MODI 4 by modi mag

June

Treasury of Georgia Greater Mtskheta The Vine Cross of Saint Nino Ekvtime Takaishvili Dadiani Palace Petre Otskheli Golden Fund

PUBLISHER Vladimir Dzhishkariani PROJECT CONCEPT DIRECTOR Giorgi Akhalkatsi EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nino Daraseli ART DIRECTOR Temo Machavariani ENGLISH TEXT EDITOR Paul Rimple TRANSLATING Tamar Mirianashvili DIRECTOR OF PROJECT & MARKETING MANAGER Leli Mirijanashvili PHOTO EDITOR Lasha Ghughunishvili LAYOUT CONCEPT Levan Asatiani AUTHORS : Aka Morchiladze/ Nino Natroshvili/ Kote Jandieri/ Nino Chogoshvili / Sir Oliver Wardrop Maka Kukulava / Marina Bulia / Mzia Janjalia / Giorgi Kalandia PHOTOS: National Centre of Manuscripts/ Buba Kudava / Lasha Ghughunishvili/ Nodar Sumbadze / Giorgi Kalandia FOUNDERS Kakha Chelidze / Tea Chelidze GENERAL DIRECTOR David Tvildiani IT DIRECTOR Zviad Mosiashvili DISTRIBUTION Mikheil Amashukeli ACCOUNT Maia Ghambashidze THE TECHNICAL STAFF Tamaz Cheishvili/ Milana Drucker PARTNERS:

SPECIAL THANKS TO: Georgian National Museum / Georgian State Literature Museum/ National Centre of Manuscripts / Georgian National Archive / International Union For Conservation of Nature / The Administration of the President of Georgia/ Department of Tourizm and Resorts of Georgia / The Agency of Protected Areas/ Ministry of Economy and Sustainable of Georgia The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs / The Abkhazian Ministry of Economy / Georgian National Investment Agency / Press-speaker of the President of Georgia MananSa Manjgaladze/ Turkish Airlines Director for Tbilisi ofice Fatih Guven / The Georgian Ambassador to France Mamuka Kudava / Turkish Embassy in Georgia/ Director of the Georgian National Museum David Lordkipanidze / lika Kacharava / Keti Shavgulidze

Publisher by: Publishing House ‘MODI’ Tbilisi, 0171, Kostava str. 68, build 3 Phone/Fax: +99532 409398, +99532 409397 E-mai: infmodi@hotmail.com Copyright by Publishing House ‘MODI’ LTD All rights reserved Printed By: Exclusive Print Ltd. in printing house Favorite Print 10/2 Pushkini Str. Tel: +99532 295533, info@exclusiveprint.ge

COVER Petre Otskheli The Whites (1930)

Hotel Intourist Palace Batumi 11 Ninoshvili str, 6010 Batumi, Georgia Tel: +995 422 7 55 25 Fax: + 995 222 7 66 07 E-mail: info@intouristpalace.com reservation@intouristpalace.com www.intouristpalace.com

For Those Who Know And Appreciate The Very Best!

jer kidev XII saukuneSi cnobili azerbaijaneli poeti xayani Sirvaneli Tavis leqsSi qristian qals qarTulad uxmobs: ‘’moi, moi’’. Sua saukuneebis erT-erTi aRmosavleli poeti ki ambobs: ‘’saqarTveloSi viyavi da sul moi, moi viZaxeo’’. rogorc Cans, yvelaze xSirad stumarTmoyvare qarTvelebisgan enis armcodne mogzaurs swored ‘’modi’’ (Tu misi xalxuri forma ‘’moi’’) esmoda da yvelaze adviladac am sityvas imaxsovrebda. qarTvel kacs ver warmoudgenia rame martom akeTos, vinmes ar Seexmianos, ar dauZaxos, ar moipatiJos, azri ar gauziaros. albaT amitomaa amdeni ‘’modi’’ Cvens saubarSi, saqmeSi, cxovrebaSi. qarTvelebi xom ‘’modiT’’ viwyebT: modi vicekvoT, modi vimReroT, modi vTqvaT, modi gavakeToT, modi avaSenoT, modi davlioT, modi wavideT, modi vibrZoloT, modi vifiqroT, modi davweroT, modi vicocxloT da ase usasrulod... erTxelac saubari albaT ase daiwyo: modi, ’’modi’’ gamovceT...

buba kudava

To Georgia

In one of his poems, the 12th century Persian poet, Khaqaini Sherwani, used the word modi when his lyrical hero was trying to attract the attention of a Christian girl. Centuries ago, foreign visitors used to associate the word modi with Georgians, and the country, as they would often hear Georgians say “modi, modi, modi.” Modi is Georgian for “come” and is the word we use to informally call or invite somebody over, yet the meanings within this word are boundless. “Please come over, come in, have a seat, make yourself comfortable…” It is as if this word reflects why Georgians find it unimaginable to do things on their own and invariably invite others to join in, welcome them into their homes, share their experiences and ideas. More often than not, our discourse starts with modi, indicating that the listener is very much welcome - let’s dance, let’s sing, let’s talk, let’s drink together, let’s go, let’s fight, let’s think, let’s write, let’s live our lives… One conversation might even start with, “Let’s publish Modi!

BUBA KUDAVA

June

CONTENT

32.

GLORIOUS ODYSSEY Nino Natroshvili

32.

22.

Greater Mtskheta 58.

Everlasting Roses of Dadiani Palace

58. 66.

Giorgi Kalandia

SIR OLIVER WARDROP The Kingdom of Georgia

72.

The Wetland

DEUTSCHLAND IN GEORGIA Nino Chogoshvili

42.

To Georgia

O L K H E T I N AT I O N A L PA R K

KOLKHETI N AT I O N A L PA R K

CHOOSE YOUR PERSONAL BANKER

Personal Banker and Individual Approach Special Offers and Products Remote Banking

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* 27 27

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CONTENT

112. Clouds

Mikheil Kobakhidze Maka Kukulava

100. OTSKHELI

74.

STRUCTURE, EXPRESSION, GROTESQUE

128.

116. Karlo Kacharava 14

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GOLDEN

FUND

A Georgian

INTRODUCTION

Nat ional Costume Women’s Dress 1.

Lechaki – a veil made of thin, transparent, often patterned fabric. In the dowries, the fabric is referred to as muslin, thin cotton, satin, silk lace, thin or thick silk; the thick type is considered to be the best. The veil is triangular: the right-angled tip falls loosely down the back, the second tip makes a sharp angle, while the third is rounded and shorter than the other two. Chikhti-kopi – this kind of headband became widely used from the 1830s. First the pad was taller, but from the 1860s, a lower type was more popular. The latter style was first introduced in Kakheti (Eastern Georgia), which is why the headband is also called a ‘Kakhetianchikhti’ Cuffs – the hem of the sleeve, either hung downloosely or was tied at the wrist.

4. Dress front – this was an embroidered or highly

ornate fabric. The neck line was always cut high.

5. 6. 7.

Qatibi-velvet cape Qatibi button-silver button with the function of simple decoration Girdle – worn on the dress: narrow round the waist with long, wide strips hanging down the front. Its color had to match the dress. The girdle was often gold or silver twine, ornate with pearls or beads, very seldom plain.

8. Silver necklace with gemstones 9. Locks were popular until the 1880s and became longer later on.

Marjory Wardrop in Georgian national costume

To Georgia

INTRODUCTION

2 1 9 8

6 4

June

INTRODUCTION

MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATURK

FOUNDER OF THE TURKISH REPUBLIC

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born in a pink three-storey house at Islahhane Street, Kocakasim District, Salonika in 1881. Little Mustafa commenced his education in Hafiz Mehmet Efendi’s neighbourhood school, later his father transferred him to Semsi Efendi School (comparatively modern education at the time). During his primary education, Mustafa lost his father in 1888. For a while he stayed on his uncle’s farm in Rapla, returned to Salonika and completed his primary education. He enrolled at Salonika Junior High School for Civil Servants. Shortly later, in 1893, he transferred to Military Junior High School. It is at this school his math teacher, Mustafa Bey, added Kemal to his name, between 1896-1899. Mustafa Kemal finished Monastir Military Senior High School and commenced Military College in Istanbul. In 1902 he graduated with the rank of lieutenant and continued his education iat the Military Academy. In January 1905, he completed the Academy and graduated with the rank of a captain. After the victory at the Battle of Sakarya, the Turkish Grand National Assembly promoted Mustafa Kemal to the rank of Field Marshal and granted him the title of Gazi the Victorious Fighter. The War for Independence was ended by the Lausanne Peace Treaty on 24 July 1923. As a result, the administrative ties with the Ottoman Empire were broken. The Declaration of the Republic was made on 29 October 1923 and Mustafa Kemal was unanimously elected as the first President of the Republic. Ismet Inonu formed the first government of the Republic on 30 October 1923. Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation while peace at home and peace in the world are the fundamentals of the Turkish Republic.

ARMAZI BILINGUAL “I [am] Seraphite, daughter of Zevakh the Younger, Pitiakhsh to King Parsman, wife of Iodmangan [who] won victories and multiplied his [earlier] heroic deeds [and is] King Xepharnug’s chamberlain, son of Agrippa, chamberlain to King Pharsman, [who] conquered conquerors, that Parnavaz had left unfinished. And this, [Seraphite] was kind and beautiful, whom no one could match in beauty. And died at the age of twenty one” The so-called Armazi bilingual, Greco-Aramaic tombstone inscription commemorating the short-lived Seraphite and her noble lineage, discovered during archaeological excavations in 1940, unveils the issues related to the history of politics and culture of the Iberian Kingdom of the II century AD. The king, pitiakhsh, chamberlain, other nobles, soldiers, priests, merchants, craftsmen, slaves - all made up the approximate social structure of old Iberia. Armazi bilingual is also important as a linguistic monument - in its ductus and some of its forms, it contains an unusual version of the Aramaic alphabet, which came to be known as the “Armazi script” although it can also be found outside Armazi, in other parts of Georgia.

To Georgia

THE GREAT CAUCASIONI Peak Name

Elevation Country (m)

Elbrus Dykh-Tau Shkhara Koshtan-Tau Janga (Jangi-Tau) Kazbek Pushkin

5,641 5,205 5,201 5,152 5,059 5,047 5,033

Russia Russia Georgia Russia Georgia Georgia Russia/Geo

Katyn-Tau Shota Rustaveli Tetnuldi Mount Bazardüzü Mount Shahdagh

4,979 4,860 4,858 4,466 4,243

Russia/Geo Georgia Georgia Azerbaijan Azerbaijan

INTRODUCTION

THE LAST CRUSADERS Sheltered by the massive peaks of the greater Caucasus, hidden away from the outside world, is the extraordinary land of the Khevsurs - Khevsureti. Nowhere else in Europe is there a place that feels so mysterious, unique and magical, a place where ancient pagan traditions survive, and medieval fortress villages guard the secrets of the valleys. Only accessible by road for seven months a year, Khevsureti moves at its own pace. Until the 1930s people here wore chainmail amour and carried swords and shields. The Soviet Union did much to try to destroy the ancient way of life, but rituals, songs and crafts are still preserved by the people of this proud, independent land. The Khevsurs never submitted themselves to any feudal lord, taking decisions independently, steered by community leaders called Khevisberis, who also acted as priests for the local shrine, each of which had its own pagan deity. Animal sacrifice is still common here, but other traditions have died out in some of the other regions. Blood feuds were common in this remote land, where life was always hard and family honor paramount. Constant war with the Muslim peoples of the North Caucasus resulted in the extraordinary architecture seen here today, where many villages were actually designed as fortresses, with family homes doubling as defensive structures. The Khevsurs were exceptional warriors and were often promoted as royal bodyguards. In battle, Khevsurs wore flags adorned with crosses and considered themselves permanent members of the army of the sacred flags and guardians of Georgian Kings. There has been a hypothesis, that these Georgian highlanders were descendants of the last European Crusaders because their folk culture – the material, social, and religious practices – greatly resembled those of the Crusaders. The Khevsur men, dressed in chain mail and armed with broadswords, wore garments full of decoration made up of crosses and icons, which served as a means of protection, according to Christianity. The pure European origin of Khevsurs is not supported by most modern scholars. However, some form of settlement of Crusaders in these areas is possible, as they are mentioned in several manuscripts of the time as participants of several battles against the Muslims in Georgia (100 “Frankish” Crusaders participated in King David’s army in the Battle of Didgori).

June

INTRODUCTION

Climbing above the clouds

Historical and ethnographical materials confirm, that Caucasian people, and the Georgians among them, were familiar with mountain climbing techniques from ancient times. Describing the life and habits of old Georgians (Iberians and Colchis), the Greek historian, geographer and philosopher Strabo (63/64 BC – ca. AD 24), points to their skills to ascend impassable mountains using special “boots” – sheep skin equipped with nails. In the 1950’s medieval objects and coins were discovered in a man-made cave, 4100 m. high, on the slopes of Mt. Kazbegi. Yet, the official history of Georgian Alpine Climbing begins in 1923, when Giorgi Nikoladze and Alexandre Didebulidze (Tbilisi State University professors) organized two expeditions to Mt. Kazbegi. A group of eighteen, lead by Giorgi Nikoladze, reached the peak on August 28. Two years later the team, under the direction of Nikoladze, ascended the highest mounteen of the Caucasus Mt. Elbrus. 20

To Georgia

INTRODUCTION

FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS BY MAMUKA KUDAVA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia in France and Monaco and Permanent Representative in UNESCO shares with “MODI” Magazine his reasons why one should visit Georgia.

1. PEOPLE For Georgians, generosity and hospitality is an essential quality. Therefore, “a guest is a god”. While having a Georgian individualistic spirit, beautiful women and charming men are also influenced by European and oriental character.

2. CULTURE

Ancient churches and traditional dynamic dances, old magnificent manuscripts in one of the 14 existing alphabets in the world and unique polyphony – UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - are all the part of wider Mediterranean culture and charm.

3. CUISINE

The “brands” of Khachapuri (cheese bread), Khinkali (dumplings) or Satsivi (walnut sauce) are several examples of specific Georgian gastronomy also influenced by Middle Eastern and European culinary traditions. Georgia – the cradle of wine and source of world’s first cultivated grapevines and Neolithic wine production for over 8000 years – has guarded its ancient winemaking traditions but acquired modern techniques as well.

4. HERITAGE

Besides 3 UNESCO WORLD Heritage Sites – historical monuments of Mtskheta, Upper Svaneti and Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery – Georgia also boasts of the Tbilisi Old Town, filled with modern constructions, Dmanisi – the archeological site of first Europeans, and the Black Sea city of Batumi – the Saint Tropez of wider Caucasus region.

5. NATURE

Georgia hosts 9 of 11 existing climate zones. From the highest European mountains of the Caucasus to Borjomi reserve forests; from the Black Sea coast and valleys to Kakhetian semi-deserts - the country has a unique diversity of landscapes.

5 June

INTRODUCTION

Art project : Nodar Sumbadze

HERBARIUM

To Georgia

INTRODUCTION

TBILISIENSIS

June

MAIN STORY

Greater 24

To Georgia

MAIN STORY

Mtskheta The Symbol of Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Glorious Past

June

MAIN STORY

Tradition ascribes the founding of Mtskheta to Mtskhetos, the son of Kartlos, the mythical ancestor of the Georgian nation, and descendent of biblical Noah: “and he built a town at the confluence of the Mtkvari and the Aragvi, and gave it his own name, Mtskheta. The town of Mtskheta flourished longer than any other and was called “the capital city” (“The Life of Kartli”, an old Georgian collection of chronicles). Information about Mtskheta can be found in Georgian written sources of history, as well as in the writings of Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Armenian historians. However, scientific knowledge about the time of its origin and about its name is still incomplete and diverse.

rchaeological excavations confirm the existence of a settlement in Mtskheta and its environs as early as the 3rd and 2nd millennia B. C. According to scholars, by the mid 1st millenium B. C. the separate residential areas merged into one large town, “Greater Mtskheta”. Sprawling along the Mtkvari and the Aragvi rivers and surrounded by mountains, “Greater Mtskheta” was situated at the intersection of the roads from Colchis, North Caucasus, Armenia and Albania. The world’s most important trade routes ran through here, including the Great Silk Route, which connected Western countries to the lands of the Orient. From the 4th-3rd centuries B. C., to the early 6th century A. D. Mtskheta was the centre of Kartli, “the seat of great kings”. The city spread into two directions on both banks of the river Mtkvari: “the Armaziward town and the Mukhnariward town”. The main quar-

To Georgia

ters of the capital were situated on the right bank of the Mtkvari, with the royal residence at Armaztsikhe (Armazi Castle, modern Bagineti) and the residence of the princes (eristaves, or pitiakhshes) - Sapitiakhsho, at modern Armaziskhevi. Mtskheta proper lay on the left bank of the Mtkvari (some of the names of old districts, e. g. “mogvtaubani”, “uriatubani”, and “mtavarta sanatlo” of the Christian times survive to the present day). Once separate residential quarters, Tsitsamuri, Sarkine, Upper Avchala, Nakulbakevi, Mukhatgverdi-Karsani, Kaloubani-Kodmani, made up the environs of the capital. According to chronicles, in the early 3rd century B. C. Kartli’s first king, Parnavaz built strong walls around the city of Mtskheta, erected an idol of Armazi at the burial place of Kartlos, and started building a fortress around it. “He raised the idol, Armazi, on top of Mt. Kartli thenceforth called Armazi, for the idol” (“The

MAIN STORY Life of Kartli”). The Armazi Castle became the first residence of the kings of Kartli, as well as the acropolis of the city. “Parnavaz was the first king in Kartli of Karlos’ lineage. He spread the Georgian language, and no longer was any other tongue spoken but Georgian throughout Kartli. And he devised the Georgian alphabet. And Parnavaz died and was buried before the idol of Armazi.” In the 3rd-1st centuries B. C. the building activity on the Armazi crest was carried on by the succeeding kings of the Parnavaziani line: Saurmag, Mirvan, Parnajom and Artag. King Parnajom built another strong citadel, Zedazeni, opposite the Armazi Castle, on the left bank of the Aragvi and erected the idol of Zedazeni. The Armazi Castle (mentioned by Strabo, the Greek geographer, as Armozica in his writings) controlled the roads from Colchis, Armenia, and Albania, while

nians, Persians, and Khazars lived alongside with Georgians. The colony of the Jews, who according to chronicles, found refuge in Mtskheta after Nebuchadnezzar sacked Jerusalem in 586 B. C., was the largest. The population of the capital was multilingual: “six tongues were spoken within Kartli. All the kings of Kartli, men and women were fluent in these languages” (“The Life of Kartli”). Two languages, Aramaic and Greek, were used for writing. But the specimens of the Aramaic writing excavated on the territory of the Kingdom of Kartli are quite different, transformed in the Georgian medium. They are known as “Armazi writing”. The remnants of various quarters of “Greater Mtskheta” indicate the existence of highly developed agriculture, viticulture, pottery, glassmaking, goldsmithery in ancient Iberia. Numerous finds of Roman, Parthian, Sassanian coins and precious articles demonstrate a dynamic interchange between the

the Zedazeni castle, also called Tsitsamuri (Sevsamora by Strabo), protected the city from the northern nomads, who could invade the country through the Dariali gorge and the Aragvi valley. These two strongholds together with the fortresses in various quarters of “Greater Mtskheta” made up the entire defence system of the city. To the north, the city was protected by the fortresses of Gartiskari and Bebristsikhe, to the west - by Tsikhedidi and Sarkine, and to the east - by Nakulbakevi and Upper Avchala.

Kingdom of Kartli and foreign countries.

Like the great civilizations of ancient times the Kingdom of Kartli had a well-formed social structure. Written historical sources and numerous epigraphic materials found in Mtskheta throw light upon the structure of the Iberian court, the titles of the nobility and the officials, and their identities.

A bridge joining East and West, the Kingdom of Kartli was a welcomed ally for great powers, like the Roman Empire and Persia. After the Armazi Castle was taken by Pompey in 65 B. C., Rome chose a policy of friendship and alliance with Iberia.

The population of “Greater Mtskheta” was quite large and cosmopolitan. Greeks, Assyrians, Arme-

Strabo, Vitruvius, Arrianus, Dion Cassius, all commented on the building art of the Iberians. They even had a post of Head of Artists and Architect at the royal court of Kartli. “I am Alpha and Omega. This is made by Achilles, who is [head] of the builders. Aurelius Acholius, Chancellor of Arts and Architect. In memory of Arspakores” (An inscription, excavated at Antioch Church in Mtskheta).

The Roman emperor Vespasian fortified the walls of Mtkheta in 75 B. C.: “These walls have been fortified for King Mithridates of Iberia, son of King Parsman

June

MAIN STORY

and Iamsaspuh, friend of the Caesar and romanlover, and for his people” (An inscription of Emperor Vespasian from Nakulbakevi). The Emperor Antoninus Pius allied himself with King Parsman II of Iberia, who had fought fiercely against the Romans in Emperor Hadrian’s times. He even erected an equestrian statue to the king at the Mars Field in Rome. The Kingdom of Iberia was part of the ancient world with the pantheon of Iberian gods as well. The Georgians initially worshipped the sun, the moon, and the five stars, “they had supreme faith in the shrine of Kartlos”. Then they erected the idols of Gatsi and Ga (Gaim), Armazi, Zadeni, Bochi, Ainina, and Danina. Scholars identify Armazi with the Hittite moon deity of Arma and Persian Ormazd, while Ainina and Dainina are thought to be identical with Roman Venus and Diana.

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Seven idols and fire were worshipped in Kartli prior to the appearance of St. Nino, who brought Christian faith to this country. The superior deity was Armazi, the god of gods, a figure of copper in gold chain mail and a gold helmet. It had emeralds and beryls for the eyes, and “had a sword, flashing like lightning, and swinging in his hands. Anybody touching him was doomed to die”. Rising high on Armazi Castle it was flanked on both sides by the oldest Georgian gods: Gatsi, a figure of gold, and Gaim, a figure of silver. The chronicle describes the festival held in honor of Armazi in Mtskheta as “unfathomable and indescribable”. “Countless multitudes of people would come out and beautify each street with motley cloth and leaf. The hills would be covered with flags and the folk, like fields with flowers. And the sound of shrill voices and fanfare made a frightful din” (“The Life of Kartli”).

The Grapevine Cross of Saint Nino idols of Mtskheta and old Castle of Armazi were. Nino was the only Christian attending these rituals; she was confused and astonished, and she began to pray. Her prayers brought the first signs of devine intervention to Mtskheta. Tempests, heavy clouds, thunderstorms rained down on the capital and destroyed all the idols of Mtsketa. As people scattered about, Nino stayed there and found her shelter under one tree; it was exactly here where she met a noble woman Shroshana who spoke Greek.

Aka Morchiladze

Shroshana was a kind woman. When she saw a single, poor woman living near the rocks, she asked Nino to follow her to the Palace. Nino refused her proposal, but Shroshana told her about Mtskheta and she began thinking about the fate of the local people.

he enlightener of Georgia was a young Christian woman from Cappadocia, named Nino. Unlike famous enlighteners and preachers, her deeds may seem subtle. Neither her preaching nor her miracles were sensational; all were quiet and somehow more human. In the IV century, Nino entered Iberia from the Kingdom of Armenia, where she escaped persecution from the hands of the Armenian King Tiridates III. When she reached Paravani Lake, she knew that she was in Iberia. Though it was summertime in Georgia, the weather was bad. The surrounding mountains, forests and poorly made roads were strange to her, but she followed the merchants going to Mtskheta at that time. Mtskheta was the capital of Iberia, which at the time was the seat of the King Mirian and Queen Nana. The first people she saw in Mtskheta were the Magi. It is hard to say what these people were doing there, but the scenery was so impressive that she cried. Nino was a stranger in this city; she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know the local language. She could only speak with the Uriahs. Very soon, she saw people dressed in white, with white flags, all heading to Armazi; she was quite interested in them, so she followed them to the rocks, where the

Thus, Nino crossed the Mtkvari River once again and entered Mtskheta where she would stay for a long period. She visited the Royal Garden, where she met a gardener and his wife Anastos. She met Nino with an open heart, cared for her, gave her wine, bread and place to live. The couple was unable to have a child for a long time and became the first people Nino healed. She found a fir-tree in the garden and fed the couple soil taken from the base of the tree. Nino stayed with this family for nine months, until her hostess gave birth. Afterwards she left their house and found a place among blackberry bushes, where she made remedies from blackberries and other herbs. Great healing skills were one of the ways Christians helped people. She made her first Grapevine Cross, while living among the blackberry bushes. Nino often visited the Uriahs, where she met many people. In Mtskheta, she was already known as a kind healer woman. Everyone saw her kindness and greatly respected her. While with the Uriahs, she met a priest Abiathar and his daughter Sidonia. She preached to them, taught them prayers and her beliefs. There were only six others from the Uriahs who prayed with Nino and followed her. For some period it was kept secret that Nino was not just a healer, but a preacher as well. During the next three years, various rumors were spread about Christianity in Mtskheta. King Mirian was in battle together with the Persians and was defeated by Caesar. From this battle he heard about the new religion and tried to learn more about it, as Byzantines thanked their God for their victory. The king knew about the healer and observed everything going on in Mtsketa. Nino still lived among the

June

MAIN STORY In the 4th century A. D. the Iberian Kingdom underwent a sweeping change. In approximately 320s-330s King Mirian, a contemporary of Constantine the Great, declared Christianity the state religion and made the Kingdom of Kartli one of the first Christian states. Historical tradition ascribes the conversion of Iberia to St. Nino of Cappadocia who came to the country in early 4th century. However, Christianity in Georgia had had, by that time, a deep-rooted history of long standing.

of the old wooden church of Svetitskhoveli. According to written historical sources, a church was going to be built, on St. Nino’s instructions, in the royal gardens where a cedar of Lebanon grew upon Sidonia’s grave. The tree was cut down to be used for a pillar of the church, but the builders were unable to move it an inch. Only after St. Nino’s prayer, angels lifted it up in the air, and it set it down in place, spouting flames at the bottom. The miraculous pillar exuded a life-giving balm.

According to tradition, after the crucifixion of the Saviour, Christ’s robe fell to the lot of the Jews from Mtskheta. Rabbi Elioz brought it to Mtskhet. At the city gate he was met by his sister Sidonia, who had already been initiated in the teaching of Jesus.

These miracles were described by Georgian chronicles, as well as Greek and Roman authors. According to written sources, the pillar amazed everybody with its miraculous radiance centuries later. Even the pagan invaders never dared to defile it.

She took the Saviour’s robe into her hands and was so overwhelemed with emotion she died instantly. Sidonia clasped the Saviour’s robe so hard to her bosom that nobody could pry it from her hands, so she was buried with it. The burial of the Saviour’s robe in Mtskheta is where the history of Christianity in Georgia starts.

The establishment of Christianity brought about important changes in the capital. Originally, the centre of the pagan city was situated on the right bank of the Mtkvari. Now after the adoption of Christianity, intensive building activity commenced on the left bank, focusing on the area around the burial place of the robe of Jesus.

According to chronicles, St. Andrew and St. Simon the Canaanite were the first to teach the Gospel in Georgia. Archaeology confirms the existence of Christianity in Georgia before the 4th century. Christian burials dating back to the 2nd-3rd centuries have been excavated in Mtskheta.

