The ruined palace-citadel immediately east of the Bagrati Cathedral dates back to the 6th century. It was ruined in 1769 by bombardment from the forces of Solomon I of Imereti and the Russian General Todtleben as they fought to take Kutaisi from the Turks, and is now somewhat overgrown – but you can see remains of wine cellars at its west end and of a church in the middle, and parts of the medieval walls.