Built during Persian rule (4th century)

Many historians note that the earliest fortress on the site was founded during Sasanian Persia’s control of the region (3rd–4th century). During that time, Tbilisi was not the center of control but Mtskheta was, which is farther NE up the river. Shapur I (240–270 AD) forced the Kingdom of Iberia (Kartli) to become a Sassanian vassal state. Then during Shapur II (309-379) Persia regained dominance over Kartli till around 363. Under Shapur II, Sassanian authority in eastern Georgia became much stronger and more direct, likely resulting in the fortification of Narikale. History shows that Shapur II was involved in the construction of the citadel area of Narikale to strengthen his control over trade routes along the Kura River. This historical link is the strongest reason for calling it “Persian.”

Here is a walking tour of the Persian sites in Tbilisi

Known as the “Invidious Fortress” (Narin Qala) in Persian

The name Narikala likely comes from the Persian “Narin Qala / Naryn-Kala” meaning “small fortress” or “fortress of the citadel.” The original Georgian name for Narikala was Shuris-tsikhe, meaning “Invidious Fort” or “/The Rival Fortress.” Georgians sometimes called it the “inaccessible fortress,” especially during periods of Persian control. Yet, it seems that the Persians still controlled the hilltop.

Persian reconstruction after invasions

Throughout the 5th to 7th centuries, Persian forces repeatedly captured Tbilisi and strengthened Narikala Fortress to secure control over the strategic Silk Road routes running through the Caucasus. During the Sasanian period, Tbilisi served as the seat of a Persian-appointed ruler known as the Bidaxsh, making Narikala both an administrative center and a major military stronghold.

Many of the fortress’s rounded baked-brick towers resemble architectural styles seen in ancient Persian cities such as Isfahan and Samarkand. Rounded towers became increasingly common in the later Sasanian Empire because they reduced blind spots and improved defensive visibility along fortress walls.^[1]https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/castles The Sassanians built similar fortified structures throughout the Caucasus as part of their broader effort to dominate regional trade routes and project power across the frontier.

16th to 18th Century Persian Influence

Most of the extant fortifications, including several towers, date from the 16th and 17th centuries, a period when the fortress was largely rebuilt or expanded by the Persians who used it as a garrison under Safavid rule. The names on the tower give hint: Specific Towers: The fortress complex included towers with names referencing Persian/Ottoman influence, such as the ruins of the Tebriz tower (which once stood alongside the Istanbul Tower and the Shakhtakhti tower).

Here is a look at the Southwestern tower on the other side of the Mother of Georgia.

The Georgian Hand

Expanded significantly by Georgian kings

Most of the surviving structures, especially the walls which date from the 12th–13th centuries, during the era of King David the Builder and Queen Tamar.
These were Georgian-led expansions, not Persian. So today, we are looking at a fortress that many empires’ hands have touched.

During the Georgian Golden Age, Narikala Fortress became one of the central defensive strongholds protecting Tbilisi as the capital of the unified Georgian kingdom. Although earlier empires had occupied and modified the fortress, Georgian rulers controlled, expanded, and rebuilt Narikala for centuries, transforming it into a symbol of medieval Georgian state power.

Many of the later additions to the fortress reflect distinctly Georgian architectural traditions through their masonry techniques, defensive layouts, and Georgian Orthodox ecclesiastical influences. The fortress ridge became a national symbol with the construction of the Mother of Georgia monument, which asserted Georgian sovereignty over the area. Also became deeply integrated into Georgian religious life through the presence of St. Nicholas Church, a Georgian Orthodox church originally dating to the medieval period and rebuilt in the 1990s. Together, these features firmly connect Narikala not only to Georgia’s military history, but also to its religious and cultural identity.

How to Understand Narikala

Narikala Fortress represents both Persian and Georgian influences, depending on the century in question. The Sasanian Persians likely laid their earliest major foundation, as their military presence in the Caucasus shaped the fortress’s original role and even influenced its name. Over the centuries, Georgian rulers took control of Narikala, expanded its walls, rebuilt its defenses, and integrated it into the heart of Georgian political and religious life.

Today, visitors see mostly medieval Georgian construction rather than the original Persian phase. In many ways, the Persians founded it while the Georgians claimed it, but neither civilization alone can fully define the fortress because both have continuously reshaped it through conquest, rebuilding, and cultural exchange. Historians often describe Narikala as a multi-layered fortress that embodies the long Persian-Georgian struggle and the cultural blending that shaped the Caucasus region.

Persians founded it. Georgians claimed it. Both shaped it.

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