Ujarma Fortress

Ujarma stands on a spur above the Iori river on the old road between Tbilisi and Kakheti, and it was a royal seat: tradition connects its founding to Vakhtang Gorgasali in the fifth century, and it functioned as a fortified town and residence for several centuries before decline and abandonment. The walls run along the ridge and down the slopes with towers at intervals, enclosing a citadel, cisterns, the foundations of buildings and a small church rebuilt in modern times. Consolidation work has stabilised parts of the structure. It is passed by everyone driving from Tbilisi to Telavi and takes half an hour to walk round.

What you actually see

• Walls following the ridge - towers and circuits along the spur.
• The citadel at the high point - the core of the royal fortress.
• Cisterns and building foundations - the interior of the old town.
• The Iori river below - the valley the fortress controlled.

When to go

April to October. Two hours as a stop on the Telavi road. Morning light suits the walls. Summer is hot with no shade.

Honest expectations

It is a ruin with minimal interpretation and no facilities. Ground inside is uneven with unfenced drops. Consolidation work leaves some sections closed. The visit is short.

Nearby

Sagarejo is south-east; Telavi lies north-east.