(სიღნაღი ) - a small town in Kakheti (only 2,000 people), the administrative center of the Signagh region and the center of the Bodbe diocese. It is famous for the fact that since 2005, work has begun here to transform the town into the "face of Georgian tourism". Now it is one of the most visited (especially by Europeans) places in Georgia, but at the same time, surprisingly, one of the most little-known - in the sense that practically nothing has been written about it. All information on the Internet boils down to a template set of phrases about "never forget", about "the most famous fortress" and "pearl of cultural heritage".
Story
Surprisingly, about the history of this famous city absolutely nothing is known. Sometimes it is called the ancient city, although it was built in the second half of the 18th century by King Heraclius II. There is a version that Sighnaghi arose after the Mongols destroyed the city of Hornabuji (1264), and economic life moved from the destroyed city to the west.
It is not clear when exactly the construction began, and who did it, and why it was needed. It is not clear why exactly in this unusual place- high in the mountains. They say that Armenians were resettled here for the population of the city. They say that it was built to protect against Lezgin raids. They say that he withstood numerous sieges by foreign invaders, but this is already mythology.
The most unusual of all is the Sighnaghi fortress. This is a closed perimeter of the walls, running along a semicircle of heights, inside which there is a gorge. Building buildings inside Sighnaghi walls is not easy even with modern technology. The question is - why was it done, how was it supposed to look according to the plan? It turned out what happened - the city began to build up outside the perimeter of the walls, on the south side.
Little is known from the history of Sighnaghi in the 19th century. In 1812, at the time, there was a garrison in the fortress under the command of Major Heine. The insurgent Kakhetians killed the garrison completely, but it is not clear where exactly it defended itself - in a fortress or in a certain temple. They say that the dead were buried somewhere near this temple and a mound was poured there, which was visible back in the middle of the century.
In 2005, the reconstruction of the city began, and as a result, something appeared that engendered the most polarized evaluative opinions. In 2012, the movie "" was released, one of the short stories of which takes place in Sighnaghi.
What do we have now
Sighnaghi was built in the mountains, and looks like an octopus, spreading tentacles along separate ridges. Therefore, for myself, I divide it not into quarters, but into ridges. There are five of them, I named them: Gorgasali ridge, Ketevan ridge, Tamara ridge, Central and Baratashvili ridge.
City center - park on April 9th, on one side of which Solomon Dodashvili square, with another - david the builder square... In the park there is a statue of the aforementioned Solomon, and on the rock next to it there is a list of residents of the Sighnaghi region who died during World War II. If anyone does not know, Solomon Dadashvili is a Georgian philosopher of the 19th century little-known outside Georgia. They say that it was he who invented the word Sakartvelo("Georgia").
On Solomon Square there is a central city hotel - "Sighnaghi", an elite one, next to it - a site with lawns, loudly called British Park. City Hall now stands on David's Square, in front of which there is an abandoned building. Right next to it, slightly disguised by trees, there is the Sighnaghi Museum of Local Lore, which is very nice.
In pre-Soviet times, it was on this square that the largest Sighnaghi temple stood. You know who demolished it.
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This same cafe
Two streets run down from the two mentioned squares - Kostava and Lalashvili. These are the central, ceremonial streets of Sighnaghi. They go to the square of Heraclius II, there is big fountain, a huge casino building and another large building that houses a wedding palace and tourist information.
From Heraclius Square stretches street-ridge Baratashvili... She bends beautifully in all directions, so it is fashionable to photograph her. On Baratashvili there is a police building with funny police cars, next to it is the building of the Populi market, which is modest both in size and assortment. From the market, the street goes up, turns sharply to the left and turns into a road to Tbilisi and Bodbe. From there, from above, the most successful general photographs of Sighnaghi are obtained. The Tbilisi entrance is the main entrance to Sighnaghi. Really beautiful. On the same street there is the once famous wine estate "Pheasant's Tears".
Gorgosali Ridge Street... This is the only "made" street inside the fortress walls. It is here that the temple of St. George is located, which is constantly photographed against the backdrop of the Alazani Valley. The tower near the temple has been turned into a bell tower and it can be successfully photographed in the morning and afternoon and evening and in any season. Gorgosali street itself leads down, and outside the gate turns into a road to Tsnori. There is an ascent to the fortress wall near the gate and walking route along the wall, past two towers. This is the only place in Sighnaghi where you can walk civilly along the wall.
There is also an exit to the wall up the street, near the Mate guesthouse and the Kusika restaurant.
Queen Tamar Street... It starts from the same tower as Gorgosali Street, but goes along a different ridge parallel to the Tsnor road. Well done street that ends in a dead end. Rather, the pavement ends and further there is a shapeless steep descent. The street is valuable with a view to the north that is rare for Sighnaghi.
At the very beginning there is the "Bridget" hotel, and if you dodge into the left lane, there will be a house on the left side where the Armenian artist Gevork Bashinjaghyan was born, once the creator of the Armenian naturalistic landscape and one of the authors of the frescoes of the Surb Gevork temple in Tbilisi. A very famous person in Armenia. Now this is normal private house... The owners bought it from the Bashinjaghyans somewhere in the early twentieth century.
