Historical fortress in Shida Kartli was erected in downtown Gori, on the high rocky hillock. As archeological excavations show, the first fortified settlement here dates to IV-III cc. BC. In historical sources Gori fortress first was mentioned in XII century. Gori fortress had a strategic venue and holding it under control in Middle Ages meant establishment of control over province of Shida Kartli.

Gori fortress was renovated many times, including capital overhaul during the rein of Kartli Wali Rostom (1632-1658). The final face was given the fortress in 1774 when it was renovated by Erekle II. From 1802 Gori fortress became a station of Russian battalion of grenadiers. After that it lost practical importance. Gori fortress was severely damaged by earthquake in 1920.

Fortress was built with cobblestone. In old layers cut stone was also used. The outlines of the fortress are oval. The western part – Tskhrakara – is better preserved, on the southern and eastern parts there are support fences. In southern fence there is an arch gate. On the south-east side of the fortress there are ruins of a small church. The fortress had a tunnel for bringing water and a water pool.

In the downtown of Gori there is a house museum of the founder of the Soviet Union, dictator Joseph Stalin. Museum was opened in 1939; it consists of several parts: 1. One-story two-room building constructed with brick and air brick where Stalin was born and lived until 1883. Rooms maintain family items; 2. Marble protective shelter over this house (architect M. Neprintsev, built in 1937); 3. Two-story Stalin-architecture- style building of museum (architect A. Kurdiani, 1957) with 6 halls where exibits related to Stalin’s biography are exposed; 4. Rail car which served Stalin during his travels, including those to International conferences; 5. 6-meter bronze monument of Stalin which was installed in 1952 in downtown Gori, on the square, and was dismantled in 2010 and moved to the courtyard of the museum as an exibit.

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