Travel Guide Kodjoris Tsikhe

20 km from Tbilisi, on the first foothills of the Lesser Caucasus, Kodjori is a pleasant getaway where you can visit the eponymous fortress. It is the resort of the inhabitants of the capital, a green escape from the urban frenzy. Wealthy families in Tbilisi have a dacha, their country house, at their disposal and come here to enjoy the greenery on weekends. Kodjori is famous for its mild climate, sunshine and moderate temperatures. This climate is said to have even therapeutic properties. The site has always been the summer residence of rulers, including the illustrious Queen Tamar between the 12th and 13th centuries, who took up residence in the fortress. She resided there for six months to take care of herself, enjoying the purity of the air. The place was not a place of tranquillity in its early days, far from it! The fortress, also known as Aragani or Azeuli, has had a defensive role since the 11th century and bears witness to a very eventful past. It occupied a strategic position in the Middle Ages, installed on the road leading to Tbilisi. For this reason, it has always been a state residence of the rulers. As early as the 19th century, the Russian viceroy of Transcaucasia also made it his summer residence. Subsequently, many famous Georgian writers and political personalities settled in Kodjori on holiday.