Iverskaya fortress. New Athos, Iveron Mountain: description, history and interesting facts

07.07.2023

In this article I will tell you about one of the most beautiful and interesting places not only in New Athos, but throughout Abkhazia. This is the Anakopia fortress on Iverskaya (Anakopia) Mountain.

I have been looking at these mysterious walls and the snow-white tower that rise above New Athos for a long time. But every time in this city there were other routes and trails that fascinated me... And they were also interesting and picturesque. Read my articles and see for yourself:

And only recently I was finally able to get to the top of Iverskaya Mountain and get to know the mysterious citadel on its top. I’ll tell you about it now, friends.

History of the Anakopia fortress

I will try to briefly tell you the history of the Anakopia fortress, so that you understand what its significance for history is and how venerable its age is. Although the term “briefly” itself is not very compatible with a period of time of 20 centuries...

So, it rises 350 meters above New Athos Iverskaya Mountain . Translated from the Abkhaz language, its name means “rugged”. And the Greeks, who at the dawn of our era actively developed the Black Sea coast, called this mountain Trachea, which translates as “harsh rocky.” The mountain, which offers an ideal 360-degree view of the surrounding area, could not help but attract the attention of those who wanted to strengthen their influence on the coast. The Greeks built the first stone fortification on this mountain.

Then it was the Romans' turn. They were also interested in protecting their possessions from raids by the Huns, Goths, as well as North Caucasian highlanders and other unfriendly neighbors.

And over the next couple of centuries, several serious fortifications appeared on the territory of today’s Abkhazia, among which Anakopia occupied a special place. Through the joint efforts of locals and Romans, this citadel is being built, one of the earliest on this coast. It truly was an outpost that reliably protected its inhabitants: walls one meter thick and 5 meters high formed an internal space 83 meters long and 37 meters wide.

The fortress was able to repel many attacks and raids, but still it was possible to capture it. For the first time, the Anakopia fortress fell during the confrontation between the Abazgians and the Byzantines. By the way, the Byzantines acted wisely by not destroying the ancient city, as was customary. On the contrary, they undertook to strengthen it in every possible way, building a second line of defense, which came in very handy when they had to confront the Persians and Arabs.

You might be wondering why everyone was so eager to take over Anakopia? Yes, because the Silk Road to China and India passed through these places, and any city on its way is a tasty morsel, which subsequently brought a good income to its owners. Therefore, the same Persians sent a large army - about 60,000 people - to conquer these lands. The battle was going to be unequal. The Anakopians did not believe in their victory, but still luck was on their side. Arab troops tried in vain to storm this fortified city. There were 3 thousand soldiers in the fortress at that time. 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 six months, the defenders of the fortress repelled attacks and assaults from an enemy that outnumbered them many times over. But then a plague suddenly broke out in the enemy camp (according to other sources - cholera), which wiped out more than half the Arab army. Inspired by this turn of events, the defenders of the fortress defeated the still numerous but disheartened conqueror. Arab troops retreated from Abkhazia, suffering huge losses.

After this crushing victory, the Abkhazian principality strengthened even more, and eventually gained complete political independence from Byzantium, and Anakopia became the capital of this new state. The city, which has already grown beyond the boundaries of the fortress, becomes a real pearl. And, despite the fact that the capital was very soon moved to Kutais, Anakopia did not become a provincial provincial town, still playing an important political and economic role in the state.

Only with the arrival of the Turkish conquerors, who not only ravaged and plundered the local population, but also forcibly converted to Islam, Anakopia gradually became empty. After the expulsion of the Turks by Russian troops in the early 19th century, the Anakopian lands were transferred to the Orthodox community. It was then that the New Athos Monastery appeared, which became the “core” around which new life was revived in New Athos. And the old fortress turned into a monument preserving the ancient history of this place.

Well, so we decided to travel back in time - to visit the ancient Anakopia citadel.