The city had three gates: Mogvtakari - the gate of the Magi, the Mukhnari gate, and the Aragvi gate. In addition to fortifications, the city entrances were now also guarded by churches raised as bulwarks of Christianity. “Life-giving crosses of our Lord Jesus Christ were erected so as to defeat the enemies” (“The Life of Kartli”).

The most significant of the miracles related to the conversion of Kartli is connected with the building

To Georgia

Samtavro Cathedral was nearby in the North; “upon

they read the books the priest brought. Abiathar read the Holy Bible to him. Mirian spent the whole year hesitating and thinking.

They talked;

One cannot easily find his way easily on the road of faith. Many kings around the world were in the same position. Just mere understanding was not enough; faith needs to be genuine and sincere.

blackberry bushes and healed ill people. Priest Abiathar could read old Jewish books and was a devoted preacher of Christianity. Saint Nino talked with him much and taught him everything.

Per-

haps it was for this reason some people tried to kill Abiathar, but the servants of King Mirian saved him, which proves once again that the King was think-

Mirian believed in his own Gods. He was close to the Persian Magus, Khuara, and was influenced by Persian Zoroastrism and Iberian idols. Apparently, Mirian met with Nino, when they brought the ill Magus Khuara to her for healing. Nino talked to the King about the invisible God, who sent His son to Earth, to save humanity from its sins. Mirian was quite aware of Christianity then. He was impressed by these stories, though they didn’t change his beliefs. The Persian Magus was healed. The king saw that this faith healed the Queen and the Magus, but he didn’t experience anything personally. The king hesitated; he couldn’t decide what to do, and threatened to divorce his wife if she didn’t leave the faith.

ing about this new and strange religion though his thoughts were full of fears and controversal ideas. He was confused and didn’t know what to believe, either in fire, idols or the cross. Nino was known all over the capital already; people visited her to watch her pray in the blackberry bushes; they asked her for help and healing, and she

One day a miracle happened in the summer, but it occurred neither in Mtskheta, nor near the blackberry bushes. He was completely alone, in total darkness, powerless and weak. In his own country, yet he could see virtually nothing.

healed them in the name of Christ, in the name of her God. Nino was a simple, kind and patient young woman. After seeing her, even the most evil people believed in her God. Pagans were astonished by her deeds and that she healed in God’s name, in prayer; nobody had ever heard anything like this. But when Queen Nana became ill, King Mirian began to think more seriously about this Nino. He tried everything, yet nothing cured her. Then he remembered the woman who prayed near blackberry bushes.

That day there was a solar eclipse. He was on a hunting trip together with four servants. but lost both them and his way in the darkness. It was the most terrifying thing, alone and helpless in the dark forest. No king had ever had such a terrible experience. Mirian began to beg and pray, but all in vain. Notwithstanding its severe nature, Iberia was also a land of kind people and the soul of the king reflected the sense of Christianity; thus he prayed to Nino’s God and asked Him for help.

They asked Nino to visit the palace, but Nino refused and instead asked them to bring Queen Nana to her place, which was divine and exactly where God could heal. Nino prayed and put her cross on the queen’s forehead. Queen Nana was healed.

Nobody knows how much time he passed in the darkness, when finally, twilight appeared. The sun was eclipsed in Mtskheta as well. Only Christians that prayed in the blackberry bushes with Saint Nino were not worried about it.

Afterwards, the Queen converted yet the King was more and more lost in a labyrinth of new thoughts. Nino’s gift was not just a rumor, while the Queen herself talked to him about Christianity. Nino rejected all the gifts sent to her and Nana explained to Mirian that this woman rejects gold, silver and luxury; the only gift for her is her belief.

The queen met the king on his way back. She also prayed for the king, and everybody followed their king and queen to the blackberries to see Nino. The king jumped down from his horse and knelt before her. She was praying; the whole city was crying, including the king and queen. It was a moment of regret, rebirth and new life that had never occurred in Mtsketa before.

The King sent his servants in search of the priest Abiathar, who they once saved. By the help of Abia-

Christianity had come to the Kingdom of Iberia.

thar the king tried to understand and seek the truth.

June

MAIN STORY the Gate of the Aragvi, where the fighting towers were strong,” stood Stephantsminda, St. Stephen’s Church; the Church of Gethsemane stood to the west, and soaring to the east was Jvari, the Monastery of the Holy Cross. At the confluence of the Mtkvari and the Aragvi stood the Church of Antioch; and in the center rose Svetitskhoveli, the holy shrine of the Georgians, the first church, the Cathedral of LifeGiving Pillar, built upon the robe of Jesus. The names of the earliest Mtskheta churches brought the worshippers closer to the holy land of Palestine. Mtskhetawas like a second Jerusalem, mainly owing to Svetitskhoveli, rising high in the centre of the city on the robe of Jesus, as if over His grave. For this reason, a little church - a copy of the Church of the Holy Grave of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem - was built later in the 15th century, inside the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, close to the robe of Jesus. Special importance in the history of Mtskheta is attached to the rule of Vakhtang Gorgasali, the glorious Georgian king, in whose reign during the second half of the 5th century, the Georgian Church gained autocephaly, “when they took it upon themselves to ordain into ministry by laying on of hands, instead of being ordered to” (Ephrem Mtsire, 11th cent.). Twelve episcopates were established during King Vakhtang’s reign. Mtskheta was appointed residence of the Catholicos and the newly built Svetitskhoveli, consecrated in the name of the Twelve Apostles, was designated Cathedral. The church services were conducted in Georgian.

In the early 6th century, the capital was moved to the newly founded city of Tbilisi. “Mtskheta diminished and Tbilisi grew stronger, Armazi was devastated and Kala was built” (“The Life of Kartli”). Although Mtskheta lost its secular and political importance, it has remained the most important religious centre throughout centuries. Monasteries founded by the Syrian Fathers in the 6th century were added to the numerous churches built by the first Christian kings of Kartli. The activity of these “Thirteen Assyrian Fathers” gave rise to the tradition of hermitage in Georgia. Two of the important religious centres founded by these Holy Fathers were in the environs of Mtskheta: Zedazeni, the abode of St. Ioane, on the crest of a hill where once the Zadeni idol had stood, and Shiomghvime, founded by St. Ioane’s disciple, St. Shio, in the neighbourhood of the city. 736-738 the devastating Arab invasion led by Marvan II ibn Muhammad “The Deaf ”, put an end to an important phase in the history of Mtskheta, as it ceased to exist as a city and became a little settlement on the triangular cape jutting out into the water at the confluence of the Mtkvari and the Aragvi. However, religious activity never ceased. For centuries - in good times or bad times, churches were built and murals were painted, and active theological and literary work continued. The history of Mtskheta in Christian times is the history of the Catholicate, of cloisters and churches. The most important of these was Svetitskhoveli, the Cathedral of the Catholicate. Almost every Georgian king and catholicos tried to do his share to improve and beautify the Church. Svetitskhoveli was trimmed and decorated, restored and embellished, and presented with gifts from Catholicos Melchisedec, kings Bagrat III, Giorgi the Illustrious, Alexander the Great, Vakhtang VI, King Rostom and Queen Mariam, Erekle II, and many others. Svetitskhoveli was where the Georgian Bagrationis were ordained kings. Georgian monarchs, members of the royal family, Catholicos-patriarchs have been buried in Svetitskhoveli. This church is the final resting-place of King Vakhtang Gorgasali and the last Georgian kings, Erekle II and Giorgi XII. Svetitskhoveli still remains the holiest shrine for Georgians, and the city of Mtskheta primarily represents the centuries-old history of the country. In the mentality of a Georgian, Mtskheta is the symbol of Georgia’s glorious past. This article was prepared from the book published by the Eka Privalova Centre “BETANIA”, from the series OLD GEORGIAN CITIES AND TOWNS.

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Making Georgia

GLORIOUS ODYSSEY Nino Natroshvili

â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a rule, in myths and fairy tales, the treasures are protected by giants and typhoons. In our days, the treasures of Georgia were kept by a little miserable old man, who did it more successfully than giants and typhoons can.â&#x20AC;? These words of Georgian writer Lasha Tabukashvili, refer to Ekvtime Takaishvili, a prominent Georgian historian and archaeologist best remembered for his heroic deed of protecting the Georgian national treasury. Takaishvili, one of the founders of Tbilisi State University, followed the Georgian government in French exile (after the Bolshevik Russia invaded the country in 1921), taking numerous pieces of precious Georgian material culture with him to Europe. For more than twenty years, despite extreme economic hardship and numerous attempts by various European museums to purchase portions of the treasury, Takaishvili never sold a single piece of the priceless collection. Isn 1945 he was able to bring the treasury back to Georgia.

To Georgia

Making Georgia

June

Making Georgia

ar broke on February 11, 1921, from the Armenian side. On February 15, the 11th Red Army crossed the Azerbaijani Border. The enemy troops attacked from Daryal Pass and Sotchi directions, as well. Stubborn fights were taking place at the entrance of Tbilisi city; the Georgian Army even had some success, capturing 1600 Russian soldiers and some ammunition.

something precious and valuable in one’s family collection and the owner is not willing to sell it or otherwise transfer it to the museum, Ekvtime takes the rarity for scientific research and lately publishes the letter of gratitude praising the generosity of the owner gifting the priceless antiquity to the museum. Everyone knows about this “method”, but nobody can resist his reputation. As he used to say, he was searching for antiquities like a hound-dog.

LEAVING THE HOMELAND WAS HARD TO EKVTIME. MANY YEARS AGO, BEFORE GOING ABROAD FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, HE AND HIS FRIENDS GAVE A PROMISE TO RETURN AND SERVE THE MOTHERLAND. BUT NOW THERE IS NO TIME TO THINK WHETHER TO LEAVE GEORGIA, OR NOT

For February 18-19, situation on battlefields changed, the Capital fell in panic. Head of the Government called Ekvtime Takaishvili and ordered to collect and transport precious belongings of the Georgian museums to Kutaisi. For that time, Ekvtime Takaishvili is the Founder and Chairman of the Historic and Ethnographic Society, the deputy chairman of the Founder Meeting (Parliament) from National-Democratic Party, University Professor, Archeologist, Collector and Guard of antiquities, numismatist; He is the one, who began scientific research of the Georgian churches and recording of relevant data. He knows what is kept in each museum or the private collections. The biggest part of museum treasury is collected, purchased and even “deducted” by him. His method is simple: when he runs into

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So if there is anybody, who deserves to be the keeper of the treasury, Ekvtime is a first to be mentioned. But he is 58 already and cripple – childhood trauma left him lame. Anyway, no one considers the possibility of a long journey. Everybody thinks that the success of the Bolshevik’s is temporary, so the plan is to take the treasury to Kutaisi until the Red Army is defeated.

The museum workers spent the night collecting the artifacts. At 8 am the precious property – 37 boxes and 18 paintings, packed and sealed - was taken to the railway station. The train loaded with the treasury departed for Kutaisi at 11 o’clock, accompanied by the guard and supervisor. Thus, began the Glorious Odyssey of the Georgian Treasure. On 24th of February, both the Parliament and the Government, headed to Kutaisi. Tbilisi was para-

Making Georgia

Tondo, Gelati, 11th Century

June

Making Georgia lyzed. Everyone fell in turmoil. Ekvtime, with his personal belongings reached the railway station on a garbage cart. His spouse, Nino Poltoratskaya walked all the road to the station. In Kutaisi, the new items were added to the collection brought from Tbilisi, including the Khobi necklace cross of Queen Tamar, properties and library of Likani and Borjomi Romanov Palaces, antiquities from Gelati Monastery, etc. The treasury now consisted of 236 boxes, 12 bags and one basket.

and serve the motherland. But now there is no time to think whether to leave Georgia, or not. The ship contains the part of his homeland. Both parts, the one ready for departure and the other, which is to be left, are equally precious for him. Yet, someone should definitely look after the treasure. No one knows how long the exile may last and there is nobody to give him an advice. So he follows up his destiny, or, to say more precisely, the treasure becomes his destiny.

In the beginning of March, the Red Army reached Kutaisi. It was decided to move the treasure to Batumi. Ekvtime and his men spent the whole night in Kutaisi Treasury, counting and taking everything to the station. For practical reasons the treasure was divided into small parts. Each pallet was marked with a special card, indicating number of sent items. But in the rush one box got lost. Ekvtime checked the list and found that the missing box contained the most precious church items; shocked, he began searching desperately, but in vain; he almost decided not to leave, but there was no time left, only few minutes; minutes for running away and saving the rest of the treasure. The Red Army was almost there, on the edge of the town. Hopelessly he stepped in the train. In a few hours they reached Batumi.

They arrived at the port one hour earlier, than agreed. Yet, “Ernest Renan” was quite away, in the open sea. Minister Chevalier betrayed them. Now Ekvtime felt completely desperate, the sea was taking away everything, so carefully collected by his ancestors; everything, which survived centuries. The Treasure of Georgia, including icons faced in gold, precious jewelry, the most valuable manuscripts, treasure of Dadiani Palace of Zugdidi, Gelati and Martvili Monasteries, Property of Tbilisi and Borjomi Palaces, sailed away from the Homeland in March 11, 1921.

only good thing was that they found the box, which was deemed lost. Abel Chevalier – Plenipotentiary Minister of France in Transcaucasia, promised Takaishvili, his spouse and the Deputy Minister of Finance Josef Eligulashvili to take them on board and sail to Istanbul.

on 10th of April. The treasure, under the guards of Senegal Regiment was conveyed to the Marseille Bank Depository. 2500 Franks guaranteed the safety of the treasure for a year. The situation stabilized.

