Geguti Palace

The ruins of Geguti Palace stand near the Rioni River, about 9 km south of central Kutaisi. This was one of the main residences of the medieval Georgian kings, a place for rest, hunting and court gatherings. The surviving walls of brick on a stone plinth cover more than 2,000 square metres. At the centre was a great hall roofed by a dome about 14 m across. In 2016 a lightweight glass structure was installed around the ruins to suggest the palace's original outline and height.

Geguti is a quiet, low-key stop with few facilities, and you will often have it to yourself. Walk around the walls to see how the brickwork rises from the stone base, and look for the remains of the palace church and later additions on the western side. Half an hour is enough, and it fits easily into a drive from Kutaisi towards Vani or Sairme.

The oldest part of Geguti, a single room with a large fireplace, dates to the 8th or 9th century. Most of the complex was built in the 12th century under King George III (1156 to 1184), when Geguti first appears in the Georgian chronicles, and it stayed a favourite royal retreat under his daughter Queen Tamar. In 1191 rebel nobles crowned Tamar's former husband, Yuri Bogolyubsky, here in a failed attempt to overthrow her. A palace church was added in the 13th or 14th century.