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AbkhaziaDescription and is it worth visiting the Palace of Princes Shervashidze-Chachba
Palace of Princes Shervashidze-Chachba is the ruins of an ancient complex of palaces belonging to the once noble family of princes Chachba, which was supposedly built in the X century. It is not particularly well-preserved ruins of one building, in which today it is impossible to see the luxury and splendor of the palace. However, the history of this place is significant and interesting, and the ruins themselves are quite picturesque, so we recommend visiting them if possible, especially since it is free, and besides, there are a couple more interesting places very close by: the ancient church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the chapel of the Pitsunda Icon of the Mother of God, and the centuries-old linden tree in the Lykhnashta clearing.
The village of Lynkhy, in which the ruins of the palace are located, is the largest village in Abkhazia and one of the oldest, it is more than one and a half millennia old. It is the historical center of Bzyb Abkhazia, one of the parts of the original Abkhazian territories, and from 1808 to 1864 it was the capital. It is believed that the palace complex was built in the X century, and became the residence of the princes of Chachba in the XIII century. It is located in the Lyhnashta glade – this is a historical place where national gatherings have historically taken place, and nowadays sports and cultural events are held.
However, in the XIX century, the palace suffered an unenviable fate. In 1866, a popular uprising broke out in the village of Lykhny against the Russian authorities, the purpose of which was to restore princely power. The uprising was suppressed by Russian troops, and the princely families involved in it were punished and repressed, about 15,000 Abkhazian Muslims were then deported to Turkey. Among other measures, an order was given to destroy the palace of the princes of Chachba, who led the uprising. The Abkhazians evicted at that time are called mahajirs (muhajirs), and many monuments are dedicated to these events in Abkhazia, such as, for example, like the Makhajirov embankment in Sukhum.
There is a version that the palace is not so old at all, but was built only in the XVI – XVII centuries. At the same time, the X century is indicated on the official plaque on the landmark. In addition, there is written evidence from the French traveler and trader Paul Gibal that the palace was abandoned at the turn of the XVIII-XIX centuries, and by the time of the uprising it was already dilapidated and used as a stable for livestock. Thus, the version that the palace was destroyed by order of the Russian authorities in 1966 may be erroneous.
🕐 Working hours
Around the clock.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
Free of charge.
🚶 How to get there
The Palace of Princes Shervashidze-Chachba is located in the center of Lykhny village, 6 kilometers from the center Gudauta (palace on the map). The road leads here is good, there is free Parking.
💥 We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at online booking options on these proven search and price comparison sites: