The capital of Abkhazia, in the far northwest of Georgia, was until recently a relaxed, sunny port/resort, renowned for its beaches fringed with palms and eucalyptus trees, lively open-air cafes and cosmopolitan population. The ruined 11th-century Castle of the Georgian Bagratid King, the Botanical Gardens, Shroma Cave with its amazing stalactites and stalagmites, and the monkey-breeding farm were particular favorites among visitors. Abkhaz, Georgians, Greeks, Russians, Turks and others lived here in apparent harmony until recent years when the city was overtaken by civil war and thousands of refugees fled.