more difficult, since the road was no longer compacted and consisted of small stones, but very slippery from the rain.
27. At one point we decided not to look for easy ways and go straight down the slope :)
28. Having spent about 15 minutes climbing up an overgrown slope, we found ourselves at the walls of the first defensive line (Trachea), built in the 4th-5th centuries. This fortification is a Citadel on an elevated mountain, 83 meters long and 37 meters wide. The walls of the Citadel were very powerful and reached 4-5 meters in height, and their thickness was more than 1 meter. The walls were built from limestone blocks tightly fitted to each other.
29. This is not fog, but a wall of rain....
30. Inner courtyard of the Citadel.
31. West Tower
33. Time spares little...
36. A bright page in the history of Abkhazia is associated with the structures of the main defensive line of Anakopia. In 736-737, a 60,000-strong Arab army led by the famous commander Murwan ibn Muhammad was stopped at these walls.
37. In the early 30s of the 8th century, the Arab caliph Hisham appointed Murwan ibn Muhamed 2 as the ruler of Transcaucasia. He was given an army of 120 thousand. With the help of this army, he was supposed to subjugate the local peoples.
Murvan made devastating campaigns in Armenia (736-738) and Albania (737-738). These devastating raids were the bloodiest and most destructive for the peoples of Transcaucasia. It is no coincidence that Armenian sources consider Murwan ibn Muhamed to be a “destroyer”, “cursed”; and the Georgians called him deaf - Murvan-kru (kru - deaf), since he was deaf to the suffering and prayers of the people.
38. Murvan, having ravaged all of Armenia and Georgia, followed the Kartlian ruler Mir and his brother Archil to Abkhazia. The Arabs wanted to take possession of Abkhazia and Egresi, establish their lasting dominance in this region, and separate them from Byzantium and Khazaria. And the persecution of Mir and Archil was the reason for the implementation of this plan.
39. The most reliable place of protection for the World and Archil was Anakopia. And in Anakopia, hasty preparations and mobilization of the forces of the Abkhazians and the Georgians who arrived there began.
Arab troops tried in vain to storm this fortified city. At that time, there were 3 thousand soldiers in Anakopia - 2000 Abkhazians and 1000 Georgians. But the Arabs could not defeat them. The impregnable walls of Anakopia thwarted the plans of the Arabs. Then they decided to starve the fortress. This also turned out to be an impossible task for them. For 6 months, the defenders of the fortress repelled attacks and assaults from an enemy many times superior in numbers.
40. But then a plague suddenly broke out in the enemy camp. Inspired by God's help, the defenders of the fortress defeated the still numerous but dispirited conqueror. The Arab troops could not withstand the attacks of the combined forces, and the invincible commander retreated from Abkhazia, suffering huge losses.
But the plague was not the only circumstance that gave the Anakopians the opportunity to take active action. The small army was in good fighting spirit. They fought a fair fight, defending their land and, in addition, acted as defenders of Christianity from the encroachments of Muslims. To some extent, the war was “sacred”. Chroniclers also pay special attention to the “miraculous” power of the Anakopia Icon of the Mother of God.
41. But besides God’s help and cholera, there are other factors that contributed to the victory of the Abkhazians. The decisive role was played by the Anakopia fortress, its advantageous strategic position and inaccessibility, which made it possible for the courageous defenders of the fortress to withstand the terrible force of the conquerors. The system of defensive lines of Anakopia arose from the experience of many sieges.
42. The rain was relentless, preventing me from taking rich and beautiful photographs.
43. The first temple on the top of Mount Anakopia was built in the 6th-7th centuries and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. From the medieval Georgian chronicles of the 11th century, describing the battle at the walls of Anakopia with the Arabs in the 30s of the 8th century, evidence came of the miraculous power of the Anakopia icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Not a hand-made scripture, but sent down from above, which no one knows about, who found it on the top of that mountain..."
Another temple may have been built on the slopes of the mountain, but only ruins remained from it.
