Gonio Fortress

Gonio stands on the coast south of Batumi where the Chorokhi valley meets the sea, and it was the Roman fort of Apsaros, garrisoned from the first century of the common era and later held by the Byzantines and the Ottomans in turn. The rectangular circuit of walls survives more or less complete, with eighteen towers, gates on each side and an interior that has been under excavation for decades, revealing barracks, streets, a bath and water systems. A tradition, unverified and untested by excavation, places the grave of the apostle Matthias inside the walls, marked by a modern enclosure. A small museum displays finds, and the walls can be walked in part.

What you actually see

• A complete Roman wall circuit - eighteen towers around a rectangular fort.
• Excavations inside the walls - barracks, streets and bath remains.
• The traditional grave of Matthias - the marked enclosure within the fort.
• The site museum - finds from the Roman and later phases.

When to go

April to October. Two hours. It is on the road to the border and easily combined with the coast south of Batumi. Summer afternoons are hot with little shade.

Honest expectations

The interior is largely excavation trenches and low walls, which takes imagination. Interpretation is limited. There is almost no shade. It is close to an international border, so carry identification.

Nearby

Batumi is north; the Machakhela valley runs inland.