GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Nokalakevi Archaeological Museum-Reserve

Where Colchis guarded its golden frontier

Nokalakevi Archaeological Museum-Reserve

Why go

Nokalakevi is Archaeopolis, the fortress-city that anchored western Georgia from the 4th to 8th centuries. Excavations reveal thick defensive walls, a sophisticated bath complex with hypocaust heating, and a citadel that withstood Arab sieges before falling in 737 CE. The on-site museum displays gold jewelry, Byzantine coins, and weaponry pulled from these layers. This is the tangible edge of Colchis—the mythic land of the Golden Fleece—where Laz kings ruled and early Georgian Christianity took root in stone. Few sites compress so many strata of Caucasian history into one walkable ridge.

On the ground See

  • The 6th-century bath complex with its intact hypocaust floor and marble pool bases
  • The acropolis walls and gate towers revealing successive Byzantine and Laz construction phases
  • The museum's collection of 5th-7th century gold filigree jewelry and Sassanian silver vessels

Practical Know before you go

Best visited April-June or September-October; the site lies 40km north of Poti via marshrutka to Senaki, then taxi (open 10:00-18:00, closed Mondays).

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly