Georgia

Kharagauli, Lashis public schcool

Georgia is a mountainous country bordered by the Black Sea in the west, which forms a 315km (205 mile long) coastline. The state is crossed by the ranges of the Greater Caucasus (highest peaks: Mt. Shkhara, 5068m, Mt. Kazbegi, 5047m (16,554ft)). The inter mountain depression to the south of the Greater Caucasus encompasses the Kolkheti lowland, Inner Kartli, Lower Kartli and the Alazani Plains. Still further to the south the Minor Caucasian ranges rise to the medium height (Meskheti, Shavsheti and other ranges), reaching 2850 m. The southernmost area of the country is covered by the volcanic South Georgian Upland (Mt. Didi Abuli, 3301 m, its highest peak). The Greater Caucasus and the South Georgian Upland join with the Likhi Range, which at the same time divides Georgia into two contrasting climatic zones: Western and Eastern Georgia. Enclosed high valleys, wide basins, health spas with famous mineral waters, caves and waterfalls combine in this land of varied landscapes and striking beauty.

Language & script

Georgian language belongs to the Iberian –Caucasian group of languages. There are 3 dialects in Georgian (Kartvelian) language (Georgian, Svan and Mengrelo – Laz dialects). Georgian alphabet is one of the 14 existing alphabets in the world. It consists of 33 lette

rs.Many scientists believe that Georgian alphabet was derived from one of the Semitic alphabets around 6th – 5th century BC. The alphabet has been modernized during centuries, but keeps the original roots.

One Georgian historian informs us that Georgian script was created in the 3rd c. BC by Georgian King Parnavaz. The mosaic inscription in the Judean desert in Palestine is known as the oldest Georgian inscription ever found. It dates back to the 433 AD. Bolnisi SioniChurch, situated south of Tbilisi, also has one of the oldest (493 AD) inscriptions in Georgian. The oldest manuscript (864 AD) is kept in St. Catherine’s Monastery on the Sinai Peninsula. Georgian literature has ancient and remarkable history. The oldest known literacy work “The Martirdom of Shushanik” was written in 476 – 483 AD by Iakob Tsurtaveli. “The Knight in the Panther Skin” created by Shota Rustaveli at the end of the 12th century is the most brilliant literacy work in Georgian literature. This poem has been translated into many languages of the world.

Tbilisi- capitalof Georgia

Mtskheta -ancient capital of Georgia

Mtskheta sacred place for each Georgian. Exactly here is one of the most ancient and esteemed temples – Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Dzhvari Monastery, which are included into the UNESCO’s World Heritage. They both are unique samples of religious architecture of the medieval Caucasus.

In ancient times and in the Middle Ages Mtskheta played an important part as a trading, crafts and religious centre of the country. It was also the residence of Georgian Catholicoses, the heads of Georgian church. Today it still remains as a spiritual centre of the country, where streams of Christian pilgrims and tourists from all over the world flow to.

SvetitskhoveliIn Svetitskhoveli Cathedral one of the greatest relics of the Christian world, the Robe of Jesus Christ, is kept. It was built in the 11th century by the Georgian architect Arsukisdze on the site of the Twelve Apostles Church erected in the 4th century. The cathedral is a burial place of Georgia’s most famous monarchs, including the founder of Tbilisi Vakhtang Gorgasali, the King ErekleII, the Kings of Bagrationi dynasty and others.

This is Georgia

Cave Towns: Uplistsikhe, Vardzia, David Gareji

Sataplia, Prometeuscave

Karst caves of is a group of karst caves in western part of Georgia in Imereti at a distance of 10 km from Kutaisiin north-west direction. The caves are allocated on the territory of Sataplia managed reserve. The height of caves varies from 275 to 405 m. There are underground springs, stalactites and stalagmites that attract the attention of the visitors. Million year old footprints of dinosaurs can be seen in the vicinity of the cave. On the adjacent territory there is a Kolkhi wood with relict and endemic plants. On the whole there are five cages in Sataplia but only one of them is accessible for the tourists. The mountain Sataplia is famous for its rare and wonderful caves. The natural managed reserve “Sataplia” is a mountainous place with mixed wood of Kolkhi type. There is a crater of an extinct volcano. A new interesting place – the Prometeus cave is available for the tourists since 2011 near the town Tskaltubo in Imereti (the historical region in western Georgia with its administrative center in Kutaisi). From the cave the visitors can see the mountain Khvamli to which according to the legend Prometeus was chained.

Folk Dances

Georgian cuisine

The favorable natural conditions, diversity of her rich nature and the location on the cross-road of different great civilizations in different epochs. The routes connecting the East and the West, the South and the North functioned with various intensity at different stages of history. The geopolitical location was favorable for the contacts with other civilized countries on the one hand, but on the other brought country into the sphere of interests of great Empires.