Keselo Castle Ruins

Omalo, Georgia

Keselo is a small medieval fortress just above the village of Omalo. The site is surrounded by the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. It is bordered in the north by Republic of Chechnya and Dagestan, in the east by the Georgian historic provinces Kakheti and Pshav-Khevsureti to the south.

Traditionally Tush peoples abandoned their villages and used towers as temporary shelters during raids on their villages. Keselo was constructed during the Mongol invasion of Georgia in 1230s. It originally had 13 towers. The inhabitants of old Omalo used the towers to protect themselves from the invading Mongols and later raids by Daghestani tribes.

By the 20th century, most of the towers were in ruins. However, in 2003, work began to rebuild five towers of the medieval fortress. The project was privately sponsored by Henk and Eliane Hooft, a Dutch family living in Georgia and later by the Keselo Foundation. The restoration was done in accordance with the medieval Tush techniques of constructing fortified towers. A monument was also erected in the nearby village of Dartlo and a tower in Khiso, on the road to Omalo, was also rebuilt. During the work, an array of archaeological artefacts, such as ancient rock art motifs and Bronze Age axes and jewellery, were discovered.

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Details

Founded: 1230s
Category: Castles and fortifications in Georgia

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.9/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Wojtek Kopystynski (2 years ago)
The view is spectacular. Located in Upper Omalo, just reaching the village takes more then 5 hours by car. There are a few hotels in the village, you can ride horses or just hike.
Steff Trpkrvfzfki (2 years ago)
Very nice fortress with a great view over the town. Apparently women are not allowed on the hill in front of the fortress
David Carasso (2 years ago)
The castle complex is located just above upper Omalo, a few minutes climb. It proposes great views of ridge and valley, several interesting open structures. Commonly you are getting there in the afternoon after a day's ride, it is a peaceful location to meditate and relax. Though it seems to be well maintained, the open structures can be hazardous.
Dmitry Batkovich (2 years ago)
Old tushetian fortress: nothing really special comparing svans towers but nature is unique in this region
Markus A (3 years ago)
Amazing place!!! The old fortress and the village is so peaceful and picturesque!!! And its free to visit! And there are a lot of options for hiking / trekking in that area...
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