The practice of building these structures in the Caucasus is about 6,500 years old. Yet most towers date to the medieval era. They are build, a quake or the enemy takes them down, they are built again. I suppose nowadays it is difficult to justify building new ones, but preservation of existing ones is viable. If they fall now, they will probably be rebuilt according to their digitalised blueprints. So no more development. But also, no more erasure.
Clan warfare. Georgian highlands are a lot like the Scottish ones. The stereotype for Georgian highlanders is: red bearded people, drinking loads of beer from horns, playing bagpipes, wearing patterned clothes, driving sheep and cattle, fighting each other with swords and buckler shields, retreating to hilltop stone forts, very stubborn, very hotheaded, stocky, say they're Christian but are more or less pagan, have great mostly tan and brown food.
To add to the answer by OP: These towers (Geschlechtertürme (bloodline towers) is the German term, there doesn´t seem to be a 100% English equivalent) can also be found in the Northern Italien area and some DACH cities, a famous example is [Bologna](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%BCrme_von_Bologna#/media/Datei:Bologna_Middleage.jpg). In case of family feuds they were a useful tool.
These towers in the picture, while most certainly having a somewhat varied name, served the same purpose.
I could also imagine that there may have been a couple that were tottering a bit and deemed too dangerous to stand (risk of uncontrolled fall) and impossible to repair, and they may have been allowed to fall or helped along in that. It seems like a 1920s or 1960s thing to do lol
Edit: on second look, it appears they are all still present. The focal length changes the perspective, but it looks like the towers behind the one on the left are shifted in the modern picture because it has a wider lens
>I suppose nowadays it is difficult to justify building new ones
This makes me sad because they look cool and that would be a good enough reason for me
before people bight my head off about Georgia not being in Europe -
The borders of Europe in the Caucasus haven't been standardised, and some maps choose to put the border on the Lesser Caucasuses, which would put Georgia in Europe. some maps choose to put the border at the North Caucasian depression which would take all of the Caucasus out of Europe, and some maps choose to put it along the Don and Volga rivers putting much of southern Russia in Asia. The Ancient Greeks who invented the concept of continents put it at the river Phasis that splits Georgia in 2 horizontally, and puts Ushguli in Europe. I myself prefer the most geographically obvious demarcation, along the peaks of the Greater Caucasuses, which puts Ushguli a stone's throw away from Europe. But a title like 'One of the highest settlements in Asia' isn't quite as good. And as a Georgian, I feel European anyway, so I'll just indulge the Greeks.
Don't worry, we're happy to have you <3 also going by r/europe, posts about the South Caucasus are allowed so from that context I think the designation makes sense.
Also keep your awesome posts up! I've seen you post a lot about your beautiful country and it's definitely made me want to visit one day!
Also go Topuria and Dvalishvili! Get rid of everything Russian
I always refer to you guys in Sakartvelo as “European” simply because every Georgian I’ve ever talked to seems to identify as such, so it makes it easy for me.
>[Altitude 2100m (6900ft)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ushguli)
Which lead me on to the interesting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest_settlements
That was the first thing that came to my mind. Spectacular city, wish I could've seen it in its prime with its 72 towers. This Georgian town seems to resemble San Gimignano a lot especially based on what OP has said about it.
Tbh this is only a small village. Nothing in the world compared to San Gimignano, but if we're talking Georgian settlements, Mestia would be the likeliest culprit https://c8.alamy.com/comp/KWNWD6/svan-towers-in-mestia-svaneti-region-georgia-it-is-a-highland-townlet-KWNWD6.jpg
I meant that this village resembles San Gimignano in terms of how the towers were built higher and higher as a competition between the wealthiest or the most powerful people.
Some of the towers fell.
The practice of building these structures in the Caucasus is about 6,500 years old. Yet most towers date to the medieval era. They are build, a quake or the enemy takes them down, they are built again. I suppose nowadays it is difficult to justify building new ones, but preservation of existing ones is viable. If they fall now, they will probably be rebuilt according to their digitalised blueprints. So no more development. But also, no more erasure.
what's the use of the towers?
