Ushguli

Ushguli is a community of four villages located at the head of the Enguri gorge in Svaneti, Georgia. It is recognized as the Upper Svaneti UNESCO World Heritage Site likewise known as one of the highest continuously inhabited settlements in Europe. Ushguli isn’t in an accessible location, which has preserved many of the villages’ characteristics. It is located at an altitude of 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) near the foot of Shkara, one of the highest summits of the Greater Caucasus mountains. About 70 families (about 200 people) live in the area, enough to support a small school. The area is snow-covered for 6 months of the year, and often the road to Mestia is impassable.
Typical Svaneti defensive tower houses “Koshki” are found throughout the village. The Ushguli Chapel located on a hilltop near the village dates back to the 12th century.