# Rabati Castle, Akhaltsikhe — a trip from Borjomi > Rabati Castle is Akhaltsikhe’s fortress, founded in the 9th century and rebuilt almost from scratch in 2011–2012: a citadel, a gold-domed mosque, a church, the Jakeli palace museum and terraced gardens. Foreign visitors pay **20 GEL**; it’s open daily, 9:00–18:00 from 1 October. Allow 1.5–2 hours. It’s about 50 km from Borjomi — an hour by marshrutka. Web page: https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/rabati-castle - City: [Borjomi](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi), Georgia - YesGo score: 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Ticket (foreign visitors): 20 GEL - Foreign students and pupils: 15 GEL - Georgian citizens and residents: 10 GEL - Free: Under-6s, people with disabilities, veterans, ICOM members — with proof - Guide: 20 GEL for 1–2 people, 40 GEL for 3–10 - Audio guide: 15 GEL - Opening hours: From 1 October: daily 9:00–18:00 - Lower courtyard: Cafés and shops, no ticket needed; the ticket covers the historic upper part - Samtskhe-Javakheti Museum: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–18:00, last entry 17:30; closed Mondays and public holidays - Museum ticket: Sources disagree on whether it’s included — ask at the ticket desk - Payment: Bring lari in cash: card payment at the desk is unconfirmed - Getting there: Marshrutka from Borjomi ≈ 1 h, then ≈ 10 min on foot from Akhaltsikhe bus station - Address: 1 Petre Kharischirashvili St, Akhaltsikhe - Coordinates: 41.64289, 42.97815 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **9th century** — the fortress was founded as Lomsia (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Akhaltsikhe Castle administration) - **2011–2012** — fully rebuilt — mosque, madrasa, citadel and walls (source: Akhaltsikhe Castle administration; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Mosque and church** — inside one set of walls, along with a madrasa and a palace (source: English Wikipedia (Akhaltsikhe); Akhaltsikhe Castle administration) - **1752** — Haji Ahmed Pasha Jakeli built the Ahmediye Mosque (Russian Wikipedia says 1772) (source: English Wikipedia; Georgian Holidays) - **“New fortress”** — the meaning of Akhaltsikhe, a name from the 12th century (source: English Wikipedia; Akhaltsikhe Castle administration) - **Jakeli** — the atabeg princes who ruled Samtskhe from here from the 13th century (source: Akhaltsikhe Castle administration; English Wikipedia) - **1828** — Russian troops under Paskevich stormed the fortress (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1850–1920** — the mosque served as a church of the Virgin Mary (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **25,000+** — objects held by the Samtskhe-Javakheti History Museum inside the castle (source: Georgian National Museum; Georgian Holidays) - **“Rabat”** — an Arabic word for a fortified place — also the name of the trading quarter by the walls (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **≈ 50 km** — from Borjomi along the Akhaltsikhe road (source: OpenStreetMap route calculation; Borjomi–Rabati tour itineraries) ## Rabati Castle tickets and opening hours Foreign visitors pay **20 GEL**; foreign students and school pupils pay 15 GEL, and Georgian citizens and residents 10 GEL. Under-6s go free. From 1 October the castle is open **daily, 9:00–18:00** — these are the castle administration’s own figures, checked on 30.10.2026. A guide from the ticket desk costs 20 GEL for one or two people and 40 GEL for a group of up to ten; the audio guide is 15 GEL. Sources disagree on whether the museum inside is covered by the main ticket, so ask when you pay. Bring Georgian lari in cash. Cards work in most Georgian cafés and hotels, but we found no confirmation that the castle desk takes them, and marshrutka drivers want cash anyway. > **The museum is closed on Mondays — the castle isn’t** The castle opens every day, but the Samtskhe-Javakheti History Museum in the Jakeli palace is shut on Mondays and public holidays, with last entry at 17:30. If you’re coming by marshrutka from Borjomi, leave before noon so you aren’t rushed and can get back in daylight. ## Which part of Rabati Castle is free? Unofficially, the lower courtyard — the newer part with cafés, a hotel and souvenir shops — is open without a ticket, and that’s where you buy one. The ticket is for the historic upper part: the citadel, the mosque, the madrasa and the Jakeli palace. If you’re just passing through with half an hour, the free courtyard and the walls from below are enough for a few photos; for the views, you need to go up. ## How to get to Rabati Castle from Borjomi 1. **Marshrutka.** Minibuses to Akhaltsikhe leave from the bus station by Borjomi railway station — about 20 minutes’ walk from the Central Park gates. Unofficially they run roughly hourly and take about an hour. Pay the driver in cash. 2. **On the way.** The road heads west along the Kura past the [Romanov Palace](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/likani-palace) in Likani. The [Green Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/green-monastery) is off the same road, but it’s awkward by marshrutka — take a taxi if you want both. 3. **Get off at Akhaltsikhe bus station.