History & Culture

Narikala – Tbilisi
Narikala - the historic citadel of Tbilisi, the main fortification of the city. In the XVII century the fortress was named "Narikala" ("small fortress"). In 2000, the church of St. Nicholas and fortifications were restored.
Uplistsikhe – Shida Kartli
Uplistsikhe is located on the left bank of river Mtkvari, 10 km from the town of Gori. It can be detected on the southern slope of Kvernaki mountain range, on the area of 10 ha. It is the only monument of Antique time in Georgia, which nowadays remained above the surface of the ground. Town has streets, squares, water drainage ducts, various constructions, four gates, etc. Today the fortified town is an outdoors museum.
Khertvisi – Samtskhe-Javakheti
Khertvisi is a medieval fortress on the border of Samtskhe and Javakheti, it stands on the strategically important venue, at the confluence of rivers Paravani and Mtkvari, on the high rocky mountain. Khertvisi fortress comes across in historical sources from XI century.
Vardzia– Samtskhe-Javakheti
Monastery complex carved in the rock (1156-1203) stands in Javakheti, 30 km from Aspindza, on the left bank of river Mtkvari. Vardzia monastery has the width of of 0,5 km and is arranged on 13 floors. Overall, it consists of 420 utility rooms. Totally there are 12 chapels in the monastery. Vardzia is rich with fresco paintings. In 1938 Vardzia received a status of a sanctuary museum. In the beginning of XXI century monastery activity was restored in Vardzia.
Signaghi – Kakheti
The town of Signaghi is located in Eastern Georgia, 110 km from Tbilisi, 800 meters above the sea level. Signaghi is one of the oldest towns in Georgia. The name “Signaghi” is of Turkish origin and means “shelter”. It has been a fortress since XIII-XIV centuries. The fence of Signaghi is one of the biggest in Georgia. Its length is up to 4 km and encircles almost 40 ha. The town is one of the most important economic and cultural centers of Georgia.

• National Art Museum– Tbilisi
• State Museum of History – Tbilisi
• Open Air Museum of Ethnography– Tbilisi
• Gonio-Apsarosi Archeological Museum-Reserve – Adjara – Batumi
• Archaeological Architectural Museum-Reserve of the Castle of Petra
• StalinHouse-Museum – Gori
• Vani Archeological Museum-Reserve – Imereti – Vani
• Telavi historical-ethnographical museum – Kakheti – Telavi
• House Museum of AleksandreChavchavadze– Kakheti – Tsinandali
• Svaneti historical- ethnographical museum – Svaneti – Mestia
• Dadiani Palaces History and Architectural Museum– Samegrelo – Zugdidi

Centers of higher education in Georgia existed since olden times. In the IV century in Phasis (in Poti) there was Academy of Rhetoric, in XII-XIII centuries - Gelati Academy and Ikalto Academy. Centers of education and culture existed both at churches-monasteries (David-Gareji Shiomghvime, Khandzta, Oshki, Khakhuli, etc.) and outside (the Iberian monastery, Shavi Mta, and others).

Known philosophers were - Peter Iberia, John Petritsi, Arsen Ikaltoeli, and others; famous church leaders - Ekvtime and Giorgi Mtatsmindeli, monk Giorgi, and others.

 

Music
Georgia is a classic country of the vocal polyphony. Georgian polyphonic folk song has passed a long period of development and improvement.
Special merit of the Georgians is in the development of Christian polyphonic singing. Georgia is one of the first countries in the Christian world, which laid the foundation of polyphonic singing in church music.
In 2001, Georgian folk singing was recognized by UNESCO as musical heritage of humanity and is under the Organization's trusteeship.
Georgian folk dancing won the hearts of worldwide choreography connoisseurs a long time ago.
"Sukhishvili" and "Erisioni" are world-famous choreographic ensembles.

Fresco
Georgian fresco combines iconographic traditions of Byzantium and the Middle East. Together with the ancient cloisonné enamel, fresco is the main part of the Georgian church art.

