This ruined fortress-citadel is a very dramatic sight, sat impregnably on top of a crag formed by soaring sheer rockfaces that rise from a hilltop on the nothwestern edge of ´¡°ù»å²¹²Ô³Üç town. Rather than attempting a potentially dangerous ascent of the crag, drive on up the steep, narrow approach lane, continuing around 1km beyond the first hilltop plateau, then look back to view the ruins with a thrilling, mountain backdrop.
With this unassailable castle as its defence, ´¡°ù»å²¹²Ô³Üç (then Ardanuji) became the capital of 9th-century Iberian (Georgian) King Ashot I who was buried here in AD 830, later to be canonised by the Georgian Church for his battles against the Arabs.
´¡°ù»å²¹²Ô³Üç is around 40km southeast of Artvin. After crossing the long Bertaçay Bridge, the route intersperses tunnels with fine vistas across the long reservoir lake, then enters town after traversing a forbidding stretch of narrow canyon.