** It’s on Davit Guramishvili Street in the Rabati quarter, about 700 m — a 10-minute walk — from the castle gate. You’ll see the walls as you walk. 4. **Buy your ticket** at the lower gate and head up to the historic part. 5. **Coming back:** marshrutkas leave from the same bus station. Ask the driver about the last one on the way out — evening departures are thin. 6. **Taxi or tour.** By car it’s 50 km and about an hour. Agree the taxi fare before you set off; a return trip with waiting time usually works out better. Easiest of all is a guided day tour, which often pairs Rabati with Vardzia. ## Is Rabati Castle worth visiting? Yes, if you have more than a day in Borjomi or you’re heading to Vardzia. It shows a different Georgia — an Ottoman pasha’s palace and a mosque next to a medieval Georgian church, all inside one wall — and the citadel gives you the whole town and the Potskhovi valley below. Be honest with yourself about one thing: the 2011–2012 rebuild was so thorough that much of it looks brand new, in places almost theme-park smooth. If you want authentic ruins, Vardzia and Khertvisi further south deliver more. If you have only one day in Borjomi, spend it in the [Central Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-central-park) and the sulphur baths instead. ## How long do you need at Rabati Castle? Allow **1.5–2 hours**: an hour for the upper part and the citadel climb, then 30–60 minutes for the museum and gardens. With the round trip from Borjomi, it’s a half-day outing. Late afternoon is the best time — softer light on the walls and a clear view from the top — and after dark the castle is floodlit, best seen from the bridge over the Potskhovi. ## What to see inside - **Ahmediye Mosque** with its gilded dome — the shot on every Rabati photo. It’s a museum building now, not a working mosque. - **The citadel** — the highest point, up a run of steps, with views over Akhaltsikhe. - **Jakeli palace** — home to the Samtskhe-Javakheti History Museum: manuscripts, stone inscriptions, carpets and archaeological finds. - **The Georgian church** from the 9th–10th centuries, a reminder that the fortress was Christian long before the Ottomans. - **The madrasa and minaret** beside the mosque. - **Terraced gardens** with a long fountain — the green strip you see in aerial shots. - **Walls and towers**, part of which you can walk along. - **The old Rabati quarter** outside the walls, where Georgians, Armenians, Jews and Muslims lived side by side — with a synagogue, an Armenian church and a Catholic monastery. ## A short history The fortress above the Potskhovi River dates from the **9th century**, when it was called Lomsia. Rebuilt in the 12th century, it gave the town its name — Akhaltsikhe, “new fortress”. From the 13th century it was the seat of the **Jakeli** princes who ruled Samtskhe. In the late 16th century the region passed to the Ottomans, and the Jakelis converted to Islam and carried on as pashas. In the 18th century Haji Ahmed Pasha Jakeli added a mosque with a madrasa and minaret. Russian troops under Paskevich took the fortress in 1828; the mosque was closed and in 1850 consecrated as a church of the Virgin Mary, which it remained until 1920. > **Good shoes, water and a cover-up** Steep steps lead to the citadel and there’s little shade up top — hot in summer, windy in winter. Bring water and a hat. For the church, cover shoulders and knees; women may want a headscarf. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Not a Monday, if I want the museum - [ ] Leaving Borjomi before noon - [ ] Lari in cash for the marshrutka and ticket - [ ] Asked about the last marshrutka back - [ ] Comfortable shoes for the citadel steps - [ ] Water and a hat - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered for the church ## Rabati Castle vs Central Park vs the Romanov Palace | | Rabati Castle | Central Park | Romanov Palace | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | 9th–19th-century fortress with a mosque and church | Spa park with mineral springs | A grand duke’s 1890s villa | | Where | Akhaltsikhe, ≈ 50 km | Central Borjomi | Likani, 3 km from the centre | | Entry | 20 GEL for foreign visitors | About 5 GEL, unofficial | Outside only, free | | Time needed | 1.5–2 h + 2 h travel | 1.5–2 h | 20–30 min | | Best for | History and views | Everyone | Architecture fans | One day in Borjomi — the park. Two or more — add Rabati and see the Romanov Palace from the window on the way. ## Historic sights in and around Borjomi compared Historic sights in Borjomi and nearby day trips rated by YesGo. - [Villa Firuza (Mirza Riza Khan House)](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/villa-firuza) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free — seen from the street - [Likani Palace (Romanov Palace)](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/likani-palace) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, outside view only - [Borjomi Museum of Local Lore](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-local-museum) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 3–5 GEL - [Borjomi Central Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-central-park) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ 5 GEL (unofficial) - [Green Monastery (Mtsvane)](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/green-monastery) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free; donations welcome - [Timotesubani Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/timotesubani-monastery) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free; donations welcome - [Kukushka Train (Borjomi–Bakuriani Railway)](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/kukushka-train) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Not running; new fare not announced - [Rabati Castle](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/rabati-castle) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · 20 GEL for foreign visitors ## Rabati and Borjomi in one day The Green Monastery in the forest in the morning, Rabati Castle in Akhaltsikhe at midday, then the park and sulphur baths back in Borjomi. 1. [Green Monastery (Mtsvane)](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/green-monastery) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free; donations welcome 2. [Rabati Castle](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/rabati-castle) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · 20 GEL for foreign visitors 3. [Borjomi Central Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-central-park) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ 5 GEL (unofficial) 4. [Borjomi Sulphur Baths](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-sulphur-baths) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 5–10 GEL plus park entry ## Good to know Rabati Castle has nothing to do with Rabat, Morocco’s capital, or the hotels of that name. In Georgia it’s called both Akhaltsikhe Castle and Rabati — same place. Rabati is also the name of the old quarter around the walls. ## Tips - Doing Vardzia? Stop at Rabati on the way back — the castle is floodlit in the evening. - Take the guide if you care about the history: without the story, the mosque, church and palace blur into one pretty picture. - The best view of the whole castle is from below, on the bridge over the Potskhovi. - Just passing through with half an hour? The free lower courtyard is enough. - No car? Evening marshrutkas back to Borjomi are sparse — don’t stay until closing. ## Questions ### How much is the Rabati Castle ticket? 20 GEL for foreign visitors, 15 GEL for foreign students and pupils, 10 GEL for Georgian citizens and residents. Children under 6 are free. ### What are Rabati Castle opening hours? From 1 October, daily 9:00–18:00. The museum inside is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, with last entry at 17:30. ### Is any part of Rabati Castle free? Unofficially, yes — the lower courtyard with cafés and shops. You need a ticket for the historic upper part with the citadel, mosque and palace. ### How do I get from Borjomi to Rabati Castle? Take a marshrutka from the bus station by Borjomi railway station to Akhaltsikhe bus station — about an hour — then walk about 10 minutes. A taxi also takes about an hour; agree the fare first. ### How do I get to Akhaltsikhe from Tbilisi? Marshrutkas leave from the bus stations by Didube metro roughly hourly and take about 3.5 hours, cash only. Or take the train to Borjomi and a marshrutka on from there. ### Is Rabati Castle worth visiting? Yes, if you have more than a day in Borjomi or you’re heading to Vardzia. It’s heavily restored, but the mosque, church and palace in one enclosure and the citadel view are worth it. ### How long do you need at Rabati Castle? 1.5–2 hours for the upper part, citadel, museum and gardens; about half a day including the round trip from Borjomi. ### Can you do Rabati Castle and Vardzia in one day? Yes — it’s the standard day-tour route. Vardzia is about another 1.5 hours’ drive from Akhaltsikhe; by marshrutka, both in one day is hard. ### Is the mosque at Rabati Castle a working mosque? No. The Ahmediye Mosque is part of the museum complex. It served as a church from 1850 to 1920 and was restored in 2011–2012. ## How we checked Fares, guide and audio-guide prices and the hours from 1 October come from the castle administration’s official site; museum hours and closures come from the Georgian National Museum. Other facts are checked against at least two sources. The mosque’s date differs — English Wikipedia and Georgian Holidays give 1752, Russian Wikipedia 1772 — so we show both. Sources give different areas for the complex (7, 8 and 10 ha) and different restoration costs, so we leave them out. The free lower courtyard, summer hours and marshrutka timings are unofficial and marked “verifying”. We measured the walk from the bus station on OpenStreetMap. ## Sources - Akhaltsikhe Castle administration (rabati.ge): fares, guides, audio guide, hours from 1 October 2026, history — 30.10.2026 - Georgian National Museum (museum.ge): Samtskhe-Javakheti History Museum — hours, closures, address, collection - English Wikipedia: Akhaltsikhe Castle, Akhaltsikhe; Russian Wikipedia: Ахалцихская крепость; Wikidata Q16534749 - Georgian Holidays: Rabati Castle; Samtskhe-Javakheti History Museum - OpenStreetMap: Akhaltsikhe bus station, distances - GoTrip: How to Get to Akhaltsikhe from Tbilisi, 2025 - Rome2Rio and Kathmandu & Beyond — Borjomi–Akhaltsikhe marshrutkas (unofficial) --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.