Watchtowers—Mountainous Svaneti, Reasons to visit

LEANING forward, holding tightly to the roof beams, we poked our heads out the top of an 800-year-old stone tower in the country of Georgia. From our vantage point some 80 feet (25 m) above the ground, we saw scores of other ancient watchtowers scattered throughout the village of Mestia, Svaneti’s regional capital.

The gently sloping valley, carpeted with green hay fields, contrasted strikingly with the immensity of the lofty snowy summits that soared up around us. We were captivated by this ancient place, feeling that somehow we had stepped back into the Middle Ages. Visiting the famous watchtowers of Svaneti had, in fact, been a goal of our trip.

Touring the Area

To reach this mountainous community, we took a lonely, narrow road that clings to the mountain and is bounded by steep precipices that drop off to the river below. On finally reaching Ushguli, we were rewarded with an unforgettable sight—clusters of houses huddled around medieval watchtowers. The backdrop was the immense Mount Shkhara. Its dazzlingly white snowy mantle contrasted beautifully with the deep blue of the alpine sky.

At 17,064 feet (5,201 m), Mount Shkhara, Georgia’s tallest mountain, is part of what is called the Bezengi Wall, a seven-and-a-half-mile (12 km) line of peaks that reach almost the same height. These are part of the some 750-mile-long (1,207 km) Greater Caucasus range. Everywhere we looked we saw lush valleys with astounding scenery. Yet, these valleys are inaccessible, except to the most adventuresome or to those who call Svaneti their home.

The People Who Live Here

The Svans, who live in Upper Svaneti, are an ancient people who have their own language. They have long been known as a people who refused to be dominated by any lord. In the 18th century, an explorer observed that the Svans had “realised the new ideal of a society where the free-will of the individual overrides all other considerations.”
The unique freedom of Svaneti can be attributed to two factors. First, the barrier of extremely tall mountain ranges isolated the people from the outside world and protected them from invaders. Second, the watchtower served to safeguard the independence of each family. It protected them against enemies and neighboring villagers, who at times became hostile, as well as from avalanches that inundated smaller structures with snow.

Life in a Watchtower

There are hundreds of them up here, sticking up above the villages to afford a clear view of ancient enemies, enemies who could be your neighbors. Made of stone in medieval times and topped with slate, they have stood upright through centuries of avalanche and flood, protecting their families, as well as the treasures of the rest of the country, which were laboriously hauled up here for safekeeping when times were bad.

The huge tower was made of stones and was covered in a coarse whitish plaster. It had four floors. These rose above the two-story house to which it was connected. When we entered the tower from the house, it took a moment for our eyes to adjust to the subdued lighting. The watchtower’s lower floors were used for the storage of water, flour, fruit, cheese, wine, and meat.

In times of emergency, the family would sleep in the tower’s lower and middle floors. The top floor, covered by a slate roof, was essentially a fighting platform that had small openings in the parapet. One visitor in the 19th century reported that since there was “no local authority of any kind able to enforce a decision, arms were constantly resorted to.” So each family was prepared to fight to defend itself.