samcxe-javaxeTis gzamkvlevi Samtskhe- Travel Guide

Georgia

Tbilisi Tbilisi

2012 gamocemulia asociacia `elkanas~ mier Sveicariis ganviTarebisa da TanamSromlobis saagentos xelSewyobiT

© yvela ufleba daculia avtorebi: Tamaz dundua, lela xartiSvili recenzentebi: dimitri axvlediani, istoriis mecnierebaTa doqtori, profesori; petre nasyidaSvili, soflis meurneobis mecnierebaTa doqtori, profesori, erovnuli akademiis wevr-korespondenti; elvard zazaZe, istorikosi; dali nikolaiSvili, iv. javaxiSvilis saxelobis Tbilisis saxelmwifo universitetis geografiis departamentis asocirebuli profesori. saredaqcio kolegia: mariam jorjaZe, manana gigauri, nodar ebraliZe dizaini da dakabadoneba: nikoloz daTeSiZe (edsTeiSen/ogilvi) fotoebis avtorebi: Tamaz dundua, goga Canadiri, ivane goliaZe, ivane nazRaiZe, kote gabriCiZe, giorgi darCiaSvili, laSa suxiSvili, una nasiaSvili, maia axalkaci, kaxa zazaZe, ia ebraliZe, daviT TarxniSvili, daculi teritoriebis saagento. fotoebi ydaze: Tamaz dundua, goga Canadiri, maia axalkaci, ia ebraliZe

Published by Association Elkana with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

Copyright © Elkana

Authors: Tamaz Dundua, Lela Khartishvili

Reviewers: Dimitri Akhvlediani, Professor of Historical Sciences; Petre Naskidashvili, Professor of Agricultural Sciences, Associated Member of National Academy; Elvard Zazadze, Historian; Dali Nikolaishvili, Associated Professor of the Department of Geography at Tbilisi State University. Editorial Board: Mariam Jorjadze, Manana Gigauri, Nodar Ebralidze English Editing: Mary Ellen Chatwin Design and make-up: Nikoloz Dateshidze (ADstation/Ogilvy) Photography: Tamaz Dundua, Goga Chanadiri, Ivane Goliadze, Kote Gabrichidze, Giorgi Darchiashvili, Ivane Nazghaidze, Lasha Sukhishvili, Una Nasiashvili, Maia Akhalkatsi, Kakha Zazadze, Ia Ebralidze, Davit Tarkhnishvili, the Agency of Protected Areas. Photos on cover page: Tamaz Dundua, Goga Chanadiri, Maia Akhalkatsi, Ia Ebralidze.

ISBN 978-9941-0-4066-5

4 Sinaarsi CONTENTS gzamkvlevis Sesaxeb (gv. 9) rogor gamoviyenoT gzamkvlevi (gv. 10) samcxe-javaxeTi. zogadi informacia (gv. 11) rogor movxvdeT regionSi (gv. 35) municipalitetebi da administraciuli centrebi (gv. 37) saWiro informacia (gv. 119) kulturul-istoriuli Zeglebis GPS-is monacemebi (gv. 128)

Briefl y on the guide (p. 9) How to use the Guide (p. 10) Background of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region (p. 11) How to get to the region (p. 35) Municipalities and administrative centres (p. 37) Practical information (p. 119) Th e list of Samtskhe-Javakheti cultural sites, GPS data (p. 128) buneba/hava RirSesaniSnaobebi Nature/Climate ...... 12 Points of interest ...... 39 biomravalferovneba safaris samonastro kompleqsi Biodiversity ...... 13 Sapara Monastery ...... 40 mcenareTa iSviaTi da endemuri saxeobebi agaris samonastro kompleqsi Endemic and rare plant species ...... 15 Agara Monastery ...... 41 cxovelTa samyaro enTelis qvakaci Fauna ...... 17 Enteli Stone man ...... 42 istoria baiebis kldeSi nakveTi cixe History ...... 20 Baiebi rock-cut Fortress ...... 42 kulturuli memkvidreoba awyuris cixe Cultural Heritage ...... 22 Atskuri Fortress ...... 43 dResaswaulebi axalcixe, rabaTi Folk festivals ...... 26 Akhaltsikhe, Rabati ...... 43 eTnologiuri memkvidreoba da meurneoba samcxe-javaxeTis ivane javaxiSvilis Ethnological heritage and farming ...... 30 saxelobis istoriis muzeumi Ivane Javakhishvili Samtskhe-Javakheti `elkanas~ sacdel-sademonstracio nakveTi History Museum ...... 46 sofel wnisSi Elkana Demonstration plot in Tsnisi village ...... 33 turistuli marSrutebi Touristic routes ...... 46 rogor movxvdeT regionSi Getting to the Region ...... 35 kvebis obieqtebi Restaurant, cafes ...... 48 axalcixis municipaliteti sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi ...... 37 Hotels, guesthouses ...... 49 geografiuli mdebareoba Geographical location ...... 38 adigenis municipaliteti ...... 51 bunebrivi pirobebi Natural conditions ...... 39 geografiuli mdebareoba Geographical location ...... 52

5 bunebrivi pirobebi turistuli marSrutebi Natural conditions ...... 53 Touristic routes ...... 71

RirSesaniSnaobebi kvebis obieqtebi Points of interest ...... 54 Restaurant, cafes ...... 75

ZinZis wylis xeoba sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi Dzindze River Gorge ...... 55 Hotels, guesthouses ...... 75 benaris fauna Benara Fauna ...... 55 axalqalaqis municipaliteti MUNICIPALITY ...... 77 zarzmis monasteri Zarzma Monastery...... 57 geografiuli mdebareoba Geographical location ...... 78 Wulis monasteri Chule Monastery ...... 57 bunebrivi pirobebi Natural conditions ...... 79 oqroscixe Okrostsikhe (Golden Castle) ...... 58 RirSesaniSnaobebi Points of interest ...... 80 abasTumnis astrofizikuri observatoria Abastumani Astrophyscal Observatory ...... 59 abulis cixe-nasaxlari Abuli Fortress and Settlement ...... 80 turistuli marSrutebi Touristic routes ...... 59 kumurdos taZari Kumurdo Temple ...... 81 kvebis obieqtebi Restaurant, cafes ...... 60 samsris kldeSi nakveTi gumbaTovani eklesia da namonastrali kompleqsi sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi Samsari Church and Settlement ...... 83 Hotels, guesthouses ...... 60 javaxeTis daculi teritoria Javakheti Protected Area ...... 83 aspinZis municipaliteti ...... 61 axalqalaqis adgilobrivi istoriis muzeumi Akhalkalaki Local Museum ...... 87 geografiuli mdebareoba Geographical location ...... 62 turistuli marSrutebi Touristic routes ...... 89 bunebrivi pirobebi Natural conditions ...... 63 kvebis obieqtebi Restaurant, cafes ...... 92 RirSesaniSnaobebi Points of interest ...... 64 sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi Hotels, guesthouses ...... 92 varZiis kldeSi nakveTi samonastro kompleqsi Vardzia Cave Monastery ...... 64 borjomis municipaliteti Tmogvis cixe-qalaqi ...... 93 Tmogvi Town-Fortress ...... 65 geografiuli mdebareoba vanis qvabebi Geographical location ...... 94 Vanis Kvabebi (Vani Caves) ...... 66 bunebrivi pirobebi gaveTi Natural conditions ...... 96 Gaveti Church ...... 66 RirSesaniSnaobebi lebisi _ miwisqveSa sofeli Points of interest ...... 96 Lebisi Underground Village ...... 67 borjom-xaragaulis erovnuli parki xerTvisis cixe Th e Borjomi –Kharagauli National Park ...... 96 Khertvisi Fortress ...... 68 qcia-tabawyuris aRkveTili saros ciklopuri cixe da eklesia Th e Ktsia –Tabatskuri Managed Reserve ...... 98 Cyclopean Fortress and the Church of Saro ...... 69

6 tabawyuris tba buRdaSenis tba Tabatskuri Lake ...... 98 Bughdasheni Lake ...... 114 kaxisisa da weros tbebi madaTafis tba Kakhisi and Tsero Lakes...... 99 Madatapa Lake ...... 114 borjomi da borjomis xeoba fokis monasteri Borjomi and Borjomi Gorge ...... 99 Phoka Monastery ...... 115 likani Saoris ciklopuri nageboba Likani ...... 100 Shaori Cyclopean Structure ...... 116 bakuriani Wiqianis menhiri Bakuriani ...... 100 Chikiani Menhir ...... 116 bakurianis botanikuri baRi turistuli marSrutebi Th e Bakuriani Botanical Gardens ...... 101 Touristic routes ...... 117 kimoTesubnis taZari kvebis obieqtebi Kimotesubani Monastery ...... 101 Restaurant, cafes ...... 118 mwvane monasteri sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi Mtsvane (Green) Monastery ...... 102 Hotels, guesthouses ...... 118 borjomis mxareTmcodneobis muzeumi Th e Borjomi Museum of Local History ...... 102 saWiro informacia PRACTICAL INFORMATION ...... 119 turistuli marSrutebi Touristic routes ...... 103 oficialuri uqme da dasvenebis dReebi Offi cial Georgian Holidays ...... 119 borjomis kvebis obieqtebi Restaurant, cafes in Borjomi ...... 105 valuta/bankebi/bankomatebi Currency/Banks/ATMs ...... 119 bakurianis kvebis obieqtebi Restaurant, cafes in Bakuriani ...... 106 samedicino punqtebi Medical care ...... 122 borjomis sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi Borjomi Hotels, guesthouses...... 106 municipalitetebSi arsebuli policia Police stations in the municipalities ...... 123 bakurianis sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi Bakuriani hotels, guesthouses ...... 106 benzingasamarTi sadgurebi Fuel ...... 124 ninowmindis municipaliteti regionSi arsebuli saojaxo MUNICIPALITY ...... 109 sastumro saxlebi Rural accomodation in the region...... 125 geografiuli mdebareoba Geographical location ...... 110 regionSi arsebuli turistuli organizaciebi bunebrivi pirobebi Tourist organizations in the region ...... 126 Natural conditions ...... 111 manZili saqarTvelos did qalaqebs Soris RirSesaniSnaobebi Distances in kilometres between Points of interest ...... 112 major cities/towns of ...... 127 faravnis tba danarTi – kulturul-istoriuli Paravani Lake ...... 113 Zeglebis GPS-is monacemebi Index of points of interest (GPS data) ...... 128 saRamos tba Sagamo Lake ...... 114 xanCalis tba Khanchali Lake...... 114

7 asociacia `elkana~ samcxe-javaxeTis gzamkvlevis momzadebaSi monawileobisa da xelSewyobisaTvis mad- lobas uxdis: nino arabuls, qeTi aspinZelaSvils, maia axalkacs, taiul beriSvils, merab beriZes, rusudan beriZes, ia Tabagars, sofo TvaraZes, daviT merkvi- laZes, lela pavliaSvils, laSa suxiSvils, inga tye- malaZes, vaxtang RoRoberiZes, goga Canadirs, Tea Ci- taZes, kaxa ximSiaSvils, ia jayels, kaxa jelias; aseve _ saqarTvelos turizmis erovnuli administraciis da saqarTvelos kulturuli memkvidreobis dacvis erovnuli saagentos TanamSromlebs.

Th e Association Elkana wishes to thank the following persons for taking part in the preparation and facilitation of the Samtskhe- Javakheti Guide: Nino Arabuli, Kate Aspindzelashvili, Maia Akhalkatsi, Taiul Berishvili, Merab Beridze, Rusudan Beridze, Ia Tabagari, Sofi a Tvaradze, David Merkviladze, Lela Pavliashvili, Lasha Sukhishvili, Inga Tkemaladze, Vakhtang Gogoberidze, Goga Chanadiri, Tea Chitadze, Kakha Khimshiashvili, Ia Jakeli, Kakha Jelia; the employees of the Georgian National Tourism Administration and the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia.

8 gzamkvlevis Sesaxeb

gzamkvlevis gamocemis mizania, farTo sazogadoebam ukeT gaicnos samcxe-javaxeTis regioni, saqarTvelos uZvelesi mxaris - didi mesxeTis nawili, da miiRos san- do informacia regionSi arsebuli RirSesaniSnaobebis Sesaxeb. damoukideblad mogzaurobis moyvarulebs gzamkvlevi miawvdis farTo informacias regionSi ar- sebuli bunebrivi da kulturuli Zeglebis, gzebis, sastumroebis, saojaxo sastumroebisa da kvebis obie- qtebis Sesaxeb, xolo TandarTuli ruka praqtikul daxmarebas gauwevs maT ama Tu im RirSesaniSnavi obie- qtis adgilmdebareobis dazustebasa da mignebaSi. asociacia “elkana” Sveicariis ganviTarebisa da Ta- namSromlobis saagentos (SDC) dafinansebiT regionSi axorcielebs soflis turizmis ganviTarebis xelSemw- yob proeqts. proeqtis farglebSi SemuSavda qveiTi, velo da 4X4 samanqano turistuli marSrutebi, Seir- Ca saojaxo sastumro saxlebi, momzadda adgilobri- vi gamyolebi. vimedovnebT, gzamkvlevi daexmareba regionSi Camo- sul stumars, SearCios sasurveli marSruti, moZeb- nos sastumro saxli da miiRos aucilebeli informa- cia Sinaarsiani mogzaurobisaTvis.

BRIEFLY ON THE GUIDE

Th e purpose of this Guide is to better acquaint the general public with the Samtskhe-Javakheti Region, part of the old- est Georgian province of “Great Meskheti”. Th e Guide will help those who love independent travel get a clear idea of the points of interest in the region: historical, cultural and natural monuments, roads, guesthouses/hotels, and where to eat. Th e maps at the end will help readers fi nd the facilities and points of interest.

Th e Association Elkana, with fi nancial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), pro- motes rural tourism development in the Samskhe-Javakheti region. Within the scope of the project, itineraries and tours have been developed for walking/hiking, cycling, and 4x4 ve- hicles. Family hotels and guesthouses have been selected and local tour guides trained. We hope this Guide will be useful to visitors to the region.

9 rogor gamoviyenoT gzamkvlevi

Tu Tqven gadawyviteT samcxe-javaxeTis Semovla, es gzamkvlevi karg megzurobas gagiwevT. masSi Tavmoyri- li zogadi da praqtikuli informacia saSualebas mo- gcemT, damoukideblad gaikvlioT gza saqarTvelos am mSvenier da mravalferovan kuTxeSi. gzamkvlevis pirveli nawili moicavs regionis zo- gad mimoxilvas. aq Tqven gaecnobiT didi mesxeTis is- torias, kulturul RirsSesaniSnaobebs, bunebriv pi- robebs, eTnologiur memkvidreobas. meore nawili ki mTlianad eTmoba calkeuli munici- palitetebis aRwerasa da turistisaTvis saWiro mra- valferovan informacias: sad mdebareobs sastumroebi da kvebis obieqtebi? rogor davgegmoT mogzauroba? rogor movxvdeT ama Tu im administraciul centrSi? ra unda vnaxoT aucileblad? yvela am kiTxvis pasuxi, cnobebis saxiT, mocemulia TiToeuli municipalitetis ganxilvisas. gzamkvlevSi warmodgenili mza marSrutebi da TandarTuli ruka ki saSualebas mogcemT, zedmeti drois dauxarjavad, da- gegmoT Tqveni dauviwyari mogzauroba.

HOW TO USE THE GUIDE

While travelling around the wonderful province of Samtskhe-Javakheti you can navigate independently by using this Guide. Th e fi rst part gives a general description of the region, with information on the history of Great Meskheti, its natural resources as well as its cultural and ethnographic heritage. Th e second part describes each municipality of the region and gives information on guesthouses/hotels and where to eat, how to plan your trip, how to get to the main towns and essential tourist sites. Th e itineraries and the map provided in the Guide give you the opportunity to plan unforgettable trip.

10 samcxe-javaxeTi BACKGROUND OF THE zogadi informacia SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI REGION samcxe-javaxeTis regioni samxreT Th e Samtskhe-Javakheti region is located saqarTveloSi mdebareobs, igi sami is- in Southern Georgia and includes territo- toriuli mxaris - samcxis, javaxeTisa ries of three historical provinces: Samtskhe, da Toris teritoriebisagan Sedgeba. Javakheti, and Tori. It covers 6,421 km2, or regionis saerTo farTobi 6421 kv. 9.2% of the territory of Georgia. Its admin- km-ia, rac saqarTvelos 9,2%-s Seadgens. istrative centre is the town of Akhaltsikhe. administraciuli centria q. axalcixe. Armenia and Turkey border the region to samcxe-javaxeTs samxreTiT esazRvreba the south; the Georgian regions of , TurqeTi da somxeTi. saqarTvelos re- and to the north; Kvemo gionebi: CrdiloeTiT _ guria, imereTi Kartli to the east; and Ajara to the west. Th e da Sida qarTli, aRmosavleTiT - qvemo longest river in the South Caucasus, the Mt- qarTli, xolo dasavleTiT - aWara. re- kvari (Kura River in Russian and other lan- gionSi miedineba samxreT kavkasiis ugr- guages) runs through the region. It begins in Zesi mdinare mtkvari, romelic Tur- Turkey and fl ows through Georgia to Azer- qeTSi iRebs saTaves da azerbaijanSi baijan, into the Caspian Sea. kaspiis zRvas erTvis. Th e Samtskhe-Javakheti region consists of samcxe-javaxeTSi 6 administraciu- six administrative units: Akhaltsikhe, Adi- li centria: axalcixe, adigeni, aspin- geni, Aspindza, Akhalkalaki, Borjomi and Za, axalqalaqi, borjomi da ninowmin- Ninotsminda. Th ere are 270 inhabited locali- da. regionSi 270 dasaxlebuli punqtia, ties in the region, out of which fi ve are clas- aqedan 5 qalaqi: axalqalaqi, axalci- sifi ed as towns: Akhalkalaki, Akhaltsikhe, xe, borjomi, vale, ninowminda; 7 daba: Borjomi, Vale and Ninotsminda; seven are bakuriani, bakurianis andeziti, waRve- small towns: Bakuriani, Bakurianis Andeziti, ri, axaldaba, adigeni, abasTumani, as- Tsagveri, Akhaldaba, Adigeni, Abastumani, pinZa; sofeli – 258. Aspindza; and 258 are villages. regionSi mmarTvelobas saqarTve- Th e region is governed by a State Trustee, los prezidentis mier daniSnuli or Governor, appointed by the President of saxelmwifo rwmunebuli (gubernato- Georgia. Local self-governance at the mu- ri) axorcielebs, xolo TviTmmarTve- nicipality level is exercised by a Gamgebeli loba municipalitetis doneze xor- or Mayor, elected by a local representative cieldeba adgilobrivi sakrebulos body, the Sakrebulo. mier arCeuli gamgeblis mier. mtkvris xeoba. marjvniv javaxeTis mTebi Mtkvari Gorge and the Javakheti Mountains

11 samcxe moicavs axlandeli axalcixis, adigenis da nawilobriv aspinZisa da borjomis municipalitetebis teritoriebs. javaxeTi moicavs axlandeli axalqalaqisa, ninowmindis da nawilobriv aspinZi- sa da borjomis municipalitetebis teritoriebs. javaxeTi vulkanuri warmoSobis zeganzea gadaWimuli. misi simaRle zRvis do- nidan 1500_3300 metria. dRevandeli borjomis xeobis uZvelesi saxelwodebaa Toris mxare. regioni eTnikurad mravalferovania, qarTvelebTan erTad aq cxovroben berZ- nebi, somxebi, osebi, ukrainelebi, rusebi da sxv. samcxe-javaxeTSi dResdReobiT 210.000_mde kaci cxovrobs. samcxe-javaxeTi turizmis TvalsazrisiT saintereso da mimzidveli regio- nia, igi gamoirCeva istoriul-kulturuli Zeglebis, ekosistemebisa da bunebrivi landSaftebis mravalferovnebiT. Distinguished by diverse ecosystems, natural landscapes, historical and cultural monuments, Samtskhe-Javakheti is an intriguing region. Samtskhe covers the territories of Akhaltsikhe, Adi- geni and partly that of Aspindza and Borjomi municipalities. Javakheti stretches along a volcanic plateau and includes the territories of Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda, as well as part of the mu- nicipalities of Aspindza and Borjomi. Its altitude varies from 1500 to 3300 meters. Th e region is ethnically diverse, home to ethnic Georgians as well as Greeks, Armenians, Ossetians, Ukrainians, Russians, and other minorities. Th e region’s present population is approximately 210,000.

buneba/hava NATURE/CLIMATE regionis landSafti da buneba mra- Th e region’s diverse landscape and natural valferovania. mTagoriani reliefi, resources include mountainous terrain, sev- vulkanuri warmoSobis ramdenime ma- eral highland volcanic plateaus, mountain RalmTiani plato, mTis stepebi, alpu- steppes, alpine and sub-alpine vegetation, ri da subalpuri mcenareuloba, mrava- canyons, rivers, large and small lakes, as well li xeoba, mdinare, didi da mcire zomis as wetland marshes. During the summer tbebi da Waobebi gansazRvraven regio- most of the region is cool (<+15 +200C), pre- nis unikalurobas da turistuli aqti- cipitation is low (600-700 mm annually) and vobebis SesaZleblobebs. cloudy days are few. Mountainous condi- turistuli sezonis periodSi re- tions in other seasons include passing rains, gionis umetes nawilSi zafxuli grilia with cold and snowy winters. In fact, the (<+15 +200C), mcirea atmosferuli naleqi Javakheti Plateau is known for its compara- (wliurad – 600_700 mm.) da Rrubliano- tively inclement winters, remaining snowy

abulis qedi Abuli Range

12 ba – aq mTis klimatia, ar icis xangrZli- vi wvimebi. zamTari civi da Tovliania. SedarebiT mkacria klimati javaxe- Tis zeganze. zegani Tovlis saburve- liT dafarulia 3 _ 4 Tvis ganmavloba- Si (dekemberi _ marti), Tovlis safris simaRle 15_20 sm-s, xolo maRalmTian nawilSi 40_50 sm-s aRwevs.

biomravalferovneba samcxe-javaxeTi erT-erTi mraval- ferovani regionia da gamoirCeva maRa- li endemizmiT. aq mdebareobs pirveli erovnuli parki kavkasiaSi – borjom- xaragauli, romelic farTobis mi- xedviT erT-erTi udidesia evropa- Si. regionSi daculi teritoriebidan sainteresoa borjomis saxelmwifo md.mtkvris xeoba. aspinZa nakrZali, javaxeTis erovnuli parki, Mtkvari River Valley, Aspindza neZvis, qcia-tabawyurisa da TeTrobis aRkveTili. regionSi warmodgenilia for up to four months (December through floris da faunis mravali endemuri March) with snows oft en 15-20 cm deep, and saxeoba, maT Soris aris qarTuli da 40-50 cm in the Alpine areas. kavkasiuri endemuri saxeobebi. aq mTis tyeebi bevrgan Tavdapirveli da xe- BIODIVERSITY luxlebeli saxiT aris SenarCunebuli. Samtskhe-Javakheti is noted for a wide bio- am mimarTebiT sainteresoa TeTrobis logical diversity and high endemism, with the aRkveTili. regioni cnobilia iSviaTi greatest proportion of any region of the south- samkurnalo mcenareebis nairsaxeobiT. ern Caucasus devoted to reserves and parks. samcxe-javaxeTis teritoriaze far- Th ese include the Borjomi-Kharagauli Na- TofoTlovan tyis masivebs enacvleba tional Park, Javakheti National Park, Borjomi wiwvovani tye, ufro zemoT gvxvdeba Preserved Area, Nedzvi, Ktsia-Tabatskuri aryis tyeebi. zR.d. 1850 metrs zemoT and Tetrobi Nature Reserve. Many species alpuri da subalpuri mdeloebia. of fl ora and fauna are endemic to Georgia or the South Caucasus. Primeval mountain for- TavTuxis TavTavebi ests have been preserved in many places, and Triticum durum/Hard, or Durum Wheat there is a diversity of rare medicinal plants. Th roughout the territory of Samtskhe- Javakheti region broad-leaved forests are found in lower lands, with coniferous forests at higher altitudes, and birch forests even higher, with Alpine and sub-Alpine mead- ows at altitudes over 1850 meters. Plant species in the Javakheti mountain steppes include Colored Fescue (Festuca-varia L. Poaceae) and Feather-grass (Stipa L.). At an altitude of 1700-2200 meters Herb-bunchgrass 13 javaxeTis teritoriaze arsebuli mTis stepebi warmodgenilia velis wi- vanas (Festuca-varia L. Poaceae) da vaciwve- ras (Stipa L.) saxeobebiT. zRvis donidan 1700_2200 m. simaRleze mTis nairbala- xovani, marcvlovani mdeloebia gadaWi- muli. gvxvdeba subalpuri tyis frag- mentebi aryisa (Betula litwinowii Doluch. Betulaceae) da verxvis (Populus L. Salicaceae) saxiT (karwaxis tbis aRmosavleTiT). Sevardeni alpur zonaSi mravladaa deka (Rhododen- Falco peregrinus/Peregrine Falcon dron caucasicum Pall. Ericaceae), xolo ufro maRla – subnivaluri zonis saxeobebi. covers the meadows. Forests of subalpine Birch regionSi mravalferovania Waobisa da (Betula litwinowii Doluch. Betulaceae) and As- wylis mcenareuloba - islis (Carex bre- pen (Populus L. Salicaceae) grow to the east of vicolis DC.) saxeobebi, xSirad es saxeobe- Lake Kartsakhi. Th e Alpine zone abounds with bi sakmaod maRal balaxeulobas qmnian. Caucasian rhododendron (Rhododendron cau- casicum Pall. Ericaceae) and subnival zone spe- samkurnalo mcenareebi cies grow still higher. tradiciul medicinaSi gamoyenebul Th e region is rich with marshland and mcenareTa saxeobebis ricxvi samcxe-ja- aquatic vegetation which includes grasses vaxeTis regionSi daaxloebiT 200-mdea. such as sedge species (Carex brevicolis DC.) adgilobrivi mosaxleoba samedicino miz- that grow very high. nebisaTvis mcenareTa sxvadasxva saxeobe- bs iyenebs. upiratesad es aris balaxova- MEDICINAL PLANTS ni mcenareuloba da, iSviaTad, xeebi da Plant species used in traditional medicine in buCqebi, sokoebi da wyalmcenareebi. the Samtskhe-Javakheti region total about 200. javaxeTis xmala Th e local population uses herbs and occasion- Gladiolus dzavakheticus ally forest plants, mushrooms and algae. Javakhetian Gladiolus or Javakhetian wiTeli didgula Sword-lily Sambucus tigrani/Red elder

14 mcenareTa iSviaTi da endemuri saxeobebi: RARE AND ENDEMIC PLANT SPECIES:

COMMON ENGLISH SCIENTIFIC NAME GEORGIAN NAME NAME Acantholimon glumaceum (Jaub.& zRarba (Zgarba) Prickly thrift Spach) Boiss. (Plumbaginaceae) Aconitum nasutum Fisch. ex Rechb. tilWiri (Tilchiri) Aconite (Helleboraceae) Alchemilla alexandri Juz. farsmanduki Yarrow (Asteraceae) (parsmanduki) Alchemilla georgica Juz. farsmanduki Yarrow (Asteraceae) (parsmanduki) Alchemilla insignis Juz. farsmanduki Yarrow (Asteraceae) (parsmanduki) Allium cardiostemon Fisch. & veluri niori Wild Garlic C.A.Mey. (Liliaceae) (Veluri Niori) Alchemilla subsplendens Bus. marmuWi (Marmuchi) lady’s-mantle (Rosaceae) Anagallis arvensis L. sapovnela (Sapovnela) Scarlet Pimpernel (Primulaceae) Asplenium septentrionale (L.) miaswara (Miastsara) Grass Fern Hoff m. (Aspleniaceae) Astragalus cicer L. (=A. astragali (Astragali) Wild Lentil mucronatus DC.; Fabaceae) Astragalus vavilovii Tamamsch. vavilovis astragali & Fed. (=A. klopotovskyi Sosn.; Vavilov’s Milk Vetch (Vavilovis Astragali) Fabaceae) Centaurea glehnii Trautv. RiRilo (Gigilo) Knapweed (Asteraceae) Colchicum speciosum Steven ucuna (Utsuna) Naked Ladies (Liliaceae) Colchicum szovitsii Fisch & C.A. Sovicis ucuna Shovitsi’s Naked Ladies Mey. (Liliaceae) (Shovitsis Utsuna) Corydalis erdelii Zucc. buCqisZira Corydalis (Fumariaceae) (Buchkisdzira) Crocus speciosus M. Bieb. zafrana (Zaprana) Crocus (Iridaceae) Daphne glomerata Lam. wiba (Tsiba) Daphne (Th ymelaeaceae) Digitalis ferruginea L. futkara (Putkara) Rusty Foxglove (Scrophulariaceae)

15 Ephedra procera Fisch. & C.A. joris Zua (Joris dzua) Ephedra Mey. (Ephedraceae) Erigeron caucasicus Steven cxeniskuda Oriental Daisy (Asteraceae) (Tsxeniskuda) qanas CitisTava Gagea chanae Grossh. (Liliaceae) Yellow Star (Qanas chitistava) Gladiolus dzavakheticus Eristavi javaxeTis xmala Gladiolus (Iridaceae) (Javakhetis Khmala) Orchis coriophora L. jadvari Orchid (Orchidaceae) (Jadvari) Papaver bracteatum Lindley (=P. pseudo-orientale (Fedde) Medw.; yayaCo (Kakacho) Oriental Poppy Papaveraceae) Sambucus tigranii Troitzk. wiTeli didgula Red Elder (Caprifoliaceae) (Tsiteli Didgula) Scorzonera dzhawakhetica Sosn. javaxeTis famfarula Djavakhetian Viper’s Grass ex Grossh. (Asteraceae) (Javakhetis Pamparula) Scorzonera ketzkhowelii Sosn. ex kecxovelis famfarula Ketskholeli’s Viper’s Grass Grossh. (Asteraceae) (Ketskhovelis Pamparula) Scorzonera kozlowskyi Sosn. ex kozlovskis famfarula Kozlowski’s Viper’s Grass Grossh. (Asteraceae) (Kozlovskis Pamparula) Sedum caucasicum (Grossh.) kldisduma (Kldisduma) Caucasian Stonecrop Boris. (Crassulaceae) Sempervivum caucasicum Rupr. kldisvaSla Caucasian Sempervivum (Crassulaceae) (Kldisvashla) Senecio rhombifolius (Adam) Sch. xarisSubla Groundsel Bip. (Asteraceae) (Kharisshubla) Senecio subfl occosus Schischk. TavyviTela (Tavkvitela) Groundsel (Asteraceae) Sonchus ketzkhowelii Schischk. RiWa (Gicha) Sow thistle (Asteraceae) Teucrium nuchense K. Koch Warela (Charela) Germander (Lamiaceae) Tragopogon kemulariae Kuth. qemularias farfara Kemularia’s goatsbeard (Asteraceae) (Kemularias Parpara) Tragopogon ketzkhowelii Kuth. kecxovelis farfara Ketskhoveli’s goatsbeard (Asteraceae) (Ketskhovelis Parpara) Tragopogon makaschwilii Kuth. mayaSvilis farfara Makashvili’s goatsbeard (Asteraceae) (Makashvilis Parpara) Verbascum georgicum Benth. qerifqla (Keripkla) Georgian Mullein (Scrophulariaceae)

16 cxovelTa samyaro FAUNA samcxe-javaxeTis teritoriaze bina- Many species of mammals, birds, reptiles drobs ZuZumwovrebis, frinvelebis, and amphibians inhabit Samtskhe-Javakheti: qvewarmavlebisa da amfibiebis mravali the Southern White-breasted Hedgehog saxeoba. aq gvxvdeba zRarbi (Erinaceus (Erinaceus concolor), the Caucasian Mole concolor), Txunela (Talpa caucasica), kur- (Talpa caucasica), the Mountain Hare (Lepus dReli (Lepus europeaus), ciyvi (Sciurus europeaus), the Caucasian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus). tbebisa da mdinareebis sana- anomalus). River and lake banks are inhab- piroebze binadroben wavi (Lutra lutra), ited by the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra), the maCvi (Meles meles), kverna (Martes martes), European Badger (Meles meles), the Europe- dedofala (Mustela nivalis). javaxeTis an Marten (Martes martes), the Least Weasel stepebsa da mdeloebze xSirad Sexvde- (Mustela nivalis). In Javakheti steppes and biT melas (Vulpes vulpes), zogan ki tyis meadows one can frequently encounter the katas (Felis silvestris caucasicus), focxvers Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes); the Wildcat (Felis (Lynx lynx), mgelsa (Canis lupus) da daTvs silvestris), the Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx), the (Ursus arctos). Grey Wolf (Canis lupus), and the European javaxeTSi arsebuli tbebi saarsebo Brown Bear (Ursus arctos). garemoa gadamfreni frinvelebisaTvis, Th e Javakhetian wetlands system is habi- romelTa umetesoba IUCN-is “wiTel tat to migratory birds, most of which are nusxaSia~ Setanili. nawili –saqarTve- included in the IUCN Red Book. Some are los “wiTel nusxaSi~, aseve – aziisa listed on the Red List of Endangered species da afrikis migrirebad frinvelTa Se- of Georgia, as well as in the Agreement on the saxeb SeTanxmebaSia (AEWA) miniSnebu- Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory li. am tbebze gadis wylisa da wylis Waterbirds (AEWA). Th e migratory route or maxloblad mcxovreb frinvelTa sa- fl yway of waterfowl passes over the Javakheti migracio gza. javaxeTis zegani frin- Plateau, which is included in the AEWA list velTa gavrcelebis mniSvnelovani te- of Important Bird Areas. Up to 150 species of ritoriebis nusxaSia Setanili. birds can be observed including the Eastern weliwadis sxvadasxva dros aq 150- Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), the Greater mde sxvadasxva saxeobis frinveli Sei- Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga), the Bearded niSneba; gvxvdeba beqobis arwivi (Aquila yaryati heliaca), didi myivana arwivi (Aquila clan- Ciconia ciconia/White Stork ga), kraviWamia orbi (Gipaetus barbatus), kavkasiuri roWo (Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi), tyis qaTami (Scolopax rusticola), kavkasiu- ri kakabi (Alectoris chukar), gnoli (Perdix perdix), mwyeri (Coturnix coturnix), rqosani torola (Eremophila alpestris), svavi (Ae- gypius monachus) da faskunji (Neophron percnopterus). mravladaa Savardeni (Fal- co peregrinus), mimino (Accipiter nisus), Zera (Milvus migrans). bevria wylis frinveli: varxvi (Pelecanus crispus), gareuli ixvi (Anas plathyrhynchos), gareuli bati (nser ferus), ruxi wero (Grus grus), Cibuxa, ixvi- gariela (Melanitta fusca), laklaki (Ciconia

17 ciconia). frinvelTa gansakuTrebiT didi Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), the Caucasian nairsaxeobaa warmodgenili sezonuri Black Grouse (Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi), the gadafrenis dros, kerZod gazafxulze Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), (martis bolo – maisis pirveli naxeva- the Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar), the ri) da Semodgomaze (agvistos bolo – Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix), the Com- oqtombris pirveli naxevari). mon Quail (Coturnix coturnix), the Horned qvewarmavlebidan gvxvdeba kavkasi- Lark (Eremophila alpestris), the Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus), the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), the Peregrine Fal- con (Falco peregrinus), the Eurasian Sparrow- hawk (Accipiter nisus) and the Black Kite (Milvus migrans). Waterfowl are numerous because they use the wetlands habitat along their migration routes: the Whale-headed Stork, the Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus cris- pus), the Wild Duck (Anas plathyrhynchos), the Wild Goose (Anser ferus), the Common Crane (Grus grus), the White-wing Scoter (Melanitta fusca) and the European White kavkasiuri salamandra Stork (Ciconia ciconia). A very wide diversity Mertensiella caucasica of birds is observed during migration, partic- Caucasian salamander. Goderdzi Pass ularly in spring (late March to the fi rst half of May) and in autumn (late August through the uri jojo (Laudakia caucasica), gvelxo- fi rst half of October). kera (Ophisaurus apodus), Cveulebrivi Reptiles in this region include the Caucasian (Natrix natrix) da wylis ankara (Natrix tes- Agama (Laudakia caucasica), the European selata). amfibiebidan aRsaniSnavia ende- Glass Lizard (Ophysaurus apodus), the Grass- muri kavkasiuri salamandra (Mertensiel- snake (Natrix natrix) and the Dice Snake (Na- la caucasica) da kavkasiuri gombeSo (Bufo trix tessellata). Noteworthy amphibians include verrucosissimus). aseve gavrcelebulia the endemic Caucasian Salamander (Mertensi- mcireaziuri mura bayayi (Rana macrocne- ella caucasica) and the Caucasian Toad (Bufo mis). mdinareebsa da tbebSi bevria Te- vzis nairsaxeoba: kalmaxi (Salmo trutta), xramuli (Varicorhinus capoeta), wvera (Bar- bus barbus), murwa (Barbus mursa). tbebSi dominirebs karCxana (Carassius carassius), romelic samxreT kavkasiisaTvis ucxo saxeobad iTvleba. regioni sainteresoa vulkanuri warmoSobis tbebiT, tbebSi arsebuli kunZulebiTa da WaobebiT. regionSi mdebareobs saqarTveloSi arsebuli didi tbebis umetesoba: faravani, ta- bawyuri, saRamos tba, madaTafa, xanCa- li, karwaxis tba. regionis klimaturi pirobebi gana- wavi / Lutra luta / Otter

18 verrucosissimus) as well as the Caucasian Wood Frog (Rana macrocnemis). Rivers and lakes abound in diverse fi sh species: the Brown Trout (Salmo trutta), the Khramuli (Varicorhinus capoeta), the Com- mon Barbel (Barbus barbus) and the Murtsa (Barbus mursa). Lakes are dominated by the Silver Crucian Carp (Carassius carassius), which is considered an introduced species to the South Caucasus. Th e region abounds with volcanic lakes with lake islets, and swamps. Most of Geor- batkanZeri Gypaetus barbatus / Bearded Vulture gia’s largest lakes are found here and include the Paravani, Tabatskuri, Saghamo, Madata- pirobebs mravalferovan ekosisteme- pa, Khanchali and Kartsakhi. bisa da iseTi kurortebis arsebobas, Th e region’s environmental and climatic rogoric aris: samTo-saTxilamuro conditions have encouraged tourism resorts kurorti bakuriani, balneologiu- which off er mountain-skiing in Bakuriani, ri kurortebi - borjomi da likani. and spas with natural springs in Borjomi and samcxe-javaxeTSi mdebareobs aseve Likani (where there are also famous bottled samTo-klimaturi kurorti abasTuma- water companies). A well-known astrophys- ni, romelic cnobilia Tavisi astro- ics observatory is located in the health resort fizikuri observatoriiT. of the mountainous Abastumani area.