Ketevan Tsamebuli ridge street... The hands of restorers have not yet reached this street, and now it is a cross between a rural street and a highway. On the one hand, there are thickets under the fortress wall, on the other, there are several houses and views of the Alazani Valley and the Church of St. George. It is along Ketevan street that you get to Sighnaghi if you go from Telavi. This is a "back door", it does not impress.
Temple of Saint George
The visiting card of the city and its symbol is the largest temple in the city - St. George. Now there are two main temples in Sighnaghi and they are often confused on the Internet. However, on the signs in the city itself, the large temple is named exactly as St. George. It is a large brick basilica built around the fortress tower. The tower was built on with a bell tower and the result was a complex that looks very beautiful against the backdrop of the Alazani Valley. However, it is inconvenient to photograph it close up and inside it is also inexpressive. The temple was once Armenian and there is information in the archives of Armenia that it was built in 1793. In 1924, the Soviet government closed the church and turned it into a club.
St. Stephen's Temple
The tiny church of St. Stephen is now located on Chavchavadze Street, a stone's throw from the Sighnaghi Hotel. I highly recommend this temple to visit, if only because it is the highest point in the city and from there you can see the whole thing. The temple is unusual. It was built right inside the fortress tower, and a bell tower was attached to the side. Now you can enter the temple itself from the southern entrance, exit through the western entrance to the courtyard (inside the tower) and climb the tower itself, from which there is an exit to observation deck bell towers. Paid binoculars are now installed there. Almost nothing is known about the history of this temple. But since it was built on the ruins of a tower, it is either the very end of the 18th century or even the beginning of the 19th.
Signagh wall
The city of Sighnaghi has its own fortress wall, which some guidebooks try to highlight as a separate attraction (I tried it myself). However, in practice it bears little resemblance to fortress walls like Goristsikhe or Rabati. Sighnaghi Fortress is precisely a long wall that stretches from hill to hill like the Great Chinese one. The authors of some guidebooks came up with the statement that the length of the Signakh wall exceeds the great Chinese one, which, of course, does not correspond to reality. The comparison with China was gradually forgotten, but continued: now it is sometimes said that it is the longest in Europe. In practice, 3 kilometers of the Sighnaghi wall is noticeably less than 4300 meters of the Avignon wall, 5 kilometers of the Istanbul wall, 5 kilometers of the Ston wall, or many kilometers of the Roman one.
Sighnaghi wall is large, but usually visible from afar and in pieces. Only on Chavchavadze Street it can be seen at once in a large area.
Sighnaghi Museum of Local Lore
The Signaghi Museum of Local Lore can be called the best of the existing local history museums. A lot of money, time and effort have been spent on him, so now he is boldly included in the top five best museums countries - at least by design. This museum has two main sections: archeology and paintings. The paintings are mainly Niko Pirosmani and Lado Gudiashvili. This is one of three places where you can see Pirosmani, although little-known things are collected here. In 2012, the museum appeared in the film "Love with an Accent" - in a scene with a guide.
An important landmark of the city is the wine shop "Tears of the Pheasant" (Pheasants tears) on Baratashvili Street. Once this company was founded by an American, and this is how one of the first private wineries in Georgia appeared, producing not collective farm cattle, but something almost European. Now the wine of this company is often found in shops in Georgia, and they have only one minus - it is unreasonably expensive. There is also a restaurant at the wine farm and tastings are held here.
Another must-see is the Joni Okruashvili winery, also known as Okro's Wines. Very good wines are produced, sold and tasted here: Saperavi, ice-Saperavi, Rkatsiteli different types and a very nice Manavsky Mtsvane. Tasting of 3 or 4 wines costs 20 GEL. The wine estate is located on Chavchavadze Street, between the Sighnaghi Hotel and the St. Stephen's Church.
Angel Sighnaghi
The 2005 reconstruction gave birth to the "City of Love" brand. But as travel traffic grew, so did the imagination of marketers, and this short brand was not enough. In the spring of 2016, a legend about the "angel of Sighnaghi" was launched on the Russian Internet. The essence of the legend: there was a certain bad city. God decided to destroy him and ordered an angel named Signah (and) to do it. But the angel took pity on the city and began to distribute pieces of his heart to the inhabitants, after which the city reformed, and God forgave him, and at the same time forgave the angel for his disobedience. And in the finale: "It is believed that if every inhabitant of the world visits the city, then paradise will come on earth."
The most amazing thing about this legend is its heretical, or rather, gnostic essence. This implies that the angel has free will, that the angel has some kind of heart, that the essence of an angel is more perfect than the essence of man, and, most importantly, that God can be wrong, and, accordingly, be the bearer of evil. This is a very interesting manifestation of Gnostic philosophy on the internet today.
