About Sights – The Mushtaid Garden in Tbilisi
Mushtaid Garden in Tbilisi was established in the 1830’s by Mir-Fatah-Agha, a religious leader (a mujtahid – hence the name Mushtaid). Accused of spying during the Russian-Iranian war he was exiled from Iran in 1828 and granted asylum and 5 hectares of land in Tiflis (the name of Tbilisi during the Russian Empire). After his … Continue reading
About Sights – Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral
The Sioni Cathedral of the Dormition (Georgian: სიონის ღვთისმშობლის მიძინების ტაძარი) in Tbilisi was originally built in the 6th and 7th centuries but was subsequently destroyed by foreign invaders and reconstructed several times. The current church is based on a 13th-century version. Named after Mount Zion at Jerusalem, it is commonly known as the “Tbilisi … Continue reading
About Events – Khelaoba
“Khelaoba” is held annually in Chargali village in Dusheti on 25 January and commemorates the anniversary of the death of Georgian poet Mikha Khelashvili (1900 – 1925) (Georgian: მიხა ხელაშვილი). An anti-Soviet, he was shot and killed in Chargali village on his birthday. “Khelaoba” commemorates the anniversary of the death of Georgian poet Mikha Khelashvili … Continue reading
About Sights – Mutso
Mutso (Georgian: მუცო) is one of the former Khevsur strongholds of the historic Georgian province of Khevsureti (now part of Mtskheta-Mtianeti region) in north-eastern Georgia. Its medieval fortified dwellings and towers are arranged on vertical terraces above the Mutso-Ardoti gorge. Recent restoration work by the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation will help to preserve … Continue reading
About Sights – Oliver and Marjory Wardrop Statue in Tbilisi
A statue of Oliver Wardrop and his sister, Marjory Wardrop can be found at the park behind the Parliament building in Tbilisi. Sir John Oliver Wardrop KBE CMG was a British diplomat, traveler and translator, known best for his role as Great Britain’s first Chief Commissioner of Transcaucasus in Georgia (1919–21), and also as the founder and … Continue reading
About History – Photographs of Tbilisi in 1976
In 1976, the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic was part of the USSR. During the Soviet rule, the country’s capital, Tbilisi, became more industrialised and its population grew significantly. The following black and white photographs, taken in Tbilisi in 1976, reveal glimpses of city life during Soviet times. Photo source: Tbilisi Week CLICK on the logo to visit GEORGIA … Continue reading
About Celebrations – Victory Day in Tbilisi
Victory Day was commemorated in Georgia on 9 May. 2015 marks the 70th anniversary (Georgian: ფაშიზმზე გამარჯვების 70-ე წლისთავი) of the formal surrender of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in Berlin in May 1945. Georgian veterans and their families gathered at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Vake Park in Tbilisi to honor those … Continue reading
About Sights – Ilia Chavchavadze Monument in Batumi
Ilia Chavchavadze is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern Georgia. Revered as Pater Patriae (Father of the Fatherland) of Georgia, he spearheaded the revival of the Georgian national movement in the second half of the 19th century. A monument to Chavchavadze was erected in the city of Batumi on Georgia’s Black Sea coast … Continue reading
About History – The First Printed Book in Georgian
The first printed book in Georgian was published in Rome in 1629 by Niceforo Irbachi (Nicholas Irubakidze-Cholokashvili) (Georgian: ნიკოლოზ ჩოლოყაშვილი; ნიკოლოზ ირუბაქიძე-ჩოლოყაშვილი), a Georgian Orthodox priest, politician and diplomat. The book was a Georgian Alphabet with prayers, which was later accompanied with a Georgian – Italian dictionary. CLICK on the logo to visit GEORGIA ABOUT on Facebook and see photos … Continue reading
About Events – The 1984 Voyage of the Replica “Argo”
British explorer, historian and writer Tim Severin commissioned a replica of the Greek mythological galley “Argo” and in 1984 retraced the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts. Severin and his crew rowed and sailed from northern Greece, through the Dardanelles, across the Marmara Sea, and through the Straits of Bosphorus to the Black Sea coast … Continue reading
About Sights – Poti Lighthouse
The lighthouse in the port city of Poti (Georgian: ფოთი) in Georgia’s Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region is one of the oldest navigation facilities on the coast of the Black Sea. Made of cast iron, it was constructed in England and transported by steamship to Georgia in 1864. Ships approach Poti harbor from the north, parallel to … Continue reading
About Events – The Hundred Thousand Martyrs of Tbilisi
The Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates the Hundred Thousand Martyrs (Georgian: ასი ათასი მოწამე) on 13 November each year. The Martyrs were put to death by Sultan Jalal al-Din of Khwarazm for not renouncing Christianity following his capture of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi in 1226. The Metekhi Bridge is traditionally considered to have been the … Continue reading
About Tourism – Promoting Tourism in Georgia in the 1970’s
During the Soviet era, Georgia was the “Riviera of the Soviet Union”, with 3 million visitors annually. Georgia appealed to tourists because of its sunny weather, its culture, wines and food, health spas, beaches and skiing. Tourism was centrally planned and the market was monopolized by Intourist, a state owned tourism agency that arranged all holiday … Continue reading
About History – Photographs of Tbilisi in 1958
In 1958, Tbilisi celebrated the 1,500th anniversary of the founding of the city by King Vakhtang I Gorgasali. To mark the occasion, an equestrian statue of Vakhtang Gorgasali was unveiled next to Metekhi Church on a cliff overlooking the Mtkvari River and the Old Town district of Tbilisi. On Sololaki hill, overlooking the city, a … Continue reading
About History – Freedom Square in Tbilisi
Freedom Square (Georgian: თავისუფლების მოედანი) in the center of Tbilisi has undergone several name changes in its 200 year history. Built in the early 19th century in a neo-classical style with Moorish architectural elements, it was originally named Pashkevich-Erivanskaya Square (Georgian: ერევანსკი მოედანი) in honor of Ivan Paskevich, a Ukrainian general of the Russian Imperial … Continue reading
About Sights – Kutaisi State Historical Museum
Housed in the former National Bank of Georgia (built in 1894-96), the Niko Berdzenishvili Kutaisi State Historical Museum (Georgian: ქუთაისის სახელმწიფო ისტორიული მუზეუმი) is considered to be one of Georgia’s most important scientific-research institutions. The museum contains more than 160,000 items and has an extensive research library and laboratory. Permanent exhibitions are displayed on two floors and … Continue reading
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