10 Things to Know Before You Visit Akhaltsikhe Castle (Rabati Castle)

Everything you need to know to plan a visit to Rabati Castle, one of the most impressive historical monuments in Georgia.

Officially called Akhaltsikhe Castle (its misnomer comes from the historic Jewish trading quarter where it is located), Rabati Castle is one of the most important and impressive fortresses in Georgia. It is the focal point of Akhaltsikhe city, with Akhaltsikhe literally meaning ‘new castle’ in Georgian.

Built in the medieval period, the double-walled complex originally served as a residence for the rulers of this region, with its own citadel, mint and treasury, among other things. When the Ottomans and later the Russians took Akhaltsikhe, they retrofitted various buildings and added new components to fit their own needs.

The result is a delightful mishmash of architectural styles reflecting different epochs of history. From the gilded mosque to the Imperial-style garden pavilions and Moorish-inspired, Alhambra-like pools, Akhaltsikhe is completely unique among Georgia’s many fortresses.

Another thing that sets it apart is its immaculate condition: The castle was extensively restored in 2011-12. This was a huge boon for Akhaltsikhe, and the majority of locals love it – though some people consider the heavy-handed work somewhat controversial, even calling it ‘Disneyfication’.

Personally, I am a big fan of Akhaltsikhe Castle. It toes the line between authenticity and fantasy, but I love it. I have visited half a dozen times now, usually independently, sometimes on guided tours, and most recently as part of a group.

Here are my quick tips for visiting Akhaltsikhe Castle plus a map of key things to see within the fortress walls.

Also read: My complete guide to Akhaltsikhe city including things to do beyond the fortress walls.

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What is Rabati Castle?

Built around the 9th century, this castle was originally known as Lomsia. It took on the name Akhaltsikhe after an initial round of restorations, and later came to be colloquially known as ‘Rabati Castle’ after the old Jewish district that surrounds it.

Akhaltsikhe Castle is a large ensemble consisting of various buildings, watchtowers, gardens, and places of worship. A mosaic of different architectural styles, it reflects almost the entire history of the region.

The oldest parts of Rabati include the citadel on its western side, which is also the highest point of the fortress. In the 13th-16th centuries, the nearby palace served as a residence for the Jakeli family who ruled this part of Georgia as an independent principality.

The tower overlooks a mosque, a madrasa and a hammam, which were installed between the 17th-18th centuries when the territory was subject to Ottoman rule. In the 1820s, the Russian army captured the castle. Several structures including a garden pavilion echo the imperial style.

At some point in its history, the castle was abandoned and fell into ruin. Then, in 2011, a massive restoration project commenced and several of the castle buildings plus its walls and towers were rebuilt.

A museum showcasing archaeological finds unearthed during the construction of BP oil and gas pipelines in the region was installed in one of the castle buildings, while a hotel and restaurants were added to the outer periphery of the castle.

Today, this is one of Georgia’s most popular tourist attractions.

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Is Rabati Castle worth visiting?

As a repeat visitor to Rabati Castle, I always enjoy my time there and find some new corner or previously unseen building to explore. The golden dome of the mosque at sunset, the light dancing on the glassy pools, the flocks of swallows darting in and out of the minarets – these are the little things that make Rabati special to me.

One of the things I love most about this place is the variety of architecture and strange mix of styles – there is something picturesque around every corner. The museum inside the castle is one of the best in Georgia in my opinion and justifies a visit on its own.

The castle is quite big, which means it never feels particularly over-crowded. Children seem to enjoy the spacious grounds and variety of buildings, thus I always recommend Rabati Castle to families.

That being said, this castle is not for everyone. Travellers who prefer to avoid the well-beaten path might find it too touristified. The cost of admission is a deterrent for some people. There are a few sections you can visit without a ticket – see my tips below.

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10 tips for visiting Akhaltsikhe Castle

Rabati Castle opening hours & best time to visit

Rabati Castle adjusts its opening hours depending on the season.

In summer, the castle is open from 9am until 10pm daily, including on weekends and Mondays. In winter, the castle closes earlier at 8pm.

The History Museum inside the castle observes different hours. It is open from 10am until 6pm Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Mondays). Last entrance is at 5.30pm.

The castle and museum are both closed on national holidays including Orthodox Christmas Day and Orthodox Easter Sunday.

As for the best time of day to visit the castle, I highly recommend arriving in the late afternoon. The light is especially beautiful around twilight, and you will find the grounds are much quieter than during the middle of the day.

Most of the photos in this guide were taken in the late afternoon/early evening during late spring and summer.

