Shatili (Region of Khevsureti)
The hamlet of Shatili is located in Upper Khevsureti, 15 km from the town of Dusheti, 1000 m above the sea level. Peppered on the rock, Khevsureti towers were fortified living quarters which defended from enimy invasions not only a hamlet but played the role of northern barrier for the whole of Georgia and defended the nation from intrusions of nomadic tribes.
Fortified houses are attached to each other and thus they create a unified defence wall. Buildings are arranged as terraces. They have flat roofing. Between houses, across the whole village is paved a stone stairway. The hamlet of Shatili consists of several neighborhoods (Anatori, Kavchi, Middle Hamlet, Zenubani) which are connected with each other by narrow passages. At the entrance to the hamlet is a stand-alone building called Sapikhvno – a one-story building where male population of the hamlet used to assemble for making decisions on diverse issues and for discussions.