THE TREASURE OF GEORGIA, attempt to catch up INCLUDING ICONS FACED IN The the ship by a boat failed. the only way left was to GOLD, PRECIOUS JEWELRY, So, return to Batumi and hire a small, private ship for THE MOST VALUABLE a chase. The weather was merciless, the waves rollMANUSCRIPTS, TREASURE OF ing over their heads. The captain warned the passenthat there was a little DADIANI PALACE OF ZUGDIDI, gers chance to survive. Being in danger, Ekvtime worries The destiny of the CounGELATI AND MARTVILI for “Ernest Renan”, what if try was clear. France gave ship crashes… Finally, to the Menshevik GovMONASTERIES, PROPERTY the on the 14th, they reach Isernment-in-exile polititanbul. “Ernest Renan” is cal asylum. The treasure already there. For the reagoes with them. It took OF TBILISI AND BORJOMI sons of safety, Ekvtime and four days to move the companions repacked treasure from the train PALACES, SAILED AWAY FROM his the treasure. At last, 249 to the sea-port, where it boxes were loaded on Bienwas loaded on the French Cruiser, “Ernest Renan”. THE HOMELAND IN MARCH 11, Hoa, heading to Marseille. Ekvtime spent all those They arrived in Marseille days in the train. The 1921.

Leaving the homeland was hard to Ekvtime. Many years ago, before going abroad for higher education, he and his friends gave a promise to return

To Georgia

The Takaishvilis moved to Paris, but after a while settled in Leuville Chateaux, where the Menshevik Government bought the estate. Soon after arrival, Ekvtime resumed his scientific researches. Being

Making Georgia

The Cross of King Tamar, 12th century

June

Making Georgia the member of Numismatists’ Society and Société Asiatique, he continued his works on materials brought from Georgia, publishing the results of his studies and giving public lectures. Perhaps, he hoped that their stay in France would not last long, so he tried to research everything connected with Georgia. The first big temptation appeared not very long after the treasure was moved to France. Few years earlier, one of the New York Museums purchased the enamel medallions stolen from the Georgian icons. So they knew perfectly well about the price and uniqueness of the Georgian Treasure. Never having chance to see the items brought to France, the director of the museum personally visited the Chairman of the Georgian Government-in-exile

the treasure belongs to the Georgian Nation not to the Government, so they have no right to manage it at their will. Saying nothing about the fact that keeping the trusted treasure untouched is a matter of honor. The crown of the collection was so-called “Treasure of Akhalgori”, consisting of the golden jewelry and other antiquities from the burial place of the V century BC, discovered by peasants in Ksani Gorge, in 1908. Ekvtime personally searched for the items, collected them and gifted to the museum. The items of this collection appeared to be of a very special interest to the British Museum. The Georgians faced the temptation to receive “easy” money, once again. The offer also included publishing the catalogues. And once again, Ekvtime

IN NOVEMBER OF 1944, EKVTIME TAKAISHVILI MET THE SOVIET AMBASSADOR – A. BOGOMOLOV. AT THE REQUEST OF THE AMBASSADOR, TAKAISHVILI WROTE A DETAILED REPORT TO THE HEAD OF THE ACTING FRENCH GOVERNMENT, GENERAL DE GAULLE. IN DECEMBER, DE GAULLE WAS PLANNING TO VISIT MOSCOW FOR CONCLUDING THE AGREEMENT. TALL FRENCHMAN KNEW THAT STALIN WAS GEORGIAN AND THUS WAS PERSONALLY INTERESTED IN THE GEORGIAN TREASURE. SO HE FINALIZED THE REQUEST OF THE GEORGIAN ÉMIGRÉ WITH ULTIMATE RESOLUTION – “TO BE RETURNED IMMEDIATELY”! SO, QUARTER CENTURY ODYSSEY OF THE GEORGIAN TREASURE WAS CRAWLING TO ITS HAPPY ENDING. and being well aware of the difficult conditions and poverty of the Georgians, made quite impressive offer about purchasing of other enamel medallions. The Government never made their decision. Ekvtime, who heard about the negotiation, was uncompromised – the treasure could not be sold, neither partially, nor as a whole. The refuse did not make the American to step back and he made his next move: according to the new proposal the Government-in-exile could receive large loan for the right to purchase the treasure in case of selling. Some members of the government were attracted by this offer, as it seemed like receiving of money for absolutely nothing. And again Ekvtime rejected the proposal. His argument was simple: the Government-in-exile will never be able to return the huge loan and when the time comes, they will be urged to sell the treasure to cover it. And besides,

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opposed the compatriots. He didn’t even allow taking the photos of the items. The next danger was much more serious. The daughter of the last prince of Samegrelo Niko Dadiani, widow of Graf Obolenski – Salome Dadiani, requested the property of her ancestors. As it occurred the princess had a lot of supporters. It seemed that the speculations would never end. But in the early 1930s, Takaishvili won a lawsuit against Salome Obolenskaya. His personal life was not easy one to say the least. The family experienced extreme economic hardship. It was not unusual that the only food they could afford was the milk of a goat he and his wife had. Nevertheless, they never considered the possibility to sell any item neither from the state, nor

Making Georgia

Disco, Akhalgori Collection, 4th century BC

June

Making Georgia from the private collection, although he owned a wonderful numismatic collection and could easily enrich. Ekvtime was 31 years old, when he got married on 10 years younger, Nino Poltoratskaya. The Poltoratskis, of the Polish origin, migrated to Georgia in the first half of XIX century. The musical education received in younger years proved to be quite useful in Paris; Nino played the piano in cinemas, earning some money for living. But that did not last long. One day Nino fell ill and never recovered. For twenty months Ekvtime did what he could to save her life, but in vain. After so much troubles and sufferings, she met her time peacefully, having her beloved husband at her deathbed. Now, he is completely alone, penniless, far from the homeland. “I feel like a fish without water”, -

although all he can do is to urge the annulled government to appoint him the Guard and Supervisor of the Treasure, thereby taking full responsibility before the Museums and the whole Georgia. Thus begins the new stage of struggles. In his address to the French Government Takaishvili insists: “This treasure was in the possession of neither the Georgian Government, nor even the Russian Empire; this treasure is from the private collections and museums, the government was just responsible for its safe keeping and now it must be returned to the legal owners”. At the same time he asks Georgia to take care of the treasure left without patronage. But all the reports and letters can’t change the situation; all he gains is the books from Borjomi Library. German occupation throws Ekvtime in continuous

At the arrival, Ekvtime, with tears in his eyes, tells Petre Sharia: “Now I can say that, I fulfilled my duty. And I have no right to be ungrateful to my fate”; When 82 years old man, stepped out of the plane, he looked up in the sky and began to pray. Then knelt down slowly, took the land in his hand and kissed. writes he to a friend. At the same time he sends a little card to the neighbor, saying: “Please, do me a favor and share with me some food from your daily ration, on my hand I promise to pay relevantly.” Yet, what worries him above all is the treasure and his new, unpublished works. 1933 brings a new danger to the treasure. The French Court discovers that according to the nonaggression pact between France and the Soviet Union annulled the legitimacy of the Georgian Government-in-Exile. The Georgian embassy in Paris was abolished and transformed into the “Georgian Office”. The treasury passed into the possession of the French state. The Georgian Treasure goes to Monsieur Pierre Godon, who already was keeping the property, left by Tsarist Russia, in France. All is lost, but Takaishvili doesn’t retreat,

To Georgia

fear and stress. Accusation in disloyalty to the Germans almost cast him a life. But he could assure the men searching his place that he was a peacful archeologist and didn’t even belong to the socialist party. Some of the Georgians considered Hitler as liberator and tried to attract Fascists with Georgia. Thus, they informed Occupation Forces about precious treasure, kept in France. Godon took the side of the Georgians and didn’t disclose the location of the treasure. Professor Zurab Avalishvili, being in Germany at that time, also assured Fascists that the treasure was important only for Georgia and had no other value at all. Now, it was dangerous to leave the treasure on the place, indicated in the documents. Godon, together with some Georgians, at his own life risk, took the boxes from the bank to

The Prior’s Cross, Bichvinta, 1565

Making Georgia the basement of the National Library of Versailles and blocked up the door with stones. After the liberation of France the Soviet Embassy was opened in Paris. Treasure struggles passed over another stage. In November of 1944, Ekvtime Takaishvili met the Soviet Ambassador – A. Bogomolov. At the request of the Ambassador, Takaishvili wrote a detailed report to the Head of the Acting French Government, General De Gaulle. In December, De Gaulle was planning to visit Moscow for concluding the agreement. Tall Frenchman knew that Stalin was Georgian and thus was personally interested in the Georgian treasure. So he finalized the request of the Georgian émigré with ultimate resolution – “To be returned immediately”! So, Quarter century Odyssey of the Georgian treasure was crawling to its happy ending. Ekvtime Takaishvili began to repack and sort the treasure, immediately; Soviet Government of Georgia sent two Georgian scientists in Paris – Shalva Amiranashvili and Petre Sharia (simultaneously, CC secretary). Shalva Amiranashvili made the inventory of the collection. Every item and document was kept, nothing was missed. They carefully packed everything in boxes, 44 in total. “Our survival is miracle, real miracle! We passed through so many troubles and sometimes I thought I lost everything, especially after beginning of the War...” – Ekvtime can’t even believe that everything is over. When asked whether he wishes to return to Georgia, he gives his prompt answer - “I wish my bones to rest in my home land”. The approval from Moscow comes three days later. Ekvtime shyly tells young colleagues that he has no clothes to appear in Georgia. Petre Sharia was deeply astonished and surprised: “These words were uttered by the person, who owned so precious and valuable treasure, in the course of 23 years!” Of course, he was dressed relevantly and in April 5, 1945, left Paris. The War wasn’t finished yet, so for more safety, they took longer way and arrived in Tbilisi, on the 11th April. It took two airplanes to transport the treasure. At the arrival, Ekvtime, with tears in his eyes, tells Petre Sharia,: “Now I can say that, I fulfilled my duty. And I have no right to be ungrateful to my fate”; When 82 years old man, stepped out of the plane, he looked up in the sky and began to pray. Then knelt down slowly, took the land in his hand and kissed.

June

PRESENTS

In publishing these notes I have had but one object - to excite the curiosity of my fellow-countrymen; Georgia is practically unknown to the British public; well-educated people know that the country is famous for its beautiful women, but they are not very sure whether those charming creatures live under Persian, Turkish, or Russian rule, while not one person in a thousand knows that the Georgians and Circassians are distinct peoples. If you suggest that Transcaucasia is a good place for a holiday, you meet with a look of blank astonishment - it is just as if you had said the Solomon Islands, or Vladivostok. When you explain that Georgia is now a part of the Russian Empire, you hear stereotyped remarks about police and passports. The intending visitor need have no anxiety on this score; even in Moscow a foreigner is seldom or never put to any inconvenience, in the Caucasus he almost forgets that he has such a thing as a passport. There is no reason why Georgia should not become as popular a resort as Norway or Switzerland. It is not so far away as people imagine - you can go from London to Tiflis, overland, in a week; it is at least as beautiful as either of the countries just named; it has the great advantage of being almost unknown to tourists; there is none of the impudent extortion which ruffles our tempers nearer home, and it is, after all, a cheaper place to travel in than Scotland. All these circumstances ought to have an influence on the holidaymaker in search of health and recreation. The botanist, the geologist, the archaeologist, the philologist will all find there mines of rich materials yet unknown to their respective sciences. The mountaineer knows the country already, through Mr. Freshfield’s excellent book; the sportsman knows it too, thanks to Mr. Wolley. Artists will get there a new field for the brush, the pencil, and the camera. But, after all, Georgia’s chief attraction lies in its people; the Georgians are not only fair to look upon, but they are essentially a lovable people; it is a true proverb that says, “The Armenian’s soul is in his head, the Georgian’s in his eyes”; to live among such gay, open-hearted, open-handed, honest, innocent folk is the best cure for melancholy and misanthropy that could well be imagined. 44

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Old Batumi Old Tbilisi

IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS

SIR OLIVER WARDROP The Kingdom of Georgia Travel in a Land of Women, Wine and Songs from Batum To Tiflis.

June

IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS

The Wardrops and Georgia Very few people in the world enjoy the love and respect of the Georgians to the same degree as the British diplomat Sir John Oliver Wardrop and his sister Marjory. And they definitely deserve it. Georgia owes its overwhelming gratitude to this pair for the very first English translations of classic Georgian literature, thus bringing such illuminous works to the world. Appointed as the first British Commissioner of Transcaucasia, Sir John Oliver Wardrop helped to set up the Georgian Committee in London, founded the Georgian Historic Society, which published its own journal, “Georgica.” He was the founder of the Wardrop collection of Georgian books and manuscripts at the University of Oxford Bodleian Library, now consisting of 1,454 items, including rare manuscripts, 215 periodicals, and 73 series. He learned Georgian and became a translator of Georgian literature and author of scientific works. Sharing her brother’s admiration for Georgia, Marjory learned the Georgian language and devoted her life to the development of Georgian studies in Europe. She translated and published Georgian Folk Tales (London, 1894), The Hermit by Ilia Chavchavadze (London, 1895), The Life of St. Nino (Oxford, 1900), etc. But her main work was the translation of Shota Rustaveli’s Vepkhistkaosani (The Knight in Panethr’s Skin) - a medieval Georgian epic poem of chivalry and romance (published by Oliver Wardrop in London, 1912). She worked on it for eighteen years. It is the first English translation and still considered the best among four versions. Yet, the story began in 1887, when Oliver visited Georgia for the first time and subsequently published his book, The Kingdom of Georgia: Travel in a Land of Women, Wine and Song.

