Batonis Tsikhe (Erekle II Palace)

Batonis Tsikhe, the 'Master's Fortress', is the walled royal compound in the centre of Telavi. Behind its ramparts and large round corner towers stand the palace of King Erekle II, two small royal basilica chapels, the remains of bathhouses and a modern museum. The palace shows clear Persian influence, with a central hall, four balconies facing the cardinal points and a two-storey columned hall at the southern entrance. It is one of the few royal palaces of this period in Georgia to survive in good condition.

The complex reopened in May 2018 after a major renovation. The museum covers archaeology, ethnography, manuscripts, rare books and weapons, and there is a fine arts gallery, so it gives good background before you visit the rest of Kakheti. An equestrian statue of Erekle II stands just outside the walls, and the bazaar and old streets of Telavi are a short walk away. There is a small entrance fee; check hours locally.

The first palace here was built for King Archil of Kakheti between 1664 and 1675. Most of what survives dates from rebuilding under Erekle II in the mid-18th century, when Telavi was his capital. After the Russian annexation of 1801 the compound served as barracks and fell into ruin. It was rebuilt in 1865 for a women's college, became the Telavi Historical Museum in 1935, and reopened after renovation in 2018.