Savnabadas mTa Mt. Shavnabada 19 istoria HISTORY samcxis saxelwodeba samxreT qarTu- Th e name Samtskhe is derived from the li tomis, mesxebis saxelidan (mesxi- name of a southern Georgian tribe, the samesxe-samcxe) momdinareobs. javaxeTi Meskhs (Meskhi with ‘sa’, or ‘for’ in Geor- pirvelad urartus mefis, argiSTi I-is gian, which gives Sameskhe or Samtskhe). warweraSi (Zv.w. 785 w.) moixsenieba. Th e area of Javakheti was mentioned fi rst in Zv. w. IV saukunidan samcxe-javaxeTi axlad Seqmnili aRmosavluri qarTu- 785 BC by King Argisht I of Urartu. Begin- li saxelmwifos _ iberiis (qarTlis) ning in IV c. BC, Samtskhe-Javakheti became samefos SemadgenlobaSi Sedioda. am part of the newly established East Georgian mxares aseve `zemo qarTli~ ewodebo- kingdom of Iberia (Kartli). Th e region is also da, vinaidan regioni qarTlis mTavari known as "Zemo (Upper) Kartli", as its terri- mdinaris, mtkvaris zemo auzs moi- tory included the upper basin of the Mtkvari cavda. River, the principal river of Kartli. ax. w. VIII_X saukuneebSi samcxe-ja- In VIII_X centuries AD, Samtskhe-Javakhe- vaxeTi istoriul samxreT-dasavleT ti became a northern province of Tao-Klarjeti saqarTveloSi aRmocenebul tao-klar- which originated in south-western Georgia. jeTis (imave `qarTvelTa samefos~) Cr- In the era of the united strong Geor- dilo provincias warmoadgens. gian feudal state during IX_XIII centuries, erTiani Zlieri qarTuli feoda- Samtskhe-Javakheti was established as a luri saxelmwifos arsebobis xanaSi strong centre of Georgian culture. In suc- (XI_XIII ss.) samcxe-javaxeTSi qarTuli ceeding centuries it was conquered and kulturis mZlavri kera Camoyalibda. heavy destruction was infl icted during Mon- Semdgom xanaSi samcxe-javaxeTi sxva- gol, then Persian and Ottoman invasions. dasxva dampyroblebis Semosevis obi- In XV_XVI centuries, following the break- eqtad iqca. es mxare didad dazaralda up of the united Georgian kingdom, Samtskhe- jer monRolebis, Semdeg iranelTa da Javakheti became an independent Georgian osmalTa Tavdasxmebis Sedegad. principality, called Samtskhe-Javakheti Saa- XV-XVI saukuneebSi, saqarTvelos er- tabago, until it was subjugated to Ottoman Tiani samefos daSlis Semdeg, samcxe- Turkey in XVI c. Th e Ottomans incorpo- javaxeTi damoukidebeli qarTuli rated Samtskhe-Javakheti as the "Gurjistan samTavros, samcxe-saaTabagos Semad- genlobaSia. XVI saukuneSi samcxe-saaTabago osma- leTma daipyro, ris Semdegac samcxe- javaxeTi aq Seqmnil `gurjistanis vilaieTSi~ (`saqarTvelos regioni~) gaaerTianes da mas odnav mogvianebiT axalcixis safaSo ewoda. am droidan, osmaleTis imperiis socialur-ekonomikuri politikidan gamomdinare, iwyeba samcxe-javaxeTis mosaxleobis iZulebiTi gamahmadianeba. qarTvelTa didi nawili nel-nela ga- mahmadianda. nawilma mezobel qarTlisa

mtkvris xeoba. varZia Mtkvari Valley, Vardzia

20 da imereTis samefoebs Seafara Tavi. Vilyaet" (Georgian Province), later known as mcire nawili ki qristianobis Senar- Akhaltsikhe Sapasho (Eyalet or Pashaluk in Cunebis mizniT marTlmadideblobidan Turkish). Based on the socio-political policy of kaTolikur aRmsareblobaze gadadis. the Ottoman Empire, forcible Islamization of XIX saukunis 1828_1829 wlebis da the Samtskhe-Javakhetian population began. A Semdgomi periodis (1853_56, 1877_78) large number of the Georgians in this region ruseT-osmaleTis omebis Sedegad gradually converted to Islam while others re- samcxe-javaxeTi ruseTis imperiis Se- fused to change their religion and fl ed to the madgenlobaSi eqceva. am omebSi, kerZod neighbouring kingdoms of Kartli and Imereti. amierkavkasiis frontebze, miRweuli A smaller number became Roman Catholic, ruseTis samxedro Zalebis warmate- which permitted them to avoid Islamization. bebSi mniSvnelovani roli Seasrula As a result of several wars during XIX c. e.w “qarTulma miliciam~ (saxalxo la- Samtskhe-Javakheti was incorporated into the Sqarma); xolo osmaleTisaTvis Zveli Russian Empire. Th e Georgian Militia played saqarTvelos kuTvnili teritoriebis a large role in the success of the Russian army CamorTmevis samarTlebriv safuZvels on the South-Caucasian fronts against the Sua saukuneebis saqarTvelos same- Ottomans. As a result of the Russian-Turkish fos sazRvrebisa da misi mkvidri mo- War, part of the Islamicized Georgian popula- saxleobis gavrcelebis istoriuli tion moved to Turkey. Th e Russian authorities wanamZRvrebi warmoadgenda. ruseT- osmaleTis omebis Sedegad gamahma- dianebuli mosaxleobis erTi nawili TurqeTSi gadasaxlda. maT adgilas rusulma xelisuflebam TurqeTidan somxuri mosaxleoba Camoasaxla, xolo ruseTidan _ SedarebiT mcire raode- nobiT erT-erTi rusuli qristianuli seqtis mimdevrebi, e.w. duxoborebi (am ukanasknelTa ZiriTadma nawilma ssrk- is daSlis Semdeg aqauroba miatova). saqarTvelos pirveli damoukidebe- li respublikis xanaSi (1918_1921 ww.) jayelebis freska, zarzmis monasteri samcxe-javaxeTSi saqarTvelos xeli- Jakeli family frescoes, Zarzma Monastery

samcxe-javaxeTi ZvelTaganve ganTqmuli iyo oqromWedlobis xelovnebiT. Sua saukuneebSi beSqen da beqa opizrebi qmnidnen saeklesio daniSnulebis Weduri xe- lovnebis Sedevrebs. samcxeSi es tradicia grZeldeboda Semdeg saukuneebSic. q. axalcixis rabaTSi oqromWedlebTan erTad mespilenZeebi da TiTbris ostatebi muSaobdnen.

From ancient times Samtskhe-Javakheti was famous for its goldsmithery work. In the Middle Ages, Beshken and Beka Opizari, famous Georgian goldsmiths and silversmiths, produced a num- ber of uniquely ornamented icons that set a standard for the subsequent masters. In Samtskhe, this tradition continued in the following centuries as well. In Akhaltsikhe Rabati (old town) cop- persmiths and brass-smiths worked together with goldsmiths. 21 suflebis iurisdiqcia damyarda. replaced them with Armenians from Turkey, 1922 wlidan samcxe-javaxeTi sabWo- as well as with a small number of the Russian Ta kavSirSi Semavali saqarTvelos Christian passivist sect called Dukhobors (to- mokavSire respublikis erT-erTi mxa- day many live in Canada). Most of these peo- rea. II msoflio omis dros 1944 wels ple left Georgia for Russia aft er the collapse of sabWoTa reJimis mier aq darCenili the Soviet Union, however. mahmadiani mosaxleoba, romlis na- During the years of the fi rst Democratic wils eTnikuri qarTvelebi _ mesxebi Republic of Georgia (1918-1921), Samtskhe- Seadgendnen, iZulebiT iqna Sua azia- Javakheti was again under the jurisdiction of Si gasaxlebuli. maT adgilas organi- Georgia, and then became one of the Geor- zebulad Camoasaxles zemo imereTisa gian Soviet Republics of the USSR in 1922. da raWis mTiani soflebis mcxovrebni. In 1944 under Stalin, the Islamic population XX saukunis 80-iani wlebidan aq gaCnda remaining in this region, many of whom zemo aWaridan gadmosul ekomigrant- were ethnic Georgians or Meskhs, was de- Ta dasaxlebebic. ported to Central Asia and replaced by forc- ibly removed mountain villagers from the kulturuli memkvidreoba highlands of Imereti and Racha. In the 1980s samcxe-javaxeTs, rogorc saqarTve- Georgians fl eeing natural disasters from the los uZveles istoriul mxares, qar- highlands of Ajara settled here as well. Tuli kulturis akvansac uwodeben. CULTURAL HERITAGE Samtskhe-Javakheti, as the oldest historical region of Georgia, is also known as the cradle of Georgian culture. Th e region is famous for its beautiful churches and monasteries, for- tresses and palaces, schools of goldsmithing and mural painting. According to ancient ac- counts, the great 12th century Georgian poet, Shota Rustaveli, was born in this region. Unique masterpieces of Georgian culture were created here: manuscripts, miniatures, specimens of cloisonné enamel works and chased icons (‘chased’ means the engraving or embossing of metal). tixruli minanqari. saxarebis yda Cloisonné enamel Bible cover

arqeologiuri gaTxrebis Sedegad mopovebuli masalebis nawili (ZiriTadi ma- sala inaxeba saqarTvelos saxelmwifo muzeumis fondSi) daculia axalqalaqisa da axalcixis muzeumebSi. aq aseve warmodgenilia mxarisTvis damaxasiaTebeli yo- fisa da eTnografiis amsaxveli mniSvnelovani masalebi.

A part of the excavated archaeological material is deposited in the Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki Museums, while most is deposited in the Georgian State Museum in Tbilisi. Th e local museums also exhibit materials illustrating the way of life and ethnography of the region

22 aq igeboda ulamazesi eklesia-mo- ARCHAEOLOGY nastrebi, cixe-darbazebi, viTarde- Samtskhe-Javakheti is particularly in- boda oqromWedlobisa da freskuli teresting for its archeology. Monuments mxatvrobis skolebi. arsebobs versia, belonging to every period of human his- rom X II saukunis didi qarTveli poeti tory are found on the Javakheti Plateau at SoTa rusTaveli swored am regionidan 2400 m above the sea level and are approxi- iyo warmoSobiT. mately 5000 years old. Th is region seems to aq iqmneboda qarTuli kulturis have been particularly advanced during the unikaluri nimuSebi: xelnawerebi, mi- Bronze Age (from the middle of IV millen- niatiurebi, tixruli minanqris nimuSe- nium until the middle of I Millennium BC) bi, Weduri xatebi, da sxv. and developed through the medieval period (IX to XV cc). arqeologia samcxe-javaxeTis regioni gansaku- TrebiT sainteresoa arqeologiuri TvalsazrisiT. aq aris gamovlenili kacobriobis istoriis TiTqmis yve- la periodis amsaxveli Zegli. aqedan yvelaze Zveli aRmoCenilia javaxeTis platoze, zR. d-dan 2400 m simaRleze _ 5000 wlis winandeli qvis iaraRebi. garda amisa, es regioni gansakuTrebiT dawinaurebuli Cans brinjaos xanasa (Zv.w. IV aTaswleulis Sua xanebidan Zv. w. I aTaswleulis Sua wlebamde) da gan- viTarebul Sua saukuneebSi (IX_XV ss).

xuroTmoZRvruli Zeglebi qarzameTi. arqitravis qva Architrave stone, Karzameti regioni gamoirCeva Zv. qarTuli xu- roTmoZRvruli Zeglebis simravliT. ARCHITECTURAL MONUMENTS aq mravladaa, rogorc winaqristianu- Th e Samtskhe-Javakheti region is distin- li, aseve qristianuli xanis Zeglebi, guished by numerous architectural monu- eklesiebi da cixe-simagreebi. gansaku- ments and is abundant in pre-Christian and TrebiT STambeWdavia Zv. w. II aTaswleu- Christian architectural monuments, churches lis megaliTuri nagebobebi da menhi- and fortifi cations. Some of the most impres- rebi saroSi, abulSi, SaorSi, WiqianSi sive are the megalithic structures and men- da sxv. hirs of Saro, Abuli, Shaori, Chikiani and many aseve gansakuTrebiT mravalfero- others that date back to II millennium BC. vania qristianuli xanis Zeglebi. ese- Historical monuments of the Christian nia samonastro kompleqsebi _ safara, period are diverse, such as the Sapara Mon- agara, foka, calke mdgari eklesiebi: astery Complex, Agara, and Poka. Churches zarzma, gaveTi, kumurdo da sxv.; cixe- include Zarzma, Gaveti, Kumurdo and oth- simagreebi _ awyuris cixe, oqroscixe, ers; fortifi cations include Atskuri, Okrost- Tmogvis cixe-qalaqi, xerTvisis cixe; sikhe, Tmogvi, Khertvisi; and nearby are the kldeSi nakveTi kompleqsebi _ varZia, famous rock-cut complexes of Vardzia and vanis qvabebi. Vanis Kvabebi.

23 UNDERGROUND SHELTERS - DARNEBI To hide and defend themselves from en- emies, local populations built darnebi – under- ground dwellings and shelters interconnected by a complex system of tunnels. Th ese can be visited in the Baiebi fortress complex, near the village of Tskordza, in the villages of Khiza- bavra, Saro and Toki, in the ancient settlement Vardistsikhe, as well as in the outskirts of the Abuli and Shaori Fortresses. Th e darnebi are particularly well preserved in the village of miwisqveSa samalavi _ darani. Lebisi, in the Vaio Valleys not far from Vardzia. nasoflari vardiscixe Underground shelter, called darani, Vardistsikhe settlement FOLK ARCHITECTURE Numerous architectural monuments and miwisqveSa samalavebi - darnebi household artefacts from the past have been mtrisagan Tavis dasacavad adgi- preserved in Meskhetian villages and sites of an- lobrivi mosaxleoba qmnida miwisqve- cient settlements. Some of these are listed below. Sa samalavebs, romelTac darnebi ewo- deboda; isini warmoadgendnen miwisqveSa DARBAZI HOUSE samalav-sacxovrebels, sadac mtris Se- Most dwellings in Samtskhe-Javakheti were mosevis dros, garkveuli drois man- darbazi-type, or earthen, houses. Th e darbazi Zilze Tavs afarebdnen adgilobrivi house had three earth-buried walls; under a soflebis mcxovreblebi. maT hqonda sa- single roof there was a darbazi (central room), a haero arxebi da wyalmomaragebis qse- li. darnebis rTuli sistema (miwisqveSa darbazuli saxli. sof.saro soflis saxiT) gansakuTrebiT Tvalsa- Darbazi house, Saro Village Cinod aris Semonaxuli varZiis zemoT, vaios velebze, sofel lebisSi. aseve Se- saZlebelia miwisqveSa samalavebis naxva sofel wyorZasTan, baiebis cixe-komple- qsSi, sofel saroSi, xizabavrasa da Tok- Si, nasoflar vardiscixeSi, aseve abuli- sa da Saoris nagebobebis SemogarenSi.

xalxuri arqiteqtura mesxeTis soflebma da nasoflarebma dRemde Semogvinaxes uZvelesi yofis amsaxveli mravali arqiteqturuli Ze- gli da sayofacxovrebo nivTi.

darbazuli saxli samcxe-javaxeTSi ZiriTadi sacxovre- beli iyo erdoiani darbazuli tipis an miwuri saxlebi. darbazuli saxli sami

24 samcxe-javaxeTSi Zvel qarTul sasaflaoebze SemorCenilia cxvar-verZebisa da cxenis qandakebebi. qvaSi gamokveTili zoomorfuli qandakebebi saflavis Zegle- bia, sadac asaxulia qarTuli sinamdvilisTvis damaxasiaTebeli mravali elementi.

Statues of rams and horses are found in old Georgian cemeteries in Samtskhe-Javakheti. Th ese zoomorphic fi gurines cut in stone served as tomb stones refl ecting characteristics of the ancient Georgian way of life.

kedliT miwaSi iyo Cafluli. darbazi, boseli, sabZeli, beReli, marani _ erT WerqveS, horizontalurad iyo ganlage- buli. darbazs mravalsafexuriani gum- baTovani gadaxurva hqonda, romelsac gvirgvini ewodeboda. gvirgvini erdoTi mTavrdeboda, romelic, sakvamuric iyo da amavdroulad dRis sinaTlesac ata- rebda. sacxovrebelSive hqondaT furne, verZis zoomorfuli qandakeba. saflavis qva Zoomorphic fi gurines of ram on a tombstone xorbleulis Sesanaxi qviT amoSenebuli sarqveliani ormo, romelic or tonam- cowshed, a hay-loft , a barn and a marani (wine de marcvleuls itevda, aqve iyo ganla- cellar). Its central feature was a pyramidal cu- gebuli qvis sawnaxeli da qvaSi nakveTi pola-shaped, stepped vault (gvirgvini) made of avzi yvelis Sesanaxad. hewn logs and beams on pillars, with a central darbazuli tipis, erdoiani xalxuri opening at the top (erdo). Th is served as both a sacxovreblis naxva dResac SesaZlebe- window and smoke fl ue. Th e house also includ- lia soflebSi _ saroSi, TokSi, bara- ed an oven, or purne, and a granary pit covered leTSi, WobareTSi, zvelSi, nijgorSi, with a stone. Th ese held up to two tons of grain. xizabavraSi, afniaSi, gogaSenSi, udeSi, Th ere was a stone winepress nearby and a sink aralSi, valeSi. sainteresoa e.w. go- chiselled in rock, where cheese was stored. golaZeebisa da berZeniZeebis javaxu- Such houses are still found in villages like Ap- ri darbazi sofel baraleTSi. mesxuri nia, Arali, Baraleti, Chobareti, Dzveli, Gogash- tipis darbazi Tbilisis eTnografiul eni, Khizabavra, Nijgori, Saro, Toki, Ude and muzeumSic aris warmodgenili. Vale. Of special interest is the "Gogoladze" and "Berdzenidze" Javakhetian darbazi in Baraleti. xalxuri medicina A Meskhetian darbazi house can also be seen samcxe-javaxeTSi xalxuri mkurnalo- in the Tbilisi Open-air Ethnographic Museum. bis mdidari tradiciebi arsebobs. ad- gilobrivi mosaxleoba samkurnalod FOLK MEDICINE iyenebda rogorc bunebriv, ise magiur- Folk medicine has had a long tradition religiur saSualebebs. saqarTvelos in Samtskhe-Javakheti. Locals used both swored am regionSi iyenebdnen yvavi- natural and magic-religious cures. Th is is lis acris xalxur meTods, romelsac where the traditional methods to cure small- aq xarisWiraSvilebis sagvareulos war- pox through inoculation were fi rst used by momadgenlebi flobdnen. es gvari maT the Kharischirashvili family. Th ey inherited daavadebis erT-erTi dasaxelebidan their family name because the disease, "Kha- miiRes. `xaris Wiri~ yvavilis erT-er- ris Chiri" (oxen plague) in Georgian is one of Ti sinonimia da am gvaris etimologiac the synonyms for smallpox. swored am saxelwodebas ukavSirdeba. 25 dResaswaulebi FOLK FESTIVALS regionis mosaxleoba dRemde aRniS- Many folk, religious and secular festivals navs mraval saxalxo, religiur da sa- and holidays are celebrated in this region, ero dResaswauls, romlebic gamoCeni- associated with the names of outstanding li pirebis saxelebTan da adgilobriv people and local traditions: tradiciebTan aris dakavSirebuli.

SoTaoba saxalxo dResaswauli (mas aseve “po- eziis dResaswaulsac~ uwodeben). imarTeba yovelwliurad sofel rusTavSi (aspinZis municipalite- ti) oqtombris TveSi. es dResaswauli didi qarTveli poetis SoTa rusTave- lis saxels ukavSirdeba, romelic, sa- varaudod, warmoSobiT swored am so- flidan iyo.

Salva axalcixelis xsenebis dRe, q. axalcixe varZioba Shalva Akhaltsikheli commemoration day, Akhalt- 28 agvistos, RvTismSoblis miZinebis sikhe town dRes, aq Tavs iyris samxreT saqarTve- SHOTAOBA los mosaxleoba. TiToeuli sofeli - A folk festival also known as the Festival Tu sanaTesavo calke sufras Slis, of Poetry is held annually in October, in the dResaswauli “varZioba~ iwyeba RamiT, village of (Aspindza municipality) 27 agvistos. to celebrate the great Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli who, presumably, was born in this safaroba village. imarTeba safaris samonastro kom- pleqsSi 28 agvistos RvTismSoblobis VARDZIOBA dRes, agreTve 18 dekembers wm. sabas - Celebrated on 28 August, the Virgin xsenebis dRes. Mary’s Assumption. It brings people of South Georgia together from diff erent villag- es and towns. Each village or related villagers celebrate the festival by laying a festive table (supra). Celebration of the festival begins on the night of 27 August.

SAPAROBA - Celebrated in the Sapara Monastery on 28 August, also celebrates the Virgin Mary’s Assumption. Saparoba is also celebrated on 18 December on the Feast Day of St. Saba.

BERIKAOBA festivali axalcixeSi - Celebrated during a "Cheese Week" in Festival in Akhaltsikhe the town of Vale, this ancient pagan folk fes- tival celebrates fertility and rebirth. Wearing 26 berikaoba various masks and clothes people are imitat- yvelieris kviraSi q. valeSi imarTeba ing animals and diff erent images. berikaoba, bunebis aRorZinebisa da na- yofierebis uZvelesi qarTuli Teatra- BEROBANA lizebuli dResaswauli. dResaswauls - Has been celebrated in the old Meskhetian mosaxleoba cxovelisa da adamianis ga- villages of Arali and Ude since XVII c. Th e fes- momsaxveli nairferovani niRbebiTa da tival starts a week before Eastern Lent and con- tansacmliT morTuli aRniSnavs. tinues for a week. Wrestling, arm-wrestling, dance and song competitions are held in the berobana villages. A special ritual event Berobana takes XVII s-is dasawyisidan Zvel mesxur place on Sunday, involving 90-100 people. soflebSi aralsa da udeSi imarTeba. dResaswauli aRdgomis marxvis dawye- ANTIMOZOBA bamde erTi kviriT adre iwyeba da mTel - Held on 26 June every year in the village kviras grZeldeba. soflebSi tardeba of Ude to commemorate the outstanding Sejibri WidaobaSi, mklavWidSi, cekva- ecclesiastic and secular fi gure Antimoz Iveri- sa da simReraSi. kvira dRes imarTeba eli1. Th e festival was founded in 2005 at the gansakuTrebuli saritualo RonisZie- initiative of the Romanian Embassy as mate- ba “berobana~, romelSic 90_100 kaci rials obtained in Romania showed that An- monawileobs. timoz Iverieli had been born in Ude village.

anTimozoba SHUAMTOBA imarTeba yoveli wlis 26 ivniss so- - An ancient Georgian festival held ev- fel udeSi, gamoCenili saeklesio da ery year on the last weekend of July. Persati saero moRvawis anTimoz iverielis (an- Mountain is where locals gather in the sum- dria xurciZe-merabiSvilis) xsovnis mer pastures and hold horse races and other aRsaniSnavad. dResaswauli daarsda sport competitions, dances and entertain- 2005 wels rumineTis saelCos iniciati- ment. A similar celebration takes place every viT, radgan rumineTSi moZiebuli masa- year on the fi rst Saturday of August in the liT dadasturda, rom anTimoz iverie- mountains where Ude and Arali villages are li1 sofel udis mkvidri yofila. located, in summer alpine grasslands near the Goderdzi Pass. People from Adigeni, Khulo, SuamToba and Shuakhevi municipalities participate. Zveli qarTuli dResaswaulia, rome- lic yoveli wlis ivlisis Tvis bolo ZARZMOBA SabaT-kviras imarTeba, fersaTis mTa- - A traditional religious festival held every ze sazafxulo saZovrebze myofi mo- year on 11 November in the village of Zar- saxleobis monawileobiT. “SuamTobi- zma on the Memorial Day for the ecclesiastic sas~ imarTeba Sejibri cxeniT jiriTSi fi gure Serapion Zarzmeli. Aft er a religious da sportis sxva saxeobebSi, sruldeba service in the Zarzma monastery amateur cekvebi, simRerebi da sxva saxis gasar- performances are held on a stage near the

1 anTimoz (anTim) iverieli _ 1650-1716. mwignobari, mestambe, ganmanaTlebeli, poli- tikuri da saeklesio moRvawe. 1708 wels vlaxeTis (rumineTi) mitropoliti. warmoSo- biT qarTveli. didia anTimoz iverielis Rvawli qarTuli stambis daarsebaSi.

1 Antimoz Iverieli - 1650-1716. Bibliophile, publisher, enlightener, political and religious fi gure. In 1708 appointed as a Metrolpolitan in Walachia, Romania. Georgian by origin, made a great contribution in establishing of printing-house in Georgia. 27 Tobi RonisZiebebi. monastery, along with exhibitions and fairs analogiuri saxis dResaswauli imar- that sell local farm products and handicraft s. Teba soflebis udisa da aralis mTebSi, goderZis uReltexilTan mimdebare sa- SHALVA AKHALTSIKHELI zafxulo ialaRebze myofi mosaxleobis COMMEMORATION DAY mier yoveli wlis agvistos Tvis pirvel - Th e day of the blessing by the Georgian SabaTs. aRniSnul RonisZiebebSi monawi- Patriarchate of the Georgian military leader, leobs adigenis, xulos da Suaxevis mu- Shalva Akhaltsikheli, is celebrated each year nicipalitetebis mosaxleoba. on 30 June in the town of Akhaltsikhe in the Akhaltsikhe Rabati (historical old town). zarzmoba saxalxo-religiuri dResaswaulia ELIOBA da yoveli wlis 11 noembers, saekle- - A festival celebrated every year on Au- sio moRvawis serapion zarzmelis xse- gust 2, in the village of Andriatsminda on Mt nebis dRes imarTeba sof. zarzmaSi. Elia as a token of gratitude for the harvest. zarzmis monasterSi wirvis Semdeg mo- saxleoba monastris siaxloves mowyo- JIVANOBA bil scenaze warmoadgens mxatvrul - A festival established in XX century by TviTSemoqmedebas. aseve ewyoba gamo- the local Armenian population and held on fenebi, warmodgenilia soflis meur- the fi rst Saturday or Sunday of July on Lake neobis produqtebi da mesxuri xalxu- Kartsakhi in the . ri rewvis nimuSebi. Th is is when artists, writers, poets and folk- lore specialists gather to celebrate and recog- Salva axalcixelis xsenebis dRe nize their work. qarTveli mxedarTmTavris – Salva axalcixelis saqarTvelos sapatriar- NINOOBA, or ST. NINO’S DAY qos mier wmindanad aRiarebis dRe aRi- A holiday dedicated to Saint Nino’s arrival niSneba q. axalcixeSi yoveli wlis 30 from Cappadocia to Georgia, celebrated on 1 ivniss. dResaswauli imarTeba axal- June in Poka Village by church offi cials and cixis Zveli cixis teritoriaze rabaT- parish members. Orthodox Christian bap- Si (istoriuli ubani q. axalcixeSi). tism ceremony takes place in Paravani Lake. elioba TRADITIONS AND LEGENDS aRiniSneba yoveli wlis 2 agvistos, Traditions are still alive in the region’s villag- sof. andriawmindaSi, elias mTaze mo- es in the form of old tales and legends of water savlis miRebisaTvis madlierebis niS- deities and "wood men". In the Vardzia Cave nad. Monastery, there is a spring known as Tamar’s Water where a stream trickles from the rock “jivanoba~ into a basin. Th is spring is considered holy, and XX saukunis adgilobrivi somexi according to legend, wishes conceived when mosaxleobis mier dawesebuli dRe- drinking this water will be granted. saswauli. aRiniSneba axalqalaqis mu- nicipalitetSi karwaxis tbaze, sadac ikribebian xelovani adamianebi (mwer- lebi, poetebi, msaxiobebi, folklo- ristebi da sxv.) yoveli wlis ivlisis pirvel SabaTs an kviras da awyoben sa- dResaswaulo_SemecnebiTs saRamos. aseve, gazafxulobiT axalqalaqSi aR- niSnaven gazafxulis dResaswauls. yo- veli dResaswauli mTavrdeba ojaxebSi wveulebiTa da sufraze mipatiJebiT.

ninooba pirvel ivniss sofel fokaSi aRiniS- adgilobrivi dResaswauli. q. axalcixe neba wminda ninos Semosvlis dRe. ni- Local festival stand in the town of Akhaltsikhe noobas eswrebian saqarTvelos wminda sinodis mRvdelmTavrebi, sasuliero THE LEGEND OF PARAVANI LAKE pirebi da mrevli. faravnis tbaSi tar- Th e plot of the Georgian poem "Th e Lad deba naTloba. from Tavparavani" tells of a youth who wad- ed across a wide lake every night to meet his gadmocemebi da legendebi beloved, and is similar to other legends of eTnografiuli yofis xsovna cocx- deities who perished for the love of a god- lobs regionis soflebSi, sadac xa- dess. Th e maid lights a candle that serves as a lxis mexsierebaSi Semonaxulia Zveli beacon for the lad, but an evil crone plots the zRaprebi, gadmocemebi wylis RvTaebe- young man’s destruction and extinguishes bze da tyiskacebze. the candle. Th e youth is led astray, and the varZiis kompleqsis centrSi `Tama- waters drown him. ris wylis~ saxeliT cnobili wyaroa. wyali kldidan Jonavs da auzSi gro- ETHNOLOGICAL HERITAGE vdeba. igi wminda wyarod iTvleba da, AND FARMING gadmocemis Tanaxmad, am wylis dalevis Great Meskheti was an economically devel- dros Cafiqrebuli survilebi aucile- oped region. It was also known as the granary blad asruldeba. of Georgia since it was the country’s main supplier of wheat, fl ax, and legumes, while the locally produced apple and wine were ninooba. sof.foka exported abroad. Today, the region’s princi- Ninooba, St. Nino’s Day in Poka Village pal agricultural branches are grain, potato

29 faravnis tbis legenda and fruit growing, cattle breeding, beekeep- qarTuli xalxuri leqsis siuJeti - ing; vineyards and winemaking - on a limited `Tavfaravneli Wabuki~, romelsac yo- scale. Cereals cultivated here include wheat, vel Rame satrfosTan Sesaxvedrad tba barley, oats, maize and fl ax. Th e infl uence of unda gadaecura, qalRmerTis siyvaru- Samtskhe-Javakheti’s multicultural history re- lis gamo daRupuli RvTaebebis legen- mains evident in its foods. debs uaxlovdeba. qalwuli anTebul Legumes currently cultivated include har- sanTels tovebs napirze, raTa Wabuks icot bean, fava-bean, chickpea, grass pea and gza miaswavlos, magram boroti de- lentil; also potatoes are a well-known crop in dabris SelocviT sanTeli qariSxlis the region. In addition to livestock breeding, dros qreba. Wabuki ver agnebs napirs dairy products have been developed. Milk is da iRupeba. used for such cheeses as guda (sheep cheese), chechili (a brined string cow cheese) and te- eTnologiuri memkvidreoba nili which is a mixed sulguni (mozzarella- da meurneoba type cheese) and cream. didi mesxeTi ekonomikurad ganviTa- Local wheat species – Akhaltsikhe Tsiteli rebul regions warmoadgenda, mas sa- Doli and Javakhetian Dika – are critically qarTvelos puris beRelsac uwodebd- endangered, although there is an increased nen, aq warmoebuli xorbliT, seliT, interest in these species locally as they have parkosnebiT mTeli qveyana maragdebo- exceptional taste and resistance to severe cli- da, xolo vaSli da Rvino ucxoeTSic matic conditions. gahqondaT. dResdReobiT regionSi so- Samtskhe-Javakheti is known for dishes flis meurneobis ZiriTadi dargebia using local cereal crops. A purne (bread mekartofileoba, memarcvleoba, mexi- oven) holds a special place in Samtskhe- leoba, mecxoveleoba, mefutkreoba, Javakheti homes and is used to bake a va- mcired aris SemorCenili mevenaxeo- riety of breads including lavashi (a soft , ba. marcvleuli kulturebidan iTeseba paper-thin fl atbread), shoti (Meskhetian xorbali, qeri, Svria, simindi, zeTovani holed bread), kakala (round bread made by kulturebidan _ seli. dividing the dough into round pieces and xorblis adgilobrivi jiSebi - cooking them on a thick stone), and somin axalcixuri wiTeli doli da javaxe- (somun in Turkish is bread baked on a mod- Tis dika gadaSenebis piras aris misu- erate fi re and noted for keeping its freshness li, Tumca bolo periodSi SeimCneva adgilobrivi mosaxleobis daintere- seba xorblis adgilobrivi jiSebiT, rac am xorblebis gansakuTrebuli ge- movnuri TvisebebiT da mZime bunebri- vi da klimaturi pirobebis mimarT md- gradobiT aris ganpirobebuli. parkosani kulturebidan dResac Tesaven lobios, cercvs, muxudos, culispiras, osps. regionSi kargad aris ganviTarebuli mekartofileoba. mecxoveleobidan wamyvania msxvilfexa da wvrilfexa pirutyvis moSeneba. adgilobrivi mosaxleoba rZisagan tenili yveli Tenili cheese

30 amzadebs yvelis nairsaxeobas: gudis longer). Dough was also used in cooking yvels, CeCils, tenils da sxv. other local dishes such as tatarberagi which samcxe-javaxeTi odiTganve ganTqmu- is a fl attened dough shaped like a butterfl y li iyo pureuli kerZebis mraval- and boiled in salty water, eaten with the ad- saxeobiT, adgilobrivi mosaxleoba dition of matsoni (yogurt), garlic, and onion marcvleulidan amzadebs sxvadasxva roasted in melted butter; bishi and fatirbishi adgilobriv sakvebs, mag., xorblisagan (dough fried in oil or cooked in melted but- acxoben sxvadasxva saxis purs, furnes ter); lukhumi (round pieces of souffl é-like samcxe-javaxeTSi gansakuTrebuli ad- paste roasted in oil or melted butter); katmar, gili eWira, furneSi TanmimdevrobiT a fi ve-layer rolled butter pastry similar to cxveboda _ didi lavaSi, SoTi (mesxu- Georgian kada; sironi, which are Meskhetian ri gaxvretili puri), kakala (mrgva- noodles eaten with matsoni. Another dough- li, nazuqis sididis puri), bolos ki, based food is home-made macaroni, called didxans, nel cecxlze cxveboda somi- erishta and makarlama. ni, romelic sxva purebisgan gansxvave- A traditional Meskhetian dish is khinkali, biT ufro didxans inaxeboda. comeulisagan aseve amzadebdnen sxvadasxva saxis kerZebs, mag.: TaTar- berags (gabrtyelebuli comi, romel- sac peplebis formas aZleven, xarSaven marilian mduRare wyalSi, amoRebis Semdeg umateben mawons, niors, erboSi Semwvar xaxvs), biSs, faTirbiSs (zeTSi an erboSi wvaven coms), luxums (zeT- Si an erboSi wvaven haerovan, mrgva- li formis comis masas), yaTmars (5 fena coms amzadeben, fenebs Sua er- bos usvamen, kideebs kraven da Rumel- Si acxoben), sirons (sajze gamomcxvar, mesxuri furne gauRvivebel, Txeli comis fenas (uxas) Meskhetian purne or bread oven

mesxuri furne aguris an qvis nagebobaa. Signidan aqvs brtyeli zedapiri, ro- melic Sekrulia TaRiT. wina mxares mdebare comis Sesadebi Wrili ixureba rki- nis sagangebo firfitiT. iqvea CiraluRi (sanaTuri), saidanac ideba SeSa. xolo odnav zemoT moTavsebulia patara Riad datovebuli sahaero (sundo), romelic qviT ixureba da uzrunvelyofs puris Tanabrad cxobas. Tavidan SeSas awyoben furnis centrSi, roca kargad Caiwveba, nakvercxali iSleba mTlian zedapirze, Semdeg zedapiri sruliad Tavisufldeba nakvercxlisagan da iwmindeba sagvela- Ti (joxze daxveuli sveli tilos naWeri). comis gunda furneSi SeaqvT specialu- ri xis niCbiT.

