Samshvilde, Ancient fortified city in Tetri Tsqaro, Georgia.

Samshvilde is an ancient fortified city that spreads across a river valley, revealing medieval walls and ruins of various structures from different periods. The site sits on a natural hilltop positioned defensively between rivers on three sides.

Samshvilde appears in medieval Georgian chronicles as one of the oldest cities of Kartli, founded, according to tradition, by Kartlos and later linked to Alexander the Great's campaign. In the late 10th century it became the capital of the Armenian kingdom of Tashir-Dzoraget, whose king David was called Samshvildari. It was incorporated into the Kingdom of Georgia in 1064, passed to the Orbeli family in 1123, and after their revolt was stormed by royal troops in 1178. It declined from the mid-13th century and lay in ruins by the late 18th century.

The Samshvilde Sioni church from the 8th century shows how religious buildings shaped this place over time. Multiple churches scattered across the site reveal how important faith and worship were to the communities that lived here.

The site lies in a river valley and is best explored on foot, so sturdy shoes are helpful for walking across uneven terrain. The best time to visit is during warmer months when the paths are easier to navigate.

The name Samshvilde comes from the Georgian words for "three arrows", first recorded by the 10th-century Armenian chronicler Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi. The site was earlier known as Orbi, a castle whose foundation medieval chronicles attributed to Kartlos, the mythical ancestor of the Georgians.