44. There is a sedimentary well adjacent to the temple. It is carved out of the rock and lined with limestone stone. In ancient times, rainwater was collected into it from the roofs; in our time, water flows through the formation of condensation on the cold walls of the tank from warm, humid air masses.
This well is inexhaustible and is considered one of the “miracles” of the mountain fortress. For a long time it has attracted many pilgrims here.
46. The eastern tower differs from the western one in the quality of its masonry and size. This is a quadrangular tower, reaching 16 meters in height, standing separately from the walls of the Citadel. The tower consisted of four floors built in two stages with loopholes, windows and an entrance door.
The exact date of construction is unknown, but some sources believe that it was built in the 11th century. A building inscription carved on stone in Greek has also been preserved. Compiled in 1046 (6554), it testifies that Emperor Constantine IX Monomakh (1042-1055) carried out reconstruction and strengthening of Anakopia. The tower served as the main observation and command post and was the last line of defense in the event of the fall of the citadel.
50. Remains of the fortress walls above the cliff.
51. Approaching the edge, we saw that below the walls there were not just stones, but inscriptions laid out with the names of the cities of those who had been here.
Agree that this is more humane to a historical place than painting the walls with different inscriptions.
52. The walls of the East Tower offer stunning views of the coast.
It seems that the sky has begun to clear and the coast has even become visible, but the rain has not decreased.
53. And in the opposite direction there is no clearing in sight...
55. And so I got to the inspection of the temple of St. Theodore Tyrone. In the 11th century, the temple was rebuilt and dedicated to the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Tyrone. This is evidenced by an epigraphic monument found in the citadel.
The remains of the temple buildings of the citadel from different times have not been fully studied due to the lack of comprehensive archaeological and architectural research and written evidence of the past. In this regard, various scientific disputes arise, but everyone is unanimous only that the temple was rebuilt several times.
56. The latest changes were made by the monks of the New Athos Monastery at the beginning of the 20th century. Then the rubble of the southern aisle of the temple and the adjacent room on the eastern side, the purpose of which is unknown, were cleared. A chapel was built inside the ancient temple, and stone parts of the ancient temple were installed in the altar area. The layout of the adjacent territory was partially changed and the walls of the temple annexes were refinished.
57. Eastern wall of the chapel
58. Unfortunately, I did not find any information about the meaning of this wall :(
But the wall contains stones from different eras.
61. The facade of the early Christian church was decorated with one slab depicting three crosses under an arch, the central cross being larger in size. The three crosses had a symbolic meaning of the Trinity; they are sometimes considered symbols of Christ, the Mother of God and John the Baptist.
63. Some people leave notes within the walls of the temple...
64. And when I left the temple, this picture appeared before my eyes. The top of the mountain was covered by a cloud and there was a combination of rain and drizzle...
65. During its entire existence, the Anakopia fortress has experienced a lot.
From the second half of the 17th century, Turkish expansion intensified in Abkhazia and Christianity was gradually eradicated. Anakopia was deserted and its role as a fortress and religious center became insignificant. The events of the 19th century (Russian-Caucasian and Russian-Turkish wars) had a tragic significance for the Abkhaz state and its people. In 1864, the Abkhazian principality was abolished, and the lands were generously transferred to new colonists. So the lands around Anakopia were transferred to the New Athos monastery.
66. Beautiful even in such bad weather
67. My courageous and beloved sister Woogl v_uglu_skrebet , who always supports me in everything and is ready to take part in all the madness :)
68. There was such a downpour, and we had a long descent ahead of us over the rocks....
71. And sometimes whole rivers flowed under our feet
73. But even the pouring rain couldn’t stop me from contemplating nature :)
75. Our adventure to the ancient fortress ended and our faithful Volvik was already waiting below, who met us, warmed us and dried us :) We also made plans to return here next year and explore the fortress in good weather :)
Before I first visited Abkhazia, I associated this country only with fruits, cheese, honey and wine. But, having arrived there once and seeing the fabulous landscapes, I realized that in order to see all the sights, I would definitely need to come back here more than once.
During my 30-day trip, I was lucky enough to visit the Anakopia fortress, which was built by the Abazgians in ancient times.