To Georgia

Sir Oliver Wardrop in Tbilisi Marjory Wardrop

IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS

BATUM One morning in April, 1887, after a five days’ passage from Odessa, we entered the harbor at Batum. Batum (Hotel Imperial, Hotel de France, Hotel d’Europe) is a town of 10,000 inhabitants, mostly Georgians; it consists of an ancient Asiatic quarter, dirty and tumble-down looking, and a European one only seven years old. Its situation at the foot of the mountains is lovely beyond all description. The place has a decidedly “Far West” look about it, everything seems half- finished; the streets are broad and, with a few exceptions, unpaved, the depth of the mud varies from three or four inches to half a yard, heaps of rotting filth furnish food for numerous pigs, and in the best thoroughfares ducks find convenient lakes on which to disport themselves.

the place dangerous to Europeans; the drinking-water, too, is bad. The only daily train leaves at eight o’clock in the morning; the railway skirts the sea for about thirty miles, and on the right lies a range of hills covered with a luxuriant growth of fine forest-trees and thick undergrowth gay with blossoms; in the neighborhood of the town there are already many pretty villas. The rain of the previous few weeks had made the woods wonderfully beautiful, and the moist air was heavy with fragrance; I never saw such a wealth of plant life before. At Samtredi, where the lines from Batum and Poti meet, we leave Guri and Mingreli behind us and enter Imereti. On the left we now have a fine broad plain, and near us flows the Rion, the ancient Phasis. The country is far more thickly populated than Guri or Mingreli, or any other part of Trans-Caucasia, but it could easily support a much larger number if the ground were properly worked. I was amazed when I saw, for the first time, five pairs of oxen dragging one wooden plough, but the sight of this became familiar to me before I had lived long in Georgia. At the roadside stations (I need hardly say that our train stopped at all of them) I saw some fine faces - one poor fellow in a ragged sheepskin cloak quite startled me by his resemblance to Dante Alighieri. From the station of Rion, on the river of that name, a branch line runs northward to Kutais, none other than the Cyta in Colchis whence Jason carried of Medea and the Golden Fleece.

IT IS ESSENTIALLY A CITY OF THE FUTURE; AND ITS INHABITANTS FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IT WILL YET BE A POWERFUL Although Batum is not very attractive as a town, RIVAL OF ODESSA it is at any rate far preferable to Poti or Sukhum, and it has undoubtedly a splendid future before IN TRADE, AND it. Even at the present time the exports amount to nearly 400,000 tons, chiefly petroleum, manOF THE CRIMEAN ganese ores, wool, cotton, maize, tobacco, wine, fancy woods, etc.. It is essentially a city of the future; and its inhabitants firmly believe that it will COAST-TOWNS AS A yet be a powerful rival of Odessa in trade, and of the Crimean coast-towns as a watering-place. At WATERING-PLACE present we should hardly recommend it to invalids; the marshes round about are gradually being drained; but they still produce enough malaria to make

June

IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS

KUTAI’S

Kutai’s (Hotel de France, Hotel Colchide, Hotel d’ltalie) is a beautiful town of 25,000 inhabitants, almost all Georgians. The ruins of an old castle on the other side of the river show where the town stood a century ago, and from this point the best view of Kutai’s is obtained. Abundance of good buildingstone, a rich soil, and plenty of trees, render the capital of Imereti a charming sight; its elevation of about 500 feet makes its atmosphere cool and bracing compared with that of the coast-towns. The traveler who wishes to become acquainted with Georgian town-life cannot do better than stay in Kutai’s a month or two. About five miles off is the monastery of Gelati, built in the tenth century, and renowned as the burial-place of the glorious Queen Tamara. From Kutais a journey may be made to Svaneti, the last Caucasian state conquered by Russia, and even now only nominally a part of the Tsar’s dominions; Pursuing our journey from Rion to the eastward we

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soon reach Kvirili, which is about to be connected by a branch line of railway with Chiaturi, the centre of the manganese district; at present all the ore is carried down to the main line, a distance of twenty-five miles, in the wooden carts called arhas. Passing through glens of wondrous beauty, adorned with picturesque ruins of ancient strongholds, we at length arrive at the mountain of Suram, 3027 feet above Black Sea level, the watershed which separates the valley of the Kura, with its hot summers and cold winters, from the more temperate region drained by the Rion. The railway climbs very rapidly to the summit of the pass, but it comes down still more rapidly; there is a slope of one in twenty for a distance of a thousand feet; at the bottom is the town of Suram with its fine old castle. We now follow the course of the Kura all the way to Tiflis, passing Mikhailovo (whence a road runs to Borzhom, the most fashionable summer-resort in Transcaucasia) and Gori, a good-sized town, near which is the rock city of UphlisTsikhe. It is half past nine at night before Mtzkhet, the ancient capital of Georgia, is reached, and at a quarter past ten we enter Tiflis…

View of Old Kutaisi and Rioni River Monaster of Gelati Surami Castle

IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS

THE TRAVELER WHO WISHES TO BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH GEORGIAN TOWN-LIFE CANNOT DO BETTER THAN STAY IN KUTAI’S A MONTH OR TWO

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IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS

TIFLIS.

The city is built on both sides of the Kura, at an elevation of 1200 feet, between two ranges of steep, bare hills, which rise to a height of 2500 feet, and hem it in on all sides, thus it lies at the bottom of a deep rock basin, and this accounts for the terrible heat which renders it such an unpleasant dwelling-place in July and August. The population of 105,000 consists not only of Georgians, but of Russians (civil servants and soldiers), Armenians (traders and moneylenders), Persians, Tatars, and a few Europeans, viz. Germans (colonists from Suabia), Frenchmen (milliners, hotel-keepers), etc. Although the English residents might be counted on one’s fingers, it seems a pity that her Majesty’s Consulate should have been closed in 1881; surely Great Britain has in Georgia interests at least equal to those of France, Germany, Belgium, and the other nations which have representatives in Tiflis.

walls one looks over a vast expanse of house-tops and church spires, through the midst of which winds the muddy Kura. At our feet lies the old town, a labyrinth of narrow, crooked streets, stretching from the square of Erivan down to the waterside, where stands the Cathedral of Sion. Quite near at hand the river becomes very narrow, and advantage of this circumstance has been taken by building a bridge, which leads to the citadel of Metekh and the large Asiatic quarter called Avlabar. On this side of the river, forming a continuation of the range of hills on which we are standing, rises the Holy Mount (Mtatsminda), and perched high up near its summit is the pretty white church of St. David, behind which rises a wall of bare, black rock; half-way between it and the river is the Governor’s palace, with its extensive gardens, just at the beginning of the Golovinskii Prospekt, a long boulevard with fine shops and public buildings; between the boulevard and the river lies the Municipal Garden, named after Alexander I. Turning our eyes towards the other side of the Kura, beyond Avlabar, we see, on the hill facing St. David’s, a large block of buildings used as a military depot, arsenal, and barracks, and still farther on, on the river bank, is a thick green belt which we recognize as the gardens of Mikhailovskaya Street, ending in the splendid park called Mushta’id. Crossing the ridge, we now turn our back on the city and descend into the Botanical Garden, situated in a sheltered ravine, a delightful place for an evening stroll; on the opposite side of the ravine is a Tatar village with a lonely graveyard.

surroundings, the varied nature of its street-life, the gaiety and simplicity of its social life, all combine to form a most powerful and most pleasurable impression. If the reader will mentally accompany me, I shall take him through some of the more interesting quarters, and endeavor to give him some idea of the place. First of all, starting from the fashionable district called Salalaki, let us climb the rocky road which leads to the ruins of the castle, whence we obtain the finest view of the city. The best time to enjoy the panorama is evening, and in summer no one would ever think of making the toilsome ascent much before sunset. From these crumbling

building full of shops, not unlike the aostino’i Dvor, in Petersburg, but poorer. From that corner of the square in which is the Hotel du Caucase, runs Palace Street, all one side of which is occupied by the Caravanserai of the late Mr. Artsruni, a wealthy Armenian, and behind, in a fine garden, is the Georgian theatre; both the garden and the theatre belong to the Land Bank of the Nobles, an institution which deserves the attention of all who are interested in the Iverian nation. The bank was founded in 1874 in order to aid farmers to work their lands by advancing them money at the lowest possible rate of interest; all the profits are spent in the

Tiflis takes its name from the hot medicinal springs, for which it has been famous for fourteen centuries at least; In the fifth century king Vakhtang Gurgaslan founded Tiflis, and began to build the Cathedral of Sion, which still stands in the midst of the city. The castle, situated on a high, steep rock, near the Kura, is older than the city itself, and its construction is attributed to the. Persians. Tiflis has shared in all the triumphs and misfortunes which have befallen Georgia, and the history of the capital would only be a repetition of the history of the nation.

THE EFFECT WHICH TIFLIS PRODUCES ON THE MIND OF THE STRANGER IS PERFECTLY UNIQUE; ITS POSITION, ITS SURROUNDINGS, THE VARIED NATURE OF ITS STREET-LIFE, THE GAIETY AND SIMPLICITY OF ITS SOCIAL LIFE, ALL COMBINE TO FORM A MOST POWERFUL Erivan Square is the The effect which Tiflis AND MOST PLEASURABLE The great centre of activity; in produces on the mind of its midst is the Caravanthe stranger is perfectly IMPRESSION serai, a vast rectangular unique; its position, its

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IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS

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IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS

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IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS furtherance of philanthropic schemes and in the encouragement of national education. It is a significant fact that the more intelligent members of Georgian society should have chosen this mode of activity in preference to any other, but the reason of their choice is apparent; from the bitter experience of the last hundred years they have learnt that although munificence is one of the noblest of the virtues, extravagance and ostentation are hurtful, and they have, therefore, wisely determined to do all they can to improve the economic condition of the country. The public meetings of the shareholders give an opportunity for discussion and speech-making, and it is in this “Grruzinskii Parlament” (as the Russians have nicknamed it) that Prince Chavchavadze has gained for himself the not unmerited title of the “Georgian Gambetta.” I was an occupant of the Ladies’ Gallery at one of these assemblies, and I shall never forget the impression produced upon me by the sight of these handsome, warlike Asians in their picturesque garb, conducting their proceedings exactly in the same order as British investors do every day in the City of London. Try and imagine the heroes of the Elizabethan Age at Cannon Street Hotel discussing the current dividend of the S.B.R., and you will have some idea of my feelings.

and the cruelty of the sentence was much spoken of; a lady said to me, “Just fancy, that fine young fellow imprisoned among common criminals for killing a rascal of an Armenian,” as who should say for killing a dog. Let it be clearly understood that I say nothing against the Armenian nation; I have the strongest admiration for their undoubted literary and administrative talent, and for the energy with which they resist all attempts to destroy their national spirit. The Armenian not being a money-lender or trader, is a citizen of which any country might be proud; but the usurer, whether he be Jew, Armenian, or Briton, is a most despicable character, and, unfortunately, the peculiar conditions under which the Armenians have lived for many centuries have necessarily made Shylocks of a large percentage of them. Continuing our walk, we emerge from Palace Street into the wide Grolovinskii Prospekt, which takes its name from Golovin, a former governor of the Caucasus. On the left lies the palace, a fine modern building in the European style, and on the right is the Caucasian Museum, in which the student will find geological, zoological, ethnographical, entomological, botanical, archeological, and numismatic collections of the highest interest. There is also a very large collection of photographs, comprising all that is worth seeing in the Caucasus and in Persia. In the same block of buildings is the Public Library, in which will be found most of the literature relating to the country, and a fair number of books on general subjects.

THE BEAUTY OF THE GEORGIAN WOMEN HAS BEEN CALLED IN QUESTION BY SOME TRAVELERS, BUT THESE ARE NEARLY ALL MEN WHOSE ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE PEOPLE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY LIMITED

Only those who have lived the life of the people in Trans-Caucasia know what a terrible curse the money-lending communities are. A local proverb says, “A Greek will cheat three Jews, but an Armenian will cheat three Greeks,” and the Georgian, straightforward, honest fellow, is but too often cruelly swindled by the artful children of Ha’ik. When the fraud is very apparent the Armenian often pays for his greed with all the blood that can be extracted from his jugular vein. During my stay in Tiflis, a certain wild young prince, Avalov, had made himself popular by slaughtering a few Armenians; his latest exploit made so much stir that a prosecution was talked of; but Avalov was no dweller in towns, he spent his time merrily out in the greenwood, and it would have needed a company of Kazaks to arrest him. While the authorities were deliberating, the prince sent a polite message to say that if they tried to make matters unpleasant for him, he would, with God’s help, devote the remainder of his natural life to running amuck of every “salted” Armenian (a reference to their habit of salting children as soon as they are born) that crossed his path. Another young nobleman got three years’ imprisonment for “perforating” an insulting usurer,

Returning to Grolovinskii Prospekt, we pass on the right the Staff Headquarters of the army of the Caucasus, the best restaurant in the city, some good shops, and then arrive at the Aleksandrovskii Garden, which slopes down to the river bank; its shady walks are thronged every evening when a military band performs. Near its extreme corner, and almost on the waterside, is the Russian theatre; although the house is a small one and only used as a makeshift until the new theatre is finished, it is a very pleasant place to spend an evening; good companies from Petersburg and Moscow play during the season, and I saw some of the stars of the profession there. The new theatre on Golovinskii Prospekt is a handsome edifice which was still unfinished at the time of my visit. The farther you get from the Erivan Square the less aristocratic does the Boulevard become, the