Art
Georgian painting is closely connected with folk art, and well expressed in the works of Pirosmani who is admired by the whole world; Picasso, impressed by the paintings of Pirosmani, made some graphic portraits of the great artist.
Famous Georgian artists were Elena Akhvlediani, Lado Gudiashvili, David Kakabadze and others.

Theater
On January 14, 1850 Giorgi Eristavi founded a professional Georgian theater. The Georgian theater passed an interesting way of exploration, recovery, development and achievements. Thanks to efforts of talented directors and actors (Kote Marjanishvili, Sandro Akhmeteli, Ushangi Chkheidze, Akaki Khorava, Veriko Andzhaparidze, Sergo Zakariadze, Robert Sturua, and many others) Georgian theater gained a worthy place in the history of World Theater.
Nowadays the following theatres are operating in Georgia - Alexander Griboedov State Russian Drama Theatre, Tbilisi State Puppet Theatre, Kote Marjanishvili State Drama Theatre, Youth Theatre (Russian and Georgian), Gabriadze Studio Theatre, Shota Rustaveli State Academic Theatre, and others.
Zakaria Paliashvili Tbilisi State Opera and Ballet Theatre is more than a century old. Worthy representatives of the Georgian ballet were Vakhtang Chabukiani and George Balanchine, who raised the United States' ballet art to the top. Nino Ananiashvili and other choreographers follow these ballet traditions.

The literary history of Georgia begins with the conversion of the country to Christianity in the 4th century; original Georgia literature begins with lives of saints, the first surviving one being that if St. Shushanil (composed c.480). Other early works include an account of the conversion of Georgia by St. Nino and semilegendary stories of the exploits of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, a hero of the 5th century. Much of this material was subsequently woven into the Georgian annals (Kartlis Tskhovreba). The beginnings of a philosophical school in Georgia were laid by the Neoplatonist John Petritsi (d.c. 1125, a disciple of the Byzantine scholars Michael Psellus and John Itallus), who strove to impart to Georgian Orthodoxy a deeper metaphysical content.
Whereas much of Georgian ecclesiastical literature has its roots in Byzantine Greek culture, Georgia's medieval romance and epic are impregnated with the civilization of Persia, blended with original elements of Caucasian folklore. Important prose romances are the Visramiani (Eng. trans. Visramiani: the Story of the Loves of Vis and Ramin, by O. Wardrop, 1914), adapted in the 12th century by Sargis of T'mogvi from an original Iranian romance going back to Parthian times, and Amiran-Darejaniani (Eng. trans. by R.H. Stevenson, 1958), a cycle of fantastic tales of adventure, attributed to Moses of Khoni.
The foundations of secular poetry were laid at the same period by Ioanne Shavteli and Chakhrukhadze, who respectively wrote formal odes in honor of Kind David II "the Builder" (1089-1125) and Queen Tamara (1184-1213). The supreme literary achievement of Georgia's golden age is Shota Rustaveli's epic "Vepkhis Tkaosani" (Eng. trans. The Man in the Panther's Skin, by M.S.Wardrop, 1912). His poetic tradition, broken by the Mongol invasions, was renewed in the 17th century by the royal poets Teimuraz I (1589-1663) and Archil (1647-1713).
Belles-letters revived in Georgia during the 18th century with the lexicographer Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani (1658-1725), who wrote a book of fables "Dsigni Sibrdzne-Sitsruisa" (Eng. trans. The book of Wisdom and Lies, by. O.Wardrop, 1894); King Vakhtang VI (1675-1737), who founded a printing press in Tiflis and had the Georgian annals edited and completed. The main poets of the period were David Guramishvili (1705-92) and Besarion Gabashvili, called Besiki (1750-91).
The Russian occupation of 1801 brought Georgia into orbit of European intellectual life. Romantic poetry flourished with the work of Alexander Chavchavadze (1786-1846) and the Byronic lyrics of the youthful bard Nicholas Baratashvili (1817-45), founder of the modern Georgian theater. The exponent of the realistic novel was Ilia Chavchavadze (1837-1907), the later being Georgia's most distinguished man of letters of modern times, renowned as an essayist, publicist and poet.
The life of the Georgian mountaineers is brilliantly portrayed in the stories of Alexander Kazbegi (1848-83) and the ballads of Vazha Pshavela (1841-1915). Even more famous was the patriotic poet and man of letters Akaki Tsereteli (1840-1915). Several of Shakespeare's plays were translated by Ivane Machabeli (1854-98).
Under the Soviet regime a number of leading writers, including the novelist Mikheil Javakhishvili and the poets Paolo Iashvili and Titsian Tabidze, perished in the Stalin purge in 1937. However, poets of the stature such as Ioseb Gogebashvili (1889-1965), Galaktion Tabidze (1892-1957), Anna Kalandadze (1924-2008), dramatists such as Shalva Dadiani (1847-1959) and novelists such as Konstantine Gamsakhurdia (1891-1975), Chabua Amirejibi (1921-2014), Otar Chiladze (1933), succeeded in maintaining a high standard of creative originality.