The surviving towers of the ancient fortress
The first remaining part of it that the tourist encounters on his way is a tower with a large hole in the wall.
The Anakopia fortress rises 350 meters above sea level. As befits a real defensive structure, its buildings have very strong and thick walls. Skilled architects thought through everything to the smallest detail. It was impossible to get here. On the southern side, where the mountain slope is gentle and accessible to enemy penetration, the wall was reinforced with 7 towers. Only a few of them have survived.
From the height of the main tower there is an amazing view of the sea and an incredibly beautiful panorama of the city.
How to get to the Anakopia fortress
The fortress is located on Iveron Mountain, which is located in New Athos. You can see the route map or passage to the fortress just below.
On foot
I decided to go there on foot to see and photograph local attractions, since at that time I was staying in a private hotel in Athos. More than 3 kilometers uphill. It is not easy to get up here and you can only do it on your own feet. During my ascent to the top of the fortress, the thermometer in the sun showed +30. But this did not prevent us from going up the mountain quite easily, since the path runs along dense thickets of trees. The serpentine bends among the oak forests are incredibly tortuous. However, the journey is worth it.
By car
If you travel by your own car, you can leave it at a special site. The cost of parking varies between 100 rubles. The road that runs from the center of Athos to the site is completely paved. From New Athos Park you need to drive along Khazaria Street until you turn onto Ladaria Lane, then turn onto Chanba Street, previously inhabited by Georgians, and drive along it to the checkpoint at the observation deck. There, where the “white” road ends, you can only walk. There is only one path leading from the checkpoint to the fortress, from which there is simply nowhere to turn, since there is a cliff below and a mountain above. Although I met Chechens who climbed not along the path, but directly up the mountain. They easily moved across the hills, as they grew up in mountainous areas.
History of Anacopia
Ancient Anakopia was located on the territory of New Athos. The ancient Abazgi tribe lived here - the ancestors of modern Abkhazians. This large structure experienced both magnificent prosperity and decline. Even in ancient times, the Abazgs built a very strong fortification here and the enemies could not overcome the inaccessibility of this place.
In the first centuries AD, western Transcaucasia was under the rule of the Roman Empire.
In the 3rd century, Colchis was invaded by mountaineers from the North Caucasus and nomadic tribes of the Goths and Huns. By that time, the Trachean (the Romans called Anakopia Trachea) fortification coped well with its function as the main fortress.
Construction of the citadel
The trachea is the most ancient part of the Anakopia fortress. The citadel is the first line of defense, which was built before the rest of the fortress. The material for the construction of the walls was limestone quadra, which were fitted very tightly to each other.
The citadel is impregnable from all sides. In the southern wall there is a small gate through which you can get inside. They are raised 2 meters above the ground. According to a local resident, there was obviously a drawbridge here. At the gates of the Citadel rise the Western and Eastern Towers. Inside the complex there is a medieval dilapidated hall-type temple. The local priest told me about the religion and ancient rituals of the Abazgians. According to him, the main construction of this fortress, as well as the temple located inside, was carried out at a time when the Abazgs were entirely Christian. He claimed that in ancient times a temple was built inside every fortress.
In the middle of the 3rd century, there was an episcopal see in this temple, headed by the Bishop of Anakopia. The temple contains slabs with images of various early Christian symbols. Among them there are fish, crosses, cypresses and many other designs.
The temple contains stones with inscriptions in Greek.
There is a pool inside the rock fortress. It was carved back in the Middle Ages. The defenders of the Citadel could easily withstand any tests, since they were provided with water.
Tracheal battle
Starting from the 5th century, there was competition between the Roman Empire and Iran for political and economic dominance in the countries of Asia and Transcaucasia, for ownership of the trade routes that led to India and.
The Byzantine Emperor Justinian sent his army to Abazgia in 542. Mass enslavement of local residents began. As a result, an uprising of the popular masses arose. The Iranian Shah, to whom the Abaz ruler Skiparna turned for help, sent his soldiers. But the Persian troops robbed the local population along the way, and they had to be driven out of Colchis. Thus, Abazgia was unable to receive any real help from the Persians. She found herself face to face with the Byzantine Empire. After this, a decision was made in Constantinople to immediately deal with the rebels. Arriving here by sea, the Romans landed at the mouth of the Gumista River.