Sighnaghi Hotels
Hotels and guesthouses - this is what there is really a lot in the city. This is the most densely populated place in the whole of Kakheti. The range of prices here - from $ 10 in a guesthouse to $ 350 in five stars. Sighnaghi hotels are sometimes very pleasant and interesting even on their own, apart from the rest of the city.
Hit
From Tbilisi to Sighnaghi - a little over a hundred kilometers, but one must take into account the final section of the serpentine. Minibuses run here from Samgori station for 5 GEL. They come into town to the parking lot behind the Populi market. About 25 kilometers from Gurjaani. It is about 43 kilometers to Lagodekhi and there is a short crossing to Azerbaijan. Dedoplistskaro is about 40 kilometers away different roads... To Telavi - 60. Many cars going from Sighnaghi to Tbilisi take companions for 8 GEL. Basically such a cheap taxi or local blablacar.
Conclusions and opinions.
It is often said that Sighnaghi has been completely restored. In fact, half. The streets of Tsamebuli, Chavchavadze, Pirosmani and half of Sarajishvili are still waiting in the wings. Not to mention the smaller ones. They also say that there is a lot of wine here. Also a myth. It is sparse in the markets, and there are only two private wineries. And what is important - there are almost no wineries near Sighnaghi.
The main value of the city is its landscapes. The views of the Alazani Valley are fabulous here, you can't take that away. It's nice that we have made pavements, and not limited to asphalt. The roofs also look pretty, although some of them are decorative - just put metal tiles on top of a non-residential building.
They say about the city itself that there is nothing to do in it and sometimes they call it "Potemkin village". About the village is not true, but about nothing to do, the truth is partly. Sighnaghi is the result of good work of engineers and designers, it is beautifully and talentedly made, but the city life itself has not yet originated here. The European tourist will like the city - it has everything that a European town should have - cleanliness, design and features. There are many such towns in Germany or Sweden. The Italian ones are already different - they are a little livelier.
It seems to me that Sighnaghi should be treated somewhat condescendingly, given its young age. Perhaps life will come here again. There will be cafes, internet, market, hostels, wine and temples.
Regional centers of Kakheti
Georgia turned the small but picturesque town of Sighnaghi into a major tourist brand. "Georgian San Marino", located in the east (in the Kakheti region, 110 km from Tbilisi), has been completely restored, which did not deprive it of historical value, but only added European charm to the old fortifications and winding cobbled streets. Having become one of the most visited cities in Georgia, Sighnaghi with its pretty low-rise houses under bright tiled roofs has remained quiet and calm - the permanent population is only 2,500 people.
The city, whose name has Turkic roots and means "impregnable" in translation, was founded in the second half of the 18th century as a defensive structure. Its territory has the shape of a polygon, with an area of 2,978 sq. Km. and framing in the form of 28 perfectly preserved towers and fortress walls. The latter from the northern side "go" into a deep gorge, and from the rest they repeat the outlines of the mountain ranges. On the stairs equipped near the main fortress gates, you can climb the walls and see not only the whole city, but also the Alazani Valley, at a glance.
The city's attractions
Considering the photo of Sighnaghi, even experienced travelers can confuse the town of Georgia with European resort with developed infrastructure. This was the idea of the architects who combined original traditions with the southern Italian classics. There are many hotels and hostels, souvenir shops and markets, about 15 cafes and restaurants where you can taste national dishes and good wines.
The latter are obligatory for tasting, because Kakheti is famous for its vineyards and wine cellars, where light Chinuri, spicy Rkatsiteli, berry Tavkveri, luxurious Saperavi and many other treasures are hidden. The vast majority of tourists take a bottle of local wine away from Sighnaghi.
Monument to Solomon Dodashvili It is worth starting your acquaintance with the sights of Sighnaghi from the April 9 Park, named in honor of the Day of the Restoration of Georgia's Independence. Having breathed in the fresh mountain air, admired the fragrant flowers and tasted the famous churchkhela, you can go to inspect the nearby squares - Solomon Dodashvili and King David the Builder. By the way, the statue of the first - a cult Georgian writer, philosopher and public figure - stands in the park.
Old town area
Two ceremonial streets (Lalashvili and Kostava) lead down from the two mentioned Sighnaghi squares. Tourists walk along them, stopping at souvenir shops and for a long time freezing with cameras in front of residential buildings with picturesque balconies entwined with grapevines.
At the end of the journey, each of them will meet with another square - Irakli II, where an elegant fountain, a casino and the reason why Sighnaghi is called the city of love work. It's about the round-the-clock Wedding Palace. In it, you can register your relationship without an appointment, having received a marriage certificate recognized throughout the world.
Sighnaghi received the status of the city of love also because it was here that the artist Niko Pirosmani, famous in Georgia and far beyond its borders, performed a romantic act that became the plot for a song about a million scarlet roses.
According to the legend that any local resident will tell you in his own interpretation, Pirosmani fell in love with the French actress Margarita who came on tour, sold his apartment in Sighnaghi and bought armfuls of flowers with all the money to cover the street near his beloved's house. Unfortunately, the story has a sad ending - after the end of the tour, the girl left Georgia forever, but the artist did not forget about her love, depicting Margarita on the canvas of the same name.