A Meskhetian purne (bread oven) is constructed of brick or stone. Th e inside surface is fl at and the oven’s roof is vaulted. Th e front opening, through which the dough is placed in the oven, closes with an iron plate. Wood is fed to the fi re from the front. First, fi rewood is placed in the centre of the oven and burnt to ashes which are raked out. Th e surface is cleaned with a wet rag on a stick then the ball of dough is inserted with a long-handled wooden spatula. 31 gadaaxveven da rgolebad daWrian, rgolebs brtylad Caawyoben tafaSi, zemodan moasxamen mawons da gamdnar erbos, cota xans aCereben Tbilad). comisgan aseve amzadeben eriStas (viwro, zolebismagvar naWrebad da- Wril, furneSi gamomSral coms daasxa- men mduRare wyals, gadawuraven, zemo- dan moasxamen gamdnar erbos da mawons) da makarlamas (moxarSuli comis naWre- bs kargad gadawuraven, ayrian erboSi moxrakul xaxvs da gaxexil yvels). mesxeTSi tradiciulad mzaddeboda batis xorcis xinkali, romlis mosamza- deblad batis apoxts (gamomSrali xorci) iyenebdnen, Seazavebdnen mxolod pilpi- liT da momcro zomis xinkals axvevdnen, romelic orTqlze ixarSeboda. TuTisagan xdian arays, amzadeben TuTis nayofi. aspinZa Mulberry tree in Aspindza tylaps, felamuSs, Cirs, baqmazs (Tu- Tis wvenis duRiliT miRebuli tkbili ravioli-like boiled dumplings found all over blanti masa). Georgia, but here stuff ed with apokhti (goose WanWurisgan amzadeben arays, tylaps, meat cured and dried), seasoned with pep- felverdas (WanWuris jemi), Cirs, xolo per and steamed. misi wvenisagan nigvzian CurCxelas. am Mulberry is distilled to make vodka and produqtebis yidva dResac SeiZle- also to make tklapi ("fruit leather"), pelamu- ba varZiisken mimaval gzaze, sofel shi (fruit juice pudding), chiri (dried fruit) nijgorsa da xerTvisSi. and bakmazi (boiled-down mulberry). Vodka mefutkreoba regionis erT-erTi is also made from chanchuri plums while wamyvani dargia. cnobilia aqauri alpu- tklapi, pelverda (jam), chiri, can also be made ri mdeloebis maRali xarisxis Tafli. from these plums and used to create walnut regionSi tradiciulad iTeseboda churchkhelas, a nutritious dried juice product seli da, qsovilTan erTad, mzaddebo- containing walnuts, somewhat resembling da selis zeTi. zeTi aq adreuli pe- candles hung to dry. All these products can riodidan sakulto msaxurebisTvisac gamoiyeneboda. zeTsaxdeli qvebi - ge- lazebi axlac SemorCenilia samcxe-ja- vaxeTis soflebsa da nasoflarebSi. selis kultura dResdReobiT da- viwyebas mieca, mas TiTqmis aRaravin awarmoebs, mxolod ramdenime aTeuli ojaxi Tesavs sels zeTis misaRebad. mesxeTSi dRemdea SemorCenili Zve- saSemodgomo xvna. sof. xeoTi li, adgilobrivi vaSlis jiSebi (Malus Autumn ploughing in Kheoti village domestica), romlebic gansakuTrebuli be bought on the road leading to Vardzia, in gemoTi da surnelebiT gamoirCevian, Nijgori and Khertvisi villages. esenia: TuraSauli, abilauri, Saqarna- Apiculture is common and local honey bada, mefis vaSli, mzis sxivi, msuqana, from the fl owers of alpine meadows is well- rakraka, rZevaSli da sxv. known for its quality and taste. regionSi mopovebuli arqeologiu- Ancient local apple varieties (Malus dome- ri nimuSebi da gaqvavebuli yurZnis stica) distinguished by their special taste and wipwebi saqarTveloSi Rvinis kultu- aroma include turashauli, abilauri, shakarn- ris daaxloebiT 7000 wlis winaT arse- abada, mepis vashli, mzis skhivi, msukana, bobas adasturebs. rakraka, rdzevashli, and others still grown in `...mesxebi marjve miwis muSe- Meskheti. bi arian da iq bevri venaxic aris~, _ Archaeological fi nds in the region include mogviTxrobs bizantieli istorikosi grape seeds. Th is testifi es to well-developed prokopi kesarieli (VI s). winemaking practices in Georgia as long as mevenaxeoba-meRvineobas didi mesxe- 7,000 years ago. "...Meskhetians are skilful farm- Tis yofaSi gansakuTrebuli adgili ers and the locality abounds in vineyards", states ekava, amas adasturebs kldeSi nakve- the Byzantine historian Procopius of Caesarea Ti marnebi, qvisagan gamokveTili (VI c). Tending vineyards and winemaking held sawnaxlebi, vazis mesxuri jiSebi. ja- a special place in Great Meskheti where we still vaxeTSi dRemde mravladaa SemorCeni- fi nd marani, or wine cellars in caves, stone wine- li qvisgan nagebi terasebi, romlebic presses, and local grape varieties. Ancient stone samcxe-javaxeTSi odiTganve gamoiyene- terraces were used in Javakheti to combat soil boda niadagis eroziis SesaCereblad, erosion, and these permitted the inhabitants to Zvelad venaxi da xexilis baRebi swo- cultivate vineyards and orchards. red aseT terasebze iyo gaSenebuli. ELKANA’S DEMONSTRATION `elkanas~ sacdel-sademonstra- PLOT IN TSNISI VILLAGE cio nakveTi sofel wnisSi Samtskhe-Javakheti is a region unique samcxe-javaxeTi erT-erTi unika- for its diversity of cultivated plants. For this luri regionia kulturul mcenare- reason, Elkana chose to make demonstration Ta biomravalferovnebis Tvalsazri- plots here to collect and save the region’s cul- siT. swored amitom Seiqmna `elkanas~ tural plants and old species. sacdel-sademonstracio nakveTi am Elkana’s demonstration plot is located near regionSi. am nakveTis Seqmnis mizania the Akhaltsikhe-Tbilisi Highway in the village of Tsnisi, six km from Akhaltsikhe. Th e plot terasebi. axalcixis municipaliteti specializes in indigenous varieties of cereals Terraces, Akhaltsikhe municipality and legumes, fruit and vine. Visitors can see 33 regionSi SemorCenili kulturuli grain crops sown in the region by local farmers mcenareebis Sekreba, nakveTebze gan- since ancient times and taste the aromatic breads Tavseba, gamravleba da popularizacia. baked with fl our from Akhaltsikhuri (Meskhe- asociacia “elkanas~ sacdel-sade- tian) Tsiteli Doli (Triticum aestivum var. ferugine- monstracio nakveTi axalcixe-Tbili- um), Javakheti Dika (Triticum carthlicum var. sis gzatkecilTan, axalcixidan 6 km-is rubiginosum), naked barley Kershveli (Hordeum daSorebiT, sofel wnisSi mdebareobs. vulgare var. nudum) and Georgian durum wheat, nakveTze iTeseba da mravldeba marcvlovani da parkosani kulturebis, xexilisa da vazis adgilobrivi jiSebi. aq mosul stumars saSualeba eZleva sakuTari TvaliT ixilos is marcvlovnebi, romelTac odiTganve Tesavda qarTveli glexi da maTi fqvi- lisagan gemriel da surnelovan purs acxobda, aseTebia: axalcixuri wiTeli doli (Triticum aestivum var. ferrugineum), javaxeTis dika (Triticum carthlicum var. rubiginosum), qerSveli (Hordeum vulgare var. nudum), Savfxa (Triticum durum var. apulicum). “elkanas” sacdel-sademonstracio saqarTveloSi odiTganve gavrce- nakveTi. sof. wnisi Elkana’s demonstration plot, Tsnisi village lebuli parkosnebi, romlebic dRes lobiom Caanacvla, swored `elkanas~ sacdel nakveTze iqna aRdgenili da Shavpkha (Triticum durum var. apulicum). gamravlebuli, aq iTeseba muxudo Legumes formerly cultivated in Georgia (Cicer arietinum), cercvi (Vicia faba), cu- have been replaced by haricot beans, yet in lispira (Lathyrus sativus), ospi (Lens cu- this region ancient varieties of legumes have linaris), ZaZa (Vigna unguiculata), am parko- been preserved and can be found on the plot snebisagan mzaddeba gemrieli kerZebi: of Tsnisi and are now available in Georgian cercvis bakla, muxudos sisiri, culi- supermarkets. Th ese include chickpea (Cicer spiras SeWamandi da sxv. am kulture- arietinum), fava beans (Vicia faba), grass peas bis SeZena msurvelebs ukve SeuZliaT (Lathyrus sativus), lentils (Lens culinaris) and supermarketebSi. cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata). Delicious dishes zeTovani kultura seli (Linum usita- include the fava bean bakla, chickpea sisiri (a tissimum), romelic regionSi saukunee- gruel), grass pea meal and others. bis manZilze didi raodenobiT iTese- Flax was traditionally grown in the region boda, dResdReobiT gadaSenebis piras for producing linen and for oil, sometimes used aris misuli, aq `elkanas~ nakveTze during religious services. Ancient oil millstones SeiZleba rogorc selis naTesis naxva, or gelazi are still found in some villages and sites aseve misgan gamowuruli zeTis dage- of ancient settlements in Samtskhe-Javakheti. movneba. Flax growing has almost disappeared yet a few samcxe-javaxeTi mdidaria xexilisa da families still grow it for oil. Th e oil-bearing fl ax vazis adgilobrivi jiSebiT. plant (Linum usitatissimum) is rare today but damatebiTi informaciisaTvis mimar- visitors can fi nd this crop growing and taste the TeT asociacia `elkanas~ regionalur nutritious oil from locally grown fl ax in the El-

34 ofiss samcxe-javaxeTis regionSi. kana plot. misamarTi: qalaqi axalcixe, Salva Samtskhe-Javakheti is rich in local variet- axalcixelis #9. tel: +995 790 50 67 76, ies of fruit, including grapes. +995 365 22 02 46 For additional information contact Elka- el. fosta: [email protected]; na’s regional offi ce in Samtskhe-Javakheti at: vebgverdi: www.elkana.org.ge 9 Shalva Akhaltsikheli St., Akhaltsikhe. Tel: +995 790 50 67 76, +995 365 22 02 46; rogor movxvdeT regionSi [email protected]; www.elkana.org.ge. dedaqalaqidan regionSi moxvedra SesaZlebelia sami gziT: GETTING TO THE REGION • Tbilisi - manglisi - walka - ni- Th ere are three main roads to the region nowminda - axalqalaqi: 187 km. from Tbilisi: • Tbilisi - xaSuri - borjomi - • Tbilisi – Manglisi – Tsalka – Ninots- axalcixe - axalqalaqi: 290 km. minda – Akhalkalaki: 187 km. • Tbilisi - xaSuri - borjomi - • Tbilisi – Khashuri – Borjomi – bakuriani - tabawyuri - axalqala- Akhaltsikhe – Akhalkalaki: 290 km. qi: 250 km. (mxolod maRali gamav- • Tbilisi – Khashuri – Borjomi – Bakuri- lobis manqaniT). ani – Tabatskuri -Akhalkalaki: 250 km regionSi gamgzavreba SesaZlebelia (only by 4x4 vehicle). sazogadoebrivi transportiT (mikroa- Public transport connects (minibus, bus, vtobusi, avtobusi, matarebeli, taqsi) train, taxi) all large towns of Georgia with saqarTvelos nebismieri didi qalaqidan. the region. mikroavtobusebi Tbilisidan yo- Minibuses leave Tbilisi for Borjomi, Ba- vel naxevar saaTSi gadian borjomis, kuriani, Aspindza, Akhaltsikhe, Vale, Akhal- bakurianis, aspinZis, axalcixis, vales, kalaki, Ninotsminda, Adigeni, and Abas- axalqalaqis, ninowmindis, adigenisa da tumani every half hour. abasTumnis mimarTulebiT. Train leaves Tbilisi for Borjomi twice per matarebliT SesaZlebelia borjoma- day. mde Casvla. AUTOSTATIONS avtosadgurebi DEDAKALAKI: dedaqalaqi: 2 Tsotne Dadiani St., Tbilisi Tbilisi, cotne dadianis quCa #2 Tel: (+995 32) 2 18 05 67 tel: (+995 32) 2 18 05 67 DIDUBE BUS STATION: didubis avtosadguri: 4 Karaleti St., Tbilisi Tbilisi, karaleTis quCa #4 Tel: (+995 32) 2 34 49 24 tel: (+995 32) 2 34 49 24 First minibus departs at 08:00 AM mikroavtobusis pirveli reisi – di- Fare – GEL 12-16 lis 08.00 saaTze gadis. (depending on distance) bileTis Rirebuleba 12_16 laria (manZilis mixedviT). RAIL TRAVEL Tbilisi Central Railway Station/information matarebeli bureu Tbilisis centraluri rkinigzis 2 Railway Station St. sadguri/cnobaTa biuro Route: Tbilisi-Borjomi 35 vagzlis quCa #2 Departure: every day marSruti: Tbilisi _ borjomi Tel: (+995 32) 2 19 95 95, 2 19 92 92 gasvla: yoveldRiuri www.railway.ge tel: (+995 32) 2 19 95 95, 2 19 92 92 vebgverdi: www.railway.ge Ticket reservation (+995 32) 2 19 90 10 bileTebis dajavSna 24 hour passanger informatin center and ho- tel: (+995 32) 2 19 90 10 tline (+995 32) 13 31 mgzavrobasTan dakavSirebiT nebismie- ri informaciis misaRebad darekeT 24-saaTian sainformacio samsaxuris nomerze (+995 32) 13 31

2012 wlis Tbilisi – borjomis matareblis ganrigi 03.02.12-dan

2012 Schedule of Tbilisi – Borjomi Train from 03.02.12

mimarTuleba gasvla Casvla SeniSvna # Direction Departure Arrival Note

Tbilisi - borjomi yoveldRiuri 618/617 6:40 9:42 Tbilisi - Borjomi Daily

borjomi - Tbilisi yoveldRiuri 618/617 16:40 21:45 Borjomi – Tbilisi Daily

Tbilisi - borjomi yoveldRiuri 686/685 16:40 21:25 Tbilisi - Borjomi Daily

borjomi - Tbilisi yoveldRiuri 686/685 7:00 12:05 Borjomi – Tbilisi Daily

36 axalcixis municipaliteti

safaris samonastro kompleqsi Sapara Monastery

AKHALTSIKHE MUNICIPALITY axalcixis municipaliteti AKHALTSIKHE MUNICIPALITY

IMERETI imereTi SHIDA KARTLI GURIA Sida qarTli guria BORJOMI BORJOMI MUNICIPALITY AKHALTSIKHE ADIGENI MUNICIPALITY borjomis municipaliteti MUNICIPALITY adigenis municipaliteti

ADIGENI

AJARA AKHALTSIKHE aWara axalcixis ASPINDZA AKHALKALAKI MUNICIPALITY municipaliteti axalqalaqis municipaliteti ASPINDZA MUNICIPALITY

aspinZis AKHALKALAKI municipaliteti qvemo qarTli

TURKEY NINOTSMINDA TurqeTi ninowmindis municipaliteti

ARMENIA somxeTi geografiuli mdebareoba GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION axalcixis municipalitets Crdi- Th e Akhaltsikhe Municipality borders loeTiT esazRvreba xaragaulis da those of Kharagauli and Baghdati in the baRdaTis, aRmosavleTiT borjomis north, Borjomi and Aspindza in the east, da aspinZis, xolo dasavleTiT – adi- and Adigeni in the west. Th e southern bor- genis municipalitetebi, regionis sa- der of the region coincides with the Georgia- mxreTis sazRvari emTxveva saqarTve- Turkey border. Th e town of Akhaltsikhe is lo-TurqeTis saxelmwifo sazRvars. the administrative centre of the Samtskhe- qalaqi axalcixe mTeli samcxe-javaxe- Javakheti region, and is built along the banks Tis administraciuli centria. gaSene- of the Potskhovi River. bulia md. focxovis orive napirze. Roads from Armenia and Turkey cross axalcixis municipalitetSi gadis the Akhaltsikhe Municipality, which con- somxeTidan da TurqeTidan momavali nects with the Autonomous Republic of gzebi, municipaliteti aWaris avtono- Ajara by the Goderdzi Pass. Distances: miur respublikas ukavSirdeba goder- • From Tbilisi to Akhaltsikhe via Bor- Zis uReltexiliT. manZili: jomi: 210 km • Tbilisidan axalcixemde borjo- • From : 168 km (via Goderdzi mis gavliT _ 210 km Pass) • baTumidan axalcixemde goderZis • From the Armenian border (Ninots- uReltexilis gavliT _ 168 km minda border crossing point): 89 km • somxeTis sazRvridan (ninowmindis • From the Turkish border (Vale border sasazRvro gamSvebi punqti) axal- crossing point): 18 km

38 cixemde _ 89 km GETTING TO AKHALTSIKHE • TurqeTis sazRvridan (vales sasa- MUNICIPALITY zRvro gamSvebi punqti) axalcixem- By public conveyances (minibuses, buses, de _ 18 km. railway, taxi) from any large town of Georgia.

rogor movxvdeT RAIL TRAVEL gamgzavreba SesaZlebelia sazoga- Autostations and Rail travel page 35-36. doebrivi transportiT (mikroavto- busi, avtobusi, matarebeli, taqsi) sa- NATURAL CONDITIONS qarTvelos nebismieri didi qalaqidan. Th e Akhaltsikhe Municipality is located in a geographic depression which causes a matarebeli lessening of air masses and low precipitation. avtosadgurebi da matareblis gan- Th e climate is dry and there are few signifi - rigi, gv. 35-36. cant temperature fl uctuations observed dur- ing the day. Th e mean annual temperature is bunebrivi pirobebi +9.20C and 19-200 C in summer. axalcixis municipaliteti qvabul- Th e area totals 1,010 km2, of which 40% Si mdebareobs, ris gamoc SemoWrili is cropland. Th e main river fl owing through haeris masebis efeqti Sesustebulia, the municipality is the Mtkvari (Kura) with its naleqi umniSvneloa da hava mSrali. tributaries Potskhovi and Uraveli. Th e ethnic dRe-Ramis ganmavlobaSi ar SeimCneva composition of the municipality is Georgian - temperaturis didi meryeoba. saSualo 60%, Armenian - 39%, other (Russian, Greek, wliuri temperaturaa +9.20C. saSua- Ossetian) - 1%. lo temperatura nuls qvemoT mxolod zamTris TveebSia. zafxulSi saSualo Tviuri temperaturaa +190C. teritoria 1010 kv.km-ia, aqedan 40% sasoflo_sameurneo savargulia. municipalitetSi miedineba mtkvari, romlis mTavari Senakadebia mdinaree- bi focxovi da uraveli. mosaxleobis 60% qarTvelia, 39% _ somexi da 1% _ sxvadasxva erovnebebi (rusebi, berZnebi, osebi).

RirSesaniSnaobebi xmlis gamosaxuleba qvaze. baiebis cixe municipalitetSi mravali saintere- Sword cut in stone, Baiebi Baiebi Fortress so Zeglia, romelTagan, gansakuTre- biT aRsaniSnavia: safaris monasteri, POINTS OF INTEREST enTelis qvakaci (megaliTuri Zegli) Th is municipality off ers many interesting da agaris samonastro kompleqsi, baie- monuments such as the Sapara monastery, bis kldeSi nakveTi cixe, awyuris cixe, Enteli Stoneman (megalithic monument), axalcixis rabaTi (sityva rabaTi ara- Agara Monastery, Baiebi Cave Fortress, buli warmoSobisaa, romelSic igu- Atskuri Fortress, Akhaltsikhe Rabati (rabati lisxmeba cixis mimdebare teritoriaze is of Arabic origin and means a fortifi ed geo- arsebuli gamagrebuli geografiuli graphical point with civil population adjoin-

39 punqti samoqalaqo mosaxleobiT). ra- ing the fortress territory.) Rabati now signifi es baTi qalaqis istoriuli centria, sa- a historical center where the national muse- dac ganTavsebulia erovnuli muzeumi. um is located. regionSi Casuli stumrisTvis ase- Other monuments include the Bieti Temple ve saintereso iqneba Semdegi Zeglebic: ruins, the Ortsepi Fortress, the Tiseli Church bieTis taZris nangrevebi, orcefis and Fortress, Kheoti Church, Tskordza cixe, Tiselis eklesia da cixe-simagre, Church, and St. Th eodore or Ghromi Church. xeoTis eklesia, wyorZis eklesia, Rro- mis wm. Tevdores eklesia. SAPARA MONASTERY Sapara is located 10 km to the southeast safaris samonastro kompleqsi of Akhaltsikhe in a deep gorge surrounded safara axalcixis samxreT-aRmo- by coniferous and deciduous forests. Th ere savleTiT 10 km-ze mdebareobs. axal- is a turning in the town of Akhaltsikhe, cixidan gadasaxvevia sofeli Rrelis which leads to Ghreli village and continues mimarTulebiT da grZeldeba soflis towards the Sapara Monastery. Th e principal gavliT monastramde. igi fiWvisa da building of the complex - St. Saba’s church - foTlovani tyiT garSemortymuli stands on the edge of a cliff facing the gorge. Rrma xeobas gadahyurebs; kompleqsis Th e church is surrounded by other smaller mTavari nageboba - wminda sabas saxelo- churches. Th e Uraveli River valley can be bis taZari swored am xevis piras dgas seen from here, as can the confl uence of the kldovan koncxze. taZars gars ertymis Mtkvari and Potskhovi Rivers and the steep sxva ufro mcire eklesiebi. aqedan aR- rocks of the village of Tsnisi. mosavleTiT moCans mdinare uravelis Sapara – the summer residence of xeoba, ufro moSorebiT ki mdinare fo- Samtskhe rulers, served earlier as a strong- cxovisa da mtkvris Seyris adgili, so- hold, which is evident even today: the old fel wnisTan mdebare cicabo kldeebi. fortress watchtower still stands behind the safara – samcxis aTabagTa reziden- monastery ensemble; one can see the ruins cia – Tavis droze mZlavr simagres of the wall that surrounded and defended warmoadgenda, es dResac igrZnoba, sa- the residence and monastery. Th e Sapara monastro ansamblis ukan axlac dgas ensemble includes several buildings from Zveli cixis godoli, moCans im gala- diff erent epochs. Th e oldest is the Church of vnis nangrevebi, romelic rezidencias the Assumption of Mary, built presumably da monasters gars ertymoda da icavda. in X c. St. Saba’s Church dates back to XIII safaris ansamblSi Sedis sxvadasxva c and was repaired and fully redecorated in epoqis ramdenime nageboba, maT Soris the fi rst half of XIV c according to the will uZvelesia RvTismSoblis miZinebis ta- of the sons of Beka, a Samtskhe Atabagi, Zari, romelic savaraudod X sauku- or "ruler". Although the church murals are neSia agebuli, wminda sabas eklesia damaged, portraits of the Jakeli family mem- ki XIII saukunis Zeglia. eklesia Seake- bers are discernable on the southern wall Tes da mTlianad moxates samcxis aTa- of the church. Th ese include Saba, or Sargis bagis - beqas Svilebis TaosnobiT XIV Atabagi, the church building donor – Beka s-is I naxevarSi. taZris mxatvroba Tum- Mandaturtukhutseli (Chancellor of the Inte- ca dazianebulia, magram samx. kedelze rior) with a miniature church in his hands, kargad ganirCeva jayelTa ojaxis we- and his sons – Sargis II and Kvarkvare. vrebis gamosaxulebebi. aq warmodgeni- During the Russian tsarist rule, the fres- lia saba, anu sargis aTabagi, eklesiis coes were repainted in oil so the original mSenebeli _ beqa mandaturTuxucesi, mural paintings could not be restored. Th e 40 eklesiis modeliT xelSi, da misi va- style is characteristic of Russian painting Jebi _ sargis II da yvaryvare. gadmoce- with stars painted on walls. According to one mis Tanaxmad, XIII-XIV ss-Si samonastro account, in XIII and XIV centuries, the mon- kompleqsSi 12 eklesia da salocavi astery incorporated 12 churches and chapels. Sedioda. dRes kompleqsSi warmodge- Today, the complex includes St. Saba’s church nilia: wminda sabas saxelobis taZari (XIII c), the Church of the Assumption of the (XIII s), mis gverdiT mdgari RvTismSo- Virgin Mary (IX_X c), St. George’s (XIV_XV blis miZinebis eklesia (IX-X ss) da wm. c), a belfry and other small chapels. giorgis eklesia (XIV-XVss), samreklo In the fi rst half of XIII century, the Jakeli da patara samlocveloebi. XIII sauku- – Samtskhe rulers – declared Sapara as their nis pirvel naxevarSi jayelebma - sa- summer residence and as the family burial- mcxis mmarTvelebma, safara TavianT vault. Th is is when St. Saba’s church was rezidenciad da sagvareulo saZvaled erected. In 1988, when monastic life was re- gamoacxades, am periodSi aages safa- newed some murals were restored and today ris mTavari nageboba _ wm. sabas taZa- it is a functioning monastery. ri. 1988 wels kvlav ganaxlda samonas- tro cxovreba, freskebis nawilobrivi aRdgena moxerxda. amJamad aq moqmedi mamaTa monasteria.

agaris samonastro kompleqsi safaris Semdeg uravlis xeoba- Si yvelaze mniSvnelovan Zeglad aga- ris samonastro kompleqsi SeiZleba CaiTvalos, romelic savaraudod X_ XI saukuneebSi unda iyos agebuli. aga- ris monasteri uravlis xeobis boloSi nasoflar enTelis maxloblad mdeba- reobs. axalcixidan aspinZis mimarTu- lebiT pirvelive xidis misasvlelTan agaris samonastro kompleqsi gza miemarTeba marjvniv da auyveba Agara Monastery uravlis xeobas. sofel uravlidan gza grZeldeba tyeSi nasoflar enTelam- AGARA MONASTERY de. Semdeg eSveba Crdilo aRmosavle- Second only to Sapara, the most impor- TiT agaris monastrisaken. monasteri tant monument in the Uraveli Gorge is the tyeSia Cafluli, idumalebiT mosili, Agara Monastery built in X_XI centuries. isea damaluli, rom kargi megzuris ga- Th is monastery is located near the ancient reSe kaci Znelad miagnebs. settlement of Enteli, at the end of the Urav- agaris samonastro kompleqsis mTa- eli gorge. On the Akhaltsikhe-Aspindza vari eklesia erT-erTi udidesi erT- motorway, before reaching the fi rst bridge naviani taZaria saqarTveloSi, igi aft er Akhaltsikhe, there is a turning to the Tlili qviT aris nagebi, Semkulia qar- right leading towards Uraveli village through Tuli ornamentebiT, taZris SigniT the Uraveli gorge. From Uraveli village the SemorCenilia freskuli mxatvroba. road passes through the forest towards the mTavari eklesiis garda, aq ramdenime remains of Enteli village. Aft er, it continues mcire eklesia, samreklo da satrape- to the north-east towards the Agara Monas- zoa, am nagebobaTa umetesi nawili sak- tery. Th is monastery is deep in the forest and 41 maod kargad aris SemorCenili.

enTelis qvakaci (megaliTuri Zegli) mesxeTSi mravlad aris aRmoCeni- li da Seswavlili sakulto Zeglebi, romlebic qristianobamdel periods miekuTvnebian. uravlis xeobis bolo soflis (uravlis) ukan mdebare mTis Tavze odesRac sofeli enTeli yofi- la gaSenebuli, dRes aq mxolod naso- flariRaa, sadac jer kidev dgas ekle- nasoflari enTeli siis nangrevebi, iqve maxloblad dgas Prehistoric settlement sites, Enteli village `enTelis qvakaci~, romelic kargad Se- morCenili megaliTuri Zeglia. shrouded in mystery, so hidden that it can hardly be found without a local guide. baiebis kldeSi nakveTi cixe Th e principal building of the Agara Mon- kldeSi nakveTi cixe sofel wyorZis astery is one of the largest one-nave churches dasavleTiT mdebare Sveuli kldeebis in Georgia, built of hewn stones and deco- kideze mdebareobs. axalcixidan aspin- rated with Georgian ornamental patterns. Zis mimarTulebiT zemoxsenebuli xidis Th e frescoes have been preserved within the misasvlelTan gza miemarTeba da grZel- church. Th ere are several smaller churches as deba uravlis xeobaSi. Semdeg sofel well, a belfry and a refectory. Most of these wyorZidan dasavleTiT miemarTeba baie- buildings have been well preserved. bis cixemde. erT-erTi gadmocemiT, am kompleqsis agebas aqaurebi baiaSvilebs ENTELI STONEMAN miaweren amitomac mas mosaxleoba `baie- (megalithic monument) bs~ eZaxis. kompleqsi kargad dacul saxi- Many pre-Christian cult monuments have zar (TavSesafar) nagebobas warmoadgens, been discovered and studied in Meskheti. It is romelic galavniT aris SemozRuduli, said that at the end of Uraveli Gorge, on the Sesvla mxolod qvis mcire karibWiT Sei- top of a mountain behind the village of Urav- Zleba. galavnis SigniT dRemde Semor- eli, there once was a village called Enteli. Th is Cenilia ori mcire darbazuli eklesia; site today only has the remains of a church isini TiTqmis kldeSi arian Sedgmuli. and nearby a well-preserved megalithic mon- eklesiis gverdiT qviskariani daranis ument called the "Enteli Stoneman". Sesasvlelia, aseTi samalavebi sakmaod xSirad gvxvdeba samcxe-javaxeTSi.maT mo- baiebis kldeSi nakveTi cixe saxleoba mtrisagan Tavis dasacavad iye- Rock-cut Baiebi Fortress

42 nebda. Zegli savaraudod XII_XIII saukune- BAIEBI ROCK-CUT FORTRESS biT TariRdeba. Th e Baiebi rock-cut fortress stands on a cliff west of the village of Tskordza and dates back awyuris cixe to XII_ XIII centuries. On the Akhaltsikhe- cixesimagre mtkvris marjvena mxares Aspindza motorway, before reaching the fi rst axalcixisken mimaval gzaze mdebare- bridge aft er Akhaltsikhe, there is a turning to obs. borjom-axalcixis gzaze, sofel the right leading through the Uraveli gorge. awyurTan, gza xelmarcxniv, samxreT- Aft er reaching Tskordza village the road con- aRmosavleTis mimarTulebiT, gadakve- tinues in a westward direction to the Baiebi Tavs matareblis liandags da gadadis fortress. According to legend it was built by md.mtkvris xidze. SemorCenili nangre- the Baiashvili family, from which the name vebidanac Cans, rom cixes sakmaod didi "Baiebi" originates. Th e complex served as a farTobi eWira, istoriul wyaroebSi shelter (sakhizari) made up of a stronghold awyuri pirvelad XI saukuneSia moxse- protected with a wall that could be entered niebuli. cixe mTaze imgvarad aris age- only through a small stone gate. Two small buli rom mis gverdiT gamaval gzas da hall-churches, which look as if they protrude mdinares gadmohyurebs. awyuris mSe- from the rock, have been preserved inside the neblebma gamoiyenes maRali kldis re- stronghold. Near the church is a stone gate liefi da Seqmnes Zlieri safortifika- leading to a darani. cio nageboba, romelic dResdReobiT nawilobriv dangreulia, Tumca mnaxve- ATSKURI FORTRESS lis yuradRebas danaxvisTanave ipyro- Th is stronghold is located on the right bs. awyuris cixis maxloblad RvTismSo- bank of the Mtkvari River on the road leading blis gumbaTovani taZari idga, romlis to Akhaltsikhe. On the Borjomi-Akhaltsikhe mxolod naSTebia SemorCenili. awyur- motorway, near Atskuri village, there is a Si moRvaweobdnen mwignobrebi da kali- turning to the left which leads to the south- grafebi: giorgi mawyvereli (IX-X ss), east. Aft er crossing a railway track the road gabriel kotai (XI s), ioakime mawyvere- continues along the bridge over the Mtkvari li (XVI s) da ieremia mawyvereli (XVI s). River. Th e preserved ruins show that the fortress occupied a wide area. Th e fi rst men- axalcixe, rabaTi, samcxe-javaxe- tion of this fortress is found in XI c Georgian Tis ivane javaxiSvilis saxelobis chronicles. Th e mountain fortress faces the istoriis muzeumi nearby road and river. Th e Atskuri builders axalcixe saqarTvelos erT-erTi uZve- lesi qalaqia, istoriul werilobiT wya- roebSi XII saukunidan ixsenieba. mdinare focxovi qalaqs or nawilad yofs. Zveli nawili – rabaTi mdinaris marcxena na- pirzea, axali qalaqi – marjvenaze. mo- saxleoba 18.500 kacs Seadgens. qalaqis siZveleTagan aRsaniSnavia rabaTSi mdebare Zveli cixe, romelic samcxeSi osmalTa batonobis period-

axalcixis mflobelTa yofili cixe- sasaxle. istoriis muzeumi Fortress and palace of the Akhaltsikhe rulers, History Museum

43 meCeTi. istoriis muzeumi Mosque, History Museum

made good use of a high rock terrain to make a strong fortifi cation and although today it is partly destroyed, it still attracts many visitors. Not far from this fortress are the remains of a cupola Church of Our Lady. Atskuri was famous for its scribes and calligraphers such as Giorgi Matskvereli (IX_X c), Gabriel Kotai (XI c), Ioakime Matskvereli (XVI c), and Jer- emiah Matskvereli (XVI c.).

AKHALTSIKHE, RABATI, IVANE JA- VAKHISHVILI SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI HISTORY MUSEUM Sia aRdgenili. axalcixis Semogaren- Akhaltsikhe is one of the oldest Georgian Si Sua saukuneebis qarTuli kulturis townes mentioned in XII c Georgian Chron- bevri mniSvnelovani Zegli mdebareobs. icles. Th e Potskhovi River divides the town axalcixeSi gadioda mniSvnelova- in two. Th e old part, Rabati, lies on the left ni saqaravno gzebi, ramac mosaxleobis bank; the new town occupies its right bank. eTnikuri mravalferovneba ganapiro- Th e urban population totals 18,500. ba. saukuneebis manZilze axalcixeSi Important caravan routes crossed through sxvadasxva aRmsareblobis mosaxleoba Akhaltsikhe bringing a uniquely diverse eth- mSvidobianad cxovrobda erTmaneTis nic composition to the urban population. mezoblad. qalaqSi amJamadac arsebobs For centuries groups of diff erent faiths lived rogorc qristianuli eklesiebi, aseve and worked peacefully in Akhaltsikhe and to sinagoga, meCeTi da medrese. this day a synagogue, a mosque, and a ma- istoriuli mniSvnelobis Zeglebidan drasah can still be found in the town. aRsaniSnavia: axalcixis mflobelTa yo- Noteworthy monuments include the for- fili cixe-sasaxle, Zveli abano, wminda mer fortress and palace of the Akhaltsikhe marines eklesia. rabaTSi mdebareobs iv. rulers, the old baths, St. Marine’s Church and javaxiSvilis saxelobis samcxe-javaxe- the Ivane Javakhishvili Samtskhe-Javakheti Tis istoriis muzeumi. muzeumis Seno- History Museum located inside the fortress bas gars artyia galavani, 1747 - 1752 ww. and palace. Nearby there is a mosque built aSenebuli meCeTi da musulmanuri sko- in 1747 – 1752 - now used as a museum, and lis medresis nangrevebi. the ruins of the former madrasah – a Muslim istoriuli muzeumis saqmianoba sa- educational institution. Taves XIX s-is 80-ian wlebSi iRebs, Th e museum has a long history of activity roca `vinme mesxis~ saxeliT, gamoCeni- beginning in the 1880s when an outstand- li sazogado moRvawe ivane gvaramaZe ing public fi gure, Ivane Gvaramadze, created Tavisive xeliT Segrovili eqsponate- a family museum with exhibits he had col- biT awyobs saojaxo muzeums. swored lected, on behalf of "a certain Meskhetian". am masalebis safuZvelze 1921 wels Th is was the beginning of the mazra (town) daarsda samazro muzeumi, xolo 1937 museum created in 1921, renovated in 1937 wels gadakeTda adgilobriv muzeumad, to become a local museum. It received the

44 romelmac memkvidreobiT miiRo `Zveli "old archives" (the museum collection from arqivi~ (muzeumis masala). the original museum). dReisaTvis muzeumSi gansakuTrebiT Of special interest is a collection of manu- faseulia xelnawerTa fondi, sadac scripts, including an XI c. Gospel manu- daculia XI s-is saxareba, `vefxist- script; XVI century manuscript of Shota yaosnis~ XVI s-is xelnaweri; arqeolo- Rustaveli`s "Th e Knight in the Panther’s giis fondi: samcxe-javaxeTis teri- Skin" (XII c); an archaeological collection toriaze aRmoCenili paleoliTisa da discovered on the territory of Samtskhe- neoliTis xanis iaraRebi, eneoliTis, Javakheti with artefacts /implements that adre (axalcixis `amiranis goris~ na- date back to the Palaeolithic and Neolithic mosaxlarisa da yorRanebis arqeo- periods; monuments and materials describ- logiuri masala), Sua da gviani brin- ing the development of agriculture, cattle- jaos, adre rkinisa da antikuri xanis breeding, and metallurgy that date back to Zeglebi. epigrafikis fondSi warmod- the Eneolithic. Th ere is also the extraordi- genilia X_XIX ss-is qarTul-, somxur-, nary material from the Early (archaeologi- arabul-, sparsul-, Turqulwarweria- cal material of Akhaltsikhe "Amirani’s Hill" ni qvebi da qvajvarebi; numizmatikis settlement and burial mounds), Middle, and fondSi daculia I_XIV ss-is vercxlis, Late Bronze Ages, the Early Iron Age and the oqrosa da spilenZis monetebi; eTno- Age of Antiquity. grafiis fondSia regionis yofis am- Th e Museum houses an epigraphic col- saxveli eqsponatebi: sasoflo-sameur- lection of stones bearing crosses and in- neo da sabrZolo iaraRebi, erovnuli scriptions in Georgian, Armenian, Turkish, tansacmeli, amqarTa droSebi, naqar- Arabic and Persian, dating back to X-XIX gebi, xaliCebi, fardagebi, spilenZisa centuries. Th e numismatic collection con- da vercxlis saojaxo nivTebi, xis Cu- tains silver, gold and copper coins of I-XIV qurTmebis nimuSebi da sxv. centuries. Ethnographic collections show traditional lifestyles in the region which include agricultural implements and weap- ons, costumes and clothing, artisans’ fl ags, wm. Tevdores eklesia. sofel wyorZasTan embroideries, carpets and rugs, curtains, uravlis xeoba St.Tevdore’s Church near v. Tskordza, bronze and silver household items and ex- Uraveli Gorge amples of traditional wood carving.

45 samcxe-javaxeTis ivane javaxiSvi- IVANE JAVAKHISHVILI SAMTSKHE- lis saxelobis istoriis muzeumi JAVAKHETI HISTORY MUSEUM

misamarTi: q. axalcixe, petre xarisWi- Address: Petre Kharischirashvili St. 1, raSvilis q. #1 Akhaltsikhe telefoni: +995 365 22 03 79 Phone: + 995 365 22 03 79 samuSao saaTebi: 10:00-dan 17:00-mde Working hours: 10:00 - 17:00 dasvenebis dReebi: kvira da orSabaTi, Closed: Sundays and Mondays; June xolo ivnisidan, seqtembris CaTvliT, through September inclusive, closed only mxolod orSabaTi. Mondays. bileTis fasi: ufrosebisTvis - 1,50 l., Ticket price: adults – GEL 1.50 , children bavSvebisaTvis - 1,00 l., xolo 15 bavS- – GEL 1.00, a group of 15 children - GEL 0.5 visagan Semdgari jgufisaTvis TiToeu- per child, students – GEL 1., Tour guide – lisTvis 0,50 l., studentebisTvis - 1,00 GEL 10,00. l., saeqskursio momsaxureba - 10,00 l. rekomendirebuli turistuli RECOMMENDED TOURISTIC ROUTES marSrutebi CYCLING ROUTE velomarSruti Itinerary: Muskhi - Chobareti - Zveli - Or- mimarTuleba: musxi _ WobareTi _ zve- gora - Sakhudabelo – Aspindza li _ orgora _ saxudabelo _ aspinZa Average diffi culty saSualo sirTulis Length: 27 km manZili: 27 km. Duration: 5-6 hrs xangrZlivoba: 5_6 sT. Min. altitude: 950 Max. altitude: 1400

turistuli marSruti. uravlis xeoba Tourist trail, Uraveli Gorge

46 velomarSruti da jipturi uravlis xeobaSi Cycling and jeep routes in Uraveli Gorge

minimaluri simaRle: 950 m. zR. d. maqsimaluri simaRle: 1400 m. zR. d. turis detaluri informaciisTvis mimar- TeT saTavgadasavlo klubs „jomardi“ tel: (+995 32) 231 91 01 www.jomardi.ge For the detailed information on the cycling tour contact Adventure Club Jomardi. jipturi Tel: (+995 32) 231 91 01 www.jomardi.ge mimarTuelba: axalcixe _ uravlis xeoba _ enTelis qvakaci da eklesiis nangre- JEEP ROUTE vebi _ agaris samonastro kompleqsi _ Itinerary: Akhaltsikhe – Uraveli Gorge – baiebi _ axalcixe Enteli Stoneman and church ruins – Agara saSualo sirTulis monastery complex – Baiebi – Akhaltsikhe manZili: 45km Average diffi culty xangrZlivoba: 5 sT. Length: 45 km minimaluri simaRle: 950 m. zR. d. Duration: 5 hrs maqsimaluri simaRle: 1400 m. zR. d. Min. altitude: 950 m Max. altitude: 1400 m turis detaluri informaciisTvis mi- marTeT „elkanas“ soflis turizmis gan- For the detailed information contact Elkana yofilebas. Rural Tourism Department tel: (+995 32) 232 83 21 www.ruraltourism.ge Tel: (+995 32) 232 83 21 www.ruraltourism.ge [email protected] [email protected]

47 kvebis obieqtebi RESTAURANTS, CAFES restorani `romantika~, SoTa rusTave- Romantika, Rustaveli St. 98, Akhaltsikhe, lis q.#98, q. axalcixe, +995 365 22 20 20: +995 574 44 05 00 +995 365 22 20 20; +995 574 44 05 00 Vardzia, Tamarashvili St. 36, Akhaltsikhe, restorani `varZia~, mixeil TamaraSvi- +995 599 17 72 06 lis q.#36, q. axalcixe, +995 599 17 72 06 S&L, Rustaveli St. 118, Akhaltsikhe, kafe S&L, SoTa rusTavelis q. #118, +995 551 33 54 44 q. axalcixe, +995 551 33 54 44 Paemani, Kostava St 41, Akhaltsikhe, kafe `paemani~, merab kostavas q. #41, +995 365 22 32 78; +995 599 56 61 73 q. axalcixe, +995 365 22 32 78; +995 599 56 61 73 Edemi, Uraveli Gorge, +995 595 30 82 18, +995 595 30 82 04 restorani `edemi~, uravlis xeoba, +995 595 30 82 18, +995 595 30 82 04 Patskhebi, Uraveli Gorge, +995 593 32 11 02 restorani `facxebi~, uravlis xeoba, +995 593 32 11 02

maRaziaSi `mozaika~ SegiZliaT SeiZinoT adgilobrivi warmoebis suvenirebi. SesaZlebelia agreTve sasurveli suveniris SekveTac.