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IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS only other building of note in that part of it being the Cadets’ College; the opening of the new theatre will, however, make a great difference, and in a few years the dirty little beershops on the left will doubtless disappear, and Golovinskii Prospekt will be one of the finest streets in the world. Its situation is a splendid one, and is not unworthy of comparison with that of Princes’ Street, Edinburgh; the Holy Mount, rising black and steep to a considerable height, and adorned with the pretty white church of St. David, might not inaptly be said to be to Tiflis what the Castle Hill is to the modern Athens. Thursday afternoon is the best time for visiting the Church of St. David, for a service is then held and large numbers of women attend. St. David was a Syrian monk who came to Georgia in the sixth century, and lived a hermit’s life among the woods which at that time covered the hill. Tradition says that the daughter of a wealthy man who lived near there, finding herself in an interesting condition, thought the best way of getting out of the difficulty would be to accuse the saint of being the cause of this state of affairs. The holy man, naturally, objected, and having made his accuser appear in an assembly of the people, he proved his innocence by making the unborn child say audibly who was its father. Whereupon, in answer to the prayers of the saint, the child was converted into a stone, which the damsel brought forth immediately. This stone was made the foundation of a church. David then asked that a spring of living water of fructifying virtue might be made to flow; this fountain is still visible, and its water is largely used by married ladies; the climb of twenty minutes from St. David’s Place is so toilsome that even the most bitter Malthusian would hasten to quench his thirst there; Every pious lady who visits the shrine carries a stone or brick up the hill with her, and it is from these that the church was built and is still kept in repair. There is another interesting custom in which maidens and matrons alike take part; after adoring the picture of the Virgin, the suppliant silently walks round the building three times, unwinding as she goes a reel of thread, fit symbol of the boundlessness of her love and veneration for the Immaculate Mother of God. Then picking up one of the pebbles with which the ground is covered, she rubs it against the plastered wall, and with beating heart waits to see, if it will stick - if it does, then her prayer has been heard, the lass will have a sweetheart, the wife will have a son. The church is of modern construction, but its design differs in no respect from the ancient Byzantine style, specimens of which

may be seen all over Georgia. The interior is like that of any other Greek church, and on the walls there are some quaint but rather crude pictures. The mass is, of course, in Georgian, and the choral service strikes rather strangely on Western ears, although not wanting in melody. The view from the churchyard is a splendid one; the whole city, with its wonderful diversity of form and color, lies at your feet; on the right you can see far along the Kakhetian road, and on the left the great highway to Vladikavkaz follows the winding course of the Kura. In the evening we often climbed to the top of a bare crag not far from the church, carrying with us a large earthenware flagon of wine, a roast leg of mutton, fruit, cucumbers, and other delicacies, and spreading out our cloaks on the ground lay there making merry, singing and telling tales until long after midnight ; the lights of the town below us seemed like a reflection of the bright stars above us, and the music and laughter of many a jovial group came up the hillside to mingle with our own.

MOST OF THE HOUSES descending the hill, we cross HAVE BALCONIES After the Boulevard at the publishing ofof Kavcaz, the official organ, OVER-HANGING THE fice and skirting the Alexandrovskii soon reach the finest RIVER, AND ONE Garden, bridge in the town, Vorontsovskii from which we get an interIS INVOLUNTARILY Most, esting view of the waterside part of the Asiatic quarter; most of the have balconies over-hanging REMINDED OF THE houses the river, and one is involuntarily of the Tiber banks at TIBER BANKS AT reminded Rome. ROME Turning to the right, we traverse

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Peski, a quarter very different from Salalaki. Here we see small openfronted Oriental shops in which dark Persians ply their trades, making arms, saddlery, jewellery, selling carpets, and doing a hundred other things all before the eyes of men and in the open air. There is a strange confusion of tongues and dresses; a smart little grammar-school girl rubs shoulders with a veiled Mussulman woman, and occasionally you see the uniform of a Russian officer elbowing his way through a crowd of Lesghians, Armenians, Georgians, Persians; through the midst of all this confusion runs the tram-car. We cross the narrow bridge and pay a visit to the baths. Perhaps the reader knows something of the socalled Turkish bath, and imagines that the baths of Tiflis are of the same sort? There is certainly some similarity between the two, but there are profound differences; the treatment to which the visitor is subjected at a Turkish bath in Constantinople is not to be compared with what the Persian shampooer puts you

IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS

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IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS through in Tiflis. He goes through a whole course of gymnastics with you, during which he jumps on your chest, on the small of your back, doubles you up as if you were a fowl ready for cooking, and, besides removing every particle of your epidermis, performs sundry other experiments at which the novice stares aghast. At the end of it all you make up your mind that it is not so terrible as it looks, and as you feel wonderfully refreshed you resolve to return again before long. The water is of a heat of about 100° Fahr., and is impregnated with sulphur and other substances which give it a healing virtue; it is to these springs that Tiflis owes its existence, and they have always been of much importance in the daily life of the people. Formerly it used to be the fashion for ladies of rank to hire baths and dressing-rooms for a whole day, spending the time in perfuming themselves, staining their finger tips, dressing the hair, and performing a dozen other ceremonies of the toilette, concluding with dinner, but the growth of European habits has rendered this custom less common. The Cathedral of Sion is, as we said before, as old as the city itself, but, of course, it has suffered considerably at the hands of destroyers and restorers. Its style is the same as that of all the other churches in Georgia, and it doubtless served as a pattern for most of them. The inside has been tastefully decorated in modern times, and produces a pleasing effect, although it seems small to anybody who is familiar with the cathedrals of Europe. In front of the altar is the Cross of St. Nina, formed of two vine branches bound together with the saint’s hair; this cross has always been the most sacred relic in Georgia.

Kakhetian champion, Grdaneli, fought a certain bold Imeretian professor of the fancy art. The performance was highly interesting, and it was gratifying to learn from the bills that the proceeds “were to be for the benefit of a young man who wanted to study at Petersburg, but had not the necessary means. The inner ring was formed of country gentlemen and officers, all sitting cross-legged on the ground; behind them, tier above tier, were at least a thousand spectators, breathless with expectation. A primitive band, consisting of a drum and a zurna (an instrument which sounds like the bagpipes), played a war-like air, to the sound of which the heroes danced round the arena amid the frantic applause of the crowd. Both men were fine fellows, but Grdaneli was a very Hercules, and withal amiable-looking; he was the favorite, and justified his reputation of being invincible by utterly demolishing the Western man in a very short space of time. Every incident of the battle called forth from the bystanders loud yells of praise and encouragement which might have been heard miles off ”. The beauty of the Georgian women has been called in question by some travelers, but these are nearly all men whose acquaintance with the people has been extremely limited. The favorite observation of these critics is a stereotyped phrase about “undeniably good features, but want of animation”. Surely Alexandre Dumas the elder knew a beautiful face when he saw it; he says: “La Grece, c’est Galatee encore marbre; la Georgie, c’est Galatee animee et devenue femme”.

FROM THE CATHEDRAL THE WAY TO THE EUROPEAN QUARTER LEADS THROUGH THE SO-CALLED ARMENIAN BAZAR, ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING PARTS OF THE CITY

From the cathedral the way to the European quarter leads through the so-called Armenian Bazar, one of the most interesting parts of the city. Old arms, coats of mail, helmets and shields, such as are still used by the Khevsurs up in the mountains, silver ornaments and many other interesting trifles, may be purchased here, but nothing of great value is offered for sale, and the jewellery, with the exception of filigree work from Akhaltsikhe (which is hard to get and very expensive) is not very good. Mushtaid is the finest promenade in the city. It is situated at the west end, and is approached by the Mikhailovskaya, a long, straight street, with, fine gardens on either side of it. Some of the best restaurants in the city are in these vine-shaded gardens, and one of them is devoted to wrestling matches. It was my good fortune to be present at a famous contest in which the

Mushtaid, the town garden, owes nearly all its charms to nature, the walks and open spaces are neatly kept, but nearly the whole area is a forest in the recesses of which we may lie undisturbed for hours, looking down on the turbid waters of Kura and listening to the rustling of the leaves above and around. Every evening its avenues are crowded with carriages and horsemen; beautiful faces, tasteful toilettes, gay uniforms all combine to form a charming picture. Fancy fairs are occasionally held, at which the visitor may mingle with all the social celebrities, lose his money in rafiQes, buy things he doesn’t want - in short enjoy himself just as if he were at home. But I doubt whether many frequenters of bazaars in England have seen such an acrobatic feat as was performed in Mushtaid last summer; an individual in tights hung himself by the neck on the upper end of an inclined wire, stretched over the heads of the spectators, and slid down it at lightning speed, firing half a dozen pistolshots as he went. No week passes without a popular fete of some kind, for the Georgians are as fond of gaiety as any nation in the world.

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IN SEARCH OF GEORGIAN WONDERS

From the above brief sketch the reader will see that Tiflis is a city where one can live for a long time without suffering from ennui. Although the immediate neighborhood looks bare and uninviting, there are, within a few miles, many beautiful spots well worth a visit. The climate has been much abused by some writers, and it must be admitted that during the months of July and August the heat is very trying, but in my opinion Tiflis is a healthy place; During the warm weather there are often storms, characterized by all the grandeur that might be expected in a region of great mountains so near the tropics; after one of these the steep streets become foaming torrents. The sheltered position of the city protects it from the terrible gusts of wind which make the plain to the eastward almost uninhabitable, and the storms seldom cause any more serious damage than broken windows and flooded houses. Hitherto all the town water was obtained from the Kura, and delivered to the consumer from bullock-skins, but a well has now been dug a little below St. Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, whence the dwellers on the right bank will get a supply of a liquid which is not tepid, not opaque, not evil-smelling, and not semi-solid. 58

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WALLS OF THE PAST

Everlasting Roses of Dadiani Palace Giorgi Kalandia

he Zugdidi Palace was probably first built during the reign of Levan II Dadiani (1611-1657). He cared much for the Palace and made it “gorgeous, with tremendous chambers and stonewalls.” After the death of the great prince, his heirs continued to live there and Zugdidi Palace became the main residence, memorizing the most glorious days within its walls. Based on historical sources, the open field, now housing an architectural complex, included other palaces as well. But the prince chose this place for his residence. The last Queen of Samegrelo – Ekaterine Chavchavadze (18931882), continued the same way, preferring a new palace, to that of her husband David Dadiani’s (1813-1853). The queen was attracted by the arches of the House of David’s Sister, Pupi Dadiani; the first floor was occupied by the wine cellar and parquet plant. After Pupi’s marriage, the Queen invited the most famous architecture of the day, Architect of Viceroy in Tiflis (1851-1852) and the Head of the Civil Chancellery – Edvig Jacob Reis and asked him to reconstruct the building. Reis enlarged the old building, used the arches and skillfully mixed Baroque and Rococo style with the Asian and Georgian architecture the result was more than expected, the main square of Zugdidi, held the most fabulous and enormous building ever.

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Main facade of the Queen’s Residence was a kind of Tudor style interpretation, with the yard of the Georgian and Ottoman synthesis. Marvelous, Laz Balcony takes its leading part in the whole building. The Balcony is made of wood and stands on 51 massive pillars and there was used no single nail, while making it. Almost every detail of the Balcony is explicitly ornamented, having about 50 thousand small ornaments in it and finally, it is roofed uniquely. Architectural complex is finished by three-storied, massive, English style Castle, erected on the West side of the complex. It was used as a shelter and hiding place of treasury. Thus, the walls of the Castle were thicker and the windows were narrower, then usual. As legend says, the Dadianis held one of the most precious belongings of the Christian world – the Robe of the Virgin Mary and no one was allowed to see it without the permission of the Prince. And in the honour of the Mother of Jesus, the Castle was called the Virgin Castle. With many efforts and tries of the Megrelian princes, the Palace acquired every feature needed for the main residence of the Region. Except its residential purposes, the Palace had one of the richest libraries in Georgia, museums, military chancellery, artifacts, archeological and paleographic pieces, heraldic accessories, standards and coats of arms of the Princedom. Dadiani Palace kept the great number of the Georgian treasure of that time. Besides the Georgian church

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PRESENTS

Italian missionary Archangelo Lamberti was very impressed, when writing these lines: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Prince of Samegrelo has more than fifty palaces and Zugdidi Palace is the most adorable among them. It is built with magnifique stones and is distinguished by vast space and exquisite windows, balconies and fine art.â&#x20AC;? June

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WALLS OF THE PAST collection, unique manuscripts and golden furniture, it held the richest gallery of art in Tanscaucasia, as well. Members of Dadiani Family were interested in various genres of the French, Italian, Russian Art, so that was why, the Palace was full of many examples of fine art. In this palette of rich colours, the Portrait of the Queen Ekaterine was the most distinguished one; the author of the portrait is the German painter – Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-1873); he was known for his portraits of royalty, mostly of noblewomen, painting them with gracious and coquetry. But there was one thing, which distinguished the portrait of Ekaterine from others as the legend says, the painter added a bit of the Queen’s soul, giving the still picture, its everlasting vividness we do not know, whether it is the romanticism of the legend or the extraordinary mastership of the artist, but the fact is really obvious, gracious Queen of Samegrelo, shows up her vividness from the picture. You can still feel the beauty of her blue eyes

MEMBERS OF THE DADIANI FAMILY WERE INTERESTED IN VARIOUS GENRES OF FRENCH, ITALIAN, AND RUSSIAN ART, WHICH IS WHY THE PALACE WAS FULL OF MANY EXAMPLES OF FINE ART and her earring, still “playing with its shadow”. Queen Ekaterine has much influenced on the social life of Dadiani Palace; her saloon meetings were famous among the Georgian and foreign guests. The first Nobel Prize laureate woman – Bertha von Suttner once wrote: “Sometimes, you could see Caucasian women in the company of the Queen, dressed in national attire, neatly. The Queen purchased her dresses from Vort and wore them as real noblewoman. She spoke French fluently, though with Russian accent and she talked in Georgian with her children”. Crown of this Architectural complex – Botanic Garden refers to the Queen’s name, as well. It was initiated in 1840 and won the first place in the Park Art Contest of the Russian Empire, in XIX century. Prince David dedicated this Garden to his spouse; he invited the famous gardener from Trieste – Joseph Babin, which worked together with Italian brothers – Gaetano and Giovanni Zamberletti.