Anakopia Fortress: how to get there

If you have been to the New Athos Cave, then it will be very easy for you to find your way to Mount Iveron. Because this is exactly the road that, after parking at the entrance to the cave, zigzags upward. The paved serpentine road stretches between private houses and finally comes to a fork. Here you will see equipped parking for cars, a viewing platform and a recreation area.

We buy tickets - 150 rubles per person, and pay for parking - 100 rubles. In principle, you can save on parking and leave your car somewhere a little lower, on the street. But we wanted the car to be under supervision.

A walk to the top of Iverskaya Mountain: what tourists will see

Of course, it was convenient to walk along the concrete path, but somehow the feeling of authenticity was lost. To our joy, the “concrete” soon ended and the path turned rocky.

This path soon leads us to a high tower. This tower, designated as western in the diagram, was obviously once an outpost: it offers an excellent overview of all the approaches to the fortress. How did she manage to remain in such good shape to this day?

Only the roof collapsed, and trees grew in its place...

And in the center hung on two beams this strange column:

Perhaps it was the central part in the design of the tower, and there were steps around it... But now no one can say for sure.

And once there were five-meter walls here. They can still be seen today - these stones once saved the lives of thousands of people...

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.

And yet, little remains of the second line of defense - it was almost completely dismantled by local residents for their own needs... But the photos turn out amazing!

And all the most interesting things are located at the very top of the mountain - where the oldest part of Anakopia is located. We move there with a brisk step, not forgetting, however, to photograph such lovely landscapes:

I imagine things will look different here in the summer. But now, on a sunny March day, it’s as if nature itself has chosen the ideal frame for the ruins of the ancient citadel.

New Athos from a bird's eye view

And then, between the trees, fairly well-preserved walls and a tower appeared. Our walk took a little over half an hour - this included private stops for a photo shoot.

A beautiful tower rises above the quite well-preserved walls of the premises, which resemble residential buildings. This is what all tourists see when looking at Iverskaya Mountain from below. This tower is called the eastern one. It differs from the first, 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 steps 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. 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. The tower is well preserved, and was also reconstructed in 2008 - wooden stairs are made inside the tower and electric lamps hang. And now curious tourists can easily climb it and enjoy the beautiful panorama of New Athos from a bird's eye view.

While I was climbing the tower, I caught myself thinking: this all reminds me very much of climbing Mount Akhun in Sochi (I have about her). The same square white tower, an observation deck with views on all 4 sides... Judge for yourself:

View from the tower of the Anakopia fortress (New Athos, Abkhazia)

View from the observation tower on Mount Akhun (Sochi)

In the center of the fortress, as it should be - ancient temple , built in the early Middle Ages, in the VI-VII centuries. The temple is dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos. From the chronicles describing the battle at the walls of Anakopia with the Arabs in the 30s of the 8th century, there was evidence of the miraculous power of the Anakopia icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was found on the slope of the mountain.

In the 11th century, the temple was rebuilt and dedicated to the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Tyrone. This is written on one of the stones in the citadel itself. In general, now it is not even completely known how many temples there were in this place. In this regard, different points of view arise, but everyone is unanimous that the temple was rebuilt several times.

The last changes were made by the monks New Athos Monastery at the beginning of the 20th century. Then this chapel was built inside the ancient temple:

There is a copy of the icon there Iveron Mother of God - according to legend, it was she who patronized this citadel, protecting its defenders. , The energy in this place is simply amazing. It's hard to explain, you have to experience it yourself...

But near the temple there is another miracle of the fortress - siege well. And not least thanks to him, the Anakopia fortress was impregnable to enemies. The thing is that with a supply of water, people will be able to withstand a fairly long siege. What exactly is the secret of the Anakopia spring, neither scientists nor historians can still unravel - well, where do such water reserves come from on the top of this mountain?

There are different guesses on this matter: both underground springs and systems of “communicating vessels”... There is a version that the water in the well appears due to condensate that flows down the walls of the chamber. In general, there are many assumptions, but none of them can explain the fact that for a thousand years now there has always been water in the source; it is called “an inexhaustible well.” However, the ancient defenders also did not know the reason for this miraculous phenomenon, and just in case, they built an additional drainage system.

