The Stone Towers Of Svaneti, Georgia

The ancient province of Svaneti in Georgia is located on the southern slopes of the Caucasus mountain range. Surrounded by the gigantic, snow-capped peaks of the high Caucasus and deep gorges, Svaneti is home to some of the highest and most isolated villages in the Caucasus.
Marauding armies from foreign lands used to trouble the Svans during the Middle Ages leading to the construction of watchtowers and fortified homes. When powerful empires rampaged through Georgia, icons, jewels, religious artifacts and manuscripts were brought to the towers for safekeeping, turning Svaneti into a repository of early Georgian culture.