The Ananuri architectural ensemble is one of the finest monuments of Georgia's late feudal era. The area (the village) was settled from earliest times, though no trace of early buildings survives. After the creation of the Aragvi duchy it formed part of it, and the main fortress of the eristavis of the Aragvi stood here. Its strategic importance grew even further after the weakening of central authority in Georgia (17th–18th centuries), when it served as the residence of the Aragvi eristavis. The fortification and restoration of Ananuri fortress belong to this period.