I scoop up water from the well with a long-handled ladle and pour it into a mug. The water is clean, has no taste or smell. So we sipped a glass of well water before heading back.

On the way down the mountain, we decided not to look for easy ways - not to zigzag along the serpentine path, but to take a shortcut and go straight along the slope. Therefore, we descended very quickly - in about 15 minutes. Perhaps even too quickly - the walk along the mountain left a pleasant feeling of peace and lightness.

Now, in March, the weather was ideal for such a walk: there was no sweltering heat like in summer, and not so many people.

Only a slight feeling of hunger drove me on: I was already imagining myself buying hot achma downstairs, in a cafe near the waterfall on Psyrtskhe... And my dreams were soon destined to come true: delicious achma, fresh biscuit with chocolate and aromatic coffee went into me so quickly that I didn’t even have time to capture them in the photo :-)

Last thoughts out loud

To better imagine all the delights of this interesting place - the Anakopia Fortress, be sure to watch our video:

Once again I am convinced that Abkhazia has a lot of beautiful places with a rich history. In New Athos, their concentration per square meter of area is simply off the charts! Unless you're on a group tour by bus, I'd recommend spending a whole day in this city - it's well worth it.

Judge for yourself: the excursion to Novo-Afonsoya Cave lasts 1.5 hours. Allow at least half an hour to visit the New Athos Monastery if you are going up the mountain by car, and at least an hour if you are walking along the Path of Sinners. A walk through the Seaside Park takes another hour. Waterfall on Psyrtskhe, walk to the old pavilion on the railway - 30-40 minutes. The journey along the Psyrtskhi gorge to the cell of Simon the Canaanite is about another hour. There is also a good beach in New Athos (that is, if you go there in the summer).

This concludes the article. If you have any questions, write them in the comments. If you liked the article, share it with your friends and subscribe to our newsletter.

See you on the blog!

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 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 backdrop 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.

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 fortress complex of Anakopia 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 Abkhazian 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 from. 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, ends 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 suddenly a plague 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 from the roofs was collected into it; in our time, water comes 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 steps 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 :)

Yulyok relax_action , you would really like it here ;)

04. Borderline

05. Scheme of fortifications according to excavations carried out in 1957-1958.

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.

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.

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

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 :)

29. This is not fog, but a wall of rain....

30. Inner courtyard of the Citadel.

31. West Tower

33. Time spares little...

42. The rain was relentless, preventing me from taking rich and beautiful photographs.

50. Remains of the fortress walls above the cliff.

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...

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.

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...

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 :)

You can get to the walls of the fortress like this: by car to the parking lot, disembark there, buy a ticket (100 rubles), and then walk along a dirt road.
4.

Once it was the most beautiful city on the Black Sea coast, a fortress city - the capital of the Abkhazian kingdom, the residence of the Abkhazian kings, surrounded on all sides by several defensive lines, a powerful and impregnable structure that witnessed many bloody battles.
5.

Ghost? No. This is Natasha. Explores the tower.
6.

In the first centuries A.D. e. Western Transcaucasia was under the rule of the Roman Empire. In the 3rd-4th centuries. North Caucasian mountaineers and nomadic tribes of the Goths, Huns and others begin to invade Colchis. The Roman forces stationed here are already being used to subjugate the local population and to protect the peripheral possessions of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. In her own interests, the Abazgs and Laz were obliged to guard the passes from the north. This was entirely consistent with the interests of the local population.
To carry out such a defense, fortresses and other military-strategic structures were needed. At the turn of antiquity and the early Middle Ages, a number of significant fortifications were erected on the territory of Colchis, including Trachea-Anakopia.
8.

Anakopia is one of the earliest fortifications of Abkhazia. It was built by the Romans and Abazgians in the 4th - 5th centuries. However, in the interests and with the support of the Byzantines, to whom Abazgia, Apsilia and the Lazian kingdom were then in vassal dependence.
The Gagra stronghold was supposed to protect the region from the invasion of the northern hordes, and Anakopia - from the south.
9.