Talking about what to see in Sighnaghi, one cannot fail to mention the temples.
Church of St. Stefan The Church of St. George is located on Gorgasali street next to the tower of the fortress wall. The basilica was built of bricks, and against the background of the Alazani Valley it looks very photogenic: a green-blue canvas covered with settlements with "beaded" houses and powerful mountain ranges on the background.
Church of St. Stefan (the point is on the map) is the highest point of the city and allows you to enjoy the views of the surroundings from a specially equipped observation deck.
Museum of History and Ethnography
History lovers will be interested in the unique collections of the Sighnaghi Museum of Local Lore. Its new building in the center of the city is worth a visit for lovers of antiquities ( archaeological finds, bronze tools, ceramics, interior items and clothing), as well as fans of the graphic artist and monumentalist Lado Gudiashvili.
On the second floor of the museum, there are also 16 paintings by Niko Pirosmani - these are not the most significant of his creations. The best canvases, including "Actress Margarita", are kept in Tbilisi, but less famous canvases are also worthy of attention.
If you are interested in looking at the house in which Pirosmani was born and raised, go to the neighboring village of Sighnaghi - Mirzaani. There you will find the house-museum of a Georgian artist. You can get to Mirzaani by your own car or taxi - go 20 km.
Ethnographic park
Another must-see attraction in Sighnaghi is the ethnographic park, the road to which departs from Ketevan Tsamebuli street. Several guest houses along the way will offer you to taste local cuisine and look from above at the George Temple and the Alazani Valley.
Entrance to the ethnographic park is free - here you can familiarize yourself with the subjects local life and varieties of grapes grown in Kakheti, make lavash and churchkhela with your own hands, swing on the old swing and relax on the benches, after which it is worth going up the dirt road to south gate cities.
Sculptures
Numerous sculptures deserve separate words. These sights are innumerable in Sighnaghi. Funny, sophisticated and touching, they seem almost alive - a girl near the registry office is preparing to give her bouquet to happy newlyweds, a lady with a dog is hiding in the shade from the hot sun, and the doctor on a donkey decided to take a break after long road... The last sculpture was erected in honor of Benjamin Glonti, a character in the film “Don't Cry!” By Georgy Danelia, part of which was filmed in Sighnaghi.
How to get to Sighnaghi from Tbilisi
By minibus
The easiest and cheapest way is to take a minibus. This type of transport departs from Tbilisi to Sighnaghi every two hours (from 7 am to 6 pm). The place of departure is the bus station at the Samgori metro station.
Before you go to Sighnaghi from Tbilisi on your own, check the schedule on the spot - it may change depending on the season. The fare is 13 GEL.
Buses from Tbilisi to Sighnaghi also run from the Isani metro. The road takes about 2 hours.
By car
Niahura fortress Another option to get from Tbilisi to Sighnaghi is to rent a car, turn on the navigator and drive, enjoying the breathtaking views, for about an hour and a half. If you want to completely relax, take a taxi, and halfway from Tbilisi, pay attention to the Niahura fortress, built in the 16th century.
Arriving in Sighnaghi by car, leave it at the entrance to the city and walk on foot - first climb to the very top, and then go downstairs, along the way viewing the sights and admiring the views.
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Weather and climate, when is the best time to visit the city
The climate of Sighnaghi is determined by its immediate surroundings - valleys, Caucasus mountains, deciduous forests.
In the cold season, a thick fog often falls on the city, in spring it rains, on some summer days there is an abnormal heat.
Summer in Sighnaghi is the sunniest and hottest time of the year. In June the temperature reaches + 29 ° С. The peak of the heat is in July and August - on some days the thermometer rises to + 37 ° С.
The best period in all respects to visit the Georgian “city of lovers” is May and September - the first half of October.
Every year, at the end of the first month of autumn - early October, for 5-7 days, the Rtveli grape harvest festival is held in the Kakheti region. It will be rational to combine a wine tour with the study of the beauties of Sighnaghi.
All September and the first half of October in "Little Italy" pleases with comfortable weather. During the day, the air warms up to + 20-25 ° С. In mid-October, rains and fogs come to the city.
Winter in Sighnaghi is usually relatively warm (4-7 ° C). But January and February are quite capricious - snow may fall unexpectedly, a light frost may strike, or a thaw may come.
In March and early April, warm days alternate with cool ones. For those who want to visit Sighnaghi in spring, experienced tourists recommend going on a trip in the second half of April or in May - everything is blooming around, the probability of fog is small, and the air is warmed up to 25-30 ° С.
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Having made your " business card»Sighnaghi, Georgia has presented the world with a pastoral, sometimes toy and very charming playground for leisurely walks, interesting explorations, romantic impulses and a pleasant rest from noisy megacities.
