The ruins of the fortress tower on one of the many high hills surrounding the resort Abastumani. According to the legends, the citadel is somehow connected with the legendary city of Odzrhe, built in these places by one of the ancestors of the Georgians, Odzrakhos, long before our calendar. During the reign of King Parnavaz I, the Eristavs of Adzharia and Samtskhe lived here, and after the death of Vakhtang Gorgasali, the royal dynasty of Bagrationov moved its winter residence here. Most likely, the fortress retained this function even during the reign of Queen Tamar, whose name was given her legends. It is known for certain that in 1191, influential feudal lords, led by George, who had already been expelled from the Georgian royal court (the first husband of the Tsarina), rebelled against the royal throne, burned and destroyed the residence.
In the 70s of the XVI century, Abastumani, together with the whole region of Samtskhe, departs to the Ottoman Empire for 300 years and during this time the already partially damaged citadel finally collapses.
