About Sights – Medea Monument in Batumi
The Medea monument in Batumi was designed by Davit Khmaladze and erected in Europe Square in 2007. In Greek mythology, Medea was a daughter of King Aieti (Georgian: აიეტი), the king of Kolkheti in present day western Georgia. Medea helped Jason to steal the legendary Golden Fleece (Georgian: ოქროს საწმისი). The Kolkhetian people developed an expertise in the smelting … Continue reading
About Sights – Deda Ena
April 14 is the Day of the Mother Tongue – Georgian language – in Georgia. On 14 April 1978 the Georgian people protested against the decision of the central soviet authorities to revoke the status of Georgian (as one of the minor languages in the Soviet Union) as a state language and replace it with … Continue reading
About Architecture – 19th century Megrelian “Sajalabo” House
This early 19th century Sajalabo house was dismantled piece by piece from its location in the village of Ontopo in Samegrelo region and rebuilt at the Giorgi Chitaia Open Air Museum of Ethnography (Georgian: გიორგი ჩიტაიას სახელობის ეთნოგრაფიული მუზეუმი ღია ცის ქვეშ) in Tbilisi. A typical Sajalabo house was a one-room windowless structure with an earthen … Continue reading
About Literature – The Knight in the Panther’s Skin
The Knight in the Panther’s Skin (Georgian: ვეფხისტყაოსანი) is an epic poem written in the 12th century by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli (Georgian: შოთა რუსთაველი). Consisting of 1666 stanzas and 6500 lines, its story embodies the medieval knightly ideals of chivalry, friendship, courtly love and courage. Dedicated to Tamar the Great (Georgian: თამარი) it … Continue reading
About Art – Paintings of Old Tbilisi by Giovanni Vepkhvadze
Georgian artist Giovanni Vepkhvadze was born in Tbilisi in 1949 and graduated from Tbilisi’s State Academy of Arts in 1973. His work has attracted international acclaim and his series of paintings depicting Old Tbilisi are especially well known and admired. CLICK on the logo to visit GEORGIA ABOUT on Facebook and see photos and news about Georgia. Click LIKE on the page and … Continue reading
About History – Photographs of Zugdidi in the 1930’s
Zugdidi (Georgian: ზუგდიდი) is the capital of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region in western Georgia. The name “Zugdidi” means “big/great hill”. The following photographs show how it looked during Soviet times in the 1930’s. Photos courtesy of Zugdidi Municipality. CLICK on the logo to visit GEORGIA ABOUT on Facebook and see photos and news about Georgia. Click LIKE on the page and become a … Continue reading
About Celebrations – Bidzinaoba Celebration
The Bidzinaoba celebration (Georgian: ბიძინაობა) is held annually on 1 October in Akhmeta (Georgian: ახმეტა) in Kakheti region. The celebration honors Bidzina Cholokashvili (Georgian: ბიძინა ჩოლოყაშვილი) (died c. 1660), a Christian martyr canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church. Cholokashvili was one of the leaders of the Bakhtrioni Uprising and was tortured and killed for refusing … Continue reading
About Sights – The Orta Mosque in Batumi
The Orta Mosque (Georgian: ორთა ჯამე) in the city of Batumi on Georgia’s Black Sea coast was commissioned by Aslan Beg Khimshiashvili, a Muslim Georgian nobleman in 1886, and is one of the finest examples of Islamic art in Ajara. The mosque is popularly known as the “Jamia in the middle” for it once stood in … Continue reading
About Sights – The Tbilisi State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre
Opened in 1851, the Tbilisi State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre was the first opera theater in all Transcaucasia. Situated on Rustaveli Avenue, in the centre of Tbilisi, it is the oldest opera house in Georgia. Designed by by the Italian Architect, Antonio Scudieri, the theater had a capacity of 800 spectators and was comparable to European … Continue reading
About Sights – Aerial Photographs of Gori Fortress
Gori Fortress (Georgian: გორის ციხე) is a 13th century castle, situated on a hill above the city of Gori (Georgian: გორი) in the Shida Kartli region of eastern Georgia. It was captured by the Ottomans in the 16th century and then continually changed hands between the Turks, the Georgians, and the Persians. Much of the … Continue reading
About Sights – The Treasure Caves of Khvamli
The Khvamli (Georgian: ხვამლი) or Khomli (Georgian: ხომლი) limestone massif is located near Georgia’s second city, Kutaisi, and contains numerous sinkholes and caves. One of the most distinctive caves is called Tekenteri (თეკენთერი) whose entrance is through the hollow of a large tree. The cave contains a lake of cold, clean water that was drawn up in buckets by local herdsmen to … Continue reading
About Art – Sign Boards Painted by Niko Pirosmani
Niko Pirosmani (Niko Pirosmanashvili) (Georgian: ნიკო ფიროსმანი) is considered to be one of Georgia’s greatest artists. Self-taught, he led an impoverished life and it was only after his death in 1918 that his naive style became admired. He produced an immense number of paintings, including sign boards for shops and inns, many of which have been lost … Continue reading
About Sights – The Tusheti Ethnography Museum of Keselo
The Tusheti Ethnography Museum of Keselo is located in a 3-storey fortified tower in the village of Keselo in the district of Upper Omalo in Akhmeta municipality (Georgian: ახმეტის მუნიციპალიტეტი) in Kakheti region. The museum contains part of the ethnographic collection of the Akhmeta Local Museum. The museum contains traditional household items, agricultural tools, and … Continue reading
About History – Hand Colored Photographs of Farming in 1950’s Georgia
With its rich natural abundance of fertile soil, clean water and favorable climate, Georgia has been producing a wide range of agricultural products for more than 3,000 years. During the Soviet era, Georgia was a leading agricultural country within the Soviet Union, providing up to 10% of inter-republic trade in the highest quality food. Soviet era … Continue reading
About Sights – Ushguli
Ushguli (Georgian: უშგული) is a small community of 4 villages located at the foot of Shkhara peak (Georgian: შხარა) in the central part of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range. Shkhara is the highest point in Georgia and the villages of Ushguli are considered to the highest habitation in Europe. The Ushguli villages contain buildings that are … Continue reading
About History – Georgian Military Road
The Georgian Military Road (საქართველოს სამხედრო გზა) is the historic name for a major route through the Caucasus from Georgia to Russia. The 208 kilometer road from Tbilisi (Georgia) to Vladikavkaz (Russia) follows the traditional route used by invaders and traders throughout the ages. Although the route has been used since ancient times, the Georgian … Continue reading
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