Rabati Castle entrance fee

Entrance to the castle costs 18 GEL per person for foreigners. Foreign students receive a 2 GEL discount.

As with many attractions in Georgia, citizens and residents pay a lower fee (in this case 7 GEL).

The ticket desk is located just inside the main castle gate. Both cash and card are accepted.

Note that entrance to the castle does not include the museum. Tickets for the museum must be purchased separately and cost an additional 15 GEL for adults or 10 GEL for students.

The ticket check is located well inside the castle, past the hotel. This means you are free to enter the lower part of the castle and explore the area without the need to purchase a ticket.

Majority of the fortress buildings are inside the ticketed area. But in the ‘free zone’, you can find a few ruins, a wedding hall, a small Meskhetian-style terraced vineyard, plus a nice garden and aqueduct-like arched bridge.

How to get to Rabati Castle

Rabati Castle is located in Akhaltsikhe city, 200 km south-west of Tbilisi and 175 km south of Kutaisi.

Marshrutka vans depart from Didube Bus Station in Tbilisi every 40-60 minutes between 7.30am and 7pm. The fare is 15 GEL per person, and travel time is around 3.5 hours.

Alternatively, a private transfer to Akhaltsikhe from Tbilisi starts from 200 GEL per car when booked via GoTrip. I recommend stopping in Borjomi and/or Gori along the way.

From Kutaisi, travel time to Akhaltsikhe is slightly longer, approximately 3.75-4 hours. Vans depart from Kutaisi Central Bus Station next to the McDonalds on Chavchavadze, with several services in the morning at 8.20am, 9.30am and 11.30am. Double-check times locally. The fare is 15 GEL.

If there is no direct van, there is an option to transfer in Khashuri, which has good onward transport connections.

A private transfer from Kutaisi starts from 180 GEL via GoTrip. I suggest stopping in Zestafoni (to see the mosaics) and in Borjomi.

Note that there is no passenger train service to Akhaltsikhe (the nearest station is in Borjomi, 50 km away).

The entrance to the castle is located at this point. If you are coming by marshrutka, the castle is 10 minutes’ by foot from the bus station (see the exact location here).

If you have your own car, there is a small (free) public parking lot directly in front of the main gate. If it’s full, there is a second, much larger parking area that you can enter from this point. Street parking close to the castle gate is also an option.

Do you need a guide?

There is minimal signage at Rabati so if you want to learn about the castle’s history, it might be beneficial to hire a guide. The castle administration has its own guiding service, costing 20-60 GEL depending on the size of the group. There is also an audio guide (app) available for 10 GEL.

Personally I do not think a guide is 100% necessary. The castle is pretty well laid-out and there are a couple of maps around the place that you can use to navigate (I have also included a map of key locations later in this guide).

For insights into Akhaltsikhe’s broader history, I highly recommend buying a ticket for the museum inside the fortress grounds. More on that below.

What to see at Rabati Castle: 6 things you shouldn’t miss

Sultan Ahmad Mosque

The jewel of Akhaltsikhe Castle, the Sultan Ahmad Mosque is located in the centre of the complex and entices visitors with its golden dome and single minaret. Constructed around 1752 when this part of Georgia was occupied by the Ottomans, it served as the main mosque in Akhaltsikhe.

It shares its name with the Blue Mosque in Istanbul – but that’s where the comparison ends. By contrast, Akhaltsikhe’s mosque is very austere with an unadorned red-brick and stone interior. Interestingly it has a second set of windows along its middle, which makes the lighting inside very pleasant.

The Sultan Ahmad Mosque is inactive, but visitors should still treat the site with respect and a degree of reverence. A small section of the main floor is roped off and should not be entered.

In front of the mosque’s eastern entrance there is a shallow, square pool, one of several on the castle grounds.

Ablution fountain

On the northern side of the square pool you will notice a long partition wall with Islamic-style star cutouts. This leads to an internal courtyard and the entrance to a stone building containing an ablution fountain.

It took me four or five visits to the castle before I stumbled on this room. It is very beautiful, with arrow-slit windows in the brick walls and a small octagonal pool decorated with black, white and red ceramic tiles.

Madrasa

The madrasa (school) is located behind the mosque and is instantly recognisable as one of Rabati Castle’s most-photographed spots.

The view to the south is particularly beautiful: The long pool stretches out to the castle tower with its tall flagpole, with the two-storey, arched facade of the madrasa to your right.