Georgia - one of the oldest Christian countries. The country is known for its religious tolerance. Most of the population - are Orthodox Christians. Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists and other Christian dominants are in minority. Followers of Islam and Judaism also live in Georgia.
Georgians Orthodox Christians: 65%
Russians Orthodox Christians: 10%
Muslims: 11%
Armenians Gregorians: 8%
Others: 6%

In ancient times, Georgian pagan religion recognized the cult of the heavenly bodies - the sun, the moon, stars. Totemic cults of fox, bear and bull were also widespread. A popular pagan triad was: the sun (the mother goddess), the moon (the god-father), Kviria (the patron saint of the family). The most important was the God of War. God of War was also the main idol of the kingdom of Kartli - Armazi (a gilded figure of a man, forged of bronze), which overlooks the city of the kings - Mtskheta. Opposite him was a figure of the god of fertility - Zedan. Both of the idols, together with idols Gatsi and Gaimi, were brought by Meskhetian tribes, who came from the south, and Azon erected their statues in the town of Mtskheta. Cult centers also existed in Uplistsikhe, Vani, Atskuri.
In the apostolic times there were two states on the territory of modern Georgia: East Georgian Kartli (Iberia in Greek) and Western Georgian Egrisi (Colchis in Greek). The apostle Andrew preached both in Eastern and Western Georgia. Simon the Zealot (who is buried in New Athos) preached the doctrine of Christ together with the apostle Andrew.
Christianity became a state religion of Kartli in the 4th century. This phenomenon in the history of Georgia is associated with St. Nino Equal-to-the-Apls, a religious enlightener of Georgia, St. King Mirian and St. Queen Nana.
Christening of the population and construction of churches in Georgia began after the adoption of Christianity. However, after the death of Vakhtang Gorgasali, the kingdom of Kartli gradually weakened. Christianity in Georgia was in need of consolidation and strengthening.
It was this time when monks from distant Syria - John and his 12 disciples - came to Georgia. They are called "Assyrian fathers."
Holy Fathers made their home on Zedazeni hill. In the beginning, they lived together, and then went to different sides. John remained there on the mountain, so he was named John Zedazneli.
Assyrian fathers spread Christianity among the pagans and founded a lot of monasteries. So, these holy fathers are named after the monasteries: David Garejeli, Abibo Nekreseli, Joseph Alaverdeli, Anton Martkopeli, Shio Mgvimeli...
By their activities thirteen Assyrian Fathers helped to strengthen Christianity in Georgia. Georgian Church canonized them all the saints.
Since the adoption of Christianity as the state religion, the Georgian Church has always been involved in restorative and educational proceedings.
The country's territory is full of churches and monasteries.
Since the XI century the Primate of the Georgian Church bears the title of Catholicos-Patriarch.
Georgians built churches and monasteries not only in Georgia, but also in Palestine, Syria, Cyprus and Bulgaria.
Famous Georgian theologians, philosophers, writers and translators - Peter the Iberian, Ephraim the Small, Euthymius and Giorgi the Athonite, John Petritsi and others - worked both in Georgia and outside the country.
In the XIX century, Georgia was annexed by the Russian Empire. Since then the autocephaly of the Georgian Church was abolished, the Patriarch's government was canceled, and the Georgian Church as the Exarchate, was subordinated to the Synod of the Russian Church.

