When you arrive at the bridge over the Tekhuri River, a place where the flat plains become a promontory of hills, it is difficult not to be impressed by Nokalakevi. The size of these walls, dating from the 4th to 8th centuries, give you some idea of the size this fortress must have been in its heyday.
If you love historic sites then you will love the archaeological site of Nokalakevi, which, because of the good conservation of its walls and foundations, is one of Georgia's most interesting sites. Isn't it miraculous that we can see such extensive remains, even though Nokalakevi was destroyed by the Arabs in the 8th century, and then forgotten until a team of German archaeologists dug it up in 1930?
From the 4th to the 8th century, Nokalakevi was the capital of Lazica, a Lazes kingdom, which became Mingrelia. The site's museum has a good collection of objects which can help you revive the era when Nokalakevi was a powerful and prosperous town.