Citadel

Follow the stairs up and around to reach the oldest section of the castle, the stone-buttressed citadel. The first set of stairs leads to a vast terrace with panoramic views of the old Jewish Quarter and Akhaltsikhe city. Peer directly down over the side of the wall to see sections of ancient ruins that have not yet been excavated or restored.

Venture inside the tower and summit the stairs to reach the castle’s highest point and best lookout spot.

Meskhetian oda house

As you descend the stairs from the citadel tower, look out for the small room that has been transformed in the image of a Meskhetian oda house.

Known as darbazi or ‘hall houses’, this vernacular style of architecture features a wooden pyramid-shaped ceiling with a single opening at the apex to let light in and allow smoke from the hearth to escape. They also feature beautiful woodwork.

Authentic darbazi can be found in Saro village and several other locations around Meskheti region.

Arcades & Orthodox church

The arcades to the right of the main entrance are difficult to miss, but they are worth calling out as one of the loveliest spots inside the castle grounds. I particularly love the small garden with curved pathways sandwiched between the arcades.

Adjacent to this garden there is a small church with a souvenir shop inside.

Should you visit the Samtskhe-Javakheti History Museum?

The Samtskhe-Javakheti History Museum is located on the grounds of Akhaltsikhe Castle, within the ticketed area. It is administered by the Georgian National Museum, which also oversees several key museums in Tbilisi plus a bunch of regional institutions.

It took me five or six visits to Akhaltsikhe before I finally made it to the museum. There are a couple of reasons for this – firstly, the museum has different (shorter) opening hours, so a few times I arrived at the castle in the late afternoon to find it was already closed. Being part of the GNM network, the museum is closed on Mondays.

As mentioned, the museum requires a separate ticket – and for a while I wasn’t sure if it warranted paying an extra 15 GEL. Having now toured the museum with a guide, I do believe it’s worth the additional fee.

This museum deserves to be counted among the best in the country. Displays and lighting are top notch, and the bilingual didactics are very thorough.

Most of the museum is dedicated to ancient history. My favourite exhibits include the obsidian arrowheads, fine gold and gemstones unearthed from burial mounds, similar to those in Vani. The Hittite burial traditions showcased are fascinating.

There are collections of bronze figures labelled ‘chance discoveries’, unearthed from farmers’ fields, and a display of antique period jewellery discovered during the construction of the nearby BP pipeline (around 350 new archaeological sites have been revealed in this region whilst oil and gas infrastructure was being set up).

Don’t miss the reproduction of the rare Queen Tamar fresco from Vardzia (pictured), or the painted tiles and mother-of-pearl inlaid hammam shoes that hark back to Akhaltsikhe’s Ottoman period. There is also a small display on the city’s Jewish community and synagogue.

Where to eat near Rabati Castle

Meskheti is home to one of the most distinctive and delicious regional cuisines in Georgia. Don’t miss the opportunity to try local delicacies when visiting Rabati Castle.

There are several restaurants nearby that I like and recommend. Old Bar is my top choice for trying lokokina snails, crisp Meskhuri khachapuri and regional dough dishes such as mini khinkali. Find it on the opposite side of the river, 10 minutes by foot from the castle gate.

Staying inside Akhaltsikhe Castle: Rabati Castle hotel

If you want to stay close to the castle, Hotel Gino Wellness Rabati is located within the fortress walls. Rooms are modest but comfortable, with private balconies overlooking the lower castle courtyards.

Alternatively, my favourite guesthouse in Akhaltsikhe, Old Street, is a 4-minute walk from the gate and perfectly positioned for visiting the castle. I stay here every time I visit and always enjoy waking up early to stroll around the old walls.

Where to get the best views of Rabati Castle

For a view of the castle itself, head up to St. Marine Orthodox Church, located on the hill behind the castle.

Other things to see & do near Akhaltsikhe Castle

Akhaltsikhe is a small city, but there are plenty of things to see and do including synagogues, Catholic and Armenian churches, abandoned Ottoman-era baths and other treasures.

Naturally most people pair the castle with a visit to Vardzia, another important medieval monument that is around an hour’s drive from Akhaltsikhe.

Samtskhe-Javakheti has a lot more on offer beyond these big-ticket attractions – if you have time, explore some of the area’s other fortresses (especially Khertvisi and Tmogvi), the unique monasteries in the south, lakes to the east, and megalithic ruins around Saro.

For a full list of suggestions and a map of the city, see my Akhaltsikhe Travel Guide.

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Map of Akhaltsikhe Castle

Click here to open a map of Akhaltsikhe Castle on Google Maps.

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