You can buy locally-produced souvenirs in a shop "Mosaica", here you can also make orders for particular souvenirs.

q. axalcixe, paata naTenaZis quCa #15 15, Paata Natenadze street, Akhaltsikhe town tel./Tel: +995 790 11 96 42, +995 593 56 89 72

48 sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi HOTELS, GUESTHOUSES

`klde~, sof. klde +995 555 77 54 34; +995 790 71 54 34

"Klde", village Klde +995 555 77 54 34; +995 790 71 54 34

`ariali~, grigol xanZTelis q. #30, saojaxo sastumro saxli, aleqsandre yaz- q. axalcixe, begis q. #48, q. axalcixe, +995 599 96 73 30 +995 577 44 18 89, +995 597 44 18 89 Guesthoese, Aleksandre Kazbegi St 48, Ariali, Grigol Khandzteli St. 30, Akhaltsikhe, Akhaltsikhe, +995 599 96 73 30 +995 577 44 18 89, +995 597 44 18 89

`Tbili saxli~, ivane gvaramaZis q. #33, `edemi~, SoTa rusTavelis q. #105a, q. axalcixe, +995 599 93 73 43 q. axalcixe, +995 599 18 51 59, +995 599 93 73 38, +995 365 22 00 35 Tbili Sakhli - Ivane Gvaramidze St. 33, Akhaltsikhe, +995 599 93 73 43 Edemi – Shota Rustaveli St., 105a Akhaltsikhe, +995 599 18 51 59, +995 599 93 73 38, +995 365 22 00 35

49 `nika da giorgi~, sof. awyuri, +995 599 91 62 37, +995 555 25 93 55 `mesxeTi~, ovanes Tumanianis q. #8, q. axal- Nika & George, village Atskuri, cixe, +995 599 79 94 32, +995 591 11 03 48 +995 599 91 62 37; +995 555 25 93 55 Meskheti –Hovhannes Tumanyan St. 8, Akhaltsikhe, +995 599 79 94 32, +995 591 11 03 48 sastumroebi HOTELS

`bona dea~, SoTa rusTavelis q. #122 Bona Dea - Shota Rustaveli St. 122, (begin- (9 aprilis quCis dasawyisi), q. axalcixe, ning of 9th April Street), Akhaltsikhe, +995 +995 790 555 888, +995 599 513 595, 790 555 888, +995 599 513 595, www.hotelbonadea.ge www.hotelbonadea.ge sastumro `rio~, axalqalaqis gzatkeci- Rio - Akhalkalaki Highway 1, Akhaltsikhe, li #1, q. axalcixe, +995 593 27 61 69 +995 593 27 61 69

`prestiJi~, SoTa rusTavelis q. #76, Prestige - Shota Rustaveli St. 76, Akhaltsikhe, q. axalcixe, +995 365 22 05 70, +995 365 22 05 70, +995 593 93 71 25 +995 593 93 71 25 Tetri Sakhli - Aspindza St. 26, Akhaltsikhe, `TeTri saxli~, aspinZis q. #26, +995 595 30 85 57 q. axalcixe, +995 595 30 85 57 Mirage - Shota Rustaveli St. 98, Akhaltsikhe, `miraJi~, SoTa rusTavelis q #98, +995 365 22 02 60, +995 599 76 48 64 q. axalcixe, +995 365 22 02 60, +995 599 76 48 64

sastumro saxlebis dajavSnisaTvis For reserving rooms in the guesthouses daukavSirdiT „elkanas“ soflis tu- contact Elkana Rural Tourism Department rizmis ganyofilebas. T:+995 32 232 83 21 www.ruraltourism.ge tel: (+995 32) 232 83 21 www.ruraltourism.ge [email protected] [email protected]

50 adigenis municipaliteti

oqroscixe / Okrostsikhe Castles

ADIGENI MUNICIPALITY

51 adigenis municipaliteti ADIGENI MUNICIPALITY

IMERETI imereTi SHIDA KARTLI GURIA Sida qarTli guria BORJOMI BORJOMI MUNICIPALITY AKHALTSIKHE ADIGENI MUNICIPALITY borjomis municipaliteti MUNICIPALITY adigenis municipaliteti

ADIGENI

AJARA AKHALTSIKHE aWara axalcixis ASPINDZA AKHALKALAKI MUNICIPALITY municipaliteti axalqalaqis municipaliteti ASPINDZA MUNICIPALITY

aspinZis AKHALKALAKI municipaliteti KVEMO KARTLI qvemo qarTli

TURKEY NINOTSMINDA TurqeTi ninowmindis municipaliteti NINOTSMINDA MUNICIPALITY

ARMENIA somxeTi geografiuli mdebareoba GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION adigenis municipalitets dasavle- Th e Adigeni Municipality is bordered by TiT aWaris avtonomiuri respublika the Autonomous Republic of Ajara in the esazRvreba, CrdiloeTiT – Coxatau- west, by Chokhatauri, Vani, and Baghdati ris, vanisa da baRdaTis, aRmosavle- in the north, by Akhaltsikhe Municipality in TiT – axalcixis municipalitetebi, the east, and by the Turkey in the south. Th e xolo samxreTiT TurqeTi. municipa- administrative centre of the Municipality is litetis administraciuli centria the township of Adigeni. daba adigeni. Th e Municipality is linked with Batumi municipalitets goderZis uRelte- through the Goderdzi Pass (140 km) and xili akavSirebs qalaq baTumTan - 140 with through the Zekari Pass (100 km, xolo zekaris uReltexili - q. qu- km). Owing to its importance the road go- TaisTan _ 100 km. adigenidan Tbi- ing through the Zekari Pass could be found lisamde manZili 240 km-ia. zekaris on ancient Roman maps. Th e distance from uReltexilze gadasasvleli gza Zvel Adigeni to Tbilisi is 240 km. romaul rukebzea datanili Tavisi mni- Th e Adigeni Municipality population to- Svnelobis gamo. tals 20,752. In 1944, following the deportation adigenis municipalitetis mosaxle- of Muslim Meskhetians (up to 28,000 people), oba 20,752 kacia. 1944 wels muslima- groups from diff erent regions of Georgia ni mesxebis (28.000-mde kaci) gasaxle- (Imereti, Racha, Ajara) were settled onto the bis Semdeg daasaxles saqarTvelos territory of Adigeni. Local Meskhetians make sxvadasxva kuTxis mcxovreblebi. adi- up 32% of the total population today.

52 abasTumnis astrofizikuri observatoria Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory genis municipalitetis teritoriaze Th e Municipality covers an area of 800 daasaxles imerlebi, raWvelebi, aWar- km2, of which 34% is cropland. Th e terrain lebi. adgilobrivi mesxebi mosaxleo- is mountainous and the population generally bis 32%-s Seadgenen. adigenis municipa- lives at altitudes of 1100-1500 m. litetis saerTo farTobi 800 kv. km-ia, aqedan 34% sasoflo-sameurneo savar- GETTING TO ADIGENI gulia. mTagoriani reliefis gamo mo- MUNICIPALITY saxleoba z.R. donidan 1100_1500 m. si- Public transportation includes minibuses, maRleze cxovrobs. buses, and taxi from any large town in Georgia. Minibuses leave from Tbilisi for Adigeni and rogor movxvdeT Abastumani everyday. gamgzavreba SesaZlebelia sazoga- Autostations and rail travel pages 35-36. doebrivi transportiT (mikroavtobu- si, avtobusi, taqsi) saqarTvelos ne- NATURAL CONDITIONS bismieri didi qalaqidan. Th e climate in Adigeni is relatively humid, mikroavtobusebi Tbilisidan gadian with cold winters; snow cover remains from yoveldRiurad adigenisa da abasTum- mid-December until late March; summers are nis mimarTulebiT. warm and long and rainfall fairly abundant. avtosadgurebi da matareblis gan- Lakes include Shavi, Kota, and Tsvisi. Th e rigi gv. 35-36. settlement of Abastumani is known for its natural sulphur waters used for medicinal bunebrivi pirobebi baths. Th e locally bottled table mineral water adigenis municipalitetSi hava Seda- Plate is known for its medicinal properties. rebiT notioa, zamTari civia; Tovli dekembris Sua ricxvebidan martis bo- POINTS OF INTEREST lomde devs; zafxuli Tbili da xan- Th e Adigeni area is rich in forest re- grZlivia, regionis sxva municipali- sources. Th e spa of Abastumani is located

53 tetebTan SedarebiT wvimiania. in the forested valley of the River Otskhe, at daba abasTumanSi aris bunebrivi go- 1340 m above the sea level and 25 km from girdovani wylebis didi maragi, ro- the municipality center. It is 28 km from melsac samkurnalo daniSnulebiT iye- Akhaltsikhe (the nearest railway station). neben abanoebSi. By car Abastumani is 250 km from Tbilisi municipaliteti mdidaria tyis re- (4 hrs). Th e spa is famous for its fresh air, sursebiT. unique weather and high atmospheric trans- sufris mineraluri wyali “flate~, parency, with an annual sunshine rate of romlis Camosxma 2006 wlidan daiwyo, 3000 hours (slightly less than Los Angeles!). sasiamovno dasalevia da samkurnalo Indeed it is one of the best places for astro- TvisebebiT gamoirCeva. nomical observations in Eurasia. tbebidan aRsaniSnavia Savi tba, kota Th e subalpine and alpine meadows of Abas- tba, wvisi. tumani are rich in endemic fl ora and fauna, clean mountain springs, hot sulphur waters RirSesaniSnaobebi and evergreen forests. Tourist trails cover beau- adigenis municipalitetSi aris cno- tiful scenic routes at 1340-2850 m above the sea bili samkurnalo kurorti abasTumani, level. In one day, hikers can cross three types romelic wiwvovani tyeebiT dafarul of landscape: dark coniferous forest, subalpine, md. ocxis xeobaSi zRvis donidan 1340 and alpine meadows. Most trails are open from m-ze mdebareobs. kurorti municipali- late May to late October. From Abastumani tetis centrs daSorebulia 25 km-iT, this region is connected to the entrance of the xolo qalaq axalcixes (sadac uaxlo- Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. esi rkinigzis sadguria) 28 km-iT. de- daqalaqidan abasTumanSi moxvedra, DZINDZE RIVER GORGE axalcixis gavliT, samanqano gziTaa Th e Dzindze River Gorge is on the eastern SesaZlebeli. manZili 250 km-ia, mgza- slope of the Meskheti Range, in the Adigeni vroba _ saSualod, 4 saaTi. Municipality. It is a unique site where Ter- abasTumani sufTa haeriT, unikalu- tiary fl ora fossils are found, known as "Go- ri atmosferuli pirobebiT da hae- derdzi fl ora". Th e locals nicknamed the site ris maRali gamWvirvalobiT xasiaTde- Utkvisubani (place of silence). Several mil- ba. abasTumani, evraziis masStabiT, lion years ago before the origin of Homo sa- astronomiuli dakvirvebebisaTvis piens, volcanic lava and ash fl ow buried im- erT-erT saukeTeso adgiladaa miCneu- penetrable tropical forests which were home li. aq fiqsirdeba weliwadSi mzis na- to a wide diversity of fl ora and fauna. Th e Tebis 3-aTassaaTiani xangrZlivoba. remains of this pristine fl ora are found today abasTumnis subalpuri da alpuri as fossilized imprints of branches and leaves mdeloebi mdidaria endemuri flori- visible under the volcanic matter. Ta da fauniT, mTis sufTa wyaroebiT da gogirdovani cxeli wylebiT. aqvea BENARA FAUNA maradmwvane tye, turistuli bilikebi Near Kisatibi diatomite deposit, at the vil- zRvis donidan 1340 - 2850 metrze ga- lage of Benara, remains of Tertiary fauna are dis. aq SesaZlebelia erT dReSi sami also found, most of which are extinct. tipis landSaftis gavla: muqwiwviani tyis, subalpuri da alpuri mdeloebis. Small lakes include the Triala, Shavi, Kota, bilikebis umravlesoba gaxsnilia mai- Ude and others. sis miwurulidan oqtombris bolomde. Adigeni Municipality has 88 historical abasTumnis mxridan regioni bor- monuments, including Orthodox and Catho- 54 jom-xaragaulis parkis Sesasvlels lic churches, a mosque, fortresses, old bridges ukavSirdeba. and burial grounds. Of special interest is the Zarzma Monastery, Okros Tsikhe (Golden ZinZiswylis xeoba castle) and the Chule monastery. Other impor- mdebareobs mesxeTis qedis aRmo- tant monuments include Zanavi castle, Akhali savleT ferdobze, adigenis municipa- Zarzma (New Zarzma), and Buzmareti church. litetSi. aq aRmoCenilia ganmarxebuli (mesameuli) floris unikaluri adgil- ZARZMA MONASTERY samyofeli, romelic “goderZis flo- Th e village of Zarzma in the Kvabliani ris~ saxelwodebiTaa cnobili. am ad- River valley is six km from Adigeni, and gils xalxma “utyvisubani~ Searqva. igi nested on a slope on the right bank. Above uiSviaTesi da unikaluri bunebrivi Ze- the village a thick coniferous forest cov- glia. ramdenime milioni wlis win, jer ers the slopes and two rivers, the Kvabliani kidev adamianis gaCenamde, vulkanurma and Dzindze meet near the village. From the Rvarma da ferflma gadafara aq arse- western wall of Zarzma church both river buli mZlavri da saxeobrivad mraval- valleys are visible, as well as the road lead- ferovani gauvali tropikuli tye. am ing to Goderdzi Pass, and to Ajara. Th is is the uZvelesi floris naSTebi dRes war- site that was chosen by the Samtskhe rulers modgenilia xis gaqvavebuli ReroebiT, to erect a wonderful church, one of the two totebiT, foTlebis anabeWdebiT. most important churches of Samtskhe. Th e building of the church is associated with the benaris fauna name of the well-known ecclesiastical fi gure qisaTibis diatomitis sabadosTan Serapion of Zarzma. Th e monastery ensem- axlos, sof. benarasTan, aRmoCenili ble comprises several buildings, although mesameuli faunis naSTebia. maT Soris the real appearance of the monastery is the bevri cxoveli dRes gadaSenebulia. main church and belfry, erected in XII-XIII centuries. Th e mural paintings have been sainteresoa municipalitetSi ar- fairly well preserved. On the southern wall sebuli patara tbebi – Triala, Savi there are portraits of the representatives of tba, kota, udis tba da sxv. the Jakeli family - the Great Meskheti rulers. adigenis municipalitetSi aRricxu- lia 88 istoriuli Zegli. maT Sorisaa CHULE MONASTERY marTlmadidebluri da kaTolikuri A road going northwards from Adigeni eklesiebi, meCeTi, cixe-koSkebi, Zveli passes to the right of the Zanavi and Okros xidebi da samarxebi. Camosuli stumrisaTvis gansakuTre- biT saintereso iqneba iseTi Zeglebis naxva, rogoric aris: zarzmis taZari, oqroscixe, Wulis monasteri. aseve sayuradRebo Zeglebia: zanavis cixe, axali zarzma, buzmareTis eklesia.

zarzmis samonastro kompleqsi Zarzma Monastery

55 zarzmis taZari Zarzma Church

56 zarzmis monasteri sofeli zarzma qvablianis xeobaSi mdebareobs, adigenidan 6 kilometris daSorebiT. sofeli mdinaris marjvena napiras, ferdobzea Sefenili, soflis zemoT xSiri wiwviani tyea. aqve so- felTan erTvis qvablianiswyals mdi- nare ZinZe, taZris dasavleTis mxares orive xeoba kargad moCans – pirda- pir qvablianiswylisa, xolo marcxniv - ZinZisa, aqeT miemarTeba goderZis uReltexilisaken mimavali gza, rome- lic aWaraSi gadadis. swored aq au- giaT samcxis aTabagebs zarzmis mSve- Wule _ monasteri nieri taZari, romelic, safarasTan Chule Monastery erTad, SeiZleba samcxis yvelaze mni- castles, crosses the open plain and climbs Svnelovan taZrad CaiTvalos. a narrow, rocky, forested ravine. In this ra- zarzmis eklesiis ageba cnobili sa- vine, 6 km from Adigeni, stands the Chule suliero moRvawis serapion zarzmelis Monastery of St. George. For a long time the saxels ukavSirdeba. samonastro ansam- monastery was abandoned, then recently re- bli ramdenime nagebobisagan Sedgeba, stored, and today is thriving. Tumca zarzmis namdvil saxes mTava- ri taZari da samreklo qmnis, romle- OKROSTSIKHE (GOLDEN CASTLE) bic XII_XIII saukuneSia agebuli. taZar- Okrostsikhe, one of the largest castles in Si kargad aris SemorCenili freskuli Georgia, becomes golden at sunset. It is built mxatvroba, samxreT kedelze warmod- on a fairly inaccessible site. It stands in 4,5 genilia didi mesxeTis mmarTvelTa – km towards north, from v. Bolajuri, on the jayelTa sagvareulos warmomadgenel- mountain’s edge and overlooks large decidu- Ta portretebi. ous forests, with a nearby spring. It is evident that the castle served as a real stronghold, Wule because of its diffi culty of access, the thick- adigenidan CrdiloeTiT mimava- ness of the walls and their shape. It can be li gza marjvniv tovebs zanavis ci- xesa da oqroscixes, gadakveTs far- Tod gaSlil vakes da Semdeg auyveba viwro kldovan xeobas, romelic wiwvo- vani xeebiT aris dafaruli. am xeobaSi, adigenidan 6 kilometris moSorebiT, mdinare qvablianis marcxena mxares, kldeebis Ziras, gaSlil adgilas dgas Wulis wminda giorgis taZari. igi sakmaod didxans iyo mitovebuli. dRes aq moqmedi mamaTa monasteria; ramdeni- me wlis win eklesiis Senoba aRadgines.

oqroscixe Okrostsikhe Castle

57 oqroscixe described as an almost totally "unassailable" oqroscixe saqarTveloSi arse- stronghold. bul cixeTagan erT-erTi yvelaze di- dia. saRamos, mzis Casvlisas, cixe ABASTUMANI ASTROPHYSICAL oqrosfrad ifereba, swored amitom OBSERVATORY (FOUNDED 1932) SeurqmeviaT misTvis oqros cixe. igi Th e Abastumani Astrophysical Obser- sakmaod miudgomel adgilas aris age- vatory is a well-known scientifi c research buli. sofel bolajuridan Crdilo- centre engaged in active observations and eTiT 4,5 km-Si mdebareobs da gad- studies. Th e observatory’s museum opened mohyurebs foTlovani tyiT dafarul in 2009. Visitors can observe the night sky midamos, iqve axlos aris wyaro. ci- through a unique telescope, converse with xes erTi SexedvisTanave etyoba, rom astronomers, and familiarize themselves Zalze kargad gamagrebuli saforti- with the unique collection in the museum. fikacio nageboba unda yofiliyo, igi Address: Observatory territory, Abas- Tavisi miudgomlobiT, galavnis sidi- tumani; Phone: +995 577 23 80 32; diTa da formiT `auRebel~ cixeebs +995 599 39 19 78; +995 599 133 137 miekuTvneba.

abasTumanSi SesaZlebelia cxeli wylis gogirdis abanoebiT sargebloba. aba- sTumans kurortis statusi, klimatTan erTad, hipoTermuli wylebis arsebobis gamoc mieniWa. wlebis manZilze abasTumani tuberkulozis mkurnalobis centrad iTvleba. gogirdis abano aSenda 1891 wels, ruseTis imperator nikoloz II dros. misi analogi mTel evropaSi ar moiZebneboda. abanos Senobas hqonda minis gumba- Ti, samkiTxvelo darbazi, patara biblioTeka, abazanebi. amaJamad abanoebi nawilo- briv aRdgenilia. abasTumanSi mkurnalobda nikoloz II-is Zma giorgi, isvenebdnen cnobili sa- zogado moRvaweebi: rusi mxatvari mixeil nesterovi, romelmac moxata abasTum- nis axali eklesia, somexi poeti ovanes Tumaniani, didi qarTveli pedagogi iakob gogebaSvili, kompozitori zaqaria faliaSvili, romelmac swored aq Seqmna ope- ra “daisi~. abasTumanSi mkurnalobdnen cnobili Tanamedrove qarTveli mxatvari irakli farjiani, gamoCenili poeti lado asaTiani, literaturaTmcodne pavle ingoroyva.

When in Abastumani, enjoy the local thermal sulphur water baths. In addition to perfect cli- matic conditions, Abastumani gained the status of health resort for natural hypothermal waters. For many years it has been a TB treatment centre. Th e fi rst sulphur bath-house was built here in 1891 during the rule of the Russian Czar Nicholas II. At that time it had no rivals in Europe. Th e bath-house was covered with a glass dome and had a little library with reading hall and baths. Today the baths have been partially restored. George, the brother of Nicholas II, was treated here and well-known public fi gures like the Russian artist Mikheil Nesterov, who painted a new church in Abastumani; the Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanyan; the great Georgian educator Iakob Gogebashvili; the composer Zakaria Paliashvili, who wrote his famous opera Daisi (Twilight) here. Among Abastumani visitors and patients were the well-known contemporary Georgian artist Irak- li Parjiani, the poet Lado Asatiani and the specialist in literature Pavle Ingorokva.

58 gogirdis abano. yofili samefo abano. kurorti abasTumani Former Royal sulphur springs bathhouse. Abastumani resort

abasTumnis astrofizikuri observatoria (daarsda 1932 wels) dResac abasTumnis astrofiziku- ri observatoria cnobili samecniero- kvleviTi dawesebulebaa, sadac aqtiuri dakvirvebebi da kvleva mimdinareobs. observatoriis muzeumi gaixsna 2009 RECOMMENDED TOURISTIC wels. ROUTES aq turistebs SeuZliaT unikaluri HIKING ROUTE teleskopebiT Ramis cas daakvirdnen, Itinerary: Adigeni – v. Gorguli – Shorshkhoti gaesaubron astronomebs da gaecnon Church – v. Mlashe – Plate Gorge – Zarzma observatoriis unikalur masalebs. Church of the Blessed Virgin - Adigeni misamarTi: daba abasTumani, observa- Easy toriis teritoria. Length: 6 km (one way) telefoni: +995 577 23 80 32; Duration: 4-5 hrs +995 599 39 19 78; +995 599 133 137 Min. altitude: 1150 m Max. altitude: 1300 m rekomendebuli turistuli marSrutebi: HORSEBACK RIDING ROUTE qveiTi marSruti Itinerary 1: Abastumani - Observatory mimarTuleba: adigeni - sof. gorgu- - "Kldeebi" - Alpine Zone - Mamlis Mta - li - SorSxoTis eklesia - sof. mlaSe - Abastumani flatis xeoba - zarzmis RvTismSoblis Average diffi culty eklesia - adigeni Length: 30 km advilad gasavleli Duration: 8 hrs manZili: 6 km. (erTi gza) Min. altitude: 1650 m

jipturi qvablianis xeobaSi Jeep route in Kvabliani Gorges

59 xangrZlivoba: 4_5 sT Max. altitude: 2449 m minimaluri simaRle: 1150 m. zR. d. maqsimaluri simaRle: 1300 m. zR. d. For the detailed information contact the Abas- tumani Tourism Association (ATA) sacxenosno marSruti: Phone: +995 577 23 80 32; +995 599 36 19 78 mimarTuleba: abasTumani - observato- www.ata.ge [email protected] ria _ “kldeebi~ _ alpuri zona _ mam- lis mTa _ abasTumani JEEP ROUTE saSualo sirTulis Itinerary: Abastumani – Zarzma Church – manZili: 30 km. Chule – Golden Castle – Abastumani xangrZlivoba: 8 sT. Average diffi culty minimaluri simaRle: 1650 m. zR. d. Length: 70 km maqsimaluri simaRle: 2449 m. zR. d. Duration: 7 hrs Min. altitude: 1150 m turis detaluri informaciisTvis mi- Max. altitude: 1450 m marTeT abasTumnis turistul asoco- acias „ata“. tel.: +995 577 23 80 32; +995 RESTAURANTS, CAFES 599 36 19 78 www.ata.ge [email protected] Pako, Tamar Mepe St. 9, Adigeni, +995 366 29 11 75, +995 790 58 98 80 jipturi Ojakhuri, Shota Rustaveli St. 98, Abas- mimarTuleba: abasTumani _ zarzma _ tumani, +995 598 19 76 18 Wule _ oqroscixe _ abasTumani saSualo sirTulis HOTELS, GUESTHOUSES manZili: 70 km. xangrZlivoba: 7 sT. Grand Hotel of Abastumani Observatory, minimaluri simaRle: 1150 m. zR. d. Abastumani, +995 577 23 04 75, maqsimaluri simaRle: 1450 m. zR. d. +995 577 26 50 05 Ojakhuri, Shota Rustaveli St. 98, Abastumani, kvebis obieqtebi +995 598 19 76 18 kafe `pako~, Tamar mefis q. #9, adige- For the detailed information contact Elkana Rural ni, +995 366 29 11 75, +995 790 58 98 80 Tourism Department kafe `ojaxuri~, SoTa rusTavelis q. T:(+995 32) 232 83 21 www.ruraltourism.ge rural- #98, daba abasTumani, +995 598 19 76 18 [email protected]

sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi abasTumnis observatoriis didi sa- stumro, observatoriis mimdebare te- ritoria, daba abasTumani, +995 577 23 04 75, +995 577 26 50 05 `ojaxuri~, SoTa rusTavelis q. #98, daba abasTumani, +995 598 19 76 18 `kapa~, SoTa rusTavelis q. #31, daba aba- jipturis detaluri informaciisT- sTumani, +995 599 51 87 60, vis da sastumro saxlebis dajavSnisT- +995 790 19 36 36 vis mimarTeT „elkanas“ soflis turizmis Kapa, Shota Rustaveli St. 31, Abastumani Town- ganyofilebas. ship, +995 599 51 87 60, tel: (+995 32) 232 83 21 www.ruraltourism.ge +995 790 19 36 36 [email protected] 60 aspinZis municipaliteti

vanis qvabebi Vanis Kvabebi, Vani Caves ASPINDZA MUNICIPALITY

61 aspinZis municipaliteti ASPINDZA MUNICIPALITY

IMERETI imereTi SHIDA KARTLI GURIA Sida qarTli guria BORJOMI BORJOMI MUNICIPALITY AKHALTSIKHE ADIGENI MUNICIPALITY borjomis municipaliteti MUNICIPALITY adigenis municipaliteti

ADIGENI

AJARA AKHALTSIKHE aWara axalcixis ASPINDZA AKHALKALAKI MUNICIPALITY municipaliteti axalqalaqis municipaliteti ASPINDZA MUNICIPALITY

aspinZis AKHALKALAKI municipaliteti KVEMO KARTLI qvemo qarTli

TURKEY NINOTSMINDA TurqeTi ninowmindis municipaliteti NINOTSMINDA MUNICIPALITY

ARMENIA somxeTi geografiuli mdebareoba GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION aspinZis municipalitets samxreT- Aspindza Municipality borders Tur- dasavleTiT esazRvreba TurqeTi, Cr- key to the south-west, the Municipality of dilo-dasavleTiT axalcixis, Crdi- Akhaltsikhe to the north-west, Borjomi to the loeTiT - borjomis da aRmosavleTiT north, and Akhalkalaki to the east. Its admin- – axalqalaqis municipalitetebi. ad- istrative centre is the town of Aspindza. Th e ministraciuli centria daba aspinZa. Municipality`s population totals 13,010. Its aspinZis municipalitets kveTs mdi- total area is 825 sq. km, 70% of which is crop- nare mtkvari da garSemortymulia eru- land. Ethnic Georgians constitute 80% of the SeTisa da TrialeTis qedebiT. munici- local population, Armenians - 19% and others palitetis ZiriTadi nawili javaxeTis such as Russians, Greeks, Ossetians - 1% zeganze mdebareobs. mTagoriani relie- Th e Aspindza Municipality is dissected fis gamo mosaxleoba zRvis donidan by the River Mtkvari and surrounded by the 900_1700m simaRleze cxovrobs. Erusheti and Trialeti ridges. Th e main part of Tbilisidan aspinZamde borjomis ga- the municipality is located on the Javakheti Pla- vliT 230 km-ia, walkis gavliT – 245 teau. Due to the mountainous relief most towns km, baTumidan (goderZis uReltexi- and villages are found between 900 and 1700 m. liT) - 200 km., somxeTis sazRvridan Th e distance from Tbilisi to Aspindza via (ninowmindis sasazRvro gamSvebi pun- Borjomi is 230 km, while via Tsalka it is 245 qti) - 67 km., xolo TurqeTis sazRvri- km. It is 200 km from Aspindza to Batumi dan (vales sasazRvro gamSvebi punqti) via the Goderdzi Pass and 67 km from the – 50km. Armenia border (Ninotsminda border cross-

62 aspinZis pirveli moxsenieba istoriul wyaroebSi TariRdeba 888 wliT. igi sum- bat daviTis Zis qronikaSi moxseniebulia: “xevsa samcxisasa, sofelsa aspinZas~... aspinZa saqarTvelos istoriaSi cnobilia 1770 wlis brZoliT, rodesac mefe erekle II-is sardlobiT qarTvelTa jarma sastikad daamarcxa Turqebi da lekebi.

Th e fi rst mention of Aspindza in historical sources dates back to 888. Later it is mentioned by XI century Georgian chronicler Sumbat Davitis-Dze: "Th e village of Aspindza of the Valley of Samtskhe"… and in Georgian history Aspindza is known for the 1770 battle fought between the Georgians, led by King of Kartli- Erekle II, and the Ottoman Empire, in which the Geor- gians won a great victory

2010 wlis noemberSi gaixsna sa- ing point) and 50 km from the Turkish bor- qarTvelo-TurqeTis meore sasazRvro der (Vale border crossing point).In Novem- gamSvebi punqti sofel karwaxSi, sai- ber 2010, a second Georgia-Turkey border danac aspinZamde 69 km-ia. crossing point was opened at Kartsakhi vil- aspinZis municipalitetSi cxovrobs lage, 69 km from Aspindza. 13,010 kaci. municipalitetis saerTo farTobi 825 kv. km-ia, farTobis 70% GETTING TO ASPINDZA sasoflo sameurneo savargulia. MUNICIPALITY Public transportation (minibuses, buses, rogor movxvdeT taxi) leaves from larger towns of Georgia. gamgzavreba SesaZlebelia sazoga- Minibuses leave from Tbilisi for Akhaltsikhe doebrivi transportiT (mikroavtobu- every hour, while they leave for Aspindza in si, avtobusi, taqsi) saqarTvelos ne- the morning and aft ernoon. bismieri didi qalaqidan. mikroavtobusebi Tbilisidan TiTq- NATURAL CONDITIONS mis yovel naxevar saaTSi gadis axal- Th e climate is relatively warm and dry with cixis mimarTulebiT, uSualod aspin- little rainfall, and few signifi cant fl uctuations ZaSi ki - diliT da SuadRisas. in the average daily temperatures. Th e average annual temperature is +3.60C. In summer, the bunebrivi pirobebi average monthly temperature is only +13.40C. apinZis municipalitetSi klimati Th e local populations use the sulphur waters SedarebiT Tbilia. naleqi umniSvneloa for health. Near Vardzia there is a mineral da hava mSrali. dRe-Ramis ganmavlo- water spring close to Tsunda Lake, located baSi ar SeimCneva temperaturis didi between the villages of Tmogvi and Khertvisi. meryeoba. saSualo wliuri temperatu- raa +3,60C. zafxulSi saSualo Tviuri POINTS OF INTEREST temperaturaa +13,40C. Many important monuments of Georgian aspinZaSi gogirdovani wylebia, ro- history and culture are concentrated here. melTac adgilobrivi mosaxleoba sa- Th ese include the cave monastery complex mkurnalod iyenebs. miwisqveSa mine- of Vardzia, Tmogvi fortress-town, Vanis Kv- raluri wyalia naqalaqev varZiasTan. abebi monastery complex (VIII-XVI cc), Ga- aqvea tba wunda, sofel Tmogvsa da veti church (XIII-XIVcc), the underground xerTviss Soris. village of Lebisi, Saro cyclopean fortress and municipalitetis mosaxleobis 80% church and Khertvisi Fortress (X c). Of in-

63 qarTvelia, 19% _ somexi da 1% - sx- terest to visitors will also be the following vadasxva erovnebebi (rusebi, berZnebi, monuments: Zemo (upper) Vardzia Mon- osebi). astery, Tsunda, Pia, Dumeila, Zemo (upper) Niala and Zemo (upper) Tmogvi churches, RirSesaniSnaobebi Jolda, Margastani and Gelsunda caves. aq saqarTvelos kulturis mrava- li umniSvnelovanesi Zeglia: upirve- VARDZIA CAVE MONASTERY les yovlisa ki varZiis kldeSi nakve- On the Aspindza-Akhalkalaki motor- Ti samonastro kompleqsi, Tmogvis way, there is a turning to the right towards cixe-qalaqi, vanis qvabTa samonastro Khertvisi village. Th e road leads to the south kompleqsi (VIII _ XVI s.), gaveTis ekle- along the Mtkvari River gorge. Tmogvi for- sia (XIII_XIVs), miwisqveSa sofeli lebi- tress is visible on the right side of the road si, saros ciklopuri cixe da eklesia, and the rock cut complex of Vanis Kvabebi xerTvisis cixe (Xs). on the left . Vardzia cave monastery is situ- regionSi Casuli stumrisTvis ase- ated 3 km aft er Vanis Kvabebi. Carved into ve saintereso iqneba Semdegi Zeglebi: the rock face of Mount Erusheti at an alti- zemo varZia, wunda, fia, dumeila, zemo tude of 1300m, Vardzia stretches across the nialis eklesia, zemo Tmogvis eklesia, mountain side for half a kilometre. It used joldis qvabebi, margastanis gamoqva- to consist of 13 storeys interconnected by a bulebi, gelsundis qvabebi. complex system of tunnels. Th e construction of Vardzia was started by varZiis kldeSi nakveTi King Giorgi III (1156-1184) and completed samonastro kompleqsi by Queen Tamar (1184-1186). A large rock- aspinZa-axalqalaqis gzaze, sofel hewn hall-church, Th e Assumption of the xerTvisTan, gadasaxvevia marjvniv. gza Blessed Virgin and a seven-meter long de- auyveba mtkvris xeobas samxreTis mi- fensive tunnel are found in the centre of this marTulebiT. gzidan, marjvniv moCans complex. Th ere were originally more than Tmogvis cixe, xolo marcxniv – klde- 3,000 caves for dwellings and auxiliary pur- Si nakveTi vanis qvabebis. vanis qvabe- poses that could accommodate 50,000 people. bidan 3 km-ze mdebareobs varZia var- Th e monastery comprised numerous monas- Zia gamokveTilia zRvis donidan 1300 tic cells, dwelling chambers and halls, sub-

varZiis kldeSi nakveTi monasteri Vardzia Cave Monastery 64 m-ze, eruSeTis mTis kldeSi, 100 me- sidiary premises, secret rooms, chapels, re- tris simaRleze; igi gadaWimulia naxe- fectories, a pharmacy, and a library. Th e only var kilometrze da Sedgeboda 13 sar- access to this monastic stronghold appears to Tulisagan. sarTulebs erTmaneTTan be a hidden tunnel leading to the banks of the gvirabebis rTuli sistema akavSirebda. Mtkvari River, where a water reservoir was gamoqvabulebebis saerTo raodeno- cut in the rock and was fed with rain water. ba 3000-ze meti yofila da 50000 kacs In one of the caves, there still can be found a itevda erTdroulad. varZiaSi ganla- spring named aft er Queen Tamar. gebuli iyo sacxovrebeli senakebi, sa- Th e Church of the Assumption of the trapezoebi, samlocveloebi, beRlebi, Blessed Virgin is noted for its mural paintings Rvinis marnebi, sajiniboebi, afTiaqi with 17 diff erent compositions of the great- da biblioTeka. varZia uzrunvelyo- est importance for the history and culture of fili iyo sasmeli wyliTa da wyalga- Georgia. Portraits of the royal family - Queen yvanilobis sistemiT. saidumlo gvira- Tamar, King Giorgi III, and the founder of bi pirdapir mtkvarze gadioda, xolo the church, (eristavi) Rati Surameli, Ruler of specialuri wylis rezervuari klde- Kartli - adorn the northern wall. Th e church Si iyo gamokveTili da wvimis wyliT vaults portray scenes from the saints, their maragdeboda. erT-erT gamoqvabulSi lives and divine feasts. In XX century monas- axlac arsebobs wyaro, romelic Tama- tic life in Vardzia began to be active again. ris saxels atarebs. varZias gamokveTa daiwyo mefe giorgi III_m (1156_1184 ww) TMOGVI TOWN-FORTRESS da daasrula Tamar mefem (1184_1186 Tmogvi town-fortress was an important ww). wlebSi. fortifi cation in medieval Georgia. Th is monu- kldeSi gamokveTili RvTismSoblis ment is situated on a high rocky mountain on miZinebis eklesia gamorCeulia fresku- the left bank of the Mtkvari River in Javakheti. li mxatvrobiT; aq 17 sxvadasxva kompo- On the Aspindza-Akhalkalaki motorway, ziciaa warmodgenili, romelTac qar- there is a turning to the right towards Khert- Tuli xelovnebis istoriuli warsulis visi village. Th e road leads to the south along SeswavlaSi udidesi mniSvneloba eniWe- the Mtkvari River gorge. Before reaching Na- ba. CrdiloeTis kedelze, gamosaxu- kalakevi village the road turns to the right, li arian Tamar mefe, mefe giorgi III da crosses the bridge and runs 3 km directly eklesiis qtitori, erisTavT-erisTa- to the Tmogvi fortress. Th e fi rst mention of vi rati surameli. eklesiis kamarebze Tmogvi is made in X c historical chronicles. wmindanebi da Tormetive sauflo dRe- saswaulis scenebia gamosaxuli. XX s-Si varZiaSi samonastro cxo- vreba aRdga da amJamad aq moqmedi ma- maTa monasteria.

