Ananuri fortress

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Ananuri (Georgian: ანანური (ძეგლი)) is a castle complex on the Aragvi River.
Ananuri was a castle and seat of the eristavis (Dukes) of Aragvi, a feudal dynasty which ruled the area from the 13th century. The castle was the scene of numerous battles.

In 1739, Ananuri was attacked by forces from a rival duchy, the Shamshe of Kasni and was set on fire. The Aragvi clan was massacred. However, four years later, the local peasants revolted againt rule by the Shamshe, killing the upsurpers and inviting King Teimuraz II to rule directly over them. However, in 1746, King Teimuraz was forced to suppress another peasant uprising, with the help of King Erekle II of Kakheti. The fortress remained in use until the begininng of the 19th century. In 2007, the complex has been on the tenative list for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage Site program.