Nokalakevi Tower-Belfry

The formidable stone layers of Nokalakevi Fortress emerge naturally from the limestone cliffs carved by the Tekhuri River in the historic Samegrelo region. Among the sprawling, quiet ruins of this massive archaeological site—historically known to the Byzantine world as Archaeopolis and locally as Tsikhegoji—the combined tower and belfry structure occupies a striking defensive position. This unique monument stands as an important marker of late medieval architectural adaptation in western Georgia, where ancient military engineering was repurposed to serve the shifting religious and administrative realities of the region.

The Strategic Evolution of Archaeopolis

Nokalakevi served as the fortified capital of the ancient Kingdom of Egrisi (known to western chroniclers as Lazica) between the 4th and 8th centuries, controlling major trade routes through the southern Caucasus. The early fortress withstood severe geopolitical conflicts, including the prolonged Byzantine-Sasanian wars, before facing near-total destruction during the Arab invasions led by Murvan the Deaf in the 730s.

For centuries, the ancient capital lay largely abandoned until the Dadiani dynasty, rulers of the Principality of Samegrelo, revived the strategic landscape between the 16th and 18th centuries. Recognizing the natural defensive merits of the high river terrace, they built a residential palace and restructured the older fortifications. The tower was constructed on older foundations during this late medieval revival, designed primarily as a high-altitude watchpost to monitor movements along the river gorge. When the nearby Three-Church Basilica and the Church of the Forty Martyrs regained regional importance, builders integrated a multi-tiered stone belfry into the defensive framework, creating a dual-purpose military and ecclesiastical structure.

Architectural Layers and Masonry Techniques

The construction of the tower reveals a distinct mix of historical periods, illustrating how materials were recycled across generations. The lower courses of the fortification wall display large, meticulously squared limestone blocks characteristic of early Byzantine and classical Roman engineering. These heavy, precisely cut stones provided a solid foundation for later structural expansions.

In contrast, the upper sections of the tower and the open arched belfry show the rustic, practical masonry styles of the late medieval era. Builders relied heavily on smooth river cobblestones pulled directly from the Tekhuri bed, binding them with thick layers of lime mortar. The resulting architecture features narrow defensive arrow slits combined with wide, open arches designed to let the sound of church bells echo across the river banks.