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Queen of Samegrelo – Ekaterine Chavchavadze

WALLS OF THE PAST In April of 1921, the Palace was turned into the Museum, presently holding about 44 thousand exhibits. Museum is rich in goldsmithery pieces of XI-XIX centuries. Many brilliant examples from goldsmithery of XI-XIX centuries, included the Rhipidium of the King George (XI), one of the best and oldest example of Christian heritage; Icon of the Queen Burdukhan – mother of the Queen Tamar (XII), its 52 cells held the sacred parts of saints; St. George’s triptych icon with the image of the Episcope – Kirile Zhuanidze (XVI) etc. The most valuable treasure of Zugdidi Museum is the shrine of Christianity – the Robe of the Virgin Mary, which was brought in Georgia, in 1453, after the collapse of the Byzantium. It was first placed in Bedia Monastery and then in Khobi Church. Since 1533, Levan I Dadiani brought the shrine in the Palace. Except the Robe of the Virgin Mary, Zugdidi Museum holds many other shrines as well: Arm of St. Marine, Hand of St. Kvirike, thigh bone part of St. George, bone part of St. John the Baptist. Sacred parts are placed in silver chest, set with precious stones and golden, relief image of the Virgin Mary. Exhibits of the Museum include, furniture of Bullet, Rococo, Empire, examples of the Georgian, Chinese, Japanese, French and Russian art; crystalware, Dutchware (faience), silver sets, vases, albums with golden covers, examples of the Georgian blacksmith – silver belts, swords. French historical-cultural examples deserve our special attention – pictures and books; one part of which are collected at Dadiani Palace and the other part was brought by the Prince Achille Murat (1847-1895) from France. Prince Achille Murat was the grandson of Marshall Joachim, King of Naples, Grand Admiral and brother-in-law of Napoleon (husband of his sister Caroline Bonaparte), he married a daughter of David Dadiani – Salome. After abolishing the monarchy in France (1879), Achille came to Georgia and brought great part of family relics with him. All these treasure now occupies 10 large chambers of the main Palace in Dadiani Architectural Complex. Time flies history of the Palace counts more than 300 years already. Today, there are no “dandies” (nickname of XIX “European style” youth), even no “English, French and Hindu style men” attracted by the Georgian “Madonna”, Alexander Chavchavadze, Grigol Orbeliani, Nikoloz Baratashvili, glorious knights of Georgia, rest in peace whereas, in Dadiani Palace, you can still find the everlasting roses in front of the Portrait of Ekaterine –the last beauty of XIX Century.

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CITIZENSHIP: GEORGIA

DEUTSCHLAND IN GEORGIA One of the interesting episodes in the history of Georgia was the establishment of German settlements, so-called colonies in Caucasus. Descendants of the German people, resettled in the first decade of the century, played a great role in the political, economic and cultural development of Georgia in the19th and early 20th centuries. We cannot paint a complete picture of Tbilisi from those times as of multinational and multicultural capital of the Caucasus without saying a word about these German colonies.

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Nino Chogoshvili

stablishment of the German settlements in Georgia, in XIX century was linked to imperialistic politics of Russia. Resettling of the German colonists began during the reign of Catherine II in less settled areas of the Empire. From the very beginning of XIX century, Russian Empire supported the resettlement process of German craftsmen and farmworkers in Caucasus. Colonization of foreign people in Transcaucasia was based on some political and economic interests. Thereby, resettling was a voluntary process and it was free will of the German people, as the most of them presented the regions, which much suffered from the lost battles with Napoleon I and tried to leave the territory of Germany and improve their living conditions; in the beginning of XIX century, sectarian pilgrims in Württemberg and Baden, prophesied the Second coming of Christ and they believed that the only safe place was Caucasus, namely area near the Mount Ararat; members of so-called “pietist” and “separatist” unions applied to the Emperor of Russia – Alexander I, the later was also interested in this new religious line and by that time, he was in Stuttgart (1815 or 1816). After this meeting, Russian Empire permitted the German people to move to the desirable territories and promised them to provide with lands, loans, religious tolerance and exempt from taxes and military service for over 50 years. After receiving traveling passports from Russian officials, German colonists marched from the town of Ulm towards Caucasus, through Regensburg, Vienna, Belgrade, the Danube River and finally, after Izmail they reached Odessa. Though, many of them became the victims of severe conditions, either diseased or deceased, the most of Southern Germans deeply believed that during the Second coming of Christ, they should be exactly in Caucasus. The first group of German colonists, Swabians from Schwaikheim, approximately 30 families (180 people) reached Tbilisi on September 21, 1817. They settled near Sartitchala and the first settlement, on the territory of Georgia was called Marienfeld. Over a period of one year, 500 German families also migrated in Tbilisi. For the end of 1819, eight more settlements were formed on the territory of Georgia: 1. Marienfeld – near Sartitchala, Kakheti Highway; 2. “Tbilisi Colony”, 3. Alexanderdorf – Didube state-owned lands; 4. Petersdorf – near Marienfeld; 5. Elisabethtal – present Assureti; 6. Kathreinfeld – Borchalo Uyezd, near Bolnisi; 7. Annenfeld – Shamkori state-owned lands; 8. Elenendorf – near Ganja.

Katharinenfeld Until 1848, German settlements were called “German colonies of Georgia” and then “Transcaucasian German colonies”. Migration of German colonists

CITIZENSHIP: GEORGIA went all through XIX and in the beginning of XX centuries. (Later were formed the following colonies: Freudental in 1842, new Marienfeld; Alexanderhilf in 1860, near Elizabethtal; Georgsfeld in 1887 near Helenendorf; Grünfeld and Blümental in 1905; Eigenfeld and Grüntal in 1906; Traubenberg in 1911; Waldheim and Traubenfeld in 1912; Petrovka near Kars, presently on the territory of Turkey). One of Tbilisi settlements, “Alexanderdorf ” established in 1818, was named after Alexander I, it was situated in the north part of the city - Didube, where in the middle centuries there were King’s Palace, church, gardens and watering channels. In 1860s, Alexanderdorf became one of the parts of Tbilisi city, though in 20s of XIX century, when German colonists set out orchards and vegetable gardens, Alexanderdorf and other settlements near Tbilisi became one of the important sources for city provision and service. It is notable that, importing and distributing of potato in Transcaucasia refers to German colonists. The second settlement, named Tbilisi colony, i.e. “New Tiflis” was established in 1818, in the suburb of Tbilisi – Kukia (present Agmashenebeli Avenue), (village Kukia is outlined on 1800 Map of Tbilisi, including square form wall with four castles in each corner). The majority of the German settlements in Tbilisi, composed of Swabian craftsmen, migrated from the South Germany. Houses were planned and built along the Mtkvari River. Almost every house of the settlement was one-storey building, with French roofs and frontons; houses had basements with arched roofing, where they kept wine and food. Architecture of houses was exceptional by its balconies with wooden balusters, which may have been the mixture of the South German and Georgian traditions. All German families had its own house, corresponded to the number of family members and their capabilities, with a little garden in front and a bigger one at backwards, for growing fruits, vegetables and flowers. Their places, streets and all were in green colours; contemporaries marked the beauty of the German colonies; for example, travelers describe Tbilisi colony as “a little village, with German buildings, modest church in the middle of the village and little, but well-comforted houses, suitable for any weather; rooms set with fireplaces and clocks . . all clean and pleasant as in their homeland – near Schwarzwald and on the bank of the Neckar River”. In 1824, Kukia became the part of Tbilisi city; stepby-step German colony turned into Tbilisi suburb. In 1829, the church was consecrated in German colony of Tbilisi. Englishman Richard Wilbrahams, traveling in 1837 in Georgia, described the emigrants marching towards the Church on Sundays: “women with clean hats and waist-long pelerines, with red-

CITIZENSHIP: GEORGIA dish hair and freckles, though they cannot be compared with black-eyed and passionate neighbors, but their sincere and modest appearance makes one feel happy . . ” Notwithstanding, hard political and economical conditions, in the first decade of XIX, Tbilisi became the trading and crafts center of Transcaucasia. Trading was exceptionally developed in Tbilisi, when in 1822, government issued some tax benefits on imported goods. Development of economy was supported by peace times, improvements of roads and communications as well. Because of its suitable position, Tbilisi became transit point for many countries. “Simultaneously, Tbilisi was visited by négociants from Paris, couriers from St. Petersburg, merchants from Constantinople, Englishmen from Calcutta and Madras, Armenians from Smyrna and Yazd, Uzbeks from Bukhara; so this City can be called as the bridge between the Europe and Asia” – wrote the Consul of France, Gamba about Tbilisi of 20s. From the second half of 1840, city received the second flow of craftsmen and merchants; in the press of that period, we read that many groceries, fashion shops, sewing workshops, etc. “. . . every day new signboards, shops and fortune-seekers appeared . . .”. Germans continued to migrate in Georgia, from Germany and Russia, as, unlike Russia, in Caucasus Germans were exempted from taxes and already existing German colonies helped them begin new business easily. Most of German migrants were craftsmen. For 1865, number of German craftsmen reached 300 (according to the statistic data, 1213 Germans had permanent residence in 1865, in Tbilisi). In 184346, Franz Schulz opened new workshop near Tbilisi, producing soaps and candles. In 1846, Friedrich Seizer formed furniture workshop, which became large factory for 1880. In 1820, Colonist Salzmann opened tobacco workshop. It is believed that, large premises, projected by Italian Architect Scudieri in 1846, belonged to Salzmann, where “Noble Board” was placed for that time (At the corner of Ataman and Graf Streets, now one of the Corps of State Museum of Georgia). There was machinery workshop of Ernest Sommer, which distributed metal products all through Transcaucasia. Prussian Franken also opened the same machinery workshop, but it produced agricultural tools and machines. Though, the most of the Germans were craftsmen, they received parcels as soon as they came. Russian authorities assisted migrants. Each of the German families received 2800 Rubles, unlike Armenians migrated from Persia, receiving 25 Rubles per family and Greeks migrated from Turkey – 10 Rubles per family. And this fact makes clear, why the Russian authorities opposed the part of Germans who wished to move to Jerusalem. Sect pilgrims appealed the part of German population to sell all their property and

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move to the Holy land of Jerusalem, for the time of Second coming of Christ. Russian officials prevented the migration of colonists, even arrested some clergymen in Kathreinfeld. After all these, situation in settlements became calmer and more stable. From 40-50s of XIX century, settlements developed various agricultural lines. Leading lines were field-crops and vine-growing. For the end of XIX, vine-growing became the most profitable field in settlements. Wine from colonists was bought by Forer and Humel families; Vodka was bought by Sarajishvili, Forer and Shutov. Though the wine of German was lower in quality than Georgian, it was well distributed in Russia. In 1850, near the Sts. Peter and Paul Evangelist Church, school was opened and attended by nonGerman pupils. It is notable that all German settlements had its own German schools from the very

Brothers simens

CITIZENSHIP: GEORGIA beginning. Germans much respected school teachers after pastor. Until 1870s, in German colonies of Transcaucasia, studying language was German, often teachers were sent to Germany for some practice or vice versa they were coming from Germany to teach in schools, here. From 1840, Tbilisi was the Center of the whole Transcaucasia and all leading authorities of Transcaucasia were placed exactly in Tbilisi. As time passed, the city was growing, which affected German colonies as well; they took different shape and became the districts of Tbilisi city. From 1960s, Tbilisi colonies were settled by other nationalities as well. The main street of the colony was named after Prince Mikhail Romanov – Mikhail Street and from 1899 – Mikhail Avenue. In 1850, construction of new bridges on the Mtkvari River facilitated the communication between the parts of the City. The most important bridge was the Kukia Bridge, connecting Kukia and Chugureti to the new center of the City; this bridge was built in 1848-1853 (Architect Scudieri). Other bridges were constructed by the German engineers. For example, in 1857 they begin to construct the wooden bridge for present 300 Aragvelians line; this construction was supervised by Engineer-Capitan Gagemeister and the civilian Reiss (Both participated in the construction of Nikoloz Bridge a.k.a. “Mshrali Khidi”).

“GEORGIAN GERMANS” AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE GERMAN POPULATION IN THE SOVIET UNION WERE EXILED TO SIBERIA AND KAZAKHSTAN. SOME SURVIVED AND RETURNED TO GEORGIA. YOU CAN STILL FIND THEIR DESCENDANTS, LIVING RIGHT HERE. German Church in Georgia Marjanishvili Street

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CITIZENSHIP: GEORGIA In 1885, Vera Bridge was built, near Kirche Street, in the middle of German colony. At the crossing of Kirche Street (present Marjanishvili Street) and Mikhail Street, was formed Kirche Square, with Lutheran Church on it. After 1880, Mikhail Street was widely changed as hotels, commercial and public buildings, dwelling places for merchants and craftsmen, two or three-storied profitable houses were built. The whole district became one of the centers of the City. Many gardens were situated around Mikhail Street, where people walked and rested in the evenings. Most of the second generation of the German immigrants largely participated in Tbilisi public life, various clubs were formed in Mikhail Street, like “German Board”, hotel “German numbers”; Variety shows: “Apollo”, “Gorgijanov Club”, “Mushtaidi Open Air”; summer and winter cinema houses: “Lira”, “Modern”, “Odeon”, “Moulin Rouge”, “Saturn”. In the second half of XIX, Georgia was often visited by scientists and travelers from Prussia, Austria and Switzerland, either for various professional or personal interests. This flow of visitors included manufacturers as well, which manufactured manganese (special attention was given to Chiatura manganese) and oil in Caucasus.

“Siemens & Halske” Germans participated in many fields of Transcaucasia economy. For example, incorporator of the German Company “Siemens & Halske” – Werner von Siemens (1816-1892), in 1870 he formed Indo-European telegraph (“Indientelegraph”) and by passing Tbilisi city, the line was stretched from London to India. His brother, Walter Siemens (1833-1871), was the Consul of Prussia and had his own trading bureau in Tbilisi, after his death, Walter’s business was led by his younger brother – Otto Siemens (1836-1871). Siemens Company held many deposits and owned much of the part of copper industry in Transcaucasia.

