High in the Caucasus, in the remote mountain villages of Upper Svaneti, stand hundreds of stone towers - svanuri k'oshk'i, built mainly between the 9th and 12th centuries. Rising three to five stories with tapering stone walls and no mortar, they served as both family homes and defensive strongholds during a turbulent history of invasions and blood feuds. In the village of Chazhashi alone, more than 200 of these medieval structures still stand today, many still lived in by Svan families. Since 1996, Upper Svaneti has been protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its towers have become one of the most recognized symbols of Georgian identity, appearing everywhere from banknotes to travel posters.
This enamel pin captures that unmistakable silhouette - a small tribute to one of Georgia's most extraordinary landscapes and its living history.
