Genoese (Psyrtskhinskaya) tower description and photos - Abkhazia: New Athos (Topic)

Genoese (Psyrtskhinskaya) tower description and photos - Abkhazia: New Athos. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photos and a map showing the nearest significant objects.

Photo and description

Genoese (Psyrtskhinskaya) tower is one of the main attractions of the city of New Athos. It is located on Lakoba Street, near the Primorsky Park. The Genoa Tower is the only surviving structure of the coastline of the fortifications of the ancient capital of the principality of Abazgia and the Abkhazian kingdom of Anakopia, a commercial and port city that existed here from the 4th to the 17th century. and abandoned by local residents after the capture of the Turks.

The PSyrtskhinskaya tower was erected in the XI-XII century. and defended the city from the sea. In the XIX century. monks attached to the building a two-story hotel for wealthy pilgrims who came to the New Athos Orthodox Simono-Cananite Monastery. In 1888, the famous Russian writer A.P. Chekhov, and in 1922 - the Russian Soviet writer K.G. Paustovsky and Russian writer-playwright I.E. Babel. In Soviet times, the tower was part of one of the buildings of the local sanatorium "Abkhazia".

The low Genoese tower is a surviving fragment of the defensive fortifications of Anakopia of the XI-XIII centuries. Its facade was shaped like a trapezoid and has only two windows. The tower is faced with roughly worked limestone. The masonry of the tower has been very well preserved to this day. During the restoration, the walls of the building were partially restored from old bricks, which were taken from the ruins of a building destroyed during the civil war in 1992-1993.

As a result of restoration work, the Genoa Tower received a completely new roof, and also interior decoration with a beautiful wrought iron chandelier, made in medieval style. Inside the tower, a floor has been preserved that was laid out several centuries ago. During the war years 1992-1993. soldiers burned fires on it. The soot was carefully cleaned, the floor surface sanded and covered with a protective varnish. Despite this, you can still see traces of the fire on the floor.

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Topic: Genoese (Psyrtskhinskaya) tower description and photos - Abkhazia: New Athos.