Tmogvis cixe-qalaqi Sua saukuneebis saqarTvelos mniS- vnelovani cixe-qalaqi iyo. es Zegli javaxeTSi, mtkvris marcxena napirze, maRal kldovan mTaze mdebareobs. as- pinZa-axalqalaqis gzaze, sofel xerT- visTan, gadasaxvevia marjvniv. gza Tmogvis cixe Tmogvi Fortress 65 miuyveba mtkvris xeobas samxreTis mi- Th e upper and lower parts of the fortress were marTulebiT. sofel naqalaqevamde gza interconnected by a secret tunnel. In the west- marjvniv gadadis rkinis xidze da midis ern side St Ephrem’s Church iconostases were Tmogvis cixesimagremde. manZili 3 km- cut into the rock. (In Eastern Christianity an ia. Tmogvi pirvelad X saukunis isto- iconostasis is a wall of icons and religious riul wyaroebSi moixsenieba. cixe-qala- paintings separating the nave from the sanc- qis zeda da qveda mxareebs saidumlo tuary). In the ruins of another church, frag- gvirabi akavSirebda. dasavleT xevSi, ments of XIII century murals are preserved. kldis masivSi gamokveTilia wm. efre- Th e remains of palaces and bridge abutments mis eklesia kankeliT. meore eklesiis (structures located at the ends of a bridge, nangrevebSi SemorCenilia XIII s-is ke- where the bridge slab adjoins the approach- dlis mxatvrobis fragmentebi. mtkvris ing roadway) are found in ancient settlements orive napirze nasoflarebi, sasaxle- on both banks of the Mtkvari River. Origi- Ta nangrevebi da xidis burjebis naSTe- nally, one bridge connected palaces, while the bia. erTi xidi sasaxleebs akavSirebda, other was reserved for transportation. Th e meore transportisTvis iyo gankuTvni- town-fortress was destroyed several times by li. cixe-qalaqi ramdenjerme daangria earthquakes. Between 1230 and 1260 Sargis miwisZvram. XIII s-is 30_60-ian wlebSi Tmogveli lived and worked here. He was an TmogvSi moRvaweobda warCinebuli po- outstanding political fi gure and translator of litikuri moRvawe - sargis Tmogveli. Visramiani: the story of the loves of Vis and Ramin, a romance of ancient Persia. vanis qvabebi varZiamde gzad javaxeTis zeganze, VANIS KVABEBI (VANI CAVES) mtkvris viwro xeobaSi, kldeSi nakveTi A monastic ensemble located on the Ja- samonastro kompleqsia. misi arqiteq- vakheti Plateau, within a narrow ravine of the turuli saxe yalibdeboda VIII_XVI sauku- Mtkvari River, on the road to Vardzia this cave neebSi. am mravaldoniani monastris na- complex was created in VIII-XVI centuries. gebobebs Sorisaa darbazuli eklesiebi, Buildings of this multi-storey ensemble in- berebis senakebi da sameurneo saTavsebi, clude hall-churches, monastic cells and auxil- gvirabebis da wyalmomaragebis sistemis iary chambers, and the remains of tunnels and naSTebi. kompleqsis gumbaTovani ekle- a water-supply system. Th e cupola church was sia aRdgenil iqna 1180 wels. komple- restored in 1180. Th e ensemble was formerly qss garSemo Semovlebuli hqonda mtki- surrounded by an impressive wall, erected ce damcavi galavani, romelic 1204 wels in 1204. Th e epigraphic inscriptional monu- aSenda. istoriuli yofis, qarTuli enis ments found here include fragments from warsulis Seswavlis, literaturul- Shota Rustaveli’s "Th e Knight in the Panther’s folkloruli TvalsazrisiT Zalze Skin", and date back to the second half of XV sainteresoa kompleqsis epigrafikuli century; these valuable inscriptions have been Zeglebi, romelTa Soris SemorCenilia preserved. paleografiulad XV s-is II naxevriT da- TariRebuli fragmenti SoTa rusTave- GAVETI CHURCH lis poemidan “vefxistyaosani~. Th is ancient settlement site at the Turkish border, south of Aspindza, is located at 1800 gaveTi m. Th e road fi rst follows the Mtkvari River, nasoflari gaveTi TurqeTis sazR- from Vardzia cave monastery the road leads varTan, aspinZidan ukiduresi samxre- along the Mtkvari River gorge towards Mi-

66 TiT, javaxeTis platoze zRvis do- nidan 1800 metrze mdebareobs. gza varZiidan mtkvris xeobas miuyveba so- fel miraSxnisken. 4 km-Si mkveTrad ux- vevs marjvniv da cicabo, kldovani aRmarTiT miemarTeba varZiis ukan mde- bare mTis kalTebze, vaios velebze, saidanac gzadagza mtkvris xeobis xe- debi iSleba, sadRac Sors moCans var- Ziis kldeSi nakveTi qalaqi. velze arc mosaxleobaa da arc xe Cans sadme, mxo- lod mwyemsebs Tu SexvdebiT, romel- Tac pirutyvi hyavT amorekili saZo- vrebze. gaveTamde agaris da nialis gaveTis saydari nasoflarebia. Gaveti Church gaveTis saydari Soridanve Cndeba, rashkhani village, then sharply turns to the yuradRebas ipyrobs misi sworxazova- right and climbs a steep, rocky rise to the ni, cisken asvetili mowiTalo kontu- mountain slopes behind Vardzia from where ri. eklesia XII _ XIII saukuneebSi, muqi the Mtkvari Ravine can be viewed, and in the mowiTalo kvadrebiT aris aSenebuli, distance the caves of Vardzia are visible. Th e kedlebi masiuria, mZlavri, mTeli na- only living beings to be seen are shepherds geboba monumenturia. aqauroba gansa- with their herds on mountain pastures. Be- kuTrebiT lamazia SemodgomiT, roca fore arriving in Gaveti, the road passes the garemo oqrosfrad aris Seferili. old settlement sites of Agara and Niala. Th e Gaveti temple with its rectilinear, reddish lebisi – miwisqveSa sofeli outline thrust to the sky can be seen from vaios velze (`nialisyuri~) gaveTis afar. Th e church was built in XII-XIII cen- nasoflaramde lebisi unda gaiaroT. turies of red broad stone. Its walls are mas- agaris nasoflaridan gaveTis mimarTu- sive, giving the structure an allure of eternal

qvis kari. lebisis darani lebisis darani Stone door, Lebisi underground shelter Lebisi underground shelter

67 lebiT, 1,5 km-ze gza miemarTeba xel- marcxniv, saidanac moCans lebisi. igi miwisqveSa samalavebis rTuli siste- maa, romelsac mosaxleoba mtris Semo- sevebis dros Tavs afarebda. miwisqveSa gamoqvabulebis nawili gawmendilia da msurvelebs SeuZliaT fanrebis moSve- liebiT Casvla da samalavebis kargad daTvaliereba.

xerTvisis cixe xerTvisis cixe saqarTveloSi Se- morCenil cixeTa Soris erT-erTi yve- laze kargad Semonaxuli safortifika- cio nagebobaa. cixe aspinZidan, varZiis mimarTule- biT me-13 km-ze mdebareobs. kldovan mTaze dgas mtkvrisa da faravniswylis SesarTavTan. Zegli mravalferovan nagebobaTa did ansambls warmoadgens, misi sigr- xerTvisis cixe Khertvisi Fortress Ze 100 metrs aRemateba. cnobili qarTveli JamTaaRmwerelis might. Th e locality is particularly scenic in leonti mrovelis mier CamoTvlil im autumn when the surrounding natural envi- cixeTa Soris, romlebic TiTqosda ronment turns gold. aleqsandre makedonels daxvedria sa- qarTveloSi, moxseniebulia xerTvisis LEBISI UNDERGROUND VILLAGE cixec, saxeliT - `xerTvisi mtkurisa~ To visit this underground village follow SemorCenili warweris Tanaxmad, cixis the road that passes through Lebisi in the

bewvis xidi. aspinZa Hanging footbridge, Aspindza

68 ciklopuri nageboba. sof. saro Cyclopean building, SaroVillage

galavani XIV saukuneSi auSenebiaT. Vaio Valley. In 1,5 km aft er the Agara settla- cixe ramdenjermea aRdgenili. ga- ment towards Gaveti the road turns to the lavnis SigniT aris Sida cixe sqe- left , Lebisi is visible from here. Th is complex li kedlebiTa da koSkebiT, 985 wliT system of underground shelters was used by daTariRebuli patara eklesia, sacxo- the locals for hiding during invasions. Part of vrebeli, sameurneo nagebobebisa da the underground caves has been cleaned and xidebis naSTebi, aseve mdinarisken Ca- visitors can go down and visit the shelters mavali gvirabi. xerTvisi kargad ga- with the aid of a fl ashlight. moxatavs am regionis istoriul be- dukuRmarTobas: mas Tavdapirvelad KHERTVISI FORTRESS qarTvelebi saqarTvelos dasacavad Th e Khertvisi Fortress is one of the best aSenebdnen, xolo XVI saukunis meore preserved of Georgia’s fortifi cation structures. naxevridan ukve osmalebi amagrebdnen Th e fortress is situedet on the Aspindza- saqarTvelos dasapyrobad. Vardzia motorway, at a distance of 13 km from Aspindza. Khertvisi was restored and saros ciklopuri cixe da eklesia reinforced several times. Originally built on a sofeli saroc javaxeTis zeganzea rocky mountain at the confl uence of the Mt- gaSenebuli. aspinZidan axalqalaqis mi- kvari and Paravnistskali Rivers. Th is monu- marTulebiT, me-10 km-ze, sofel ni- ment is made up for a large ensemble of dif- jgorTan (gzaze dgas sagzao niSnuli) ferent structures and exceeds 100 m in length. asaxvevia marcxniv, aRmosavleTis mi- Among the fortresses mentioned by the marTulebiT. 3 km-ze mdebareobs sofe- well-known Georgian chronicler Leonti li saro. sofelTan axlos kldis piras Mroveli, which Alexander the Macedonian dgas ciklopuri nageboba (winaqris- allegedly met while in Georgia, Khertvisi For- tianuli epoqa), romelic 3-metriani tress is named as "Khertvisi of the Mtkvari".

69 qvajvari. nasoflari agara Stone cross in ancient abandoned settlement of Agara Village

70 qvis lodebis mSrali wyobiT aris na- According to the well-preserved inscription, gebi. cixis qveS SemorCenilia gamoqva- the fortress wall was built in XIV century and bulebi, cixis garSemo SesaZlebelia an inner fortress with thick walls and watch- xaroebisa da darnebis naxva. cixis ki- towers were built within the outside wall. didan mSvenieri xedi iSleba. With its little church dating back to 985, the iqve maxloblad dgas mTavarange- remains of dwellings, auxiliary premises and lozTa saxelze agebuli ornaviani bridges, as well as a tunnel going down to the eklesia, romelic savaraudod VII_VIII river, Khertvisi is the best illustration of the saukuneebs ganekuTvneba. historical misfortunes of the region. Origi- sofelSi jer kidev Sesalebelia Zve- nally built to defend Georgia, from the sec- li baniani saxlebis daTvaliereba. ond half of XVI century the Turks used it for military operations against Georgia. varZiis istoriul-xuroTmoZR- vruli saxelmwifo muzeum-nakr- CYCLOPEAN FORTRESS AND Zali THE CHURCH OF SARO misamarTi: Th e village of Saro is also situated on the 0500, aspinZis municipaliteti, varZia Javakheti Plateau. In 10 km from Aspindza, telefoni: +995 599 11 62 07 on the Aspindza-Akhalkalaki motorway, muSaobs yoveldRe: at v. Nijgori there is turning to the left that 09:00 dan 19:00 sT-mde runs 3 km to the east towards v. Saro. Near bileTis fasi: the village, on the side of a cliff stands the ufrosebisaTvis 3 lari, bavSve- cyclopean building (pre-Christian epoch) bisaTvis 1.5 lari. saeqskursio mom- constructed of 3-metre stone blocks by dry saxureba 10 lari. masonry. Under the fortress, there are well- preserved caves and around the structure rekomendebuli turistuli there are grain bins and underground shel- marSrutebi ters. From the side of the fortress a beautiful view opens up. qveiTi marSruti: Nearby stands the two-nave VII-VIII cc mimarTuleba 1: qarvasla _ joldis St. Archangels Church and in the village, vis- xidi _ Tmogvis cixe _ varZia itors can still see the peasant houses of that saSualo sirTulis period with fl at earth-roofs. manZili: 9 km. xangrZlivoba: 7 sT. VARDZIA HISTORICAL-ARCHITEC- minimaluri simaRle: 1200 m. zR. d TURAL MUSEUM-RESERVE maqsimaluri simaRle: 1300 m. zR. d Address: 0500 Vardzia, Aspindza Munici- rekomendacia: gamoqvabulebis da- pality saTvaliereblad Tan iqonieT farnebi. Phone: (+995 599) 11 62 07 Working hours: Everyday, 09:00-19:00 mimarTuleba 2: varZia _ zemo varZia Ticket price: Adults – GEL 3, children – _ varZia GEL 1.5, guided tours – GEL 10 martivad gasavleli manZili: 5 km. RECOMMENDED TOURISTIC xangrZlivoba: 5 sT. ROUTES minimaluri simaRle: 1220 m. zR. d maqsimaluri simaRle: 1550 m. zR. d HIKING ROUTE: rekomendaciebi: gamoqvabulebis da- Itinerary 1: Karvasla –Jolda Bridge – Tmogvi 71 saTvaliereblad Tan iqonieT farnebi. Fortress – Vardzia Moderate diffi culty qveiTi marSrutebis detaluri infor- Length: 9 km maciisaTvis mimarTeT adgilobriv Duration: 7 hrs turistul saagentos `fsiti~. Min. altitude: 1200 m tel.: +995 599 11 45 06 www.psity.ge, wellco- Max. altitude: 1300 m [email protected] Advice: For visiting caves keep fl ashlights and batteries with you at all times. velomarSruti mimarTuleba: fia _ gelsunda _ toloSi Itinerary 2: Vardzia – Zemo Vardzia - Vardzia _ awyvita _ dadeSi _ aspinZa Easy saSualo sirTulis Length: 5 km manZili: 24 km. Duration: 5 hrs xangrZlivoba: 3_4 sT. Min. altitude: 1220 m minimaluri simaRle: 1170 m. zR. d. Max. altitude: 1550 m maqsimaluri simaRle: 1600 m. zR. d. Advice: When visiting caves keep fl ashlights and batteries with you at all times. jipturi For the detailed information contact the lo- mimarTuleba: aspinZa _ varZia _ agaris cal turagency "Psity". Tel: +995 599 11 45 06 qvajvari _ gaveTi _ zemo niala _ le- www.psity.ge, [email protected] bisi _ dumeila _ giorgiwminda _ zemo Tmogvi _ aspinZa CYCLING ROUTE rTulad gasavleli Itinerary: Pia – Gelsunda – Toloshi – Atskvita – manZili: 90 km. Dadeshi – Aspindza xangrZlivoba: 8 sT. Moderate diffi culty minimaluri simaRle: 1200 m. zR. d. Length: 24 km maqsimaluri simaRle: 2200 m. zR. d. Duration: 3-4 hrs

safexmavlo marSruti mtkvris xeobaSi Hiking route in Mtkvari Gorge

72 velomarSruti mtkvris xeobaSi Cycling route in Mtkvari Gorge

jipturi vaios velebze Jeep route along Vaios Valley

73 turis detaluri informaciisTvis mi- Min. altitude: 1170 m marTeT `elkanas~ soflis turizmis Max. altitude: 1600 m ganyofilebas. tel.: +995 32 232 83 21 [email protected] www.ruraltourism.ge JEEP ROUTE Itinerary: Aspindza – Vardzia – Agara Kvajvari wyaljomardoba (raftingi) – Gaveti – Zemo Niala – Lebisi – Dumeila – mdinare mtkvarze Giorgitsminda – Zemo Tmogvi - Aspindza mimarTuleba 1: sof. miraSxani _ varZia Diffi cult sirTule: II _ III kategoria Length: 90 km sigrZe: 6 km. Duration: 8 hrs xangrZlivoba: 1.5 sT. Min. altitude: 1200 m Max. altitude: 2200 m mimarTuleba 2: xviliSis xidi (aspinZis For the detailed information contact Elkana Rural abanoebi) _ RobieTis nasoflari (as- Tourism Department T:(+995 32) 232 83 21 pinZa). www.ruraltourism.ge [email protected] sirTule: I kategoria sigrZe: 12 km. RAFTING ON THE MTKVARI RIVER xangrZlivoba: 3 sT. Itinerary 1: v. Mirashkhani - Vardzia Diffi culty: Category II-III velo- da raftingturis detaluri in- Length: 6 km formaciisTvis mimarTeT saTavgada- Duration: 1.5 hrs savlo klubs „jomardi“ Itinerary 2: Khvilisha Bridge (Aspindza Baths) For the detailed information on the cycling tour – Ghobieti Settlement-site (Aspindza) contact Adventure Club Jomardi. Diffi culty: Category I Tel: (+995 32) 231 91 01 www.jomardi.ge Length: 12 km Duration: 3 hrs

wyaljomardoba mtkvarze Raft ing on the Mtkvari River

74 sastumro saxlebis dajavSnisTvis mimar- For guethouse reservation contact Elkana Rural Tour- TeT „elkanas“ soflis turizmis ganyo- ism Department filebas. T:(+995 32) 232 83 21 www.ruraltourism.ge rural- tel: (+995 32) 232 83 21 www.ruraltourism.ge ru- [email protected] [email protected]

kvebis obieqtebi RESTAURANTS, CAFES kafe `Zveli~, varZiis q. #33, daba aspinZa, Café Dzveli, Vardzia St. 33, Aspindza, +995 599 17 11 78 +995 599 17 11 78 kafe `evropa~, varZiis q. #35, daba aspin- Café Europa, Vardzia St. 35, Aspindza, Za, +995 790 95 10 11 +995 790 95 10 11 `valodias koteji~, varZia, korisxevi, Valodia’s Cottage, Koriskhevi, Vardzia, +995 599 11 62 07 +995 599 11 45 06

suvenirebis SeZena SesaZlebelia sofel Market places for souvenirs and local products xerTvisSi, xerTvisis cixis mopirdapire are located opposite the Khertvisi Fortress, as well mxares arsebul savaWro daxlze _ “adgi- as on the area adjoining the Vardzia Historical- lobrivi produqtebi~, aseve varZiis isto- Architectural Museum-Reserve. riul-xuroTmoZRvruli saxelmwifo mu- zeum-nakrZalis mimdebare terotoriaze arsebul savaWro daxlze.

sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi HOTELS, GUESTHOUSES

`taoskari~ varZia, +995 599 54 35 40 `Ciko~, varZiis q. #9, daba aspinZa, Taoskari, Vardzia, +995 599 54 35 40 +995 593 90 64 05 Chiko, Vardzia St. 9, Aspindza, +995 593 90 64 05

`valodias koteji~ korisxevi, aspinZa `bermuxa~ daba aspinZa, i. gogebaSvilis q. + 995 599 11 45 06; + 995 599 11 62 07 #16, +995 599 18 17 63, +995 555 12 49 78 "Valodia`s Cottage" Koriskhevi, Aspindza Bermukha, Gogebashvili St. 16, Aspindza, + 995 599 11 45 06; + 995 599 11 62 07 +995 599 18 17 63, +995 555 12 49 78 75 `qviskari~, `Tirebi~ sof. naqalaqevi sof. gelsunda, +995 599 75 52 90 tel: +995 599 33 88 71 Kviskari, Gelsunda village, +995 599 57 32 98 Tirebi, Nakalakevi village, +995 599 33 88 71

`imedi~, sof. Tmogvi, +995 595 28 57 50 `ciskari~, sof. Tmogvi +995 598 96 86 87, +995 790 60 60 47 Imedi, Tmogvi village, +995 595 28 57 50 Tsiskari, Tmogvi, +995 598 96 86 87, +995 790 60 60 47 uZvelesi ciklopuri nageboba da mTavarangelozTa eklesia. sof. saro Ancient cyclopean building and St. Archangel’s Church, Saro Village

76 axalqalaqis municipaliteti

xanCalis tba Khanchali Lake AKHALKALAKI MUNICIPALITY

77 axalqalaqis municipaliteti AKHALKALAKI MUNICIPALITY

IMERETI imereTi SHIDA KARTLI GURIA Sida qarTli guria BORJOMI BORJOMI MUNICIPALITY AKHALTSIKHE ADIGENI MUNICIPALITY borjomis municipaliteti MUNICIPALITY adigenis municipaliteti

ADIGENI

AJARA AKHALTSIKHE aWara axalcixis ASPINDZA AKHALKALAKI MUNICIPALITY municipaliteti axalqalaqis municipaliteti ASPINDZA MUNICIPALITY

aspinZis AKHALKALAKI municipaliteti KVEMO KARTLI qvemo qarTli

TURKEY NINOTSMINDA TurqeTi ninowmindis municipaliteti NINOTSMINDA MUNICIPALITY

ARMENIA somxeTi geografiuli mdebareoba GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION municipaliteti samcxe-javaxeTis AND ETHNIC COMPOSITION vulkanuri platos nawilia da misi te- Th e municipality of Akhalkalaki is located ritoria zRvis donidan 1500_3300 me- on the Javakheti volcanic plateau located at trzea. platos zedapiri talRobrivi an altitude of 1500-3300 m. Th e plateau is vakea. swored am platozea aRmarTuli an undulating plain that includes the Didi samcxe-javaxeTis umaRlesi mwvervali Abuli Mount (3300 m), the highest point in didi abuli (3300 m). Javakheti. Th is municipality borders Turkey municipalitets samxreTiT esa- to the south, the municipalities of Aspindza zRvreba TurqeTi. dasavleTiT da and Borjomi in the west and the north, and CrdiloeTiT _ aspinZisa da borjomis, Ninotsminda to the southeast. Th e adminis- xolo samxreT-aRmosavleTiT _ ninow- trative centre is Akhalkalaki, Georgia’s high- mindis municipalitetebi. est town (1700 m), founded by the Georgian municipalitetis administraciu- King Bagrat III (X-XI c). li centria axalqalaqi, romelic sa- Th e distance from Tbilisi to Akhalkalaki qarTveloSi yvelaze maRla mdebare via Akhaltsikhe is 293 km, or 187 km via qalaqia (zR.d. 1700 m). igi daaarsa sa- Tsalka. From Akhalkalaki to the regional qarTvelos mefem bagrat III-m (X_XI ss) centre, Akhaltsikhe, is 75 km and it is 50 km da manve uwoda es saxeli. to the Armenian border crossing point of Tbilisidan axalqalaqamde 293 km- Gyumri. Ethnic groups include 90% Arme- ia (axalcixis gavliT), 187 km. _ walkis nian, 8% Georgian and 2% Russian, Greek gavliT. axalqalaqidan regionis cen- and Ossetian. tramde – axalcixemde 75 km-ia, somxe- 78 Tis sazRvramde (gumris sasazRvro GETTING TO AKHALKALAKI gamSvebi punqti) – 50 km. MUNICIPALITY municipalitetis mosaxleobis 90% Travel to Akhalkalakhi is simple by pub- somexia, 8% - qarTveli, 2% - rusebi, lic minibuses, buses, and taxi from any large berZnebi da osebi. town. Minibuses go several times a day from Tbilisi. Th e nearest train connection is through rogor movxvdeT Akhaltsikhe (75 km from Akhalkalaki). Th e gamgzavreba SesaZlebelia sazoga- railway is temporary closed. doebrivi transportiT (mikroavto- Autostations and rail travel pages 35-36. busi, avtobusi, matarebli, taqsi) sa- qarTvelos nebismieri didi qalaqidan. NATURAL CONDITIONS mikroavtobusebi Tbilisidan axalqa- In Akhalkalaki summers are cool (90C) laqis mimarTulebiT yoveldRe gadian. with little rainfall (annually only 600-700 uaxloesi rkinigzis sadguria q. mm). Th e climate is mountainous, with short axalcixe (75 km. q. axalqalaqidan). am- rains. In winters, however, the Javakheti Pla- Jamad daketilia. teau is covered with snow for three or four avtosadgurebi da matareblis gan- 4 months (December through March) with rigi gv. 35-36. an average snowfall of 15-20 cm, reaching 40-50 cm in alpine zones. Average January bunebrivi pirobebi temperatures are between -10 and -20C. turistuli sezonis periodSi _ za- Th e Municipality area covers approxi- fxuli grilia (90C) mcire atmosferu- mately 1,235 km2 of which 75% is cropland. li naleqiT (wliuri _ 600_700 mm-ia). aq Th e main river is the Paravnistskali which mTis klimatia, ar icis xangrZlivi wvima. joins the Mtkvari at Khertvisi. zamTarSi javaxeTis zegani TovliT da- Th e Akhalkalaki Municipality is distin- farulia 3_4 Tvis ganmavlobaSi (dekem- guished by unique mountain steppes, subal- beri_marti), xolo Tovlis saburvelis pine diversity, and its lakes. Lakes and rivers simaRle saSualod 15_20 sm-ia, mxolod teem with fi sh and are an important habitat maRalmTian nawilSi aRwevs 40_50 sm-s, for migratory birds. Birdwatchers from all ianvris saSualo temperatura sakmaod over the world come to study the waterfowl,

baraleTis bazilika Baraleti Basilica

79 dabalia, meryeobs -10-dan -20C-mde. birds of prey and song-birds during the peri- municipalitetis teritoria 1.235 ods of migration. kv.km-ia, aqedan 75% sasoflo_sameur- neo savargulebia. mTavari mdinarea POINTS OF INTEREST faravniswyali, romelic xerTvisTan Th is Municipality is the site of numerous uerTdeba mtkvars. monuments from ancient Georgian culture axalqalaqis municipaliteti ga- (II millennium B.C) which include medieval moirCeva unikaluri mTis stepebiT, temples, settlement-sites, and pre-Christian subalpuri maRalbalaxeulobiTa da cyclopean buildings such as the Abuli for- tbebiT. tbebsa da mdinareebSi uxva- tress and settlement-site, the Samsari rock- daa Tevzi. arsebuli tbebi mniSvnelo- hewn domed church and monastery com- vani saarsebo wyaroa gadamfreni frin- plex, Kumurdo domed temple and others velebisaTvis, maTze dasakvirveblad such as Kvarsha and Kilda settlement-sites mravali turisti Camodis. gansaku- and temples, the Toki Monastery, the Vard- TrebiT sainteresoa wylis, mtacebeli istsikhe settlement-site, Baraleti Church, da mgalobeli frinvelebis naxva gada- the Sirgva Stone-cross, Meghreki Monastery frenis periodSi. ruins and Cyclopean Gateway, the Ghrtila Church, the villages of Kachio, Azavreti, RirSesaniSnaobebi Burnasheti, Gria settlement-site, and the ru- axalqalaqis municipalitetSi Zveli ins of a cyclopean fortress. qarTuli kulturis mravali saintere- so da TvalsaCino Zeglia; aq SegiZliaT THE ABULI FORTRESS AND naxoT Zv. w. II aTaswleulis ciklopuri SETTLEMENT-SITE nagebobebi da Sua saukuneebis taZrebi, Near Paravani Lake on Mount Patara nasoflarebi. abulis cixe-nasaxlari Abuli, at an altitude of 2670 m there is a (II aTaswleuli), samsaris kldeSi nakve- unique fortress settlement site. Th is symbol Ti gumbaTovani eklesia da samonastro of pre-Christian Javakheti, the Abuli Fortress kompleqsi, kumurdos gumbaTovani ta- is constructed from volcanic basalt blocks us- Zari. ing dry masonry techniques. Although the Camosuli stumrisTvis aseve sayu- stronghold was erected several centuries ago, radReboa: kvarSisa da qildis naso- its walls have been fairly well preserved and flarebi da taZrebi, Tokis monaste- are four meters thick in some places. Around ri, vardiscixis nasoflari, baraleTis Abuli Fortress there are many interconnected eklesia, sirgvis qvajvari, meRrekis hidden tunnels and hiding shelters, numer- namonastrali da ciklopuri karibWe, Rrtilis eklesia, soflebi: kaWio, aza- vreTi, burnaSeTi, grias nasoflari da ciklopuri cixis nangrevebi.

abulis cixe-nasaxlari faravnis tbasTan, patara abulis mTaze zR. donidan 2670 m dgas unika- luri cixe-nasaxlari (ix. gv. 89 - abu- lis marSrutis aRwera). SeiZleba iTqvas, rom igi winaqristianuli ja- Zveli qarTuli warwerebi. kumurdos taZari vaxeTis simbolos warmoadgens. abulis Old georgian inscriptions, Kumurdo Temple

80 cixe-nasaxlaris vulkanuri warmoSo- kumurdos taZari / Kumurdo Temple bis bazaltis lodebis mSrali wyobiT aris nagebi. miuxedavad imisa rom sima- ous damaged chambers as well as cobblestone gre ramdenime aTas wels iTvlis, mainc roads and paths, witnesses that there was a kargad aris SemorCenili misi kedlebi, large settlement surrounding the fortress. romelTa sigane zogierT adgilebSi 4 Th ere is a beautiful view of Paravani Lake metrs aRwevs. abulis cixe-nasaxlaris and the infi nite Javakheti Plateau from the garSemo mravlad aris saidumlo gvira- fortress. Th e best time to visit the Abuli For- bebi, samalavi darnebi, romlebic erT- tress is autumn when the golden colour of maneTs ukavSirdeba, aseve SemorCenilia the surroundings and magnifi cent scenery mravalricxovani dazianebuli oTaxe- in the sunset leave a lasting impression. bi, qviT mogebuli gzebi da bilikebi, rac imaze metyvelebs, rom cixis gar- KUMURDO TEMPLE Semo sakmaod didi dasaxleba yofila. Kumurdo Temple (X c) is one of the most cixe-nasaxlaridan lamazi panorama important monuments of old Georgian archi- iSleba. moCans faravnis tba da javaxe- tecture. It is situated in the village of Kumurdo. Tis ukidegano zegani. On the Aspindza-Akhalkalaki motorway, saukeTeso periodi abulis cixe-na- along the Paravani River gorge, at Chunchkha saxlaris dasalaSqrad Semodgomaa, am village there is a turning to the right, which dros garemo oqrosfrad aris Sefe- leads south on the Naisa serpentine. Th e road rili, gansakuTrebiT lamazia cixe-na- continues to the south, on the Javakheti Plateau saxlaris Semogareni mzis Casvlisas. and runs directly to Kumurdo village. Accord- ing to the epigraphic inscriptions on the walls kumurdos taZari its construction started in 964 during the reign kumurdos taZari (X s) Zveli qar- of the Georgian King Leon III, and was built at Tuli xuroTmoZRvrebis erT-erTi um- the initiative of Ioane the Bishop. It was com- niSvnelovanesi Zeglia, romelic amave pleted during the rule of Bagrat IV, King of saxelwodebis sofelSi mdebareobs. as- United Georgia. Kumurdo was formerly an im-

81 samsris kldeSi nakveTi gumbaTovani eklesia, namonastrali Samsari rock-cut temple

pinZa-axalqalaqis gzaze, faravnis mdi- portant cultural and educational centre, where naris xeobaSi, sofel CunCxasTan aris Ioane the Bishop lived and worked before con- marjvniv gadasaxvevi, saidanac gza miu- tinuing his creative activity on Mt. Sina. Th e yveba samxreTiT naisis serpantinze. gza temple is a domed edifi ce built of hewn stone grZeldeba javaxeTis platoze, samxre- with an unusually refi ned shape. Its walls are Tis mimarTulebiT, sofel kumurdomde. richly decorated with glyphs. Originally, the taZris kedlebis epigrafikuli interior was painted with numerous frescoes, warwerebis Tanaxmad, misi mSeneblo- most of which have been damaged. ba 964 wels dasavleT saqarTvelos mefis leon III-is dros, ioane kumur- SAMSARI CHURCH AND doelis TaosnobiT daiwyo da erTiani SETTLEMENT saqarTvelos mefis bagrat IV-is mefo- Th e domed church carved out of Mt. baSi dasrulda. Samsari rock and a monastery complex dat- kumurdo mniSvnelovan kulturul- ing back to X century are situated in the river saganmanaTleblo keras warmoadgen- canyon near the village of Patara ("little") da, aq moRvaweobda ioane kumurdoeli, Samsari. Traces of the monastery extend romelsac Semdeg moRvaweoba sinas along the entire canyon. Th e main church is mTaze gaugrZelebia. domed and hewn from the rock, highly ac- taZari gumbaTovan nagebobas war- curate in form and proportion and equal to moadgens, igi Tlili feradi qviT aris any brick- or stone-built church - its forms naSeni, mnaxvels aocebs misi sinatife are perfect and delicate. In addition to the da daxvewiloba, kedlebi uxvad aris main church, there is a refectory, small and morTuli reliefuri gamosaxulebebiT. larger chapels, and monastic cells. In the eklesiis interieri moxatuli iyo canyon there are many two or three-storey freskebiT, romelTagan umetesi nawi- caves, however the complex is rather dam- li ganadgurebulia. aged and many its caves have collapsed. 82 samsris kldeSi nakveTi PROTECTED TERRITORY gumbaTovani eklesia OF JAVAKHETI da namonastrali Th e territory covers 20,000 ha, including samsris kldeSi nakveTi gumbaTova- part of the mountain volcanic plateau lo- ni eklesia da samonastro kompleqsi, cated between Georgia, Armenia and Turkey. romelic X saukuniT TariRdeba, so- Populated settlements are found at 1800-2000 fel patara samsarTan axlos, mdinaris m altitude and topography includes volcanic kanionSi mdebareobs. monastris kvali plateau, mountain steppes, alpine and subal- mTeli kanionis sigrZeze Cans, gansaku- pine vegetation, as well as lakes and wetlands. Trebulad sainteresoa monastris mTa- Th ese provide ideal conditions for the devel- vari eklesia, romelic gumbaTiania, opment of tourism, including hiking, cycling, igi pirdapir kldeSi gamoukveTiaT, horseback riding and ski. Th e shortest road Tumca Sig Sesuls maSinve TvalSi xvde- from Tbilisi to Javakheti runs through the ba is sizuste da proporciebi, riTac south-west via Manglisi and Tsalka (distance kldeSi nakveTi eklesia hgavs Cveule- is 175 km), enabling visitors to get from Tbili- briv qviT nageb eklesiebs. eklesiis si to the protected territory in 2.5–3 hours. formebi daxvewili da natifia. mTava- Th ere are other routes from Tbilisi to the re- ri eklesiis garda, aq aris satrapezo, gion via Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe and Akhalka- mcire da mozrdili samlocveloebi, laki (travel time from fi ve to six hours). senakebi. Kartsakhi Lake – is situated at an altitude mTavari eklesiis gaswvriv kanionSi of 1798 m. Th e border divides the lake in mravlad aris gamoqvabulebi, romle- two parts. Th e north-eastern part is within bic 2_3 sarTulad arian ganlagebuli. Georgia’s boundaries, the south-western kompleqsi sakmaod dazianebulia, mra- part lies within Turkey. Th e lakesides are fl at, vali qvabuli Camongreulia. with some swampy patches. Th e Kartsakhi River and several streams fl ow into the lake javaxeTis daculi teritoria from the north. Th e water is turbid and sa- teritoria saqarTvelos, somxeTsa line though it freezes in winter. Inside the da TurqeTs Soris arsebuli vulka- Turkish part of the lake there is a tussock nuri warmoSobis maRalmTiani platos islet which is habitat for many rare waterfowl nawilia. misi farTobia 20 000 ha. da- populations and an important attraction for saxlebuli punqtebis simaRle zRvis birdwatchers. donidan meryeobs 1800_2000 m. simaR- leze. landSaftis struqtura da bu- tba didi abulis mTis maxloblad neba - vulkanuri plato, mTis stepebi, Lake near Mt. Didi Abuli alpuri da subalpuri mcenareuloba, aseve tbebi da Waobebi gansazRvravs regionis unikalurobas da turistu- li aqtivobebis (qveiTi, velo, sacxe- nosno da saTxilamuro marSrutebis) ganviTarebis potencials. umoklesi saavtomobilo gza Tbili- sidan javaxeTamde, samxreT-dasavleTiT, manglisisa da walkis gavliT gadis (saer- To manZili - 175 km), rac vizitorebs sa- Sualebas aZlevs Tbilisidan dacul te-

