Ananuri Fortress

Mtskheta-Mtianeti · Georgien · Fortress

A woman named Ana was tortured to death rather than reveal the fortress's secret water tunnel — and the castle is said to carry her name still.

Legend says that when Ananuri was stormed, the attackers seized a woman named Ana and tortured her to make her reveal where the secret water tunnel ran. She chose death over betrayal and never said a word — and the fortress has been said to carry her name ever since: Ananuri, Ana's place.

Behind it lies one of Georgia's bloodiest betrayals. In 1739 the castle on the Aragvi river was stormed by a rival duke who first cut the water supply, then broke his sworn promises and had the entire Aragvi clan massacred. The last defenders were burned alive inside the so-called Unyielding Tower. The wall and the two churches still stand above the river as silent witnesses.

FAQ

Wo befindet sich Ananuri Fortress?

Ananuri Fortress liegt in Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Georgien.

Image: Vadim Tolbatov / CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons