The Pasha's House

Near the mosque you can find another centerpiece of Rabati Castle – Pasha’s house, his secret conference room.

The title “Pasha” had been awarded to the highest civil servants and military officers in the Ottoman Empire since the 15th century. The title Pasha was always placed after the name, like in Ahmed Pasha Jaqeli, the builder of Rabati Castle’s mosque. 

Upon entering, the visitors are greeted by a dome in the center which is representative of the Pasha’s high status. Pashas would hold secret meetings here, therefore the building is characterized by narrow windows to hide visitors and wooden interiors for sound insulation.

Right by the Pasha’s throne you can see a mihrab. A mihrab is the Islamic prayer niche in mosques that indicates the direction of prayer. And this brings us to an interesting detail: the mihrab in the Pasha’s house is in the east wall in the direction of Jerusalem. According to Islamic tradition it should have rather been in the south wall pointing in the direction of Mecca. That allows for the conclusion that the mihrab in the Pasha’s house may have not only served for prayers, but also as a secret entrance for the Pasha and his guests.

Legend has it that this secret entrance was always guarded by soldiers, who were deaf-mute, so they could not understand what their boss was discussing with his secret visitors. 

Picture credits: beyondarts GmbH

Project “Increased regional added value in the tourism sectors of Georgia by Digital Heritage Tourism Guides” was funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) with funds of Austrian Development Cooperation.