The 1900s were a crucial period for the Caucasus, as it was during this time that the region experienced significant political and ideological shifts. Protest movements emerged, and the Caucasian countries, which were part of the Russian Empire, began to reimagine and redefine their identities. Georgia was no exception to these changes. One of the most pressing issues for nationalism during this period was the understanding of heritage, place, and territory, and how these elements shaped the construction of national identity. It is fascinating to explore how Georgian thought responded to these transformations and the ideas that arose in the context of protest. Kutaisi was one of the most important centers for these developments.

“We should declare Kutaisi a nature reserve, where only educated, polite, patriotic Georgians will have the right to enter without a permit.” This phrase was written by the famous Kutaisi scribe, folklorist, and public figure Pipinia Mikeladze, who was also well-known for his rare sense of humor. His jokes have survived to this day—sometimes in their original form, other times in modified versions, though many people do not realize that these sayings actually belong to Pipinia.

For a Jewish woman raised in a traditional family, walking from street to street, from family to family, or from one congregation to another in the 1930s and 1940s, pencil and notebook in hand, must have been incredibly challenging. Rosa Khananashvili was that determined and enthusiastic woman who broke barriers to take the first step in ethnographic research about the lives of Georgian (Kutaisi) Jews. Her remarkable talent and abilities helped her achieve the seemingly impossible: creating a unique work titled Ethnographic Essay on the Ancient Life of the Jews of Kutaisi.

Cities in fiction reflect a range of associations, capturing the personal, cultural, and historical dimensions that define each era. Just as Maupassant’s Paris in the 19th century requires context to fully understand the significance of a woman smiling from her balcony, so does Rezo Gabriadze’s 20th-century Kutaisi. In his story “White Bridge,” Gabriadze illuminates the unique, often humorous, character of his hometown, blending its historical, social, and emotional contours into a tale that embodies the warmth and complexities of Kutaisi life.

Georgian cultural history contains countless stories—some told openly, others whispered; some recorded, others left incomplete. Many of these stories find their legitimacy in words, sentences, and written records. But what happens to those stories that remain hidden, denied the honor of remembrance? Despite their intrinsic value and the suffering of those involved, these narratives often fade into obscurity, buried in the repressed corners of collective memory.

In an era when Georgia lacked theaters, magazines, newspapers, and formal cultural institutions, literary gatherings held within private homes nurtured and advanced the nation’s intellectual and cultural life. Across Europe and Russia, family salons became cultural staples, serving as crucibles for ideas and artistic exchange.

Sometimes, the children of great people remain unnoticed by society and history, as if they cannot escape their parent’s shadow. In this case, the opposite happened. The lives and achievements of Niko Nikoladze’s descendants became a continuation of his immeasurable contribution. The work of Niko’s son, Giorgi Nikoladze, is no less significant than his father’s.

The creative legacy of Kutaisi in Georgian literature finds its roots with the first Georgian Symbolist poets and prose writers, who established a creative association and produced the magazine Tsisperi Kancebi (Blue Horns) in 1916, with only two issues published. This effort marked the beginning of a vibrant, if at times short-lived, period of literary expression, with various magazines and newspapers emerging over the years to document and influence the literary movements and creative energies of the time.

A journey to old Kutaisi begins somewhere at the intersection of the French and Jewish Quarters or, at the very least, when you step onto the cobblestones of Gelati Street. However, this journey can also start with the “Passages”—as the local residents of Kutaisi still refer to the commercial rows stretching from the central square to the Greenmarket. Most people may not even know that the name is tied to entrepreneur Jakob Begishvili, who lived in the city during the latter half of the 19th century.

The social and cultural construction of urban space remains a significant and timely subject within urban studies, particularly in the fields of social and cultural anthropology. Ethnographic research, especially that gathered through participant observation, deepens our understanding of this expansive topic. Recent advances in urban studies explore the continuous interaction between people, the city, and its architectural elements—such as squares, parks, stations, and bus stops—creating a distinctive social climate, marked by unique patterns of behavior and communication.