More than a hundred families lived in our airship (the nickname for our apartment on Chavchavadze Avenue). Ten meters wide, the courtyard echoed with the patter of little feet day in and day out. Even the sound of an airplane landing at the airfield couldn’t drown out their noise; only once in a while, not every day, in the evening, an amazing silence fell when all the children, immersed in their own worlds, paused: “Meoba is coming!” They would watch, entranced, as a tall, handsome man with the swaying walk of a sailor approached, bestowing an indescribable smile upon both young and old.

Traveling from Chiatura, bypassing “Davis Namukhlari” (a place below Mukhatgvedi, a rock obstructing the road from Tbilisi to Dzegvi), you will leave behind Sveri fortress and “Kotia Cave,” eventually reaching the village of Tskhrukveti. Here, in the old cemetery beneath the church of St. Marina, a stone entwined in vegetation will surely catch your eye. This crypt belongs to Vera Varazashvili, as the inscription indicates. Isidore Varazashvili constructed this eternal crypt in profound love and sorrow for his beloved wife.

The historical roots of Kharagauli and its inhabitants trace back to time immemorial. People have lived on its territory since the Early and Upper Paleolithic eras, with ancient archaeological finds discovered across Kharagauli. The municipality is abundant in historical monuments, including churches, monasteries, castles, towers, and defensive structures.

Author: Nanuli Tskhvediani In ancient times, if a woman from Kutaisi directed a curse your […]

Dziga Vertov, a documentary filmmaker of the early 20th century, once described photography as “taking life by the scruff of the neck.” It’s challenging to find a more precise analogy. European cultural achievements of that time reached Georgia immediately, mainly due to the country’s geographical position. Situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Georgia quickly became involved in all the latest developments. In the 19th century, despite a challenging political landscape, scientific, technical, and cultural innovations reached us through Russia. 

Libraries are vaults of frozen time, time that springs to life and begins to exist only when you touch it. You pull out a book, and it’s as if rusty gears start moving, turning the days and hours preserved from the past.

Legends or myths about their founding always accompany the creation of cities. Many stories circulate about Tskhaltubo, a city intertwined with truth and fiction. One such tale recounts how, upon discovering warm water rising from the ground, a shepherd found relief for his weary legs in its warmth, experiencing its miraculous power. He then shared this discovery with others. Another story attributes the discovery of the waters to the noble Ioselani family, while others speak of ancient hunters using the warm water to treat wounds of hunted animals.

Many years ago, the esteemed Georgian poet, publicist, and public figure Akaki Tsereteli drew a comparison between the quadrangular shape of Kutaisi Boulevard and Imeretian Khachapuri (a Georgian pastry) due to its shape. Furthermore, because of the constant socio-political passions and heated debates that regularly unfolded in “Bagiskide” (translated as “The Edge of the Garden”), the boulevard was affectionately nicknamed “Parliament of Kutaisi,” a name that has endured to this day.

Author: Nanuli Tskhvediani Anyone who arrives at the central square of Kutaisi or walks by […]

The Central Park of Kutaisi, a shady avenue, is graced by the splendid shade of […]