Darbazi

Aspanidze Darbazi

Next to the megalithic stones of the Saro fortress, past the Church of the Archangels, and through the red curtains of drying Tklapi (ტყლაპი) (fruit sheets), one can reach an exceptional crowned hall Darbazi. Once part of a sprawling, interconnected assembly of rooms, chambers, work-spaces, and forecourts, the main hall is one of only three rooms whose roofed enclosure remains intact.

Most prominent of the remaining rooms is an almost palatial centralized Darbazi hall–created from a refined set of logs that make up a Gvirgvini with 8 layers. Architecturally, this Gvirgvini starts as an octagonal form, rotating and tapering upward, while the last 3 layers change to a rectangular form to close the roof. This system rests on a set of horizontal beams running parallel to the walls, which are supported by 11 wooden columns–8 of which are pushed to the edges of the space, with three free-standing. As is typical of Darbazi in this region, the columns are elevated on small stone footings to separate the end-grain of the wood from the moisture of the earthen floor.

It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable.

Zoom out from Aspanidze Darbazi

Connected to this main chamber, and through a low, elegant, half-circle stone arch, is a space for the Furne–a traditional Meskhetian bread oven. Here, the traditional kada and layered pastries would be prepared and baked. Adjacent to the main chamber, but only accessible from another entrance of the complex, are the remains of a Takarebaiani Oda (თაკარებიანი ოდა)--primarily a space for sleeping. Unlike the centralized stepped roof crown of the Darbazi, the enclosure of the Takarebiani Oda is more of a linear, stepped, tapering roof structure with a slanted roof cap that is open on one end to allow light and ventilation in. As is typical in these rooms, a decorated fireplace denotes it as a space intended for comfortable habitation. The final roofed space in the complex is dangerous if impossible to ender due to collapsed walls and overgrown terrain–but its central Erdo (ერდო), visible from overhead, suggests a similarly centralized hall.

1.Overhead drone shot of Aspanidze Darbazi. 2.Curtains of drying Tklapi (ტყლაპი) (fruit sheets) 3.Takarebiani Oda (თაკარებიანი ოდა). 4.engraving of an encircled 6 pointed star on a Bughauri (ბუღაური) on top of a column 5.Gvirgvini from a refined set of logs