83 levanis tba. abul-samsris qedze Levani Lake, Abul-Samsari Range

84 85 ritoriaze 2.5 - 3 saaTSi moxvdnen. Levani Lake, with the surface area of 0.2 aseve dedaqalaqidan am teritoria- square kilometers and the maximum depth of ze moxvedra SesaZlebelia borjomis 2.8 meters, is located on the Samsari Moun- axalcixisa da axalqalaqis gavliTac tain Range, in Javakheti, at 2560 meters above (mgzavroba – 5_6 saaTi). the sea level. Th e lake water is glacier based karwaxis tba – mdebareobs 1798 me- and not drained. It is fresh, limpid and slightly trze zRvis donidan. saxelmwifo sa- mineralized. Level of the Levani Lake is high zRvriT tba iyofa or nawilad. Crdi- in summer. lo-aRmosavleTi nawili saqarTvelos Getting to the lake is available from farglebSia, samxreT-dasavleTi – Akhalkalaki. On the right side of the road TurqeTSi. tbis napirebi brtyeli, zo- leading from Akhalkalaki town towards gan daWaobebulia. tbas CrdiloeTidan Olaverdi village, there is a marshland. From erTvis md. karwaxi da ramdenime naka- this point, the road towards Levani Lake duli. tba mRvrie da momlaSoa, zam- leads along the fi eld to the right, then along TrobiT iyineba. karwaxis tbaSi (Tur- the small hills. Aft er 1.5 km the road contin- qeTSi mdebare mis dasavleT nawilSi) ues into a small gorge, and then leads along aris borcvovani kunZuli, romelsac the straight direction of the junction. Aft er mravali frinveli stumrobs. amito- 2,5 km, at a small lake, the road goes up to mac aqauroba izidavs frTosnebze da- the left (northwards). Aft er covering 550 mkvirveblebs, aq SexvdebiT frinvelTa meters, the road continues 1 km north-east, iSviaT populaciebs. then 1,2 km south-east. From this point, two levanis tba - gaumdinari myinvaru- mountain peaks – Koroghli (on the left ) and li tba javaxeTSi, mdebareobs samsa- Ivantepe (on the right) are clearly visible. Th ris qedze, 2560 metr simaRleze. wylis e route leads between them, passing along sarkis farTobia – 0,2 km2. udidesi several small lakes, swamps and a small hill, siRrme 2.8 m – ia. maRali done aqvs fi nally reaching Levani Lake at the eastern zafxulSi. wyali sustad aris minera- foot of the Koroghli Mountain. Th e dis- lizebuli, sufTaa da gamWirvale. tance from Olaverdi village to Levani Lake tbaze misasvlelad axalqalaqidan is 13 km. 4X4 car is needed to drive along mivemgzavrebiT sofeli olaverdi- saken. gzaze, xelmarjvniv gvxvdeba brinjaos samkauli. axalqalaqis mxareTmcodneobis muzeumi Waobi. am Waobidan levanis tbisken mi- Bronze adornment, Akhalkalaki local mavali gza marjvniv miuyveba mindors, history museum Semdeg mcire serebs, romelTa gada- salaxad maRali gamavlobis manqanaa saWiro. 1.5 km-is gavlis Semdeg gza Se- dis mcire xeobaSi, sadac gzagasayaria. tbisken misasvlelad gza grZeldeba pirdapir. 2.5 km-ze gvxvdeba mcire tba, saidanac xelmarcxniv (CrdiloeTisken) gza auyveba aRmarTs. aRmarTze 550 metris gavlis Semdeg gza grZeldeba Crdilo-aRmosavleTiT 1 km-ze da Se- mdeg samxreT-aRmosavleTiT 1.2 km-ze. aqedan axlos Cans ori mwvervali – qoroRli ( xelmarcxniv) da ivanTefe (xelmarjvniv). gza gadis am or mwver- 86 vals Soris, gzad gvxvdeba ramdenime the route. On the way to Levani Lake, there mcire tba, Waobi, Semdeg mcire seri is a spring between Koroghli and Ivantepe da qoroRlis Ziras, aRmosavleTiT, Mountain peaks. levanis tbaa, sadamdec olaverdis ga- Nearby there are relatively smaller lakes: dasaxvevidan 13 km-ia. gzad aris wya- Abuli Lake on the western slope of Mt. Patara ro mwverval qoroRlisa da ivanTefes Abuli, as well as larger lakes situated between unagiraze. the Didi Abuli and Samsari Ridge: Paskia sainteresoa aseve SedarebiT mcire Lake – to the west of Akhalkalaki, Vachiani zomis tbebi: abulis tba patara abulis Lake – at the village of Vachiani and Zreski mTis dasavleT ferdobze, aseve did Lake – on the Akhalkalaki Plateau. abulsa da samsris qeds Soris mdeba- re tbebi, paskia - axalqalaqis dasavle- AKHALKALAKI LOCAL MUSEUM TiT, vaCianis tba - sofel vaCianTan, Address: Mesrop Mashtotsi St. 37, 0700, zreskis tba - axalqalaqis platoze. Akhalkalaki

axalqalaqis adgilobrivi Phone: +995 362 22 22 16 istoriis muzeumi misamarTi: Working hours: Everyday except Saturday mesrop maStocis quCa #37, 0700, and Sunday, 10:00 - 17:00 axalqalaqi Ticket price: Free of charge Th e museum, founded in 1973, exhibits telefoni: +995 362 22 22 16 local household items (rugs, carpets, cos- tumes) and an ethnographic collection samuSao saaTebi: (XIX-XX cc), an archaeological collection muSaobs yoveldRe, garda SabaT-kviri- (Late Bronze Age through the Middle Ages) sa, 10:00 dan 17:00 sT-mde implements, weapons, decorations, earthen- bileTis fasi: ware and glassware: muzeumSi Sesvla ufasoa Specimens of traditional Georgian folk ar- muzeumSi inaxeba yoveldRiuri ad- chitecture can be visited including darani – gilobrivi sayofacxovrebo nivTebi underground shelters, darbazi-type houses (fardagebi, xaliCebi, tansacmeli) da and earth-houses, preserved in the Akhal- eTnografiuli koleqcia (XIX s-is da- kalaki Municipality, like in other municipali- sawyisidan XX s-mde), arqeologiuri ties of Samtskhe. Th ese are now used by the koleqcia (gviani brinjaos xanidan Sua local population for keeping livestock. saukuneebis CaTvliT) – Sromisa da sabrZolo iaraRebi, samkaulebi, Tixis RECOMMENDED TOURISTIC da minis WurWeli (4000 nivTi). ROUTES daarsebis TariRi: 1973 w. axalqalaqis municipalitetSi, ise- JEEP ROUTE ve, rogorc samcxis sxva kuTxeebSi, Itinerary 1: Akhalkalaki - Kotelia - Baraleti SemorCenilia Zveli qarTuli saero - Ghrtila - Meghreki - Samsari - Sirgva - Ta- (xalxuri) arqiteqturis nimuSebi: da- batskuri Lake - Tabatskuri Red Church - Ba- ranebi – miwisqveSa samalavebi, darba- kuriani zuli saxlebi da miwurebi, romlebic Diffi cult dResdReobiT saqonlis sadgomebad Length: 100 km aqvs mosaxleobas gamoyenebuli. Duration: 8 hrs Min. altitude: 1500 m

87 abulis cixe-nasaxlari. mTa patara abuli Abuli Fortress and settlement site, Small Abuli Mountain

88 rekomendebuli turistuli Max. altitude: 2200 m marSrutebi Itinerary 2: Akhalkalaki - Tontio - Eshtia - Abuli Fortress -Akhalkalaki jipturi Diffi cult mimarTuleba 1: axalqalaqi – koTelia Length: 70 km – baraleTi – Rrtila – meRreki - Duration: 7 hrs samsari – sirgva –tabawyuris tba – Min. altitude: 1700 m tabawyuris wiTeli eklesia - bakuriani Max. altitude: 2650 m rTulad gasavleli manZili: 100 km. Th e route towards Abuli Fortress begins xangrZlivoba: 8 sT. in Khojabegi village, which is the last village minimaluri simaRle: 1500 m.zR. d. from Akhalkalaki on the Akhalkalaki – Ni- maqsimaluri simaRle: 2200 m.zR. d. notsminda motorway. At the left side turning from the main road, towards Khojabegi vil- mimarTuleba 2: axalqalaqi – tonTio lage there is a tourist information board. Th e _ eStia – abulis cixe – axalqalaqi road from Khojabegi leads to the northward rTulad gasavleli direction towards Tontio village and crosses manZili: 70 km. an old bridge over the Paravani River. Th en, it xangrZlivoba: 7 sT. continues to the right towards Eshtia village in minimaluri simaRle: 1700 m. zR. d. an eastward direction. In 1,7 km from Eshtia maqsimaluri simaRle: 2650 m. zR. d. village the road runs to the right, in the north- axalqalaqidan ninowmindis mimarTu- east direction, towards Ujmana village. Th en, lebiT, bolo sofel xojabegSi gada- passes along the marshy lake and continues up saxvevia marcxniv. aq dgas turistuli on the small Abuli Pass, Abuli Fortress is visible dafac. gza CrdiloeTis mimarTulebiT from here. Th e distance from Ujmana village is miuyveba sofel tonTiomde da gadadis 13 km. Th e trail towards Abuli is marked. Th e Zveli xidiT md.faravanze. Semdeg gr- road runs almost all the way up to the Abuli Zeldeba marjvniv, aRmosavleTis mi- Fortress, only 30 minutes hiking is needed to marTulebiT, sofel eStiidan, 1.7 km- cover the fi nal distance to the destination. ze, gza miemarTeba marjvniv, sofel ujmanisken, Crdilo-aRmosavleTis mi- abulis gzaze marTulebiT. daWaobebuli tbis ga- Driving to Abuli vliT gza mkveTri aRmarTiT grZel- deba mcire abulis uReltexilze, saidanac moCans abulis cixe-nasofla- ri. sofel ujmanidan manZili 13 km-ia. abulamde misasvleli gza niSandebu- lia. samanqano gza TiTqmis abulis ci- xe-nasaxlaramde midis, danarCeni man- Zilis dafarvas qveiTad daaxlovebiT 30 wuTi esaWiroeba. turis detaluri informaciisTvis mi- marTeT `elkanas~ soflis turizmis ganyofilebas. tel.: +995 32 232 83 21 For the detailed information contact Elkana Rural [email protected] www.ruraltourism.ge Tourism Department T:(+995 32) 232 83 21 www.ruraltourism.ge [email protected]

89 jipturi tabawyuris tbisa da cxrawyaros uReltexilis mimarTulebiT Jeep route towards Tabatskuri Lake and Tskhratskaro Pass

90 jipturi tabawyuris tbisa da cxrawyaros uReltexilis mimarTulebiT Jeep route towards Tabatskuri Lake and Tskhratskaro Pass

meRrekis ciklopuri karibWe Meghreki cyclopean gate

91 RESTAURANTS, CAFES kvebis obieqtebi Restaurant Art-Seg, Mesrop Mashtotsi St. restorani `art-segi~, mesrop maSto- 31, Akhalkalaki, +995 362 22 37 07, +9955 cis q. # 31, q. axalqalaqi, +995 362 22 79 74 34 11 37 07, +995 579 74 34 11 Restaurant Farel, Ninotsminda Highway, Akhalkalaki, +995 599 18 08 84, +995 599 restorani `fareli~, ninowmindis gzatkecili, q. axalqalaqi, +995 599 18 67 50 07 08 84, +995 599 67 50 07 Restaurant Hovik, Military Camp #14, Akhalkalaki, +995 599 51 12 54 restorani `hovik~, me-14 samxedro Café Pharaoh, Freedom St. 62, Akhalkalaki, qalaqi, q. axalqalaqi, +995 599 51 12 54 +995 599 18 62 63 kafe `faraoni~, Tavisuflebis q. Café Luxe, Charentsi St. 9, Akhalkalaki, +995 #62, q. axalqalaqi, +995 599 18 62 63 599 77 72 12 kafe `luqsi~, Carencis q. #9a, q. HOTELS, GUESTHOUSES axalqalaqi, +995 599 77 72 12 Ararat, Kamo St. 13, Akhalkalaki, +995 592 61 85 75, +995 593 61 85 75 sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi Art-Seg, With Restaurant on the ground `ararati~, kamos q. # 13, q. axalqala- fl oor, Mesrop Mashtotsi St. 31, Akhalkalaki, qi, +995 592 61 85 75, +995 593 61 85 75 +995 362 22 37 07, +995 579 74 34 11 `art-segi~ (pirvel sarTulze aris res- Guest house Anank, Levon Darbinyan St. 5, torani), mesrop maStocis q. # 31, q. Akhalkalaki, +995 599 10 18 35 axalqalaqi, +995 362 22 37 07, +995 579 74 34 11

saojaxo sastumroebi `ananqi~, levon darbinianis q. #5, abulis cixe. mTa patara abuli q. axalqalaqi, +995 599 10 18 35 Abuli Fortress, Small Abuli Mountain

92 borjomis municipaliteti

sofeli tabawyuri Tabatskuri Village

BORJOMI MUNICIPALITY

93 borjomis municipaliteti BORJOMI MUNICIPALITY

IMERETI imereTi SHIDA KARTLI GURIA Sida qarTli guria BORJOMI BORJOMI MUNICIPALITY AKHALTSIKHE ADIGENI MUNICIPALITY borjomis municipaliteti MUNICIPALITY adigenis municipaliteti

ADIGENI

AJARA AKHALTSIKHE aWara axalcixis ASPINDZA AKHALKALAKI MUNICIPALITY municipaliteti axalqalaqis municipaliteti ASPINDZA MUNICIPALITY

aspinZis AKHALKALAKI municipaliteti KVEMO KARTLI qvemo qarTli

TURKEY NINOTSMINDA TurqeTi ninowmindis municipaliteti NINOTSMINDA MUNICIPALITY

ARMENIA somxeTi geografiuli mdebareoba GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION municipaliteti moicavs mesxeTis AND ETHNIC COMPOSITION qedis aRmosavleT da TrialeTis qe- Th e Borjomi municipality covers the dis dasavleT kalTebs, Toris qvabul- eastern and western slopes of the Meskheti sa da borjomis xeobas. borjomis xe- and Trialeti ridges, the Tori depression, and obis mTel sigrZeze miedineba mtkvari. the Borjomi Gorge or Valley. Th e Mtkvari CrdiloeTidan esazRvreba imereTi da River fl ows along the entire length of Bor- Sida qarTli, xolo samxreTiT da aR- jomi Gorge. Borjomi borders on Imereti and mosavleTiT _ axalcixis, axalqalaqisa Shida Kartli to the north, the municipalities da aspinZis municipalitetebi. admini- of Akhaltsikhe, Akhalkalaki and Aspindza to straciuli centria qalaqi borjomi – the south and east. Th e administrative centre mdebareobs md. mtkvris orive napirze. of the municipality is the town of Borjomi aq gadis somxeTidan da TurqeTidan located on the Mtkvari River. momavali gzebi. Roads to Armenia and Turkey cross the Tbilisidan borjomamde 157km-ia, Borjomi municipality. TurqeTis sazRvridan (vales sasazRvro Th e distance to Tbilisi is 157 km, to the gamSvebi punqti) – 68 km, xolo baTumi- Turkish frontier Vale crossing point, 68 km dan quTaisis gavliT - 270 km. and to Batumi, 270 km. mTagoriani reliefis gamo mosaxle- Most of the population lives at 800 to 2000 oba cxovrobs zRvis donidan 800_2080 m in mountain areas. Of the region’s 1,190 m. simaRleze. km2, approximately 45% is used for cropland teritoria 1.190 kv.km-ia, aqedan 45% and 55% is covered in forests, mostly within

94 sasoflo-sameurneo savargulebia. mu- the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. Most nicipaliteti metwilad tyiania (te- people living in Borjomi are ethnically Geor- ritoriis 55% tyiT aris dafaruli), gian (85%) while 11% are of Armenian descent romlis umetesi nawili borjom-xara- and 2% Greek and 2% Russian and Ossetian. gaulis erovnul parkSia moqceuli. mosaxleobis 85% qarTvelia, 11% GETTING TO BORJOMI _ somexi, 2% _ berZeni da 2% _ sxva- MUNICIPALITY dasxva erovnebebi (rusebi, osebi). Travel is possible by car, minibus, bus, railway, and taxi from large towns; minibus- rogor movxvdeT es leave Tbilisi for Borjomi and Bakuriani gamgzavreba SesaZlebelia sazoga- every hour. doebrivi transportiT (mikroavto- Autostations and rail travel pages 35-36. busi, avtobusi, matarebeli, taqsi) Rail station "Borjomi Park", 5 kostava saqarTvelos nebismieri didi qalaqi- street, tel.: +995 32 216 38 05 dan. mikroavtobusebi Tbilisidan yo- vel saaTSi gadian borjomisa da baku- BORJOMI-BAKURIANI rianis mimarTulebiT. "CUCKOO TRAIN" avtosadgurebi da matareblis gan- rigi gv. 35-36. Leaves Borjomi station for Bakuriani borjomis sadguri `borjom parki~, everyday. kostavas q. tel.: +995 32 216 38 05

borjom-bakurianis `guguli matarebeli~ borjomis sadguridan kurort baku- rianis mimarTulebiT yoveldRiurad funqcionirebs “guguli matarebeli~. matareblis moZraobis ganrigi (borjomi-bakuriani)

TRAIN SCHEDULE (BORJOMI-BAKURIANI)

gasvla Casvla gasvla Casvla borjomidan bakurianSi bakurianidan borjomSi SeniSvna № Departure Arrival Departure Arrival Remark from Borjomi in Bakuriani from Bakuriani in Borjomi yoveldRiuri 1. 7:15 9:45 10:10 12:43 Everyday yoveldRiuri 2. 11:15 13:46 14:10 16:43 Everyday mgzavrobas 2.5 sT. sWirdeba. Duration: 2.5 hours www.railway.ge

95 bunebrivi pirobebi NATURAL CONDITIONS aqauri havis gansakuTrebuloba AND RESOURCES ganpirobebulia aRmosavleTidan mSra- Th e local climate is characterized by a com- li da mkacri, dasavleTidan notio da bined action of dry and harsh air masses from Tbili, xolo samxreTidan kontinentu- the east, humid and warm air from the west, ri haeris masebis SerwymiT. klimaturi and the continental air from the south. Th e piroebebi borjomis municipalitetSi climatic conditions of Borjomi municipal- qmnis pirobas, rom aq wlis nebismier ity allow it to receive vacationers all the year dros miiRon damsveneblebi. zafxul- round. Th e mean summer temperature is Si saSualo temperaturaa 140C. pirve- 140C. Th e fi rst snow falls here in November li Tovli aq noemberSi modis. ianvris and the mean January temperature is -60C. saSualo temperaturaa 60C. Th e health resorts Borjomi and Tsaghveri kurortebi borjomi da waRveri are also noted for their mineral waters. Th e samkurnalo mineraluri wylebiT aris well-known mineral waters Borjomi and cnobili. borjomSi Camoasxamen minera- Likani are bottled in Borjomi. lur wylebs _ “borjoms~ da “likans~. POINTS OF INTEREST RirSesaniSnaobebi Borjomi is known for its resorts, lakes, municipaliteti cnobilia Tavisi ku- mineral waters, beautiful gorges, health rortebiT, tbebiT, mineraluri wyle- centers/sanatoria and for the Borjomi- biT, borjomis parkiT, borjom-xaragau- Kharagauli National Park. Th e well-known lis erovnuli parkiT, lamazi xeobebiT Georgian ski resort Bakuriani played a da samkurnalo sanatoriumebiT. great role in the development of mountain- aqaa saqarTveloSi ganTqmuli skiing in Georgia. Excellent recreational and samTo-saTxilamuro kurorti baku- health centers include Kechkhobi, Tsaghveri, riani, romelmac didi roli Seasrula Akhaldaba, Tsemi and other small villages. saqarTveloSi saTxilamuro sportis At an altitude of 1991m and 35 km from ganviTarebaSi. dasvenebisa da sxva- Borjomi, the alpine Tabatskuri Lake off ers visi- dasxva daavadebaTa samkurnalod Sesa- tors unusual views. Rivers abound in local fi sh niSnavi kerebia keCxobi, waRveri, axal- species: brown trout, carp, barbel and gudgeon. daba, cemi da sxva patara soflebi. q. borjomidan, 35 km-ze aris ula- THE BORJOMI-KHARAGAULI mazesi tba tabawyuri. zRvis donidan NATIONAL PARK is part of the Lesser 1991 m simaRleze. Caucasus and one of the largest protected areas mdinareebSi uxvadaa kalmaxi, Wanari, in Europe. It includes primal forests, sub-alpine murwa, wvera, cimori da sxv. and alpine meadows. Today the National Park Area covers more than 85,000 ha or nearly 1% borjom-xaragaulis erovnuli of the whole territory of Georgia. Th e large ar- parki eas of mountainous forest have been preserved farTobiT yvelaze didi erovnu- here in their pristine condition. A number of li parkia evropaSi. igi mdebareobs endemic and relict species of fl ora and endan- saqarTvelos centralur nawilSi da gered species of fauna can be found in these moicavs qveynis teritoriis TiTqmis forests, as well as among the sprawling subal- 1%-s. misi farTobia 85000 ha. aq flo- pine and alpine meadows of the Park. risa da faunis mravali endemuri da Th e park’s territory contains several histor- reliqturi saxeobaa. mTis tyeebi be- ical monuments as well and has a well-devel-

96 vrgan Tavdapirveli da xeluxlebeli saxiTaa SemorCenili. aq bevria mdina- reebis xeobebi, CanCqerebi, alpuri da subalpuri mdeloebi. erovnuli par- kis teritoriaze ramdenime istoriul- kulturuli Zeglic mdebareobs. amJamad parkis teritoriaze ganviTa- rebeulia turistuli infrastruqtu- ra. gamoyofilia mosasvenebeli, sa- sacxenosno marSruti borjom- piknike da sakempinge adgilebi, Ramis xaragaulis erovnul parkSi gasaTevi xis patara kotejebi. SesaZle- Horseback riding in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park belia cxenebisa da velosipedebis daqiraveba vizitorTa sainformacio oped tourism infrastructure - at the entrances centrSi, aseve erTdRiani an ufro xan- there are picnic areas and campsites for visi- grZlivi periodiT qveiTi, sacxenosno tors, grills for cooking and parking areas. Cur- marSrutebis organizeba profesionali rently nine offi cial tourist trails are marked gidi-gamyolebis TanxlebiT. out with four tourist shelters that have basic borjom-xaragaulis erovnuli par- facilities and furnishings. Th e local visitor’s kis naxvis msurvelebs damatebiTi in- service can arrange transportation and horse formaciisTvis, detaluri ruki- rental and assist you in organizing one-day or sa da bilikebis gasacnobad SeuZliaT longer hiking and horseback riding tours in daukavSirdnen borjom-xaragaulis the company of a professional guide. erovnuli parkis administracias. To get to the park from Tbilisi is possible dedaqalaqidan parkSi moxvedra Se- via Borjomi by road (2.5 hours) and railroad. saZlebelia borjomis gavliT samanqa- Additional information, a detailed map and no da sarkinigzo gziT. manZili Tbi- introduction to trails can be obtained from the lisidan erovnul parkamde 165 km-ia; park’s administration.

turistuli koteji borjom-xaragaulis erovnul parkSi Tourist cottage in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park

97 mgzavrobas 2_2.5 saaTi esaWiroeba. THE KTSIA-TABATSKURI MANAGED RESERVE (KTMR) is situ- qcia-tabawyuris aRkveTili ated around the alpine Lake Tabatskuri in qcia-tabawyuris aRkveTili baku- the Lesser Caucasus, at an altitude of 2000 rianidan samxreT-aRmosavleTiT, zR. m and covers 22 000 ha, including the lake d. 2000 m simaRleze mdebareobs da and the upper catchment of the River Ktsia, saqarTvelos istoriuli kuTxeebis high mountain steppes, gorges and wetlands. Toris, argveTisa da javaxeTis mo- Th ere are several villages near the lake which mijnave adgilebSia gamoyofili. ta- make a living from fi shing, cattle breeding, bawyuris tbasTan sul ramdenime dairy production, vegetable and fruit grow- sofelia, sadac ganviTarebulia me- ing, beekeeping and timber processing. Tevzeoba, mesaqonleoba da rZis pro- duqtebis warmoeba, memindvreoba, TABATSKURI LAKE is distinguished by mefutkreoba, mebaReoba da xe-tyis ga- its blue colour. A peninsula that juts into the damuSaveba. lake is densely populated. Many fi sh species are found here. Tskhratskaro Pass road leads tabawyuris tba to the Tabatskuri Lake. Right immediately gamoirCeva muqi lurji feriT. tba- aft er crossing the Pass, the road continues Si SeWrilia naxevarkunZuli, romelic to the left and leads north-east towards the mWidrod aris dasaxlebuli. aq gavr- Lake. It is possible to get to Akhalkalaki town celebulia Tevzis saxeobebi: xramuli, via the Tabatskuri road. kobri, Wafala, kalmaxi. Hiking and horseback riding tours or- zafxulobiT qcia-tabawyuris teri- ganized on the Ktsia-Tabatskuri territory toriaze ewyoba qveiTi da sacxenosno in summers can include overnight tenting turebi, tabawyuris tbis napirTan kar- on the shores of Tabatskuri Lake. Alterna- vebSi Ramis gaTeviT; SesaZlebelia mo- tively visitors can hire mountain bikes, ride nawileobis miReba iseT RonisZiebebSi, horseback from Bakuriani, take a jeep tour rogoricaa mTis velosporti, sacxeno- or other organized tours such as fi shing, sno (bakurianidan), 4X4 manqanebiT sa- botanical and birdwatching. In winter ad- Tavgadasavlo, saTevzao, botanikuri venture snowmobile tours from Bakuriani to da frinvelebze dakvirvebis turebi. Tabatskuri are organized. zamTarSi bakurianidan tabawyuris mimarTulebiT ewyoba saTavgadasavlo KAKHISI AND TSERO LAKES are turebi Tovlis motocikletebiT. found on the Trialeti Ridge at 1800 m above qcia-tabawyuris aRkveTilamde sea level, approximately 20-25 km from Bor- moxvedra SesaZlebelia samanqano jomi. Th ese lakes are known for their abun- gziT; manZili Tbilisidan, borjo- dance of fi sh and are surrounded by forests misa da bakurianis gavliT, 220 km-ia; crossed by old trails and cart roads. Hiking, tbamde misasvleli gza cxrawyaros tenting and horseback riding tours are orga- uReltexilidan xelmarcxniv, Crdilo nized here in summers. - aRmosavleTiT miuyveba. tbis gavliT SesaZlebelia axalqalaqSi moxve- RESORTS dra. mgzavrobas sWirdeba 3.5_4 saaTi; BORJOMI AND BORJOMI GORGE Tbilisidan walkisa da axalqalaqis Th e resort of Borjomi is famous for its gavliT 257 km-ia, mgzavrobas esaWiro- wholesome climatic conditions and its min- eba 5 saaTi. eral waters that have been used from ancient

98 kaxisisa da weros tbebi times both for drinking and spa treatments. TrialeTis qedi gaswvriv, zRvis do- In the early XIX century the mineral water nidan 1800 metrze, borjomidan 20-25 called Borjomi became famous for its unique km-is daSorebiT sofel WobisxevTan curative properties. Th is generated a great mdebareobs. tbebi gamoirCeva Tevzis interest in the the entire Borjomi Gorge. simravliT, gaSemortymulia tyeebiT, In 1871, the Russian Emperor Alexander romelTac Zveli bilikebi da saurme II gave the Borjomi Gorge to his brother gzebi seravs. zafxulobiT aq SesaZle- Mikhail Romanov who made radical devel- belia qveiTi da sacxenosno laSqrobe- opments in the region. Investments were at- bis mowyoba, tbebis napirze karvebSi tracted to construct facilities for bottling the Ramis gaTeviT. mineral water, guesthouses, and a railroad in the gorge. In 1894, the railroad Khashuri- kurortebi Borjomi was built. To the southeast of Bor- borjomi da borjomis xeoba jomi a chain of other resorts includes Likani, kurorti borjomi gamoirCeva sa- Tsaghveri, Daba, Tsemi, Papa, Tsikhisjvari, sargeblo mikroklimaturi pirobebiT. Tba and Chitakhevi. borjomis mineralur wylebs uZvele- Up to two hundred historical monuments si droidan iyenebdnen, rogorc sasme- have been recorded within the Borjomi lad, aseve balneologiuri procedu- Gorge. Of special importance are the Nedzvi rebisTvis. triple-church basilica (IX c.), the monas- XIX saukunis dasawyisSive yuradRe- tery complexes of Kviriketi (X c.), Timote- ba miipyro, Tavisi samkurnalo Tvi- subani (XIII c.), Kvabiskhevi St. Maria (IX sebebis gamo, borjomis mineraluri c.), Likani (IX c.), Chitakhevi (IX c.), and wyalma, ramac mTeli borjomis xeo- Tadzrisi, as well as Slesa, Petre and Gogia (IX bis mimarT didi interesi gamoiwvia. c.) fortresses. Others include the Akhaldaba 1871 wels borjomis xeobiT ruseTis fortress, the ancient Tori Plateau settlements, imperatori aleqsandre II da misi Zma, and archaeological monuments. Ancient didi mTavari mixail romanovi dainte- wine-cellars (marani) and peasant houses resdnen. im periodSi aSenda mineralu- built of cobblestone and wood have been ri wylis Camosasxmeli sawarmo, dasa- preserved in the gorge. Natural monuments svenebeli saxlebi, 1894 wels gaiyvanes of interest are the Adgeri Plateau forest and xaSur-borjomis rkinigza. the lakes of Tabatskuri, Kakhi and Tsero. borjomidan samxreT-aRmosavle- With the municipality's history of tour- TiT klimatur-balneologiuri poten- ciuri kurortebis jaWvia ganlagebu- li: likani, waRveri, daba, cemi, fafa, cixisjvari, tba, likani, CiTaxevi da sxv. borjomis xeobaSi orasamde isto- riul-kulturuli Zeglia aRricxu- li. maT Soris gansakuTrebiT sainte- resoa neZvis sameklesiani bazilika (IX s), kvirikeTis (X s), timoTesubnis (XIII s), qvabisxevis mariamwmindis (IX s), li- kanis (IX s), CiTaxevis (IX s) taZrisis sa- monastro kompleqsebi. agreTve, sle- mineraluri wyali. borjomis parki Mineral waters. Borjomi Park 99 sis, petres da gogias (IX s), axaldabis cixeebi, Toris platos uZvelesi na- saxlarebi da arqeologiuri Zegle- bi. xeobaSi SemorCenilia Zveli marne- bi, riyis qviTa da xiT naSeni xalxuri sacxovreblis nimuSebi. bunebis Zeglebidan sainteresoa sadgeris platos tye, tabawyuris, ka- xisisa da weros tbebi. municipalitetSi kargad aris ganvi- Tarebuli turistuli infrastruqtu- bakurianis samTo-saTxilamuro kurorti ra. qalaq borjomSi funqcionirebs sa- Bakuriani Ski Resort stumroebi, parkebi, skverebi, kvebisa da gasarTobi obieqtebi. borjomis par- ism, it has well-developed tourist infrastruc- kSi miwis wiaRidan amosuli mineraluri tures that include hotels, parks, public gar- wylis wyaroa mowyobili, romlis bune- dens, restaurants, cafes and entertainment brivi temperatura 300C. in Borjomi. Guests can enjoy a hot spring (300C) in the Borjomi Park. likani likani mdebareobs mdinare mtkvris LIKANI marjvena sanapiroze. XIX saukunis miwu- Th e Likani Palace was built on the right rulidan aq romanovebis evropul_ru- bank of the Mtkvari River and from the late suli sakurorto sazafxulo reziden- XIX century served as a European-Russian cia iyo. dResac arsebobs XIX saukunis summer residence of the royal Romanov arqiteqturis nimuSebi: sacxovrebeli family. Remains of the 19th century edifi ce nagebobebi, auzebi da Sadrevnebi. gan- that include dwelling premises, fountains, sakuTrebiT mimzidvelia likanis parki, and basins have been preserved and a spring sadac mravali iSviaTi xe da buCqi xa- of warm mineral water fl ows in the residence robs. kurortis teritoriaze amodis Park, which off ers a collection of many rare Tbili mineraluri wyali. likans gad- trees and shrubs. Th e ruins of Petre Fortress mohyurebs adrefeodaluri xanis pe- dating back to the early feudal epoch over- tres cixis nangrevebi. look Likani.

bakuriani BAKURIANI bakuriani samTo kurortebs So- Bakuriani is one of the most picturesque ris erT-erTi ulamazesi adgilia. igi mountain resort areas in Georgia. Situated in borjomis xeobaSi, TrialeTis qedis the Borjomi Gorge on the northern slopes of CrdiloeT ferdobze, zRvis donidan the Trialeti Ridge, at an altitude of 1700m it is 1700 metrze mdebareobs. misi mSvene- below Mt. Kokhtagora (2155 m), from which ba koxtagoraa (2155 m.), saidanac kavka- there is a panoramic view of the Greater Cau- sionis qedis panoramuli xedi iSleba. casus. Bakuriani has almost a century-old bakurians, rogorc samTo ku- history as a mountain resort. Th e fi rst Bor- rorts, TiTqmis saukunovani istoria jomi-Bakuriani narrow-gauge railroad was aqvs. borjomidan bakurianamde pirve- built between 1902 and 1910. Th is railroad, li viwroliandagiani sarkinigzo xazi nicknamed the "Cuckoo train" still serves va- 1902 – 1910 wlebSi gaiyvanes da baku- cationers and locals all year round.

100 rianis “gugul matarebels~ mas Semdeg Ski enthusiasts began coming to Bakuri- ar Seuwyvetia aRma-daRma svla zam- ani in the 1930s and have gradually helped Tarsa Tu zafxulSi. turn the town into a centre of winter sports. saTxilamuro sportis pirveli It is a superb venue for small children to moyvarulebi da enTuziastebi aq XX make their fi rst ski experience on the slopes, saukunis 30-ian wlebSi gamoCdnen da and is also popular with adults. Th e impres- mas Semdeg bakuriani zamTris sportis sive range of winter sports activities and sxvadasxva saxeobebis centrad iqca. growing entertainment facilities includes bakurianSi dasveneba wlis nebismier alpine ski runs, skating, snowmobile tours, dros sasargeblo da sainteresoa. zam- sledding and alpine hiking. TarSi TxilamurebiTa da cigiT sria- In fact Bakuriani off ers vacations year li, marxiliT an cxeniT seirnoba, around. Summers here are cooler than in tabawyuris tbaze Tovlis motocikle- lower areas, with many hiking and horseback tebiT mimosvla, sacigurao moedani, riding routes and paths within the Borjomi- kinoTeatri, Zveli bazari, sadac ro- Kharagauli and Ktsia-Tabatskuri protected gorc wina saukuneSi axlac moiZebne- areas that harbour endemic and rare fl ora ba fiWvis kevi, Ciris gala, tylapi, and fauna. It is a beloved and traditional fam- mSrali soko da kenkrovnebis murabe- ily destination, famous for the recreational bi, girCis yvavilebisa da mtvrisagan and healing qualities of the mountain air damzadebuli xalxuri wamlebi. and the thick coniferous forests surround- zafxuli bakurianSi sigriliTa da ing the town. Th e resort impresses Geor- mTis haviT gamoirCeva. aq mravali qvei- gians and foreigners alike with its romantic Ti da sacxenosno marSrutia borjom- horse-drawn coach rides, horseback riding xaragaulisa da qcia-tabawyuris da- and marketplace where, as in old times, visi- culi teritoriebis mimarTulebiT. tors buy pine chewing-gum and locally made aseve mravali biliki miuyveba bakuria- traditional sweets such as chiri, tklapi, dried nis mdeloebsa da tyeebs, sadac iSvia- mushrooms, berry jams, pine pollen-based Ti frinvelebi binadroben da ulama- folk medications, and other products. zesi mTis yvavilebi xaroben. THE BAKURIANI ALPINE bakurianis botanikuri baRi BOTANICAL GARDENS bakurianis maRalmTis botaniku- Th e Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Gardens ri baRi zRvis donidan 1700 metris on the western slope of Mt. Kokhtagora (1700 simaRleze mdebareobs. baRi bunebis m), were founded in 1910 at the initiative of moyvarulTa da mecnierTa iniciati- nature lovers and scientists. Th e principal viT 1910 wels daarsda. botanikuri ba- purpose of these Botanical Gardens was to Ris ZiriTadi daniSnulebaa kavkasiis study the characteristics of alpine plants of the maRalmTianeTis mcenareebis Seswavla Caucasus with their ecological and botanical da maTi bioekologiur Taviseburebe- specifi cities. Plots and collections of unique bis dadgena. baRis teritoriaze Seqm- plants are found within the gardens. nilia sacdeli nakveTebi, gaSenebulia iSviaTi mcenareebi da inaxeba unikalu- CULTURAL-HISTORICAL ri botanikuri koleqcia. MONUMENTS Kimotesubani Monastery (also called kulturul-istoriuli Zeglebi the Timotesubani Monastery) is an XI-XII kimoTesubnis taZari (moixsenieba cc. centrally-domed cathedral dedicated to aseve rogorc timoTesubnis taZari) the Holy Virgin, and built of red sandstone 101 – XI_XII ss wminda RvTismSoblis cen- ("Georgian brick"). Th e inner chambers tralurgumbaTovani sakaTedro ta- are covered with extraordinary and well- Zari agebulia vardisferi “qarTuli preserved frescos from XIII c, the epoch of aguriT~. eklesiis interiers amSvenebs Queen Tamar. Th e monastery is located in Tamar mefis droindeli qarTuli ori- Kimotesubani village. ginaluri freskuli mxatvrobis sauke- Teso nimuSebi. monasteri sofel kimo- TesubanSi mdebareobs.

