Akhaltsikhe

On the way to Akhaltsikhe, I headed through the forested gorges of the Borjomi Nature Reserve to Borjomi Spa, where I visited the Borjomi Mineral Water Park or Ekaterina Park. Just outside the gates on the left-hand side, the last villa has a wonderful arabesque decoration on the ceiling of its balcony, built for the Persian consul in 1892. At the height of its popularity, Borjomi used to fill over 300 million bottles annually and was one of the main mineral waters of the Soviet Union. The former bottling plant now houses a library. Nearby, under a pavilion, two ladies dispense free Borjomi water from taps into plastic cups for anyone who wants to try this salty tasting water. A cable car that takes visitors to the Sadgeri Arboretum on the plateau above the park. This arboretum covers 136 hectares and is laid out for spa visitors to go on long invigorating walks through the forest.  

Akhaltsikhe is a charming town which translates literally to ‘new fortress’. The imposing fortress dominates the skyline. Its old streets are home to a large Armenian population, and the forests just outside the town hide the beautiful 10th-century Saphara Monastery. 

The original name of the fortress in the 9th century was Lomsia, meaning “Lion” in Georgian. At the end of the 12th century, Lomsia gained the new name Akhal-tsikhe. Rabati was the name given to the trading quarter of the fortress, where mainly Jewish merchants and artisans lived. Down the years, the name Akhaltsikhe became the name of the town and the name Rabati applied to the fortress itself. 

Rabati Castle looks splendid because in May 2011 a major restoration project took place and many buildings destroyed in previous battles and sieges were rebuilt. As part of the project, the Akhmediye Mosque, the minaret, the madrasah, the Jakeli castle, the baths, the citadel, the walls of the fortress and the Orthodox Church were all renovated and / or reconstructed. The fountains play, the water runs, and the flowers bloom in the sunlight. 

I headed down the steps from the castle and decided I would like to have a very late lunch or early dinner at one restaurant that said it was open. There was no one around, so I found a menu and decided what I’d like to eat and drink. The waitress / owner came out from a backroom and stared at me. I mimed eating, and she pointed at a table – I was the only person there, so there was quite a choice – and I sat down. After she took my order, I got the impression they were surprised I was there, but the food appeared quickly and was delicious, so I can have no complaints.