Seeing the inaccessibility of Anakopia, they resorted to a deceptive maneuver. Having rounded Trachea by sea, they landed on land and found themselves in the rear of the Abazgs, the defenders of the fortress. The assault on Trachea began.
The numerical superiority of the Byzantines, excellent armament and encirclement tactics decided the outcome of the battle. The trachea has collapsed. The consequences were dire. Residents and their houses were burned. The survivors were sold into slavery.
However, the Abazgs were not broken. They did not stop resisting and fighting for freedom. The freedom-loving Abazgs built a 2nd defensive line near the walls of Anakopia. The 2nd line of defense is located below the citadel and consists of the southern, western and eastern walls.
The 2nd defensive line functioned in the VI-XII centuries. At this time it becomes a relatively powerful political unit. Anakopia was the main fortress of the Abkhazian ruler Leon I. The Arab conquests began in the 7th century. Byzantium suffers defeat after defeat. In Transcaucasia, nothing could resist the Arabs. And in such difficult conditions, the Abkhazians were doomed to consolidation. In the seventh century there was an intensive unification process. In the same century, against the background of these events, as a symbol of future prosperity, important military fortifications were erected in Anakopia.
Battle with the Arabs
Arab expansion in Transcaucasia begins in the 30s of the 8th century. The governor of the Khalifa, Murwan ibn Muhammad, passed through the ancient Caucasus with fire and sword. The Armenians called him a destroyer, the Georgians were deaf to the suffering of the people. Having devastated Armenia and Albania, Southern and Western Georgia, Murlan headed to Abkhazia. The rulers of Georgia fled here from enemy persecution.
Having overcome the Kilosura wall, the Arab commander destroyed the city of Sebastopolis and set up camp in front of the Anakopia stronghold. The countless Arab hordes were opposed by only 5 thousand Arabs and Georgians.
Despite the clear advantage of the Arabs, the Abazgs, besieged in the fortress, maintained a fighting spirit. They fought the war honestly and defended their land. And this fight was sacred.
All Arab attempts to storm the city were unsuccessful. It was decided to starve the fortress. For six months the Abazgi, enduring hunger and hardship, repelled enemy attacks. And before the decisive battle, a miracle happened. The chronicles read: “On the night before the battle, those besieged in the fortress knelt before the icon of the Anakopia Mother of God and prayed for salvation. And they were heard.” A blood halera spread through the enemy camp, killing 35,000 people. And the next morning the battle was fought. Another 3,000 Arabs died from the sword of the Abazgs. The remaining army began to hastily retreat in its own footsteps. After this defeat, they never again dared to invade the territory of Abkhazia.
Discussing this battle with the indigenous people of Abkhazia, I heard that they were very proud of this victory. Since they once saved the entire Caucasus from the Arab invasion.
At the end of the 8th century, Abkhazian ruler II declared himself the Abkhazian king, and made Anakopia the capital of the Abkhazian kingdom. The city became the largest center and seaport; it was surrounded on all sides by a new defensive wall that ran along the coast. This wall, now destroyed, is the 4th line of defense of Anakopia.
Turkish domination
However, the period of prosperity and prosperity of Anakopia is replaced by a period of decline and destruction. Over the course of three centuries of Turkish rule, the city was plundered and ravaged by the Janissaries, they took Abkhazians captive and sold them into slavery. The local population left Anacopia. This was the first wave of forced resettlement of Abkhazians to Turkey.
In the second half of the 18th century, Anakopia was ruins overgrown with dense forest.
I advise you to definitely visit the Anakopia fortress when you are in Abkhazia. You can get here completely freely. From this defensive structure there is a stunning view not only of the city, but also of the sea, mountains and the forests covering them. Silence, beauty, a light breeze, a lot of impressions and discoveries - these are the emotions this fortress left in my memory.