Related entries:
One of the most beautiful places in Sighnaghi it hotel "Bridget"... It is located on the street of Queen Tamara, house number 13. We will not be able to live in it, but to visit the free ethnographic museum of the hotel, admire the views from the terrace and eat in its restaurant - yes.
Panoramic beautiful hotels in Sighnaghi there are a lot, as well as panoramic restaurants. Throughout the week, we once a day went to different restaurants, ate to the dump, drank wine and lemonade. Each restaurant scored five points for taste, service, and views. And the price was quite affordable. A check for a family of four was no more than 3,000 rubles.
Museum of the Bridget Hotel.
Restaurant of the hotel "Bridget".
After a hearty lunch, we will continue our excursion.
"Love with accent."
On the Queen Tamar Street there is another restaurant that must be visited not only for the beautiful views of the valley.
Here in 2011 one of the short stories of the film “Love with an Accent” directed by Rezo Gigineishvili was filmed.
Local girl Ketevan conducts excursions around Sighnaghi and always brings tourists for lunch to one restaurant where Leo works as a cook. Leo is in love with a girl, but does not know how to tell her about it.
The romantic story of Niko Pirosmani haunts our hero and he sells an apartment to buy a million roses. When the entire courtyard of Ketevan's house is covered with baskets of roses, it turns out that the girl is on an excursion in another city. Unlike Niko Pirosmania's unrequited love story, this story ends well and Leo and Ketevan love each other.
Niko Pirosmani.
In fact, whether this story with the artist Niko Pirosmani was true or fiction is unknown.
As usually happens, people do not become great during their lifetime. Pirosmani is no exception. During his lifetime, the biography of the poor artist was of no interest to anyone. Niko Pirosmani received worldwide fame only after his death. He died of starvation in 1918 in Tiflis, and was supposedly buried in a common grave for the poor.
Queen Tamar Street takes us to main square cities - square Solomon Dodashvili, a Georgian philosopher of the XIX century with the monument of the same name at the head and the main alley of the city “April 9”.
On one side, the square is surrounded by hotel "Sighnaghi".
With the other most expensive hotel in Sighnaghi "Kabadoni"(Queen Tamara Street, house # 1), price per night is at least $ 50 per person.
From a third party "British Park".
Departs from the square Ketevan Tsamebuli street, which leads to the gates of Old Sighnaghi and.
The street offers views of the walls of the fortress and Gorgosali street with the church of St. George.
After walking along Ketevan street, we will return to the alley. On the alley 9th April grandmothers sell delicious churchkhela.
and collect money for the dogs of Sighnaghi, which are not few in the city.
Interestingly, we have never met angry, barking dogs in Sighnaghi.
Along the alley there is a wall of memory of the fallen during the Second World War.
The lists of the dead residents of the Signaghi region are engraved on the wall.
Nearby is a nice cafe.
Sighnaghi Museum.
The alley ends square of David the Builder with a huge City Hall... Left of City Hall Sighnaghi Local History Museum hidden behind dense foliage. In the museum, in addition to archaeological finds, you can see some paintings by Niko Pirosmani. Many museums around the world will be honored to have his paintings in their collections, and almost a third of his work is represented here. For art lovers, I note that in village Mirzaani(about twenty kilometers from Sighnaghi) there is a house-museum where the artist was born and grew up.
David the Builder Square Cultural Center Sighnaghi. The city theater is located here.
From square of David the Builder two streets descend:
Kostava
and Lalashvili.
On the Lalashvili street there is a small square, near which the city market is comfortably settled.
In this part, many guest houses are rented for the night for modest money.
And restaurants will treat you with delicious wine and food.
And they will even give you a bottle if you are Larisa Ivanovna with your passport. Mimino is loved and respected here.
Streets of Kostava and Lalashvili unite on Heraclius II square.
Heraclius II Square, Sighnaghi
On the square, you can rent a minicar and ride noisily along the streets of Sighnaghi. Locals they look at this attraction with displeasure. Who wants to rumble under the windows all the time. But it can be seen that the income to the local budget is not bad (judging by the prices for travel) and prevails over the tranquility of the townspeople.
In addition to the minicar, you can elegantly ride around the city in a carriage.
On the Heraclius II square a minibus stop from Tbilisi and all visiting tourists begin their inspection of Sighnaghi from the square.
Here in the same building are tourist office and marriage registry where you will be immediately married.
Not far away and police just in case.
Opposite the police copper sculpture "Doctor on a donkey" based on paintings by Pirosmani.
Several more city streets depart from the square, which the restorer's hand has not yet reached.
Heraclius II Square ends Baratashvili street... This street is the front gate to Sighnaghi from Tbilisi.
In brick gazebos, you can relax and admire views that are not the best in Sighnaghi.
Baratashvili Street is very photogenic. It winds in different directions with carved balconies, shops and hotels.
Pheasant's tears, Sighnaghi
Walking along this street, you can go to the "Pheasant's Tears" wine estate. You will not be charged for watching.
There is a real museum inside.