• In March 1917, the restoration of the autocephaly of the Georgian Church was proclaimed in the ancient capital of Georgia, Mtskheta.
• After the establishment of Soviet rule in Georgia, the red terror against the Church begins. Communists closed and ruined temples, and shot priests.
• In 1990, the autocephaly of the Georgian church was recognized the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
• Since 1977, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II is the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia.

 

Georgian language belongs to the Iberian-Caucasian language group. It combines: a) Georgian, which is the basis of the state and literary language of Georgia; b) the Megrel-Chansk language and c) the Svan language.
About the beginning of the second millennium BC there was a language, which is conventionally called the common Georgian – parent language of the Georgian language. Two east and west dialect areas were formed on the territory, where this language is spread. Western dialect areal was put in the basis of the Svan and Zan (Colchis), which later was divided into Megrel and Chansk (Laz), a dialect of the eastern areal was the basis for the formation of the Georgian language.
To this day, the Megrel language is used as spoken in Colchis lowland of western Georgia - Samegrelo, Laz (or Chansk - Turkey) and Svan (Svaneti).
Georgian is the official language of Georgia; Georgian language is spoken by about 4 million people within Georgia. On the territory of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran you can meet several dialects of the Georgian language.
There are only fourteen alphabets in the world. The Georgian alphabet is one of the ancient alphabets among them.
Georgian writing went through three stages of development. In the III century BC, during the reign of the King of Kartli Parnavaz, the first Georgian alphabet "Asomtavruli" was created. In the IX century a writing "nuskhuri" was joined to the Georgian language. In the XI century the Georgian writing, once again and now for the last time, has been replaced by the writing "Mkhedruli." "Mkhedruli" was the most perfect of all the other scripts. It took its final form in XV century.
Georgian alphabet consists of 33 letters (5 vowels and 28 consonants).
Bilingua of the second century was discovered in Mtskheta, Armaziskhevi. Pieces of the Georgian scripts dated the year 30 of the V century were found in Palestine. Inscriptions of Bolnisi Zion (493-494 years) are the most ancient inscriptions found on the territory of Georgia.

Georgia is one of the first cradles of ancient civilizations. Even Heinrich Schliemann, the most successful archeologist so far, who explored Troy, was interested in study of Georgia, but Tsarist Russia responded him with refusal. In the second half of the XIX century and the beginning of the XX century, important archaeological findings were made in Georgia.
In almost all parts of Georgia they found a lot of monuments from the late Paleolithic period to the Middle Ages. Finds and study of the monuments of Trialeti Kurgan culture of the Bronze Age were of great importance not only for Georgia, but for archeology of Minor Asia also. Findings in Mtskheta, Vani, Uplistsikhe Dmanisi Nokalakevi, Urbnisi and other parts of Georgia, made it possible to learn about the formation and development of the first specifics of the Georgian state, cities and urban life, as well as a wide variety of industrial products.

Dmanisi (Kvemo Kartli)
Dmanisi is a fortified town of Middle Ages. In historical sources it was first mentioned in IX century. In 1223 David IV Agmashenebeli liberated Dmanisi and turned it into a Royal town that was a reason of its special advantage in XII-XIII centuries. Here passed caravan ways toward Central Asia. In XIV-XV centuries Dmanisi resisted several assaults causing economic decline and devastation of the town. In 1992 archeologists discovered here the remains of human bodies. The German paleoanthropologists proved that these remains are 1.800.000 years old. Therefore, these are the remains of the oldest human beings on the Eurasian continent.

