About Sights – Rike Park in Tbilisi
Rike Park (Georgian: რიყის პარკი) is a public recreation area in Tbilisi, popular with families, tourists and residents out for a stroll. During summer evenings, a music and light show accompanies a choreographed fountain display. Located on the left bank of the Mtkvari River the park is easy to access from the Old Town via … Continue reading
About Sights – Atskuri Fortress
Built in the 10th century, Atskuri Fortress (Georgian: აწყურის ციხე) occupied a highly defensible position on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Mtkvari River, near Borjomi in Samtskhe-Javakheti region. Atskuri was the last of the major fortifications along the Mtkvari River and of significant strategic importance. If it fell, southern Georgia would be open to enemy … Continue reading
About Sights – Old City Wall in Tbilisi’s Pushkin Street
Pushkin Street is one of six streets that radiate out from Freedom Square in Tbilisi. Named after the famous Russian poet and author Alexander Pushkin, the street underwent refurbishment in 2012 during which part of the city’s XII – XIII century fortified wall was discovered. The remains of several towers were also discovered. The wall … Continue reading
About Sights – Aerial Tramway in Batumi
A 2 km long aerial tramway opened in the city of Batumi (Georgian: ბათუმი) on Georgia’s Black Sea coast in August 2013 and links the heart of the city’s waterfront with the Argo Entertainment Center development on Anuria Mountain. With a capacity of 500 passengers per hour, the aerial tramway provides spectacular views of the city. An impressive, angular, … Continue reading
About History – Tourism in Georgia in Soviet Times
During the Soviet era, Georgia was the “Riviera of the Soviet Union”, with 3 million visitors annually. Georgia appealed to Soviet 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 … Continue reading
About Sights – Concert Hall and Exhibition Center in Tbilisi
A new concert hall/exhibition center is nearing completion in Rike Park on the left bank of the Mtkvari River in Tbilisi. Its designer is Massimiliano Fuksas, whose other works include the nearby Tbilisi Public Service Hall. Add it to your list of sights to see in Tbilisi! Photos courtesy of the President’s Administration and Tbilisi Government. … Continue reading
About Sights – New Life for Old Tbilisi
Tbilisi’s Old Town (Georgian: ძველი თბილისი) is one of the oldest parts of the city and nestles on the mountainside under the 4th century Narikala fortress (Georgian: ნარიყალა). The Old Town is part of the Tbilisi Historic District and contains a number of officially designated monuments, churches, cobbled streets and picturesque pastel colored wooden houses with … Continue reading
About Events – Tbilisoba
Tbilisoba-2013 (Georgian: თბილისობა) is being celebrated in Tbilisi this weekend (4-6 October). First held in 1979, the festival has become an annual celebration of autumn for Tbilisi residents and visitors. A huge wine-press holding 7 tons of grapes is one of the centerpieces and the Mayor of Tbilisi, Gigi Ugulava, participated in the pressing. The … Continue reading
About Sights – Batumi Botanical Garden
The Batumi Botanical Garden (Georgian: ბათუმის ბოტანიკური ბაღი) overlooks the Black Sea and is one the largest and richest botanical gardens in the world. Located 9km north of Batumi at Mtsvane Kontskhi (Green Cape) it contains thousands of beautiful species of plants. Created by the Russian botanist Andrey Nikolayevich Krasnov in the 1880s, the Garden officially opened on … Continue reading
About Sights – The Mtkvari River
The 1,515 km (941 mi) long Mtkvari River (Georgian: მტკვარი) originates in Turkey (where it is called “Kura”) and flows through the broad valley between the Greater Caucasus and Lesser Caucasus mountains and down into the Caspian Sea. The Georgian name “Mtkvari” means “good water”, and in Megrelian – “the river, that eats mountains”. About 174 kilometers (108 mi) … Continue reading
About Tourism – Goderdzi Pass Mountain Ski Resort
Goderdzi Pass mountain ski resort in Ajara is currently being developed as a four season destination. The pristine forested mountains are snow-covered from November to April and offer superb skiing. The resort currently offers 8 km of pistes and two ski lifts. Further construction is underway, which will create a total of 35 km of … Continue reading
About Sights – Kvareli Gvirabi
Kvareli Gvirabi, near Kvareli (Georgian: ყვარელი) in Khaketi region, is Georgia’s largest wine cellar – 7.7 km of tunnels and galleries that maintain a constant temperature of 12-14 degrees C and 70% relative humidity all year round – perfect storage conditions for wine. Originally built for military purposes during the Cold War, the tunnels (gvirabi) … Continue reading
About History – Georgia’s Former Parliament Building in Tbilisi
Georgia’s former Parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi was built between 1938 and 1953 and was used until Parliament was re-located to a new building in Georgia’s second city, Kutaisi (Georgian: ქუთაისი), in 2012. These photographs show the building when it was used as the seat of Parliament. Earlier this year, Parliament announced a … Continue reading
About Sights – The Green Lake
The beautiful Green Lake (Georgian: მწვანე ტბა) is located in the northern part of the Arsiani Range near Beshumi (Georgian: ბეშუმი) in Georgia’s Ajara region. Situated between mountains this beautiful lake is surrounded by spruce and beech trees. The clear and transparent water is slightly mineralized. How to get there? The lake is a 2 … Continue reading
About Events – Wine Festival in Racha – 31 August 2013
A wine festival was held in Racha at the end of August. Organized by the regional government of Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region (Georgian: რაჭა-ლეჩხუმი და ქვემო სვანეთი) it aimed to promote agricultural products and improve links between local farmers and markets. Visitors were able to taste the wines, enjoy great food, traditional folk songs, … Continue reading
About Sights – 19th Century Mosques in Ajara
Ajara (Georgian: აჭარა) is an autonomous republic of Georgia located in the southwestern corner of the country, bordered by Turkey to the south and the eastern end of the Black Sea. According to 2006 estimates by the Department of Statistics of Ajara, 30% of Ajara’s population are Muslim. Islam spread to Ajara as a consequence of the Ottoman Empire’s occupation … Continue reading
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