Sighnaghi is a surprisingly romantic city in Kakheti, a city of love, located in the middle of the Alazani Valley. Why a city of love? Because there is a 24-hour registry office, where everyone is registered, even foreigners, even without documents. Because the same artist from Alla Pugacheva's song “A Million Scarlet Roses” lived here, who gave “a whole sea of flowers” to the visiting actress. Because the fresh air, quiet streets and picturesque landscapes seem to be created for couples in love to stroll and coo.
Sighnaghi is a small city, all its sights can be bypassed in one or two days. You can even have time to visit memorable places in the vicinity of the city.
The city fortress was built in the 18th century during the reign of Heraclius II, the founder of the city. The walls of the fortress are two-tiered: the first is solid stone, the second is with buttresses (perpendicular supports reinforcing the wall), ledges and loopholes. But inside the fortress there is practically nothing, except for a couple of streets and the Church of St. George.
The city began to be built up outside the walls, on the south side. Signaghi Fortress is often compared to the Great Chinese wall: it also passes through the relief of the mountains, you can walk along it and admire the view of the Alazani Valley.
Heraclius II Square is located in the center of the city, from here visitors usually start their journey. On the square there is the same round-the-clock wedding palace, opposite it is the "Qvevri" fountain in the form of a wine jug, on which stands a deer - the same as the bronze one found during excavations in one of the local villages, only larger.
Streets diverge from Heraclius II Square in different directions. Baratashvili Street is especially beautiful: it bends gracefully, going down, so it is often photographed.
There is a small monument on Baratashvili Street, reminiscent of Don Quixote from afar. In fact, this is a thin doctor in a hat, with an umbrella and a valise, but he also rides a donkey. This sculpture was created based on the painting by Niko Pirosmani, a primitivist artist who was born and lived in this area.
Also in the lanky doctor you can recognize Benjamin Glonti - the main character of the film "Do not Cry!" George Danelia. This role was played in 1969 by the beloved Georgian of the Soviet Union Vakhtang Kikabidze. And some scenes of the film were filmed in Sighnaghi itself. From the monument opens beautiful view to the Alazani Valley, so very good photographs are obtained against its background. Nearby there are gazebos and a platform from which you can admire the landscape.
There is a place on Baratashvili Street for those who want to taste real Georgian wines in a natural atmosphere - where they are made. Winery "Pheasant's Tears" is one of the first in Kakheti. It was created by an American who established the traditional production of wines according to an old recipe and carefully monitored the quality of products, so the store has earned a good reputation.
The name comes from a Georgian fairy tale, which says that only an excess of wine makes a pheasant tears of joy. A tasting is held in the shop. Usually, the local wine is supplied in limited quantities to restaurants and does not go on free sale, so tourists try to buy several bottles here on occasion. There is also a restaurant serving Georgian cuisine and traditional music.
Central Park is named in honor of the national holiday - the Day of the Restoration of Independence. There is a monument to Solomon Dodashvili, a Georgian philosopher and writer, in the park. There are also memorial plates with carved names of city residents who died in Velikaya Patriotic War... On both sides of the park there are David the Builder Square and Solomon Dodashvili Square.
One of central squares, named after the king, under whom the unification of Georgia took place. Here is the building of the City Hall, built at the beginning of the twentieth century and combining the traditions of Italian classicism and Georgian architecture.
Nearby is the city drama theater, which has been operating since 1872. Here is the City Hall hotel - the same one where the actress Margarita de Sèvres allegedly lived, and it was this square that the poor artist Pirosmani strewn with flowers for his beloved. You can get acquainted with the artist's works and other interesting exhibits in the local history museum, which is also located on the square.
The museum is located on the square of David the Builder, on Rustaveli street. It was restored according to a new model in 2010, and now it is one of the best local history museums in Georgia. On the ground floor, there are archaeological exhibits found in Kakheti. Here are the weapons different eras, and household utensils. The second floor contains paintings by Niko Pirosmani and Lado Gudiashvili - famous contemporary artists. However, the paintings are for the most part little known. In the 2012 film Love with an Accent, it is shown that there is a portrait of the actress Margarita - “the one who loved flowers”. But in reality there is no portrait here.
Location: Queen Tamara Street - 1.
On the street of David the Builder, there is a monument to another native of Sighnaghi - Vano Sarajishvili. This is a Georgian opera singer who at the beginning of the twentieth century performed in many productions in Russia, Azerbaijan, Italy, France, Germany. Having also a stage talent, Vano Sarajishvili also starred in one motion picture. The State Conservatory of Tbilisi bears his name.
The largest temple in the city stands on Gorgosali Street, inside the city fortress, right next to its walls. It was built in 1793 by the Armenians who were sent here by Heraclius II to settle the city. The bell tower was built right on the fortress tower, it can be seen from afar, from any part of the city.
Nearby, a basilica was erected with embossed arches on the facade. This is an example of traditional Armenian architecture. Since the middle of the 19th century, the temple was closed for a long time, and only recently it was restored and reopened for visitors. Inside the temple is decorated with stucco and painting, it contains old icons and books.
This is a small old temple, which is also located right in the fortress wall. The Church of St. Stephen is located in the tower on the very high point cities, a bell tower was attached to the side of the tower.
You can walk here along Chavchavadze Street, from the southern entrance go inside the tower and climb the bell tower. Here is the widest observation deck, from it you can see the whole city. You can admire the view just like that or use paid binoculars.
If you visit Georgia, then be sure to visit the Alazani Valley- the very heart of the Kakheti region. It is very difficult to describe in words this colorful and dignified work of nature. However, we can say that those who see the Alazani Valley with their own eyes will never again remain indifferent to Georgia itself.
Here, grateful for human labor, the soils give excellent harvests of grapes. Here, warm raindrops diligently wash each berry, giving them a great taste, which then the skillful hands of a person will turn into excellent wine. Here is a mild climate that allows all those who have linked their lives with the production of wine to live and work. And it is simply impossible not to fall in love with the Alazani Valley!
And if you want to enjoy the most magnificent views of the vineyard valley, then by all means come to the small Sighnaghi town, which according to local custom is also called City of Love…
A bit of history
Sighnaghi in essence, it is a small town with a population of only 2 thousand people. The inhabitants of the city themselves consider it simple and ordinary, well, maybe only a little beautiful. But the Europeans, who love to visit Sighnaghi so much, speak of this place with great enthusiasm and love. Indeed, it is difficult to find something similar in Georgia. It is for this reason that Sighnaghi is the most popular town for visiting tourists.
But here's the paradox. There is practically no information about the city itself, the date of its foundation, who exactly founded it, and for what reason this city appeared here, in the Alazani Valley. Someone calls Sighnaghi an ancient city, but at the same time it is noted that it was built only in the 18th century during the reign of Heraclius II. There is no information about when exactly the construction itself began, who was the main architect and why such an unusual location was chosen for the construction of the new town - after all, Sighnaghi is located high in the mountains.
There are rumors, or these are just myths, that when the city was built, Armenians were resettled here, and they became the first inhabitants of the new town. There is also a version that Sighnaghi was built to protect the country from Lezghin raids. There are versions that the city has withstood a lot of raids throughout its existence, but remained safe and sound. However, where is the truth, and where is just fiction, we will never know.
Signaghi fortress
Perhaps the first thing to start with when exploring the town of Sighnaghi is to visit its fortress. This fortress is considered the most beautiful and most picturesque in all of Georgia. Here, in order to look at what once had a gigantic size, tourists come not only from Russia and from neighboring countries, but also tourists from Europe and even America. After all, living a life and not seeing such beauty would be well, very disappointing.
The fortress itself once occupied an area of 40 hectares, and all defensive structures were located in such a way that from any point it was possible to crossfire at enemies who often dreamed of capturing the town. And even more often they tried to carry out their plans. But they never succeeded in defeating the proud residents of Sighnaghi.
The walls of the fortress exactly follow the contours of the mountain on which it was built. But the city itself appeared here after the fortress was completely rebuilt. However, the excavations that were carried out here not so long ago showed that on the site of Sighnaghi, even before the foundation of the city, there was once a settlement - a small village, the name of which, of course, no one remembers, and it was not preserved in any historical document of that time.
After the fortress was built, and the first inhabitants appeared in the city, Sighnaghi began to develop rapidly and actively. It was a wealthy city where merchants and artisans lived. In addition, through the territory of the city passed a large number of trade routes, which helped Sighnaghi develop even more. 
But back to the fortress itself.
Three sides of the fortress, basically, stretch along the ridges of the mountains, and the fourth (northern side) is a fence, from both sides descending into a deep gorge.
The high walls of the fortress are two-tiered. The lower tier is blank, and the upper tier is equipped with defensive elements. A wide combat path stretches in front of the upper tier.
The fortress in the plan is an irregular polyhedron, in each corner of which cylindrical towers of several floors are erected. In addition to them, at certain intervals, there are also cylindrical towers between the corner towers.
The gates of the Sighnaghi Fortress are especially beautiful and picturesque. This building, despite its venerable age, has been perfectly preserved to our times and is the object of active tourist visits.
It is a great honor to touch the walls of these ancient gates with your hands. After all, once upon a time, these walls, this masonry, were touched with their hands by the proud, freedom-loving inhabitants of the town, who did not want to surrender to their numerous enemies. These gates were the entrance to the fortress itself, and today they are located practically in the center of the old half of Sighnaghi.
There is a high staircase near the gate itself. If desired, everyone can climb it and find themselves on the top of the fortress wall itself. In addition to the gates and walls of the fortress, 28 watchtowers are perfectly preserved here, which are also the pride of Sighnaghi and are good place for photographing.
Sighnaghi today
When you first get into the city, you will immediately think that this is not Georgia at all. It feels like you are in a small but very cozy Italy. Indeed, the architects' plan was to create here, high in the mountains, a place that would have a memorable flavor, which would be simply impossible to confuse with something else.