Uplistsikhe (Shida Kartli)
Uplistsikhe is located on the left bank of river Mtkvari, 10 km from the town of Gori. It can be detected on the southern slope of Kvernaki mountain range, on the area of 10 ha. It is the only monument of Antique time in Georgia, which nowadays remained above the surface of the ground. Town has streets, squares, water drainage ducts, various constructions, four gates, etc. Today the fortified town is an outdoors museum.

Gonio-Apsaros (Adjara)
The fortress belonging to the Antique and Middle-Age era is situated 12 km south of the city of Batumi. First reference of the fortress of Gonio in the historical sources under the name of Apsarunt belongs to author Plinius Secundus (I century). The fortress used to be a well reinforced and conveniently fortified town where 5 Roman cohorts (3 000 warriors) had a station. Due to strategic location, it always was a focal point for Rome, Byzantine and Genoa republics. In 1547-1878 it fell under control of the Ottoman Empire.
From XII century on the fortress is referred to as the Gonio fortress. As the legend goes, one of the prophets of Christ – Matata is also buried in Gonio.

Nokalakevi (Samegrelo)
Nokalakevi was a political center of Colchis (Egrisi) in Antique and early Christian times, the capital of the Kingdom of Lazika (IV-VIII cc.). It is located 17 km from the town of Senaki to the North-East. The Greek sources of later times call this township Archeopolis (in Georgian "Nokalakevi" or "Old Town". Both local and imported ceramics, bronze items, necklace, copper and gold coins have been excavated on the territory of the fortress.

Vani (Imereti)
This is the most important town of Antique era Colchis. In the history of Antique Vani two periods can be sorted out: VI-IV centuries and III-I centuries BC. Vani was the center of administrative entity of the Colchis Kingdom and residence of governing elite. Wooden cult and domestic fixtures, diverse ceramics (black-polished, black and red figurines, clay and metal utensils) and rich burial sites which prove close trade, economic and cultural ties with the Greek world, belong to this epoch. In I century BC the Antique town ceased to exist.

Dzalisi (Kartli)
50 km from Tbilisi
3rd-2nd Millenium BC
Dzalisi Archaeological site consists of several layers from the Bronze Age (3rd-2nd Millenium BC). It was the second Capital of Kartli Kingdom up to the period of its decline from 5th c. AD to 8th c. AD. The site represents an amazing architectural complex - the residence of the second King of Kartli Kingdom whose reign lasted from the middle of the first century AD up to the 5th century. The site boasts four palaces and hypo-caustic baths, acropolis, swimming pool, administrative part, barracks for soldiers, water supply system and burial grounds of the first settlements (Second millennium BC). The baths are famous with splendid mosaics depicting scenes from the ancient Greek mythology which are influenced by the Dionysus cult.

NOKALAKEVI (Samegrelo)
350 km from Tbilisi
13th c BC
Nokalakevi was a political center of Colchis (Egrisi) in Antique and early Christian times, the capital of the Kingdom of Lazika (IV-VIII cc.). It is located 17 km from the town of Senaki to the North-East. The Greek sources of later times call this township Archeopolis (in Georgian "Nokalakevi" or "Old Town". Both local and imported ceramics, bronze items, necklace, copper and gold coins have been excavated on the territory of the fortress.

Gonio-Apsaros (Adjara)
395 Km from Tbilisi
1 st C AD
The fortress belonging to the Antique and Middle-Age era is located 12 km from Batumi. First reference of the fortress of Gonio in the historical sources under the name of Apsarunt belongs to author Plinius Secundus (I century). Due to strategic location, it was always a focal point for Rome, Byzantine and Genoa republics. In 1547-1878 it fell under control of the Ottoman Empire.
From XII century the fortress is called the Gonio fortress. As the legend goes, one of the prophets of Christ – Matata is also buried in Gonio.

 

 

Prehistoric period
People lived in Georgia since ancient times - such conclusion was made by archeologists. During excavations of Dmanisi settlement they discovered the remains of skulls of ancient people. Scientists think that people lived in Dmanisi about 1,800,000 years ago.

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