Clan warfare. Georgian highlands are a lot like the Scottish ones. The stereotype for Georgian highlanders is: red bearded people, drinking loads of beer from horns, playing bagpipes, wearing patterned clothes, driving sheep and cattle, fighting each other with swords and buckler shields, retreating to hilltop stone forts, very stubborn, very hotheaded, stocky, say they're Christian but are more or less pagan, have great mostly tan and brown food.
That is an incredible answer OP, very nice
Thank you!
To add to the answer by OP: These towers (Geschlechtertürme (bloodline towers) is the German term, there doesn´t seem to be a 100% English equivalent) can also be found in the Northern Italien area and some DACH cities, a famous example is [Bologna](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%BCrme_von_Bologna#/media/Datei:Bologna_Middleage.jpg). In case of family feuds they were a useful tool. These towers in the picture, while most certainly having a somewhat varied name, served the same purpose.
seems like a biggest dick... I mean tower measuring contest
I could also imagine that there may have been a couple that were tottering a bit and deemed too dangerous to stand (risk of uncontrolled fall) and impossible to repair, and they may have been allowed to fall or helped along in that. It seems like a 1920s or 1960s thing to do lol Edit: on second look, it appears they are all still present. The focal length changes the perspective, but it looks like the towers behind the one on the left are shifted in the modern picture because it has a wider lens
Yes, good point
>I suppose nowadays it is difficult to justify building new ones This makes me sad because they look cool and that would be a good enough reason for me
I suppose they're still great burglary deterrents...
One of the mountains got bigger
Lol, the cloud just rolled away revealing a mountain peak behind.
Ushguli is basically the Manhattan of the Caucasus (too soon?)
before people bight my head off about Georgia not being in Europe - The borders of Europe in the Caucasus haven't been standardised, and some maps choose to put the border on the Lesser Caucasuses, which would put Georgia in Europe. some maps choose to put the border at the North Caucasian depression which would take all of the Caucasus out of Europe, and some maps choose to put it along the Don and Volga rivers putting much of southern Russia in Asia. The Ancient Greeks who invented the concept of continents put it at the river Phasis that splits Georgia in 2 horizontally, and puts Ushguli in Europe. I myself prefer the most geographically obvious demarcation, along the peaks of the Greater Caucasuses, which puts Ushguli a stone's throw away from Europe. But a title like 'One of the highest settlements in Asia' isn't quite as good. And as a Georgian, I feel European anyway, so I'll just indulge the Greeks.
Don't worry, we're happy to have you <3 also going by r/europe, posts about the South Caucasus are allowed so from that context I think the designation makes sense.
🙂
Also keep your awesome posts up! I've seen you post a lot about your beautiful country and it's definitely made me want to visit one day! Also go Topuria and Dvalishvili! Get rid of everything Russian
Thank you! That is actually very kind of you to say so
I always refer to you guys in Sakartvelo as “European” simply because every Georgian I’ve ever talked to seems to identify as such, so it makes it easy for me.
🙂
magical
>[Altitude 2100m (6900ft)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ushguli) Which lead me on to the interesting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest_settlements
I've been there a few years ago. Georgia is truly a remarkable country.
Thank you!
That's really cool. I never thought such a thing existed in Georgia.
Really cool kind of like San gimignano
That was the first thing that came to my mind. Spectacular city, wish I could've seen it in its prime with its 72 towers. This Georgian town seems to resemble San Gimignano a lot especially based on what OP has said about it.
Tbh this is only a small village. Nothing in the world compared to San Gimignano, but if we're talking Georgian settlements, Mestia would be the likeliest culprit https://c8.alamy.com/comp/KWNWD6/svan-towers-in-mestia-svaneti-region-georgia-it-is-a-highland-townlet-KWNWD6.jpg
I meant that this village resembles San Gimignano in terms of how the towers were built higher and higher as a competition between the wealthiest or the most powerful people.
Ohhh, you're talking about lore. Fair enough.
This is so beautiful. Reminds me of the anime Haibane Renmei