The city center, and you should start your acquaintance with Sighnaghi from here - this is the 9 April Park. Today it is a holiday in Georgia - the Day of Restoration of Independence.
Everyone should take a walk in the park. Tall and slender trees, green grass and beautiful flowers, and, of course, an indescribable smell of freshness and alpine air! Here you can also try your favorite national delicacy - churchkhella- nuts, which are literally wrapped in frozen grape juice on all sides ...
The Park itself is surrounded by Solomon Dodashvili Square on one side and David the Builder Square on the other. By the way, in the park itself there is a statue of Solomon Dodashvili, mentioned just above, - a Georgian writer, public figure and philosopher, whose years of life fall on 1805-1836.
Many will be surprised that such a small town like Sighnaghi has its own museum. But this is not just a museum. This is the house - Niko Pirosmani Museum which opened in 1982. The real name of this man sounds like Nikolai Aslanovich Pirosmanashvili, he was born in 1862 and died in 1918.
The museum of the city of Sighnaghi displays 16 works of this Georgian artist. Among them, it is especially worth paying attention to the portrait of Queen Tamar, to the doctor on a donkey, to the grape harvest. All pictures are very simple and at the same time it is very difficult to tear themselves away from them. And it is this simplicity that bewitches everyone who visits the museum.
And for those who came to Sighnaghi just to taste real Georgian wine, there is a wine Vault, which has a very poetic name - "Tears of the Pheasant"... Here you will always be served the best Georgian wines, the taste of which you will never forget. And the dishes national cuisine- always fresh, always fragrant, always tasty - will not leave anyone indifferent. And, of course, here you can appreciate all the charm and all the flavor of Georgian music.
Numerous sculptures in Sighnaghi deserve separate words. Nobody knows exactly how many of them are here. However, they are all so cute and so fabulous that it seems that a couple of minutes will pass, and this doctor on the donkey will begin to move, and the lady with the dog will certainly lower her beautiful head in order to see what exactly her dog is doing. It seems that the girl on a chair with a bouquet of flowers will now descend to the ground, and the toastmaster will certainly speak and say her most outstanding toast! 
And, of course, it is simply impossible not to find among the decorative streets of the city Wedding Palace. It looks completely ordinary. But in reality, everything is not so simple. It turns out that you can get married here at any time of the day or night, on any day of the month or year. And at the same time, you do not need to submit an application in advance and wait for the appointed day. This is what attracts young and not so young lovers here. That is why very often on the streets of the city you can meet many couples in love who have just completed their marriage not only within the walls of the Sighnaghi registry office, but also in heaven.
And in the very center of the city there is another monument, which was erected in honor of Vano Sarajishvili, an opera singer and film actor. Many pass by this monument, just glancing at the figure of a man. But this is a big mistake, because Vano Sarajishvili, whose real name sounds like Ivan Petrovich Sarajishvili, is the real pride of the Georgian people. The best conservatory in Tbilisi is named after this man, where the most talented singers and musicians of the country study, who are ready to glorify their beloved homeland in their songs.
Life in Sighnaghi is slow and unhurried. It seems that no one is in a hurry here. Everyone strolls sedately along the bright streets and squares and, it seems, already pays little attention to the unusual appearance of the city.
But those who visit here for the first time will retain a great many memories in their souls. These are also beautiful houses that seemed to appear straight out of a fairy tale with balconies lined with pots of bright flowers. These are the kind residents of the city who are always happy to help you and tell you where it is best to stay, where delicious food is prepared and what you should definitely see in the city. This is the bright sun, which, with such love, sanctifies every centimeter of the city, which is located high in the mountains. 
And all this attracts hundreds and hundreds of tourists here. And no one for all the time has yet remained disappointed or indifferent.
What to visit in the vicinity of Sighnaghi
After wandering through the fabulously beautiful streets of this small town, you should definitely visit the famous Georgian Bodbe monastery, which is located just 2 km from the city. It is here that the relics of St. Nina rest. In addition, not far from Sighnaghi, only 7 kilometers away, is the village of Tibaani with the temple of Stephen Hirseli... A little bit farther - the birthplace of the artist Niko Pirosmani- the village of Mirzaani.
Some people think that Sighnaghi is a city with nothing to do. But this is far from the case. Sighnaghi is a great place to relax your soul and fill your heart with wonderful views of the Alazani Valley and the city itself. It is difficult to imagine that here, high, high in the mountains, there is such a place that it is simply impossible not to call fabulous.
And sometimes it seems that here you can reach with your hands the very sky - so high there, below, but so close here, high - high in the mountains. And this sky is the patron saint of the town of Sighnaghi. And the clouds, which, like people, admire beauty small town, we are ready to express our admiration for all those who live here and all those who came up with the idea of creating a unique and such a cozy piece of Italy here. Italy in Georgian style.
And the people who live in Sighnaghi are ready to treat you with excellent wine and delicious churchkhela, they are ready to become your guidebooks and show the most secret corners of the city, which has recently gained popularity all over the world. And now the word "Sighnaghi" has become known not only in Georgia, but all over the world.