The surroundings of Iverskaya Mountain.
Judging by the drawings discovered in one of the shelter grottoes, ancient man settled in these places 15-20 thousand years ago, during the era of the ancient Paleolithic and Neolithic.
11.

Let's return to the fortress.
The Anakopia fortress with its two main defensive lines and the outer line of defense occupied over 70,000 square meters. meters of area.
This is the first line of defense. It was a citadel on a hill, reaching 83 m in length and 37 m in width. Its walls were very powerful: 4-5 m in height, more than 1 m in thickness.
13.

Inside the citadel there is an early medieval dilapidated temple.
16.

The walls of Anacopia have seen a lot of battles. When talking about the history of the fortress, they always remember “meetings” with the Arabs.
The Arabs, who appeared on the political scene in the 30s of the 7th century, took advantage of the mutual weakening of Byzantium and Iran. In a relatively short time they captured a number of countries and peoples of the Middle East.
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 120,000. 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), because he was deaf to the suffering and prayers of the people.
Murwan’s brutal actions were aimed at suppressing the anti-Arab movement, which included all the peoples of Transcaucasia, individually or jointly.
In 736-738 The Arabs destroyed many cities and fortresses of Eastern Georgia. After this, Murvan Kru devastated southern Georgia. He established his regime there and went to Western Georgia.
The Abkhazians knew the Arabs well long before the campaigns of Murwan ibn Muhamed. At different times they provided assistance to Armenia and Eastern Georgia.
And now, a new, threatening invasion of the Arabs led by Murwan ibn Muhammad.
19.

The most reliable place of protection 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 few opponents were courageous and persistent. 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.
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.
Thus, the huge troops of Murwan ibn Muhamed for those times, “equal in number to a dark cloud of locusts and mosquitoes,” near Anakopia were opposed by three, and at best, five thousand Abkhazians and Georgians. And the Arabs at that time, in addition to their numerical superiority, had good weapons; they were equipped with all types of weapons of that time, including heavy siege equipment - catapults, ballistas, battering machines, incendiary shells (the so-called “Greek fire”). And their steel weapons, which were made in Damascus, were famous throughout the world.
Resisting the formidable power of the Arabs, who had conquered many countries and peoples, seemed very difficult, even impossible. And it is no coincidence that before the start of the Battle of Anakopia, the pessimistic Archil said to his brother: “This fortified city is doomed to destruction.”
But God's help, the plague and the advantageous strategic position and inaccessibility of the fortress allowed the defenders of the fortress to withstand the terrible force of the conquerors.
After this defeat, the enemy, under pressure from the local population, was forced to leave Abkhazia.
20.

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 from the roofs was collected into it; in our time, water comes through the formation of condensation on the cold walls of the tank from warm, humid air masses.
21.

The well is considered one of the “miracles” of the mountain fortress. For a long time it has attracted many pilgrims here.
22.

East Tower.
In the early 30s of the 11th century. Princess Alda and Tsarevich Dmitry took refuge in Anakopia, and surrendered the citadel to the Greek garrison. Thus, the fortified city of Anakopia, with its surrounding lands, came into the possession of the Byzantines and remained for a long time in the hands of the Byzantine emperors. It was at this time that the eastern tower was built.
23.

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. The last defenders of the fortress could lock themselves in it and wait for help for some time, sending signals to the mountains.
24.

The tower is devoid of architectural delights - everything is subordinated to its functional purpose. It is laid out from large hewn lime blocks on a lime-gravel-sand mortar using the rubble masonry technique. The thickness of the walls at the base reaches 2 m, at the highest point, gradually narrowing, the walls are 1.6 m thick. The tower ends with an observation deck (the main observation point of Anakopia).
25.

The east tower is open to the public after reconstruction.
26.

Information about the history of the Anakopia fortress. If you want to study in more detail, go there.
Thank you lisik_s for persistence in the decision to visit Iverskaya Mountain.