Its name means “a new fortress” because the town’s fortress used to be the most important landmark of the region. In 1579 it was a centre of a region of Ottoman Empire, then, during Russian – Turkish war in 1828 – 1829, it was brought back to Georgia, which used to be a part of Russian Empire.
Its upper part includes the castle of Jakeli family, where the Museum of Samtskhe-Javakheti region is situated; there are also an Akhmediye Mosque, an orthodox church, an amphitheatre and a citadel.
