RABATI

This is Akhaltsikhe's historic old town. Until the early 2010s, it was in a very poor state of repair, the streets barely paved. But Mikheïl Saakachvili's government undertook a vast rehabilitation program in 2011 and 2012. The small district is rich in incredible multicultural vestiges, signs of all the peoples who have lived here. You can visit a small part of the old town without a ticket, including a short stroll up the fortifications to enjoy the view. A visit with a ticket is still worthwhile, but it's a shame that the entrance fee has risen considerably in recent years.

The fortress was built in the ^12th century. It had the appearance of an Ottoman fortress until it was completely restored in 2012. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Rebuilt in a new style rather than identically renovated, the original site has been extensively remodeled and embellished with the classic attributes of "Saakashvilian" architecture: fountain, balconies, modern folk elements added to the original buildings. The towers that can be seen are mostly a 2012 construction, not original buildings. In short, Rabati Castle has all the trappings of an Ottoman castle dreamed of in Georgia by the political powers of the 2000s... In addition to the walls and towers, the site (popular with Georgians, whatever one thinks of its authenticity) contains a mosque and the ruins of a madrassa (Islamic school). It is also home to the Samtskhe-Djavakhétie History and Ivané Djavakhichvili Art Museum, where you can see a fine collection of carpets, reliefs from the Sapara monastery and a ^16th-century manuscript of the Tiger-skinned Knight by Chota Roustavéli.

Continuing straight on past the fortress, the ^19th-century Orthodox church can be seen on the left. Another madrasa can be seen along the way. If you climb the streets surrounded by darbazébi, traditional terraced houses, most of which date back to the ^19th century, you'll come to the ruins of an ancient Armenian church.

Passing it and descending to the right, you pass a former synagogue. If you manage to find the abandoned Catholic church a little further down and then turn left again, you'll really have a flair for the obvious. It's hard to find your way around these narrow streets, but there's always an impressive vestige of the past around the corner.