mwvane monasteri monasterTan misasvlelad borjomi- axalcixis gzaze, borjomidan 8 km-ze, gadasaxvevia xelmarcxniv, Crdilo _ dasavleTis mimarTulebiT. gzaze dgas niSnulic. IX-is monasteri aSenebulia cnobili qarTveli moRvawis grigol xanZTelis mowafeebis mier. igi sami bazilikis ti- pis eklesiisa da samreklosagan Sedge- ba, SemorCenilia CuqurTmis detalebi. wm. RvTismSoblis amJamad aq moqmedi mamaTa monasteria. sakaTedro taZari sof. timoTesubani Th e Cathedral dedicated to the Holy Virgin in v.Timotesubani sadgeris wminda giorgis monasteri MTSVANE (GREEN) MONASTERY borjomTan axlos sofel sadgerSi In 8 km aft er Borjomi town, on the Borjo- mdebareobs, aq inaxeboda saqarTvelos mi-Akhaltsikhe motorway there is a turning samefos siwminde _ sadgeris jvari. yo the left , which leads north-west towards the Mtsvane (Green) monastery. Th ere is a borjomis mxareTmcodneobis road sign indicating direction. muzeumi Th e monastery was built in IX c. by fol- misamarTi: wm. ninos quCa #5, 1200, lowers of the outstanding Georgian ecclesi- borjomi astical fi gure Grigol Khandzteli. Its triple- telefoni: +995 367 22 23 62 church basilicas and bell tower are typical samuSao saaTebi: muSaobs yoveldRe, examples of Georgian stone-carving. garda orSabaTisa, 10:00 dan 17:00 sT- mde SADGERI ST. GEORGE’S CHURCH bileTis fasi: mozardebisaTvis 3.00 l. Sadgeri St. George’s Church is located vizitorTa didi jgufebisaTvis - kac- in the village of Sadgeri, near Borjomi. Th e ze 2.00 l. gidis momsaxureba _ 15.00 l. Holy Sadgeri Cross formerly belonged to muzeumis Senoba aago germanel- royalty. ma inJinerma v. Sveierma 1890 wels da Tavdapirvelad warmoadgenda ruseTis THE BORJOMI MUSEUM OF LOCAL saimperatoro ojaxis – romanovebis HISTORY kancelariis Senobas. Address: St. Nino’s St. 5, 1200 Borjomi muzeumi Sedgeba arqeologiuri, Phone: +995 367 22 23 62 istoriul-eTnografiuli, gamoyenebiTi Working hours: Everyday except Monday, xelovnebisa da mxaris bunebis ganyofi- 10:00 - 17:00 102 lebebisagan. aq daculia sxvadasxva ko- Ticket price: GEL 3, for large groups of visi- leqciebi: unikaluri brinjaos samkauli tors: GEL 2, guided tour – GEL 15. da iaraRi (Zv.w II-I aTaswleulebi), mra- Th e building of the museum was designed valferovani numizmatikuri koleqcia and built by the German engineer W. Sch- (Zv.w V - ax.w XX ss.), romanovebis pira- weizer in 1890. Th e building initially designed di nivTebi: evropuli da aziuri warmo- as the chancellery of the Imperial House of Sobis WurWeli, iaraRi, ferweruli da Romanovs. Th e museum departments of ar- grafikuli namuSevrebi. aseve, bunebis chaeology, history and ethnography, applied saocreba – gaqvavebuli xe goderZis art, and local landscape and nature. uReltexilidan da sxva. Th e visitor will see: Unique samples of bronze weaponry and adornment (II-I Mil- borjomis turizmis lennia BC), large numismatic collection (V sainformacio centri c BC – XX c AD), personal belongings of SoTa rusTavelis quCa, skverSi - sila- members of the House of Romanovs: basi- mazis xidTan, +995 367 22 13 97, cally European and oriental crockery, ar- +995 599 30 25 13, [email protected] moury, painting and graphic works, coupled with several samples of natural wonder – a bakurianis turizmis fossilized tree from Goderdzi Pass, etc. sainformacio centri daviT aRmaSeneblis q. #1, BORJOMI TOURISM 995 593 33 50 58, +995 367 24 00 37, INFORMATION CENTRE +995 367 24 00 36 Shota Rustaveli St. in the public garden near the bridge rekomendebuli turistuli Tel. +995 367 22 13 97, +995 599 30 25 13, marSrutebi Email: [email protected]

qveiTi marSruti BAKURIANI TOURISM mimarTuleba1/panoramebis biliki: INFORMATION CENTRE awyuris guSagTa TavSesafri _ amara- David Aghmashenebeli St 1 Tis TavSesafri Tel. +995 593 33 50 58, rTulad gasavleli +995 367 24 00 37, +995 367 24 00 36 manZili (wriuli biliki): 34 km. Email: [email protected] xangZlivoba: 2 dRe /fexiT (dReSi 6 sT) maqsimaluri simaRle: 2300 m. zR. d. RECOMMENDED TOURISTIC minimaluri simaRle: 850 m. zR. d. ROUTES mimarTuleba 2: nikoloz II-is biliki: HIKING ROUTE borjom-xaragaulis erovnuli parki/ Itinerary 1/Panoramic trail: Atskuri shelter - likani _ marelisi Amarta shelter rTulad gasavleli Diffi cult manZili: 39_41 km. Length (round): 34 km xangZlivoba: 3 dRe/fexiT (I dRe - 5 sT. Duration: 2 days II dRe - 6.5 sT. III dRe - 2 sT). Max. altitude: 2300 m. maqsimaluri simaRle: 2200 m. zR. d. Min. altitude: 850 m. minimaluri simaRle: 850 m. zR. d. Itinerary 2/Nicolas II trail: Borjomi-

103 borjomi – bakurianis gza Borjomi-Bakuriani Road

104 qveiTi da/an sacxenosno Kharagauli National Park/Likani Marelisi marSruti Diffi cult mimarTuleba: bakuriani – borjomi Length: 39-41 km saSualo sirTulis Duration: 3 days manZili: 12km. Max. altitude: 2200 m. xangZlivoba: 2 dRe (qveiTi) Min. altitude: 850 m. maqsimaluri simaRle: 1810 m. zR. d. minimaluri simaRle (xidi md. gujare- HIKING AND/OR HORSEBACK Tiswyalze): 1069 m. zR. d. RIDING Itinerary 1: BAKURIANI - BORJOMI turis detaluri informaciisTvis Average diffi culty mimarTeT borjom-xaragaulis erovnu- Length: 12 km li parkis administracias. Duration: 2 day (hiking) tel: +995 367 22 21 17; +995 577 10 18 57 Max. altitude: 1800 m. http://www.borjomi-kharagauli-np.ge/ Min. altitude: 1069 m. [email protected] For the detailed information contact the kvebis obieqtebi borjomSi Borjom-Kharagauli National Park Admin- restorani `likani palasi~, likanis istration teritoria, mesxeTis q. #27a, borjo- Phone: +995 367 22 21 17; +995 577 10 18 57 mi, +995 367 22 20 77 http://www.borjomi-kharagauli-np.ge/ restorani `taverna nia~, grigol ro- [email protected] baqiZis q. #1a, borjomi, +995 367 22 21 14, +995 592 28 82 35 RESTAURANTS, CAFES IN BORJOMI restorani `TamaSgare~, rusTavelis q.#101, borjomi, Likani Palace, Meskheti St. 27a, Likani terri- +995 367 22 07 11 tory, +995 367 22 20 77 kafe `orqidea~, merab kostavas q. #1, Tavern Nia, Grigol Robakidze St. 1a, Bor- borjomi, +995 555 59 69 05 jomi, +995 367 22 21 14, +995 592 28 82 35 kafe `merabiko~, borjomis baRi, Tamashgare, Rustaveli St. 101, Borjomi, borjomi, +995 367 22 07 23 +995 367 22 07 11 restorani `Zveleburi~, sof. zanavi, Orchid, Merab Kostava St. 1, Borjomi, +995 599 24 19 92 +995 555 59 69 05 restorani `rveli~, sof. rveli, Merabiko, Borjomi Park, +995 367 22 07 23 +995 367 22 37 15 Dzveleburi, v. Zanavi, , +995 599 24 19 92 saxaWapure `foria~, sof. axaldaba, Rveli, v. Rveli, +995 367 22 37 15 +995 598 72 56 55 Khachapuri café Foria, v. Akhaldaba, saxaWapure `nika~, sof. axaldaba, +995 598 72 56 55 +995 599 31 27 88 Khachapuri café Nika, v. Akhaldaba, sasauzme `niavi~, sof. axaldaba, +995 599 31 27 88 +995 599 16 18 52 Snack bar Niavi, v. Akhaldaba, restorani `vaxtanguri~, sof. axalda- +995 599 16 18 52 ba, +995 599 95 24 96, +995 593 95 20 00 Restaurant Vakhtanguri, v. Akhaldaba, restorani `faraoni~, sof. CiTaxevi, +995 599 95 24 96, +995 593 95 20 00 +995 790 90 91 21 Restaurant Pharaon, v. Chitakhevi, +995 790 90 91 21

105 kvebis obieqtebi bakurianSi RESTAURANTS, CAFES IN kafe-bari `natali~, Tavisuflebis quCa BAKURIANI #19, daba bakuriani, +995 599 72 67 26 restorani `anga~, daviT aRmaSeneblis Natalie, Freedom St. 19, +995 599 72 67 26 quCa #7, daba bakuriani, Anga, David Aghmashenebeli St. 7, +995 599 19 01 50 +9955 99 19 01 50 restorani `soprosi~, koba waqaZis q. Sopros, Koba Tsakadze St. 11, #11, daba bakuriani, +995 595 97 53 98, +995 595 97 53 98, +995 595 97 53 99 +995 595 97 53 99 HOTELS AND GUESTHOUSES IN borjomis sastumroebi da BORJOMI satumro saxlebi `likani palasi~, (pirvel sarTulze Likani Palace (with a restaurant on the aris restorani), borjomi, likanis te- ground fl oor), Meskheti St. 27a, Likani ter- ritoria, mesxeTis q. #27a, +995 367 22 ritory, +995 367 22 42 49, +995 591 31 55 14 42 49, +995 591 31 55 14 Health complex Borjomis Kheoba, Shota gamajansaRebeli kompleqsi `borjo- Rustaveli St. 107a, Borjomi, +995 367 22 30 mis xeoba~, SoTa rusTavelis q.#107a, 72, +995 599 32 32 47, +995 599 32 32 49, borjomi, +995 367 22 30 72, +995 599 32 +995 599 50 09 90, www.borjomiskheoba.com 32 47, +995 599 32 32 49, +995 599 50 09 Meidani , 1, Merab Kostava St., Borjomi, 90 www.borjomiskheoba.com +995 367 22 39 08 `meidani~, merab kostavas q. #1, Olympus, Shota Rustaveli St 101a, Borjomi, borjomi, +995 367 22 39 08 +995 367 22 31 72, +995 367 22 31 94, `olimpi~, SoTa rusTavelis q. +995 599 73 15 77; fax: +995 367 22 31 73 #101a, borjomi, +995 367 22 31 72, Borjomi St. Nino’s St. 3, Borjomi, +995 367 +995 367 22 31 94, +995 599 73 15 77, 22 22 12, +995 367 22 00 95, faqsi: +995 367 22 31 73 +995 599 45 64 63 `borjomi~, wminda ninos q. #3, borjo- mi, +995 367 22 22 12, +995 367 22 00 95, Motsioni, Meskheti St. 49, Borjomi, +995 599 45 64 63 +995 367 22 19 99, +995 599 17 75 07 `mocioni~, mesxeTis q. #49, borjomi, Victoria, Merab Kostava St. 31, Borjomi, +995 367 22 19 99, +995 599 17 75 07 +995 367 22 26 31, +995 593 12 02 83, `viqtoria~, merab kostavas q. #31, +995 555 58 49 78 borjomi, +995 367 22 26 31, +995 593 12 02 83, +995 555 58 49 78 saojaxo sastumro, merab kostavas q. #2, borjomi, +995 367 22 07 80

bakurianis sastumroebi da sastumro saxlebi `vila palasi~, koba waqaZis q. #1, +995 367 24 02 73, +995 595 90 11 44, [email protected], www.villapalace.ge saojaxo sastumro saxli, sof. tba, `TrialeTi~, didvelis mimdebare te- +995 599 259 181; +995 595 908 015 ritoria, +995 599 57 11 08, Guesthouse, v. Tba, +995 599 259 181; +995 +995 367 24 03 03 595 908 015

106 `beko~, sof. tba, +995 599 75 83 10, `lilu~, sof. sadgeri, +995 599 56 24 24 +995 790 75 83 10 Beko, v. Tba, +995 599 75 83 10, +995 790 75 83 10 Lilu, v. Sadgeri, +995 599 56 24 24

saojaxo sastumro saxli, sof. qvabisxevi, soflis saxli, sof. timoTesubani, +995 597 99 14 57, 995 555 72 63 86 +995 599 79 94 76 Village house, v. Timotesubani, Guesthouse, v. Kvabiskhevi, +995 597 99 14 57, +995 599 79 94 76 995 555 72 63 86

eko-koteji, sof. timoTesubani, `magi~ bakuriani, 9 aprilis q. #7 +995 596 10 64 49 +995 599 193 842 Eco-cottages, v. Timotesubani, 7, 9 Aprili St. Bakuriani +995 596 10 64 49 +995 599 193 842 sastumro saxlebis dajavSnisTvis mimar- For guethouse reservation contact Elkana Rural TeT „elkanas“ soflis turizmis ganyo- Tourism Department filebas. T:(+995 32) 232 83 21 www.ruraltourism.ge rural- tel: (+995 32) 232 83 21 www.ruraltourism.ge [email protected] [email protected]

107 `kristali~, didvelis mimdebare teri- Guesthouse, Merab Kostava St. 2, Borjomi, toria, +995 367 24 03 76, +995 595 46 14 +995 367 22 07 80 61, www.hotelcrystal.ge [email protected] `evrika~, daviT aRmaSeneblis q. #87, +995 577 57 57 85, +995 32 2 50 99 92 HOTELS AND GUESTHOUSES IN BAKU- `viqtoria», Tavisuflebis q. #10, RIANI +995 599 55 87 13 `premier palasi~, koba waqaZis q. #26, Villa Palace, Koba Tsakadze St. 1, +995 367 +995 32 2 50 62 51, +995 367 24 00 70 240273, +995 595 901144, [email protected], `vere palasi~, koba waqaZis q. #12, www.villapalace.ge +995 367 24 00 49/50/51, +995 599 11 60 Trialeti, Didveli adjoining area, 45, [email protected], +995 599 57 11 08, +995 367 24 03 03 www.verepalacebak.ge Crystal, Didveli adjoining area, `apoloni~, daviT aRmaSeneblis q.#6, +995 367 240376, +995 595 46 14 61, +995 599 57 11 08 www.hotelcrystal.ge [email protected] `soprosi~, koba waqaZis q. #11, Evrika, David Aghmashenebeli St. 87, +995 +995 595 97 53 98, +995 595 97 53 99 577 57 57 85, +995 32 2 50 99 92 `niu hauzi~ Tavisuflebis q. #29, Victoria, Freedom St. 10, +995 599 55 87 13 +995 599 20 17 20 Premier Palace, Koba Tsakadze St. 26, +995 32 cxrawyaro, borjomis q. #5, 250 62 51, +995 367 24 00 70 +995 593 33 04 51, +995 367 24 04 51 Vere Palace, Koba Tsakadze St. 12, +995 367 24 `aisbergi~, daviT aRmaSeneblis q.#3, 00 49/50/51, +995 599 116045, verepalaceba- +995 599 10 54 29, +995 367 24 00 16 [email protected], `ikiski~ daviT aRmaSeneblis q. 5, www.verepalacebak.ge +995 599 32 22 64 33; 50 70 75 Apollo, David Aghmashenebeli St. 6, `vila sporti~, mTis q. #28, +995 599 57 11 08 +995 599 53 77 16, +995 367 24 00 12 Iceberg, David Aghmashenebeli St. 3, `vila bakuriani~, Tamar mefis q. # 4, +995 599 10 54 29, +995 367 24 00 16 +995 599 58 81 62, +995 577 58 55 88 Ikiski Family Hostel, David Aghmashenebeli www.welcome.ge/villa_bakuriani St. 5, +995 599 32 22 64 33; 50 70 75 `wiTeli saxli~, koba waqaZis quCa, Sopros, Koba Tsakadze St. 11, ocdaxuTianis mimdebare teritoria, +995 595 97 53 98, +995 595 97 53 99 +995 599 22 10 10 Tsiteli Sakhli, Koba Tsakadze St., near the 25-meter ski jump, +995 599 22 10 10 suvenirebis SeZena SesaZlebelia Tskhratskaro, Borjomi St. 5, borjomisa da bakurianis turizmis +995 593 33 04 51, +995 367 240451 sainformacio centrebSi. Villa Bakuriani, Tamar Mepe St. 4, +995 599 58 81 62, +995 577 58 55 88, www. welcome.ge/villa_bakuriani Villa Sport, Mtis St. 28, +995 599 53 77 16, +995 367 24 00 12

Souvenirs can be bought at Borjomi and Baku- riani Tourism Information Centers.

108 ninowmindis municipaliteti

tonTios xidi Tontio Bridge

NINOTSMINDA MUNICIPALITY

109 ninowmindis municipaliteti NINOTSMINDA MUNICIPALITY

IMERETI imereTi SHIDA KARTLI GURIA Sida qarTli guria BORJOMI BORJOMI MUNICIPALITY AKHALTSIKHE ADIGENI MUNICIPALITY borjomis municipaliteti MUNICIPALITY adigenis municipaliteti

ADIGENI

AJARA AKHALTSIKHE aWara axalcixis ASPINDZA AKHALKALAKI MUNICIPALITY municipaliteti axalqalaqis municipaliteti ASPINDZA MUNICIPALITY

aspinZis AKHALKALAKI municipaliteti KVEMO KARTLI qvemo qarTli

TURKEY NINOTSMINDA TurqeTi ninowmindis municipaliteti NINOTSMINDA MUNICIPALITY

ARMENIA somxeTi

geografiuli mdebareoba GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION mdebareobs samcxe-javaxeTis sa- Th e municipality of Ninotsminda is situated mxreT-aRmosavleT nawilSi javaxeTis in southeast Samtskhe-Javakheti on the Ja- vulkanur zeganze. saSualo simaRle vakheti Plateau, at an altitude of 1700-3300m. zRvis donidan 1700_3300 m-mdea. munici- Th e municipality’s south-west borders on palitetis samxreT-dasavleTi emTxveva Turkey, south it borders on Armenia. Ninots- saqarTvelo-TurqeTis, xolo samxreTi minda (with an administrative centre of the – saqarTvelo-somxeTis saxelmwifo same name) borders on the municipalities of sazRvars. municipalitets dasavle- Akhalkalaki in the west, Tsalka in the north, TiT axalqalaqis, CrdiloeTiT walkis, and Bolnisi in the east. xolo aRmosavleTiT bolnisis munici- Th e distance from the town of Ninotsmin- palitetebi esazRvreba. municipalite- da to Tbilisi via Tsalka is 160 km (approx. tis administraciuli centria qalaqi 2.5-3 hours), to Akhaltsikhe it is 100 km, to ninowminda (yofili bogdanovka). Borjomi 140 km and to the Armenian fron- Tbilisidan ninowmindamde (walkis tier Sameba border crossing point 25 km. gavliT) 160 km-ia, axalcixidan _ 100 km., Before 1991 the Ninotsminda Municipal- borjomidan – 140 km. somxeTis sazR- ity was known as the Bodganovka, a name vridan (samebis sasazRvro gamSvebi pun- associated with the Dukhobors that had qti) – 25 km. been forcibly settled here in the 19th century municipalitets 1991 wlamde bog- by the Russian czarist government. Today, danovkis municipaliteti ewodeboda, Dukhobor families still live in the villages of saxelwodeba ukavSirdeba duxobore- Rodionovka and Gorelovka. 110 bis dasaxlebas, romlebic municipa- litetSi gadmovidnen XIX s-Si. amJamad municipalitetSi duxoborebis ramde- nime ojaxi cxovrobs sofel rodiono- vkasa da gorelovkaSi. ninowmindis municipalitetis te- ritoria istoriulad dakavSire- bulia saqarTveloSi qristianobis damkvidrebasTan. qarTul istoriul_ literaturuli wyaroebis Tanaxmad IV saukuneSi saqarTveloSi swored aqe- dan Semovida wminda nino. wmindani Ta- vdapirvelad faravanis tbis mimdeba- re teritoriaze dasaxlebula, sadac xedi Saoris mTidan Th e view from Mt. Shaori dRes sofeli foka mdebareobs. amJa- mad sofelSi dedaTa da mamaTa qarTu- Ninotsminda is historically linked with li marTlmadidebluri monastrebia. the introduction of Orthodox Christianity to Georgia. According to historical sources, the rogor movxvdeT territory was the site where St. Nino entered regionSi gamgzavreba SesaZlebelia Georgia in the 4th century. Nino, Th e Enlight- sazogadoebrivi transportiT (mikroa- ener, fi rst settled on the territory adjoining vtobusi, avtobusi, matarebeli, taqsi) Paravani Lake where the present-day village of saqarTvelos nebismieri didi qalaqi- Poka is located. At present, there is a Georgian dan. mikroavtobusebi Tbilisidan yo- Orthodox Christian monastery and convent. veldRe gadian axalqalaqi/ninowmindis mimarTulebiT. GETTING TO NINOTSMINDA uaxloesi rkinigzis sadguria axal- MUNICIPALITY cixe (100 km. ninowmindidan) amJamad Travel to and from Ninotsminda is pos- daketilia. sible by public minibuses, buses, and taxis umoklesi saavtomobilo gza Tbili- from any large town in Georgia. Th e nearest sidan ninowmindamde aris walkis ga- railway station is in Akhaltsikhe (temporary vliT: Tbilisi – manglisi – walka is closed). Th e road connecting Georgia with – ninowminda (160 km/2.5_3-saaTiani sa- Armenia runs through the village of Sameba avtomobilo gza). that borders on the Armenian village of Bavra. sofel samebaSi gadis saqarTvelo- It is 25 km from Sameba to Ninotsminda. somxeTis damakavSirebeli saavtomobi- lo gza. sasazRvro punqtis saxelwo- NATURAL CONDITIONS, debaa ninowminda (somxeTis mxridan TOPOGRAPHY AND DEMOGRAPHY esazRvreba sofeli bavra), romelic 25 Ninotsminda’s climate is mountain steppe, km-zea qalaq ninowmindidan. with cold lengthy winters (snow cover 30-40 cm); summers are short and cool. Th e aver- bunebrivi pirobebi age January temperature is -10.60C; that of ninowmindaSi mTis stepuri havaa. za- August +100 C. 15% of the total area of 1,350 mTari civi, Tovlis safari (30_40sm.) km2 is covered by cropland. xangrZlivia, zafxuli – xanmokle da Th e ecosystem of the municipality, like the grili. ianvris saSualo temperatura rest of Javakheti, is distinguished by unique -10.60C, agvistoSi +100 C. 111 megaliTuri Zegli. tba madaTafa Megalith, Madatapa Lake

teritoria 1.350 kv.km-ia, aqedan 15% mountain steppes, subalpine diversity and sasoflo-sameurneo savargulia. lakes. Th is is why part of the Ninotsminda mu- municipalitets, rogorc mTeli ja- nicipality is included in the Javakheti protected vaxeTis, ekosistema mTis stepebiT, area. Th e territory has been recognized as one subalpuri maRalbalaxeulobiT da of the most important habitats for migratory tbebiT unikaluria kavkasiaSi. swored birds, most of which are included in the IUCN amitom ninowmindis municipalitetis Red List. Th e migratory fl yways for waterfowl nawili Sesulia javaxeTis dacul te- and other water birds cross over these lakes. ritoriaSi. es teritoria aRiarebulia Th e ethnic composition of the population rogorc erT-erTi umniSvnelovanesi is 98% Armenian, 1% Georgian and 1% other saarsebo adgili gadamfren frinvel- groups such as Russian, Ossetian, and Greek. TaTvis, romelTa umetesoba IUCN-is “wiTel nusxaSia~ Setanili. POINTS OF INTEREST aq arsebul tbebze gadis wylisa da Th e main points of interest are the numer- wylis maxloblad mcxovreb frinvel- ous lakes: Paravani, Saghamo ("Evening"), Ta saimigracio gza, romelTaTvisac es Khanchali, and Madatapa, all known for tbebi dasasvenebeli adgilia. their wide biodiversity and as habitat for mi- mosaxleobis 98% somexia, 1% _ gratory bird species. qarTveli, 1% _ sxvadasxva erovnebebi (rusebi, osebi, berZnebi). duxoborebis saxli. sof. gorelovka Dukhobor house, Gorelovka Village RirSesaniSnaobebi aq mdebareobs mravali tba: fara- vani, saRamos tba, xanCali, madaTafa, romlebic unikaluri biomravalfe- rovnebiT gamoirCevian, maT migraciis dros mravali frinveli stumrobs.

112 faravani PARAVANI LAKE walka-ninowmindis gzidan kargad Paravani and Saghamo Lakes are clearly moCans faravnisa da saRamos tbebi. visible from the Tsalka-Ninotsminda highway. faravnis tba, javaxeTis zeganze Paravani Lake is located on the Javakheti abul-samsrisa da javaxeTis qedebs Plateau in a depression between the Abul- Soris, qvabulSi, zRvis donidan 2073 Samsari and Javakheti Ridges, at an altitude metrze mdebareobs. tbas 37.5 kv. km of 2073 m. It is the largest lake in Georgia, farTobi ukavia; igi udidesi tbaa sa- covering 37.5 km2, and is fed by melting qarTveloSi. miwisqveSa, Tovlisa da snow and rain water, as well as by small wvimis wyliT sazrdoobs; erTvis pa- rivers. Its maximum depth is 3.3 m and its tara mdinareebic. tbis maqsimaluri depth averages 2.2 m. Th e Paravani River siRrme 3,3 m-ia, saS. siRrme ki 2,2 m; (Paravnistskali) springs from the lake. In tbidan saTaves iRebs mdinare farava- former times the lands around the Paravani ni (faravniswyali). Zvel saqarTveloSi were property of royalty and the church and faravnis regionis miwebi da dasaxle- caravans crossing to Byzantium, Armenia, bebi samefo da sakaTalikoso saku- and western Georgia passed through here. Trebas warmoadgenda. aq gadioda bi- Th e region is of special archaeological inter- zantiisken, somxeTsa da dasavleT est for its sites and artefacts dating back to the saqarTvelosken mimavali gzebi. Palaeolithic and Eneolithic periods. Lakeside faravnis tbis mimdebare teritoria areas include ancient settlements, both land sainteresoa arqeologiuri Tvalsa- and underwater burial grounds and barrows. zrisiT. aq aRmoCenilia paleoliTisa Th e locality abounds in monuments dating da eneoliTis xanis sadgomebi da ia- back to the Early, Middle and Late Ages. In the raRi. faravnis tbis napirze mdebare- lake’s surroundings many historical and reli- obs yorRanuli veli; gaTxrebma gamoa- gious monuments testify to the past, includ- vlina uZvelesi dasaxlebebi, wyalqveS ing the Paravani caravanserai. Th e region was da xmeleTze Semonaxuli samarxebi da crossed by St. Nino coming from Cappadocia yorRanebi. tbis Soriaxlos ki mrava- to preach the Christian faith in Georgia. li istoriul-religiuri Zeglia, maT Tevzaoba gayinul faravanis tbaze Soris faravnis qarvasla. es midamoebi Fishing on frozen Paravani Lake

113 kabadokiidan mcxeTisaken mimaval wmin- SAGHAMO LAKE da ninos gauvlia. aq mravladaa adrin- Saghamo Lake is south of Mt. Patara Abuli, deli, Sua da gviandeli feodaluri and 15 km from Paravani Lake. It abounds in xanis Zeglebi, cixe-simagreebis nangre- trout and other local fi sh species such as ts- vebi da eklesiebi. vera.

saRamos tba mdebareobs mTa patara abulis samxre- TiT, faravnis tbidan 15 km-ze. tba sa- rewao mniSvnelobisaa da aq mravlad aris wvera, kalmaxi da sxva saxeobis Tevzi.

xanCalis tba tbis napirebs miuyveba ninowmindi- dan sofel xanCalisaken mimavali gza. Warbtenian teritoriazea da unikalu- ri biomravalferovnebiT xasiaTdeba, tba zRvis donidan 1930 m. simaRlezea. mravali gadaSenebis piras myofi frin- veli iyenebs am tbas dasabudeblad ga- mravlebis periodSi an SesaCereblad migraciis dros. tbis nawili xelovnu- frinvelebze dakvirveba Birdwatching rad aris damSrali dambis mSeneblobis mizniT. municipalitetSi aris patara xanCalis tbac. KHANCHALI LAKE Khanchali Lake is located on the road buRdaSenis tba between Ninotsminda town and Khanch- zRvis donidan 2040 m. simaRleze so- ali village. Located at an altitude of 1930m. fel gorelovkis axlos mdebareobs Khanchali Lake is an important wetland site mdebareobs. tbis mniSvnelovani nawili for biodiversity, particularly for breeding and wylis mcenareulobiT aris dafaruli. migratory birds. Despite the fact that almost SuaSi patara, wriuli formis kunZulia. two-thirds of the lake was artifi cially drained tbaSi binadrobs kalmaxi da sxva saxeobis to build a dam, more than 100 species of mi- Tevzebi. zafxulobiT bevria wylis grating and breeding birds use the lake as a frinveli. aq unikalur frinvelebze da- stopping over or breeding site. Th ere is also sakvirveblad mravali turisti Camodis. a small Khanchali Lake in the municipality.

madaTafis tba BUGHDASHENI LAKE zRvis donidan 2108 m. simaRle- Bughdasheni Lake is located near Gorelov- ze somxeTis sazRvarTan, kerZod so- ka village. at an altitude of 2040 m. A signifi - fel efremovkasTan mdebareobs mde- cant part of this lake is covered with aquatic bareobs. misi maqsimaluri siRrmea 85 vegetation and in the middle there is a circu- sm. tbidan gaedineba mdinare madaTa- lar islet. Many fi sh, including trout, are found fa. tbis wylis temperatura zafxul- here, making it a prime migratory bird site Si 17_18 gradusia, zamTarSi TiTqmis and of great attraction to birdwatchers. fskeramde iyineba. wyali sustad mine-

114 ralizebulia. zafxulobiT mravladaa MADATAPA LAKE wylis frinveli. Madatapa Lake is located near the Arme- mniSvnelovan kulturul resurss nian border, at Epremovka village at an alti- warmoadgens arsebuli saero (xalxu- tude of 2108 m with a maximum depth of 85 ri) arqiteqturis nimuSebi: qviT nagebi cm. A river of the same name fl ows out of the saxlebi, romelTa saxuravi dafarulia lake. Water temperature is 17-180 C in sum- balaxiT (gorelovka, spasovka, karwaxi mer while in winter it is frozen almost to the da sxv.); aseve `darnebi – miwisqveSa bottom. In summer the lake fi lls with many samalavebi~. migratory bird species. ninowmindaSi Zveli qarTuli kul- Local stone-built houses with grass roofs turis mravali saintereso Zeglis nax- (in Gorelovka, Spasovka, Kartsakhi, etc.) are vaa SesaZlebeli, rogoricaa: fokis mo- culturally unique constructions, as are their nasteri, Saoris ciklopuri nageboba, underground shelters - darani. Other points of Wiqianis menhiri, soflebis _ saRamos, interest within the Ninotsminda municipality ganZanis, xoreniisa da rodionovkis include the Poka Monastery, Shaori Cyclopean (faravanis) eklesiebi. Structure, Chikiani Menhir, and churches lo- cated in the villages of Saghamo, Gandzani, fokis monasteri Khorenia, and Rodionovka (Paravani). monasteri walka-ninowmindis gzaze, faravnis tbasTan, sofel fokaSi mde- POKA MONASTERY bareobs. Th e Poka Monastery is located on the fokis monastris daarseba saqarTve- Tsalka-Ninotsminda highway, in the village loSi qristianobis gamavrcelebel wmin- of Poka, near the Paravani Lake. da ninos saxels ukavSirdeba. wminda nino Th e foundation of Poka Monastery is as- saqarTveloSi javaxeTis gziT Semovida, sociated with St. Nino the Enlightener and man faravnis tbasTan Seisvena. XI saukune- the one who spread the Christian faith in Si am adgilas wminda ninos saxelze dar- Georgia. St. Nino entered Georgia through bazuli eklesia aages. eklesiis deko- Javakheti and rested near Paravani Lake. In raciuli morTuloba mxolod samxreT XI century, a hall-church of St. Nino was

Saoris ciklopuri nageboba Shaori cyclopean structures

115 fasadzea Semonaxuli. kar-sarkmelebi erected here. Decorative elements have been uxvadaa moCuqurTmebuli, interierSi ki preserved on its southern façade. Th e win- SemorCenilia kedlis mxatvrobis frag- dows and doors are stucco moulded, and mentebi. am eklesiaSi Zalze mniSvnelo- fragments of mural painting and many im- vani qarTuli epigrafikis nimuSebia. XVII portant Georgian epigraphic inscriptions are s-dan taZari gaudaburda. mxolod XIX evident on the inside walls. Two Orthodox saukunis dasawyisSi moxerxda am terito- churches were built here when the territories riebis dabruneba, ris Semdegac fokaSi were returned to Georgia: St. Nino’s convent ori marTlmadidebluri monasteri da- and a monastery, 1.5 km from Poka. At pres- arsda: wminda ninos dedaTa monasteri da ent, both churches function. mamaTa monasteri, romlebic sofels ki- lometrnaxevriTaa dacilebuli. amJamad SHAORI CYCLOPEAN STRUCTURE orive monasteri moqmedia. Above Paravani Lake on Mt. Shaori, at an altitude of 2760 m, stands one of the best-pre- Saoris ciklopuri nageboba served cyclopean structures of pre-Christian faravnis tbasTan, Saoris mTaze, zR. Georgia (II millennium). Th e fortress and set- donidan 2760 metrze dgas saqarTvelos tlement was described by Vakhushti Bagratio- winaqristianuli epoqis (II aTaswleuli) ni, the famous XVIII c Georgian historian and erT-erTi kargad Semonaxuli ciklopu- cartographer, as follows: "Th e lake is joined by ri nageboba, cixe-namosaxlari, romelic the spring of Shaori, fl owing as a river from vaxuSti batoniSvils ase aRuweria: “tbas the rock, and abounds in trout; while on the erTvis wyaro Saorisa, mdinared gamom- crest of Mt. Shaori stands a fortress built of dinare kldidam, da savse ars kalmaxi- Ta, xolo Saoris mTis Txemsa zeda dgas cixe didrovanis lodiTa naSeni.~ Saoris cixe, mSrali wyobiT, vulkanuri warmo- Sobis bazaltis lodebiT augiaT. cixes- Tan misasvleli gza brtyeli lodebiT aris mofenili. kargadaa SemorCenili ga- lavnis kedlebi da cixis SigniT qvis gaT- lili lodebisagan agebuli sacxovrebe- li saTavsebi. cixis garSemo mravlad aris saidumlo gvirabebi, samalavi dar- Wiqianis menhiri nebi. cixidan lamazi xedi iSleba. moCans Chikiani menhir faravnis tba da javaxeTis zegani. sauke- Teso periodi mTaze asasvlelad zafxu- large blocks." Th e Shaori Fortress was built of lis bolo an Semodgomaa. volcanic basalt blocks using dry masonry, and the road leading to the fortress is paved with Wiqianis menhiri fl at stone-blocks. Th is fortress dates back sev- Wiqianis mTis midamoebSi, TrialeTi- eral thousand years yet the walls and dwelling dan javaxeTSi mimaval gzaze, rkinigzis premises inside are well preserved. axlos, borcvze aRmarTulia qvis uzar- Around the fortress many hidden tunnels mazari lodi, romlis simaRle 3 metrs and hiding places are found and the view of aRemateba, xolo garSemoweriloba 3 me- Paravani Lake and Javakheti Plateau is re- tramdea. menhiris garSemo mimofantu- markable from here. Th e best period to visit lia ofsidianis lodebis namsxvrevebi, the site is in late summer or autumn.

116 rogorc Cans, swored amis gamo uwodebs CHIKIANI MENHIR mas vaxuSti batoniSvili Wiqians. es Ze- Near Mt. Chikiani, along the Trialeti-Ja- gli warmoadgens saqarTvelos terito- vakheti road on a hill not far from the rail- riaze dafiqsirebul megaliTur ZeglTa road, stands a large upright menhir - over Soris erT-erT TvalsaCino nimuSs. three meters high and up to three meters in circumference, with fragments of obsidian vahan terianis saxl-muzeumi blocks scattered around it. Th is is a striking misamarTi: sofeli ganZani, ninowmindis specimen one of the megalithic monuments municipaliteti, 3403 of pre-Christian Georgia. telefoni: (+995 599) 94 78 09; daarsebis TariRi: 1957 w. VAHAN TERYAN HOUSE MUSEUM samuSao saaTebi: muSaobs yoveldRe, Address: 3403, Gandza Village, Ninotsminda garda kvirisa, 09:00 dan 16:00 sT-mde municipality; Phone: (+995 599) 94 78 09; bileTis fasi: muzeumSi Sesvla ufasoa Date of establishment: 1957 Working hours: Everyday except Sunday, kombinirebuli marSruti 09.00 – 16.00 (jipturi+qveiTi) Entrance: Free mimarTuleba: Tbilisi _ Wiqianis menhi- ri _ foka _ Saoris cixe _ varZia. COMBINED ROUTE (JEEP+HIKING) rTulad gasavleli Itinerary: Tbilisi – Chikiani Menhir – Poka – manZili: 350 km. Shaori Fortress – Vardzia xangrZlivoba: 9 sT. Diffi cult minimaluri simaRle: 450 m. zR.d Length: 350 km maqsimaluri simaRle: 2700 m. zR.d Duration: 9 hrs Min. altitude: 450 m Max. altitude: 2700 m

jipturi da safexmavlo marSruti Saoris ciklopur nagebobaze Jeep and hiking routes towards Shaori Cyclopean Structure

117 walka-ninowmindis gzaze, sofel On the Tsalka-Ninotsminda motorway, in fokaSi, gadasaxvevia xelmarjvniv. aq Poka village, at the right side turning there dgas turistuli dafac. gza Crdi- is a tourist information board. At this point, lo-dasavleTis mimarTulebiT, sofel the trail towards Shaori begins. Th e road vladimirovkis gavliT miuyveba sofel leads north-west, through Vladimirovka asfarasken. faravnis tba rCeba marjve- village towards Aspara village, leaving Para- na mxares. sofel asfaramde gadasaxve- vani Lake on the right. Before reaching As- via marcxniv. marSruti niSandebulia para village, the road turns to the left . Th e qvebze yviTeli feris isrebiT. mTis trail towards Shaori is marked with yellow Ziridan cixemde fexiT asasvlelia 1 arrows on stones. Th ere is 1 km hiking dis- km. sofeli fokidan cixemde 13.5 km-a. tance from the foot of the mountain up to the Shaori Fortress. Th e distance between Poka village to the Shaori Fortress is 13,5 km.

saRamos tba Sagamo (evening) Lake

kvebis obieqtebi RESTAURANTS, CAFES restorani `ararati~, v. terianis q. Ararat V. Teryan St. 2a, Ninotsminda; +995 #2a, ninowminda, +995 599 23 84 23, 599 23 84 23, +995 361 22 23 84 +995 361 22 23 84 Javakheti, Freedom St. 24, Ninotsminda, kvebis obieqti, Tavisuflebis q. #24, +995 361 22 32 52, +995 599 48 45 85 ninowminda, +995 361 22 32 04, Kavkasia, Freedom St. 2, Ninotsminda, +995 593 60 77 88, +995 558 52 31 52 +995 598 28 83 33 restorani `javaxeTi~, Tavisuflebis q. Café, Freedom St. 24, Ninotsminda, #24, ninowminda, +995 361 22 32 52, +995 361 22 32 04, +995 593 60 77 88, +995 599 48 45 85 +995 558 52 31 52 restorani `kavkasia~, Tavisuflebis q. #2, ninowminda, +995 598 28 83 33 HOTELS, GUESTHOUSES Ararat, V. Teryan St. 2a, Ninotsminda; sastumroebi, sastumro saxlebi +995 599 23 84 23, +995 361 22 23 84 `ararati~, v. terianis q. #2a; q. ninow- minda, +995 599 23 84 23, +995 361 22 23 84

118 saWiro informacia PRACTICAL INFORMATION

dro: +4 GMT Time zone: GMT +4

oficialuri uqme da OFFICIAL GEORGIAN HOLIDAYS dasvenebis dReebi January 1,2 - New Year’s Day axali weli (1,2 ianvari) January 7 - Orthodox Christmas marTmadidebelTa Soba (7 ianvari) January 19 - Orthodox Epiphany/Baptism naTlisReba (19 ianvari) March 3 - Mother’s Day dedis dRe (3 marti) March 8 - Women’s Day qalTa saerTaSoriso dRe (8 marti) April 9 - National Unity Day saqarTvelos damoukideblobis aR- (varies March-April) - Orthodox Easter dgenis dRe (9 aprili) (varies March-April) - Orthodox Easter aRdgomis dRe (moZravi dResaswauli Monday marti-aprili) May 9 - Victory against Fascism Day aRdgomis dRis orSabaTi (moZravi May 12 - St. Andrew`s Day dResaswauli marti-aprili) May 26 - Independence Day gamarjvebis dRe (9 maisi) August 28 - Mariamoba, Assumption of the wm. andria pirvelwodebulis dRe (12 Virgin Mary maisi) October 14 - Svetitskhovloba – Celebration of damoukideblobis dRe (26 maisi) the fi rst Christian church in Georgia, Svetitsk- mariamoba (28 agvisto) hoveli Cathedral sveticxovloba (14 oqtomberi) November 23 – Giorgoba, Saint George’s Day giorgoba (23 noemberi) CURRENCY valuta Th e national currency “Lari” (GEL) is the saqarTvelos teritoriaze gadaxda Se- only legal form of tender in Georgia. Pay- saZlebelia mxolod qarTuli lariT. ments throughout Samtskhe-Javakheti are samcxe-javaxeTSi gadaxda umetesad generally in cash. Some hotels and super- naRdi angariSsworebiTaa. zogierTi markets accept credit cards. Currency ex- sastumro, banki, supermarketi iRebs change centres operate in large towns and sakredito baraTebsac. did qalaqeb- Cash machines can be found near banks or Si moqmedebs ucxouri valutis gada- supermarkets. mcvleli punqtebi. BANKS/ATMS banki/bankomatebi AKHALTSIKHE axalcixe Bank of Georgia, Merab Kostava St. 25, +995 saqarTvelos banki, merab kostavas q. 365 22 04 88; ATM – Merab Kostava St. 25; #25. tel: +995 365 22 04 88 Rustaveli St. 66 bankomati – merab kostavas q. #25, Liberty Bank (LB) – Mikheil Iadze St. 6, SoTa rusTavelis q. #66 119 liberTi banki – mixeil iaZis q. #6; +995 365 22 04 32/22 04 67; ATM – Tamar tel: +995 365 22 04 32, +995 365 22 04 67 Mepe St. 12; Rustaveli St. 98, Tamarashvili St. bankomati - Tamar mefis q. #12, SoTa 1 (Akhaltsikhe Municipality Police Depart- rusTavelis q. #98 mixeil TamaraSvi- ment’s building) lis q. #1 (axalcixis municipaliteti TaoPrivat Bank – Kostava St. 39a, policiis sammarTvelos Senoba) +995 365 22 15 25; ATM – same address taoprivat banki – merab kostavas q. #39a; tel: +995 365 22 15 25; bankoma- ti – merab kostavas q.#39a aspinZa ASPINDZA liberTi banki – varZiis q. #89; tel: LB –Vardzia St. 89, +995 364 29 14 54; +995 364 29 14 54; bankomati – var- ATM – Vardzia St. 31 Ziis q. #31 ADIGENI adigeni LB –Tornike Eristavi St. 24 liberTi banki - Tornike erisTavis q. #24 AKHALKALAKI axalqalaqi Bank of Georgia – Nalbandyan St. 35; saqarTvelos banki – mxiTar nalban- ATM – same address dianis q.#35; bankomati – mxiTar nal- LB – Tamar Mepe St. 62, +995 36 222 30 79, bandianis q. #35; +995 362 22 21 96; ATM – same address liberTi banki – Tamar mefis q. #62; TaoPrivat Bank – Freedom St. 4; +995 362 22 30 79, +995 362 22 21 96 ATM – same address bankomati _ Tamar mefis q. #62 taoprivat banki _ Tavisuflebis q. #4; BORJOMI bankomati _ Tavisuflebis q. #4 Bank of Georgia – Rustaveli Square1; ATM – same address; Rustaveli St. 143 borjomi LB – Rustaveli St. 147, +995 367 22 22 48; saqarTvelos banki - SoTa rusTavelis ATM – same address moedani #1 TBC Bank – Rustaveli St. 121; bankomati - SoTa rusTavelis moedani ATM – same address #1, SoTa rusTavelis q. #143 TaoPrivat Bank – Rustaveli St. 115; liberTi banki - SoTa rusTavelis ATM – same address q. #147; tel.: +995 367 22 22 48 bankomati - SoTa rusTavelis quCa #147 BAKURIANI Tibisi banki - SoTa rusTavelis q. #121; Bank of Georgia –Mtis St. 1; bankomati - SoTa rusTavelis quCa #121 ATM – same address taoprivat banki - SoTa rusTavelis q. TaoPrivat Bank’s #115; ATM – Freedom St. 19 bankomati - SoTa rusTavelis q. #115 ProCredit Bank’s ATM – Freedom St. 19 bakuriani TBC Bank’s saqarTvelos banki – mTis q. #1; ban- ATM – David Aghmashenebeli St. 26 komati – mTis q. #1 LB’s ATM – David Aghmashenebeli St. 26 taoprivat bankis bankomati – Tavi- suflebis q. #19 120 prokredit bankis bankomati – Tavi- NINOTSMINDA suflebis q. #19 LB – Freedom St. 22, +995 361 222478/222354 Tibisi bankis bankomati – daviT aRma- TaoPrivat Bank – Freedom St. 19; Seneblis q. #26 ATM – same address liberTi bankis bankomati – daviT aR- maSeneblis q. #26 SOUVENIRS ninowminda Popular souvenirs include handmade articles liberTi banki – Tavisuflebis q. #22; sold in local workshops and shops. In some +995 361 22 24 78, +995 361 22 23 54 villages (Muskhi - Akhaltsikhe Municipal- taoprivat banki _ Tavisuflebis q. ity, and Idumala – Aspindza Municipality), #19; bankomati – Tavisuflebis q. #19 villagers still make traditional hand-craft ed items such as knit woollen socks, headscarves, suvenirebi carpets, woodwork articles, drawings, etc. regionSi Camosuli stumrisaTvis yvela- ze popularuli suvenirebi xelnakeTi Souvenir shop Mosaica, Natenadze St. 15, nivTebia, romelTa SeZena SesaZlebelia Akhaltsikhe. adgilobriv saxelosnoebsa da maRazie- Local markets in Vardzia and the village of bSi. zogierT sofelSi (musxi, axalcixis Khertvisi. municipalitetSi, da idumala, aspinZis municipalitetSi), ojaxebi dResac mis- deven tradiciul xelsaqmes da stumre- GROCERY STORES AND MARKETS bs sTavazoben adgilobriv produqcias Supermarkets are oft en located in town cen- (naqsovi windebi, TavSlebi, xaliCebi, xis ters with both local and imported goods. nakeTobebi, naxatebi da sxv.) Every town in Samtskhe-Javakheti has small suvenirebis maRazia ”mozaika” – q. grocery shops with seasonally fresh fruits axalcixe, paata naTenaZis q. #15. ad- and vegetables as well. gilobrivi produqtis bazari varZiaSi da sofel xerTvisSi. WATER Tap water is safe in most places though many sasursaTo maRaziebi well known mineral waters (still or carbon- supermarketebi ZiriTadad ganlagebu- ated) are sold including Borjomi, Nabeghlavi, lia qalaqebis centrSi da momxmare- Likani, and Plate. Local spring waters are bels sTavazobs produqciis sxvadasxva known to have curative properties as well. saxeobas. samcxe-javaxeTis yovel qala- qSi ganlagebulia patara sasursaTo ma- Raziebi, sadac xSirad iyideba axali TELEPHONE SERVICES xili da bostneuli. Most hotels provide international telephone communications, mobile phone communi- wyali cation: GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Th e regionis umravles adgilas wylis daleva main operators are Geocell (www.geocell. usafrTxoa, xolo mTis wyaroebis wyali ge), Magticom (www.magtigsm.com), Bee- sasargeblocaa. iyideba boTlis minera- line (www.beeline.ge). Th e coverage area luri gaziani an mtknari wyali - “borjo- includes almost the entire region. Th e main mi”, “nabeRlavi”, “likani”, “flate”. telephone codes of major towns and resorts of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region are: Adige-

121 satelefono momsaxureba ni – 366; Aspindza – 364; Akhalkalaki – 362; regionSi arsebuli sastumroebis ume- Akhaltsikhe – 365; Bakuriani – 367; Borjomi tesoba uzrunvelyofs saerTaSoriso - 367, Ninotsminda - 361. kavSiris saSualebebs. mobiluri tele- foni: GSM 900 da 1800 qseli. mTavari operatorebia “jeoseli” (www.geocell. HEALTHCARE ge) da “magTikomi” (www.magtigsm.com). We recommend buying medicine in the larger moqmedebis zona vrceldeba TiTqmis pharmacies such as Aversi, PSP, GPC, PHAR- mTel regionSi. agreTve SesaZlebelia MADEPOT etc. “bilain”-is kavSiriTac sargebloba. samcxe-javaxeTis regionis mTavari qala- qebisa da kurortebis satelefono kode- MEDICAL CARE bia: adigeni - 366, aspinZa - 364, axalqala- qi - 362, axalcixe - 365, bakuriani - 367, AKHALTSIKHE borjomi - 367, ninowminda - 361. Emergency Service, 105a Rustaveli St., tel: 113; +995 365 22 10 09; +995 599 76 52 32 jandacva Municipal Polyclinic, Rustaveli St. 105a, samcxe-javaxeTis regionSi wamlebis tel+995 365 22 02 79 SeZena rekomendebulia did afTiaqe- Municipal Hospital, Rustaveli St. 105a, tel: bSi, rogoricaa aversi, pe-es-pe, jps, +995 365 22 22 73 farmadepo. ASPINDZA samedicino punqtebi Emergency Service, #75 Vardzia St., tel: 113; +995 364 29 18 03; +995 595 53 70 03 axalcixe Outpatient and Inpatient Amalgamation, saswrafo samedicino daxmarebis sam- Vardzia St. #75, +995 364 29 19 36 saxuri, mis.: SoTa rusTavelis q. #105a, tel: 113; +995 365 22 10 09; +995 ADIGENI 599 76 52 32 Emergency Service, 17 Balakhashvili St. , tel: axalcixis municipaluri poliklinika, 113; +995 599 19 85 63 mis.: SoTa rusTavelis q. #105a Municipal Hospital Unimedi Samtskhe, Bal- tel: +995 365 22 02 79 akhashvili St. 17, tel: +995 366 29 12 38 axalcixis municipaluri saavadmyofo, Municipal Polyclinic, Balakhashvili St. 17, mis.: SoTa rusTavelis q. #105a, Tel: +995 366 29 11 61 tel: +995 365 22 22 73; AKHALKALAKI aspinZa Emergency Service, 31 Aghmashenebeli St. aspinZis saswrafo samedicino daxma- tel: 113, +995 362 22 32 12 rebis samsaxuri, mis.: varZiis q. #75, Inpatient and Outpatient Amalgamation, tel: 113; +995 364 29 18 03; +995 595 Aghmashenebeli St. 31, tel: +995 362 22 23 38 53 70 03 aspinZis saavadmyofo poliklinikuri BORJOMI gaerTianeba, varZiis q. #75, Emergency Service, 2 Saakadze St., tel: +995 364 29 19 36 tel: 113; +995 367 22 21 68 Municipal Hospital, 4 Vashlovani St., adigeni tel: +995 367 22 20 47 adigenis saswrafo samedicino daxma- 122 rebis samsaxuri, mis.: adigeni, artem Central Polyclinic, Saakadze St. 2, balaxaSvilis q. #17, tel: +995 367 22 22 10 tel: 113 ; +995 599 19 85 63 adigenis municipaluri saavadmyofo NINOTSMINDA “unimedi samcxe”, artem balaxaSvilis Emergency Service, Freedom St. 48, q. #17, tel: +995 366 29 12 38 tel: 113; +995 361 22 21 55; +995 790 95 21 03 adigenis municipaluri poliklinika, Inpatient and Outpatient Amalgamation, artem balaxaSvilis q. #17, Freedom St. 48, tel: +995 361 22 23 14 tel: +995 366 29 11 61 POLICE STATIONS IN THE axalqalaqi MINICIPALITIES axalqalaqis saswrafo samedicino dax- Akhaltsikhe Municipality Police Depart- marebis samsaxuri, mis.: daviT ment: 1 Tamarashvili St., emergency contact aRmaSeneblis q. #31, phone: 122, +995 577 526 605 tel: 113; +995 362 2 22 32 12; axalqalaqis saavadmyofo poliklini- Aspindza Municipality Police Department: kuri gaerTianeba, daviT aRmaSeneblis Vardzia St. 93, emergency contact phone: q. #31, tel: +995 362 22 23 38 122, +995 577 526 610 borjomi Adigeni Municipality Police Department: borjomis saswrafo samedicino daxma- Eristavi St. 34, emergency contact phone: rebis samsaxuri, mis.: giorgi saakaZis 122, +995 577 526 612 q.#2, tel: 113; +995 367 22 21 68 borjomis municipaluri saavadmyofo, Akhalkalaki Municipality Police Depart- vaSlovanis q. #4, tel: +995 367 22 24 27 ment: Aghmashenebeli St. 5, emergency borjomis centraluri poliklinika, contact phone: 122, +995 577 526 613 giorgi saakaZis q. #2, tel: +995 367 22 22 10 Borjomi Municipality Police Department: Tsminda Nino St. 7, emergency contact ninowminda phone: 122, +995 577 526 608 ninowmindis saswrafo samedicino dax- marebis samsaxuri, Tavisuflebis q. Ninotsminda Municipality Police Depart- #48, tel: 113; +995 361 22 21 55; ment: Freedom St. 48, emergency contact +995 790 95 21 03 phone: 122, +995 577 526 614 ninowmindis saavadmyofo polikli- nikuri gaerTianeba, mis.: ninowminda, FUEL Tavisuflebis q. #48, Akhaltsikhe: Wissol, Lukoil, Socar, Abas- tel: +995 361 22 23 14 tumani Highway; Rompetrol, Tamarashvili Street – near Akhaltsikhe Bus Station; Senta, municipalitetebSi arsebuli end of Tamarashvili St; Sanpetroleum Geor- policia gia, eastern side of the bridge near Tamarash- axalcixis municipalitetis policiis vili Str. sammarTvelo. misamarTi: q. axalcixe, Aspindza: Vardzia St. 95 mixeil TamaraSvilis q. #1; samorigeo Adigeni: Sanapiro St. 1; Tsereteli St. 4 samsaxuris sakontaqto Akhalkalaki: Wissol, Aghmashenebeli St. 115 ; telefoni: 122, +995 577 526 605 Lukoil, Aghmashenebeli St. 1; Rompetrol,

123 aspinZis municipalitetis policiis sam- Aghmashenebeli St. 2 marTvelo. misamarTi: daba aspinZa, var- Borjomi: Wissol, 25 Aghmashenebeli St. Ziis q. #93 Ninotsminda: Lukoil, 48a Freedom St. samorigeo samsaxuris sakontaqto telefoni: 122, +995 577 526 610 RURAL TOURISM GUESTHOUSES A Guide provides addresses of guesthouses adigenis municipalitetis policiis run by the families of Elkana member farm- sammarTvelo. misamarTi: daba adigeni, ers and agro-tourist farms included in the Tornike erisTavis q. #34; samorigeo rural tourism network (www.ruraltourism. samsaxuris sakontaqto telefoni: 122, ge), also of the hotels and guesthouses oper- +995 577 526 612 ating in municipility centers and resort areas. axalqalaqis municipalitetis poli- PRICES, MEAL ciis sammarTvelo. misamarTi: daviT Th e cost of an overnight stay in guesthouses aRmaSeneblis q. #5; samorigeo samsa- of Elkana member farmers varies from GEL xuris sakontaqto telefoni: 122, +995 25 to 50. Upon booking in an agency, it is ad- 577 526 613 visable to check the rate with the host family or the Elkana offi ce. Every host family off ers borjomis municipalitetis policiis breakfast, cooks a mid-day meal or makes a sammarTvelo. misamarTi: wminda ninos “lunch-box” for a picnic, and prepares sup- q. #7 per. Meals are generally prepared from local samorigeo samsaxurisa sakontaqto te- grown products when available. lefoni: 122, +995 577 526 608 Other rates for bed and breakfast (B&B) es- tablishments in guesthouses/family hotels in ninowmindis municipalitetis poli- towns and resort areas range between GEL 50 ciis sammarTvelo. misamarTi: q. ninow- and 80 per room. Rooms can be booked either minda, Tavisuflebis q. #48; samorigeo for breakfast only, half-board or full board. samsaxuris sakontaqto telefoni: 122, +995 577 526 614 ELKANA STANDARDS To ensure a standard of qual- benzingasamarTi sadgurebi: ity in Elkana’s guesthouses, axalcixe: `visoli~, `lukoili~, `sokari~ the organization ensures the abasTumnis gzatkecili; “rompetroli”, same standards as basic re- m. TamaraSvilis quCa – axalcixis avto- quirements of the European Federation of sadguris mimdebare teritoria; `senta”, Farm and Village Tourism – EuroGite (www. m. TamaraSvilis quCis bolo; ,,sanpetro- eurogites.org). Standards have been recently lium jorjia”, m. TamaraSvilis quCis introduced thus not all guesthouses have mimdebared – xidis aRmosavleTi mxare been categorized according to quality criteria, aspinZa: varZiis q. #95 yet all the guesthouses presented in the Travel adigeni: sanapiros q. #1; wereTlis q. #4 Guide follow Elkana standards and comply axalqalaqi: “visoli”, daviT aRmaSene- with general tourist service requirements. blis #115; “lukoili”, daviT aRmaSeneblis #1; “rompetroli”, da- HOW TO GET TO A viT aRmaSeneblis q.#2 SELECTED GUESTHOUSE? borjomi: “visoli”, daviT aRmaSene- Detailed maps can be obtained or local per- blis q. #25 sons can point out the destinations. ninowminda: “lukoili”, Tavisuflebis q. #48a 124 regionSi arsebuli saojaxo BOOKING sastumro saxlebi Reserving a room can be done directly with megzurSi mocemulia `elkanas~ wevri the host family or through the Elkana Ru- ojaxebis sastumro saxlebi da agrotu- ral Tourism Service (www.ruraltourism.ge. ristuli meurneobebi, romlebic Car- (+995 32) 2 328 321). You may also make use Tuli arian soflis turizmis qselSi of the Elkana’s online booking system. www.ruraltourism.ge. aseve municipalur centrebSi da kurortebze arsebuli TOURIST AGENCIES IN THE sastumroebi da sastumro saxlebi. REGION fasebi, kveba PSITY `elkanas~ wevr ojaxebSi Ramis gaTevis Services off ered: Eco-, cycling, raft ing, hik- fasi, sauzmiT, meryeobs 25_50 laris ing and cultural tours in the Samtskhe-Ja- farglebSi. dajavSnisas sasurvelia, vakheti region; Phone: (+995 599) 11 45 06; rom oTaxis fasi gadaamowmoT maspin- www.psity.ge; [email protected] ZelTan an `elkanas~ ofisSi. moTxovnis Sesabamisad, yvela maspin- MESKHETI TOURS Zeli amzadebs sadils, piknikisaTvis Services off ered: Eco-, cultural, educational, - sagzalsa da vaxSams. sakvebis mosam- recreational, hiking, cycling, horseback riding zadeblad ZiriTadad iyeneben adgilo- and jeep tours; Address: Giorgi Saakadze St. briv produqtebs. 20, Akhaltsikhe. Phone: +995 571 00 00 21 qalaqebsa da kurortebze arsebul sao- www.meskhetitours.ge; [email protected] jaxo sastumro saxlebSi Ramis gaTevis fasi, sauzmiT, meryeobs 50_80 laris MESKHETI TOUR-2 farglebSi. SesaZlebelia oTaxis daja- Services off ered: Eco-, cultural, educational, vSna rogorc sauzmiT, aseve sruli (sa- recreational, hiking, cycling, horseback rid- mjeradi) kvebiTac. ing and jeep tours; Address: Mikheil Tama- rashvili St. 2a, Akhaltsikhe; `elkanas~ standarti Phone: +995 593 942 342; sastumro saxlebis mom- www.meskheti-tour2.ge; [email protected] saxurebis xarisxis uzrunvelsayofad `elka- BORJOMI-KHARAGAULI NATIONAL nam~ danerga saojaxo sas- PARK ADMINISTRATION tumroebis standarti, romelic emya- reba evropis fermeruli da soflis turizmis federaciis - `evroJites~ ZiriTad moTxovnebs. “elkanas” standarti axali danergi- Address: Meskheti St. 23, Borjomi; Phone: lia da kategorizacia yvela saojaxo +995 367 22 21 17; +995 577 10 18 57; sastumros jer ar gauvlia, Tumca ka- +995 577 10 18 95 welcome@borjomi-khara- talogSi warmodgenili yvela saojaxo gauli-np.ge; www.borjomi-kharagauli-np.ge sastumro `elkanas~ standartiT xel- mZRvanelobs da akmayofilebs turistu- ABASTUMANI TOURIST li momsaxurebis ZiriTad moTxovnebs. ASSOCIATION ATA Address: Rustaveli St. 34; Phone: +995 577 23 80 32; +995 599 36 19 78; +995 599 13 31 37 [email protected] 125 rogor movxvdeT SerCeul misamarTi: q. axalcixe, giorgi saakaZis saojaxo sastumro saxlSi? q. #20; tel: +995 571 00 00 21; regionSi zogierTi sastumro saxlisa www.meskhetitours.ge; [email protected] da agroturistuli meurneobis migne- ba rTulia. sasurvelia, Tan iqonioT `mesxeTi turi - 2~ – gTavazobT eko-, regionis detaluri ruka. nu moeride- qveiT, kulturul, SemecnebiT, rekrea- biT adgilobriv mosaxleobaSi misamar- ciul, velo-, sacxenosno da jipturebs. Tis dazustebasac. sakontaqto informacia: misamarTi: q. axalcixe, mixeil TamaraS- dajavSna vilis q. #2a; tel: +995 593 942 342; sastumro saxlebis dasajavSnad Sesa- www.meskheti-tour2.ge; [email protected] Zloa daukavSirdeT maspinZels an `elka- nas~ soflis turizmis ganyofilebas borjom-xaragaulis erovnuli www.ruraltourism.ge. +995 32 2 328 321 parkis administracia regionSi arsebuli turistuli saagentoebi: `fsiti~ - Tqeni mogzaurobis organizato- ri - gTavazobT eko-, velo-, wyaljomar- misamarTi: q. borjomi, mesxeTis q. #23 dobis, qveiTad sasiarulo da kulturul tel: +995 367 22 21 17; +995 577 10 18 57; turebs samcxe-javaxeTis regionSi. +995 577 10 18 95 tel.: +995 595 642 346; +995 599 11 45 06; : www.nationalpark.ge; www.psity.ge; [email protected] www.borjomi-kharagauli-np.ge [email protected]; `mesxeTis turebi~ - gTavazobT eko-, kulturul, SemecnebiTs, rekreaciul, abasTumnis turistuli qveiT-, velo-, sacxenosno, wyaljomar- asociacia “ata” dobis, saTavgadasavlo da jipturebs. misamarTi: daba abasTumani, SoTa rusTa- sakontaqto informacia: velis q. #34, www.ata.ge; [email protected] tel: +995 577 23 80 32; +995 599 36 19 78; +995 599 13 31 37

126 Vale

Zugdili

Tskhinvali

Tsalka

Telavi

Tbilisi

Samtredia

Poti

Ozurgueti

Ninotsminda

Kutaisi PDISTANCES BETWEEN MAJOR CITIES/TOWNS OF GEORGIA OF CITIES/TOWNS BETWEEN MAJOR PDISTANCES Gori

Borjomi

Batumi

Aspindza

Akhalkalaki 100 61 354 76 150 210 120 203 221 243 236 331 193 163 313 22

Akhaltsikhe 32

Adigeni 3261 72 3376 33 39 309 49 49 121 118 357 79 176 79 260 91 153 268 213 280 77 53 214 264 129 206 282 138 305 246 218 167 226 231 143 321 165 286 132 15722 12 166 256 12 316 211 82 43 94 237 43 59 359 59 150 219 101 214 319 252 221 367 177 150 324 100 72354 309 422 39150 357 118 422210 197 121 176120 153 197 281 91 260203 296 281 213 296 268 233221 233 77 152 369 152 280 53 369 129243 264 265 383 383 144 214 265236 63 282 63 315 315 138 206 144331 218 241 74 246 212 74 241 305 212193 233 395 116 272 231 226 272 116 395 233 167 165163 96 246 89 384 384 321 246 89 96 180 143 102 157313 171 463 323 463 180 102 171 132 286 36 341 386 510 323 85 256 85 36 166 510 386 119 321 341 184 82 305 232 184 321 211 232 316 146 305 323 119 55 167 180 180 323 94 146 359 167 262 321 55 33 68 330 330 237 262 33 433 68 334 321 169 252 252 73 425 73 266 169 334 433 108 108 150 364 396 225 425 225 396 219 375 266 184 428 375 428 258 258 126 364 363 101 272 272 184 126 72 363 94 112 214 72 94 112 189 114 72 189 319 114 72 260 260 340 340 428 210 252 428 221 367 433 210 277 433 277 177 150 324 manZili saqarTvelos did qalaqebs Soris/ kilometres Distances in Distances Adigeni Akhatsikhe Akhalkalaki Aspindza Batumi Borjomi Gori Kutaisi Ninotsminda Ozurgeti Samtredia Tbilisi Telavi Tsalka Tskhinvali Zugdidi Vale

127 samcxe-javaxeTis kulturul-istoriuli Zeglebis nusxa, GPS -is monacemebi

Th e list of Samtskhe-Javakheti cultural sites, GPS data Datum: WGS 84 Grid: Lat/Lon hddd°mm.mmm' A Alastani Hall-Church Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory N 41° 32.675 E 43° 24.021 N 41° 45.249 E 42° 49.208 Andriatsminda Big Church Abatkhevi Church N 41° 34.999 E 43° 01.915 N 41° 35.513 E 42° 52.834 Andriatsminda Small Church Abuli Church N 41° 34.903 E 43° 02.065 N 41° 24.077 E 43° 36.622 Apnia St. Demetre Hall-Church Abuli Fortress N 41° 21.888 E 43° 16.432 N 41° 22.372 E 43° 41.101 Aspara Church ruins Agara Hall-Church “Nialiskuri” N 41° 27.161 E 43° 46.879 N 41° 22.197 E 43° 13.720 Aspindza Fortress Agara Monastic Compex N 41° 34.746 E 43° 15.193 N 41° 31.393 E 43° 02.565 Atskuri Fortress Agarebi St. George Church (“Kizil-Deres”) N 41° 43.691 E 43° 09.938 N 41° 36.037 E 43° 16.838 Azavreti Hall-Church Akhaldaba (Tamari) Fortress N 41° 35.201 E 43° 27.269 N 41° 55.415 E 43° 29.553 Azmana Hall-Church Akhaldaba Tower N 41° 18.828 E 43° 17.642 N 41° 55.940 E 43° 29.019 B Akhalkalaki Fortress with a caravanserai, a Baiebi Rock-Cut Fortress (Kisatibi) mosque and ancient ruins of habitat N 41° 34.057 E 43° 02.934 N 41° 24.920 E 43° 28.829 Baraleti Double-Nave Church Akhaltsikhe History Museum N 41° 32.537 E 43° 30.513 N 41° 38.585 E 42° 58.603 Bavra Hall-Church Akhaltsikhe Rabati N 41° 23.934 E 43° 30.808 N 41° 38.578 E 42° 58.618 Beriskhevi Cave Complex Akhasheni Hall-Church N 41° 23.026 E 43° 17.532 N 41° 35.579 E 43° 12.437 Bieti Church Ruins Akhchia Hall-Church N 41° 44.603 E 43° 06.357 N 41° 20.885 E 43° 15.297 Burnasheti Hall-Church Alandzia Hall-Church N 41° 35.182 E 43° 27.995 N 41° 28.101 E 43° 15.707

128 Buzmareti Church Gandzani Double Arched Bridge N 41° 36.233 E 42° 45.901 N 41° 21.240 E 43° 44.764

C Gandzani John the Baptist Hall-Church Chachkari Cave Complex and St. George’s N 41° 19.499 E 43° 43.490 Church N 41° 23.118 E 43° 17.125 Gaveti Hall-Church N 41° 21.701 E 43° 08.587 Chikiani Menhir N 41° 29.824 E 43° 52.553 Gharta Hall-Church N 41° 38.542 E 43° 20.519 Chule Monastery – St. George Dome-Shaped Church Ghroma St. Th eodore’s Church N 41° 42.201 E 42° 42.121 N 41° 34.416 E 43° 02.338

Chunchkha Hall-Church Giorgitsminda Hall-Church N 41° 28.188 E 43° 23.354 N 41° 24.067 E 43° 14.594 Gogasheni St. Archangel’s Hall-Church D N 41° 22.293 E 43° 18.510 Dadeshi Hall-Church N 41° 31.686 E 43° 13.659 Gogasheni Th e Virgin Hall-Church N 41° 22.367 E 43° 18.003 Dakhvanda Hall-Church N 41° 25.010 E 43° 21.296 Gunde Hall-Church N 41° 27.302 E 43° 11.906 Dankali Double-Nave Church N 41° 22.663 E 43° 19.556 I Darani - Underground shelter (kilda) Ijareti Monastery N 41° 26.346 E 43° 20.444 N 41° 39.344 E 42° 42.856

Dumeila of the Virgin Church Ikhtila Hall-Church N 41° 21.528 E 43° 12.939 N 41° 33.180 E 43° 32.333

Dzveli Dadeshi Hall-Church J N 41° 31.724 E 43° 13.283 Jakismani Monastery N 41° 31.246 E 42° 49.438

E Jigrasheni Hall-Church Enteli Stoneman (megalithic monument) N 41° 19.103 E 43° 33.305 N 41° 32.309 E 43° 03.389 Jolda Rock-Cut Monastery Complex with Hall- Erkota Hall-Church Church N 41° 32.371 E 43° 13.105 N 41° 25.320 E 43° 18.929

G K Gandzani (Lower) Nave-Church Kamza Tower N 41° 21.060 E 43° 44.769 N 41° 36.431 E 43° 12.398

Gandzani (Upper) Nave-Curch Karavanserai (Nakalakevi) N 41° 21.121 E 43° 44.784 N 41° 25.065 E 43° 19.462

129 Kuntsa Triple-Nave Church Khando Half-Nave Church N 41° 31.128 E 43° 14.411 N 41° 29.602 E 43° 23.978 Kvabiskhevi St. George’s Church Kheoti Church N 41° 46.446 E 43° 14.596 N 41° 33.156 E 43° 06.563 Kvarsha Hall-Church Ruins Khertvisi Fortress N 41° 28.417 E 43° 18.540 N 41° 28.765 E 43° 17.137 Kvibisi "northern" St. George’s Church Khidijvari Hall-Church N 41° 51.685 E 43° 25.924 N 41° 31.876 E 43° 31.755

Khiza Church Ruins L N 41° 32.653 E 43° 16.771 Lebisi Underground Village N 41° 22.329 E 43° 11.741 Khizabavra Gharta Hall-Church N 41° 31.351 E 43° 17.347 M Meghreki Church Ruins Khorenia Hall-Church (Big) N 41° 33.189 E 43° 34.319 N 41° 20.511 E 43° 31.375 Meghreki Cyclopean Fortress Khorenia Hall-Church (Little) N 41° 33.177 E 43° 34.244 N 41° 20.566 E 43° 31.163 Melnisi Fortress Khospio Lower Hall-Church N 41° 42.836 E 42° 50.314 N 41° 22.215 E 43° 29.884 Merenia Springs St. George’s Stone Icon Khospio Upper Hall-Church N 41° 32.426 E 43° 33.174 N 41° 22.272 E 43° 30.041 Mirashkhani Caves Khulgumo Hall-Church N 41° 20.591 E 43° 15.255 N 41° 24.666 E 43° 29.711 Mtsvane Monastery Khvilisha Hall-Church N 41° 48.621 E 43° 18.603 N 41° 33.907 E 43° 15.723 Murjakheti Hall-Church Kilda Double-Nave Church N 41° 21.638 E 43° 28.429 N 41° 26.372 E 43° 20.440 Murjakheti Stela Dzikva and Laliskva Kotelia Hall-Church (Kviriketi) N 41° 21.651 E 43° 28.321 N 41° 31.637 E 43° 28.970 Murjikani Hall-Church Kotelia St. George’s Hall-Church N 41° 27.144 E 43° 26.776 N 41° 31.744 E 43° 28.875 N Kulalisi Hall-Church Naisa Hall-Church N 41° 19.586 E 43° 28.920 N 41° 28.954 E 43° 21.853 Kumurdo Dome-Shaped Temple Niala (Upper) Hall-Church (Lower Church) N 41° 23.860 E 43° 21.289 N 41° 22.813 E 43° 09.256

130 Niala (Upper) Hall-Church (Upper Church) Pia Hall-Church N 41° 23.043 E 43° 09.071 N 41° 26.316 E 43° 18.080

Nijgori St. George’s Hall-Church Pia II St. Goerge’s Hall-Church N 41° 30.328 E 43° 16.024 N 41° 25.492 E 43° 19.044

O Poka Church Ruins Oboleti Hall-Church N 41° 23.740 E 43° 47.495 N 41° 33.045 E 43° 19.266 Poka Hall-Church (St. Nino Temple) Okami Church Ruins N 41° 23.874 E 43° 47.596 N 41° 19.134 E 43° 20.317 Poka Megalithic Fortres-settlement complex Okhera St. George’s Church ruins N 41° 37.485 E 43° 02.786 N 41° 23.756 E 43° 47.066

Okrostsikhe (Golden Castle) Potoleti Church N 41° 42.510 E 42° 45.746 N 41° 55.752 E 43° 29.277

Oldani Hall-Church Ruins Ptena Village St. George’s Hall-Church N 41° 33.430 E 43° 21.968 N 41° 27.412 E 43° 25.120

Ormotsa St. Marine’s Church Ruins R N 41° 29.862 E 43° 15.792 Red Fortress (Ota) N 41° 37.503 E 43° 21.741 Ormotsa Tower N 41° 29.836 E 43° 15.805 Roketi Church Ruins N 41° 29.795 E 43° 13.717 Ortsepi Fortress N 41° 33.072 E 43° 05.961 Roketi Hall-Church N 41° 29.709 E 43° 13.833 Oshora Hall-Church N 41° 37.202 E 43° 14.600 S Sadgeri St. George’s Church Ota Fortress (ruins) «Varazi Fortress» N 41° 48.425 E 43° 24.845 N 41° 37.256 E 43° 18.235 Saghamo Big Hall-Church Otskhe Bridge N 41° 18.725 E 43° 45.611 N 41° 43.650 E 42° 50.418 Saghamo Hall-Church Ruins P N 41° 18.665 E 43° 45.665 Paravani Big Hall-Church N 41° 27.128 E 43° 50.952 Saghamo Nave-Church (#1) N 41° 18.508 E 43° 45.646 Paravani Small Hall-Church N 41° 27.074 E 43° 50.890 Saghamo. X century Church N 41° 18.725 E 43° 45.611 Paravani Th ree-Arched Caravanserai Sakuneti Church N 41° 27.102 E 43° 50.943 N 41° 41.163 E 43° 07.669

Petre Fortress N 41° 49.465 E 43° 21.979

131 Samsari Dome-Shaped Monastery Caves Tamari Fortress (Abastumani) N 41° 32.779 E 43° 35.450 N 41° 43.855 E 42° 50.030

Sapara Monastery Tetrobi Hall-Church N 41° 36.126 E 43° 01.847 N 41° 36.770 E 43° 24.662

Saro (mud-hut) Darbazi-type, Earthen House Timotesubani Monastery, St. Barbare’s Church N 41° 30.317 E 43° 16.782 N 41° 48.661 E 43° 31.072

Saro Fortress Tiseli Dome-Shaped Church Ruins N 41° 30.333 E 43° 16.742 N 41° 42.647 E 43° 14.033

Saro Village St. Archangels Double-Nave Tiseli Upper Church Ruins Church N 41° 42.345 E 43° 14.397 N 41° 30.339 E 43° 16.754 Tmogvi (Upper ) Triple-Nave Church Satkhe Hall-Church N 41° 24.202 E 43° 17.270 N 41° 17.261 E 43° 39.324 Tmogvi Town-Fortress Shalosheti Hall-Church N 41° 23.885 E 43° 19.006 N 41° 27.445 E 43° 13.892 Toki Hall-Church Shaori Cyclopean Fortress N 41° 29.211 E 43° 21.950 N 41° 29.108 E 43° 44.701 Toki St. George’s Hall-Church Shoreti Hall-Two-Storeyed Church and Bell- N 41° 29.523 E 43° 22.631 Tower N 41° 36.985 E 43° 20.069 Toloshi St. Th eodore’s Hall-Church N 41° 28.767 E 43° 15.469 Shorshkhoti Church N 41° 40.581 E 42° 40.982 Tontio Five-Arched Bridge N 41° 19.347 E 43° 35.044 Shuatke Hall-Church N 41° 26.477 E 43° 09.918 Tontio Fortress N 41° 19.909 E 43° 35.480 Sirgva Stone Temple N 41° 33.851 E 43° 30.633 Tontio St. George’s Hall-Church Slesa (Moktseva) Fortress N 41° 19.416 E 43° 35.073 N 41° 44.837 E 43° 12.399 Tskordza Church (#1) St. Marine’s rock-cut Hall-Church N 41° 34.227 E 43° 03.441 N 41° 22.822 E 43° 17.822 Tskordza Church (#2) Sulda Hall-Church N 41° 34.152 E 43° 03.223 N 41° 16.397 E 43° 22.166 Tsunda Hall-Church T N 41° 24.468 E 43° 20.061 Tabatskuri Red Church N 41° 39.756 E 43° 37.506 V Vale Church of the Virgin Tadzrisi Churches Complex N 41° 36.990 E 42° 51.985 N 41° 43.602 E 43° 16.333

132 Vani Church Z N 41° 26.731 E 43° 08.663 Zanavi Fortress N 41° 42.002 E 42° 42.912 Vanis Kvabebi (Vani Caves) N 41° 22.960 E 43° 18.436 Zarzma Monastery - Domed Church N 41° 40.754 E 42° 39.237 Vardistsikhe Hall-Church Ruins N 41° 31.089 E 43° 24.603 Zazalo Fortress N 41° 37.202 E 42° 43.914 Vardzia (Upper) Caves N 41° 22.691 E 43° 15.696

Vardzia (Upper) Double-Nave Church of the Virgin N 41° 23.038 E 43° 15.448

Vardzia Cave Monastery N 41° 22.881 E 43° 17.119

Varevani Hall-Church Ruins N 41° 30.879 E 43° 23.546

Varneti Fortress and Hall-Church Ruins N 41° 32.783 E 43° 13.218

Vladimirovka (Makharoni) Church Ruins and Menhir N 41° 24.833 E 43° 45.627

abulis qedi Abuli Range

133 SeniSvnebisTvis NOTES SeniSvnebisTvis NOTES SeniSvnebisTvis NOTES SeniSvnebisTvis NOTES SeniSvnebisTvis NOTES