In Transcaucasia, before the First World War, monopoly in power supplies, transports and chemical products were captured by the Germans. Among other successful businessmen was Friedrich Wetzel, owner of Hotel Wetzel in Tbilisi. It was Wetzel, who incorporated Bavarian Brewery in 1861 and earlier, in 1850, Schwarzbier brewery. First pharmacy was opened by the pharmacist – Flora Schonberg, and besides pharmaceuticals, famous pharmacist Eugenie Semmel was making mineral waters as well. In the second half of XIX century, Georgia was often visited by various German researchers and artists; some of them were just passing by or stayed temporarily, but others stayed permanently and took great part in the development and research of the Georgian culture. But peace times for the German people lasted for about a century, including the first years of XX century, but as the WWI began, the first signs of the discrimination of their rights appeared. In the years of the Georgian independence their conditions were well improved. Unfortunately, this didn’t last long. During the period of WWII, namely, from 1941, liquidation of colonies began. “Germans of Georgia” as well as the rest of the German population around the Soviet Union were exiled to Siberia and Kazakhstan. Some of them survived all through these and returned to Georgia. You can still find their descendants, living right in here.

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Werner von Siemens Walter Siemens

The Wetland K O L K H E T I N AT I O N A L PA R K

KOLKHETI NATIONAL PARK DETERMINED BY THE GEOGRAPHIC SPECIFICATIONS OF THIS TERRITORY, LANDSCAPE MOSAICS AND BIO DIVERSITY – MILD AND WARM CLIMATE, PRESENCE OF RELICT AND ENDEMIC SPECIES OF PLANTS, MULTITUDE OF LOCAL AND MIGRATING BIRDS SPECIES, PEAT BOGS, SWAMPED FORESTS, SEASIDE DUNES, CURVED BED RIVERS AND LAKES WITH UNIQUE LANDSCAPES, BLACK SEA AREA.

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olkheti national park is not just the geographical area of Georgia. Colchis, Egris, Lazika are names used for this territory in annals of different people of different times. It is the heart of the culture and statehood of Georgia. There are number of monuments of the Bronze Age that are rich in archaic artifacts discovered in Kolkheti which have been assimilated by humans since the Neolithic era. At the end of second millennium B.C., in Kolkheti was established one of the first states of Georgian tribes, and the first Georgian money, Colchicum Tetri, was produced.

flora and fauna differed from the other, more dangerous habitat people faced in Soviet Union—the totalitarian state. The Soviet Union, together with many other paradoxical and senseless ideas, created the ideology of the declared struggle with nature and used nature as agricultural lands or misappropriated lands for more large-scale projects. Georgia was not an exception to the policy. Moreover, the Megrelians had not so friendly relationship with marshes themselves and it was revenge. In the nineteenth century, until inventing of the drug “Quinine” malaria was great disaster for the people living near the marshes. The disease spread by the malaria mosquito, anopheles, led to the death of great number of people annually.

COLCHICUM MARSHES ARE FIRST OF ALL SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE OF THEIR ANCIENT ORIGINS. THIS LOWLAND IS THE REMAINS OF THE TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL LANDSCAPE— THAT UNINTERRUPTED LINE THAT STRETCHED ALONG THE ENTIRE EURASIAN CONTINENT IN CENOZOIC AGE NEARLY 10 MILLION YEARS AGO

In the Kolkheti lowland are plenty of Chirstian and preChristian monuments and settlement remains. The humans lived there since ancient times, and these territories are still settled. The coastline of the Black Sea with its ports and resorts all along the Colchicum lowland contributes to the great value of this territory for our country. Kolkheti has one more treasure that makes it of worldwide importance. These are the marshes—highly humid territories that cover the major part of lowland and that have never been lived on by humans— that in terms of habitation are fit only for animals and birds adapted to this specific ecosystem.

The human has lived close to the marshes for centuries, hunted there and acquired wood for fuel and construction material—peat and wood—but the human could never familiarize himself with the marshes that he. She always perceived as a hostile and mysterious environment and the focus of malaria and many other diseases. Living near the marshes was considered a necessity for them. This kind of attitude was developed by the fact that the marshes with their unique

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Fortunately, still there were people who understood well the meaning of a highly humid ecosystem. It was through the insistence of such intelligent people in 1947, after World War II, that there was established the state reserve of Kolkheti. This fact focused on the importance of marshy forests and 500 hectares of marshes located between the Rioni River and the Pichora River. This small territory was placed under state protection.

Colchicum marshes are first of all significant because of their ancient origins. This lowland is the remains of the tropical and subtropical landscape—that uninterrupted line that stretched along the entire Eurasian continent in Cenozoic age nearly 10 million years ago. The quaternary period of freezing was over nearly 10 000 years ago, but since the time when the huge glaciers had covered all of northern Europe, only the Caucasus mountain range prevented their invasion in the south. In Kolkheti remain the plants that are nowadays characteristic only of marshy ecosystems of tundra and taiga of the North.

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The Kolkheti lowland is of international significance in other terms too. The route of the annual migration of the birds crosses this territory. Millions of birds migrate in the autumn from the north to the south and in the spring from warm countries to their nesting places. They fly along the coastline of the Black Sea, and the non-settled marshes are ideal places for having a rest during the long distance migration. For some birds of different species, Kolkheti is the place where they spend winter. They do not need to go further to the south. In local marshes are all the conditions necessary for them to spend winter.

tinue to be an urgent issue. For the population living in the territory of park and in its adjacent territories, hunting and especially fishing are not only for leisure and getting rich, but these are also the traditional ways they acquire food. The height of the Kolkheti national park does not exceed 5 m above sea level. This territory is crossed by several rivers abundant in water; they are the Enguri, Khobistskali, Supsa and Rioni. When the water rises, the rivers are full of the precipitates of almost all the mountains, fields and forests of western Georgia; they bring the soil and plants removed by the enormous power of water. The rough rivers lose their power in the plain, and the marshes absorb the rising water and protect the nearby settlements from flooding. The slowed down stream of the river spreads the removed soil and organic mass on the forest ground and where it settles. Periodic floods permanently build up the soil and fertilize the forest plants. Without floods, the Kolkheti plants would not have the same character and or ability to multiply as it has currently.

THE QUATERNARY PERIOD OF FREEZING WAS OVER NEARLY 10 000 YEARS AGO, BUT SINCE THE TIME WHEN THE HUGE GLACIERS HAD COVERED ALL OF NORTHERN EUROPE, ONLY THE CAUCASUS MOUNTAIN RANGE PREVENTED THEIR INVASION IN THE SOUTH. IN KOLKHETI REMAIN THE PLANTS THAT ARE NOWADAYS CHARACTERISTIC ONLY OF MARSHY ECOSYSTEMS OF TUNDRA AND TAIGA OF THE NORTH

In the unique forests of the marshes, the woods were regularly cut for personal and commercial use. The cut trees were transported by Lorries and by water transports. The rare trees and whole forests of the marsh ecosystem were devastated. The damage caused by illegal wood cutting is so great that these kinds of forests can never return to their original form. They are replaced by rapidly growing alder-groves that are well adapted to the highly humid territories and now dominate in marshes.

In autumn and winter when the Kolkheti lowland was full of migratory birds, the birds were acquired by the methods that cannot be even called poaching. Thousands of quails, Eurasian woodcocks, ducks and other species of birds were devastated by the â&#x20AC;&#x153;huntersâ&#x20AC;? equipped with nets, projectors, and motorized equipment. All the necessary anti-poaching measures have been implemented in the national park, but this will con-

The Supsa and Rioni are Transit Rivers crossing the national park with their many tributaries, but there are other rivers too in Kolkheti that do not begin in the Caucasus or Gurian mountains. The origins of the rivers such as Maltakva, Churia, Dedabera and Tsia are the local marshes. These not so long rivers that are abundant in water have found their own beds and way through the marshes over the centuries, and nowadays, they slowly flow to the Black Sea through the relic riverside forests in a tortuous way.

MODI GEO The most important components of the hydrographic net of the Kolkheti lowland are the peaty marshes. All the places with intensive marshing processes are currently included in Protected Landscape. The perfectly flat surface of Anaklia, Churia, Nabada, Maltakva, Pichira, and Imnati hinders draining that causes dampening of the land surface, and excessive precipitations accordingly causes marshing too. These territories are able to regulate and filter the ground and surface waters, and this ability makes their function valuable for the protection of environment. The thick layer of peat has been created on the surface of marshes. This layer is almost 10-12 m thick in Imnai areas, near Poti. Peaty areas consist of mossy plants of domed form on top of one another. These are the plants characteristic only of the northern countries and are rare in the latitude where Georgia is located. The real beauty of the Kolkheti national park is the Paliastomi Lake that was the gulf of Black Sea several thousand years ago. The sand dune displaced by sea waves over the centuries isolated the lagoon from the salty water of the sea. The pure water flowing into the lake from the Pichora River made the water fresh. The 3 m deep natural reservoir was abundant in water invertebrates and plankton, and it was the ideal environment for many species of fish. In the 1920s, the human being reached the ecosystem of Paliastomi Lake and as usual, damaged it without thinking about the consequences. The canal was made, and the lake was artificially connected to the sea. It caused the salting of lake water and accordingly the amount of fish in it abruptly decreased. Despite all the violent actions against nature in the twentieth century, Lake Paliastomi is still rich in fish; likewise, the surrounding marshes and forests and all of the Kolkheti lowland is rich in floristic miracles and various samples of fauna that are a great joy for nature lovers. The territories of Kolkheti national park are interesting first of all in botanic terms. The phytocenosis complexes are rich in ancient and endemic species, and various compositions have remained there to date. They are the plant groups of the marshes, marshy forests and sand dunes along the coastline. On the sand dunes warmed by the sun and salted by the sea water grows groups of plants harshly different from the plants of the other territories of the Kolkheti lowland. Euphorbia, thistle, Colchicum sedge, Cynodon, finger-flower, catchfly, Christ thorn, hawthorn, and butcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s broom all grow along the coastline on the movable and semi-movable sands. In the salty dunes there are two species that are entered in the Red Data Book with the status of plants being at the border of depopulation: yellow poppy and water lily.

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Along the lakes and marsh rivers in the Protected Landscape as well as the highly humid areas are spread such plants as spatterdock and can-dock, water nut-tree and duckweed. In the peaty marshes together with the north tundra species you can see royal fern and Imeretian sedge. In the marsh forests along the peripheral line of peaty marshes and ravines of the marsh rivers dominate 9-10 m tall Colchicum-Hyrcanic alder groves. Unfortunately, these groves are rarely mixed with basts, Imeretian oak or maples. Until the massive logging in local areas, the alder trees were only the second level of the forest. The first level consisted of 25-30 m tall beech trees, maples, ash-trees and hornbeams. But still, if you travel by boat on the Pichora or Churia Rivers, the forest tracts surviving up to date with climbers, lianas and sonchus and with the impassable undergrowth of box trees, azaleas, Pontic rhododendron,

butcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s broom, create the impression of South American impassable jungles. The marsh tortoises and water snakes, having comfortable places on the logs emerging from the water, are warming in the sun. Small water cocks are hiding in reeds splashing water with their wings; the scared birds of prey and herons are flying to the other trees. The small and quick, bright blue kingfisher guides your launch moving its wings as if playing on the water. Birds are the easiest to see habitants of Kolkheti national park. As the Eurasia-Africa migration route crosses the Kolkheti lowland, you can see

not only the birds nesting there but also the huge groups of birds on long distance migrations. In October, it is possible to observe the birds of prey migrating south along the Black Sea coastline. Common Buzzards, Black Kites, Common and Lesser Kestrels, Eurasian Hobbies, other falcons, European Honey-Buzzards, White-tailed Eagles, Steppe Eagles and Imperial Eagles soaring in the air at different heights and with different speeds are flying south along the coastline. At the estuaries of rivers and the sea you can also see migratory osprey swooping for fish. The osprey attacks

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the fish with opened claws in the rivers and sometimes directly in the sea; if it is lucky, it flies up in the air with the fish (mainly grey mullet) caught in its claws. Kolkheti supports 2-3 breeding pairs of White-tailed Eagle. The number of this species increases in the wintertime as wintering individuals arrive from the north. At the seashore the quick, high-legged waders run searching for the mollusks and other invertebrates cast ashore by the waves. Behind them, in the sea, the seagulls of different species and gull-billed turns hunt.

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Kolkheti lakes and marshes are quite rich in nesting water and marsh birds, but at the beginning of winter, and in winter their amount increases to a great extent. The forest and the scrubs become full of rust-red Eurasian woodcocks, and the marshes are full of curlews with long and hooked beaks; the smooth surface of the water is jammed with common coots and grebes, ducks of different species. Coots and grebes are close to the shore and away from the shore there are swimming Malards and Tufted Ducks, Garganeys and etc. In this diversity of water birds you can distinguish larger Bean Goose and Greater White-fronted Goose even at long distances. But much larger and rarer birds, such as Mute and Whooper swans, Dalmatian Pelican and Greater Spotted Eagle winter in Kolkheti.

BIRDS ARE THE EASIEST TO SEE HABITANTS OF KOLKHETI NATIONAL PARK. AS THE EURASIAAFRICA MIGRATION ROUTE CROSSES THE KOLKHETI LOWLAND, YOU CAN SEE NOT ONLY THE BIRDS NESTING THERE BUT ALSO THE HUGE GROUPS OF BIRDS ON LONG DISTANCE MIGRATIONS

In winter, the groups of ducks, geese, and swans fly in from the north. In winter, during bad weather when the wind is blowing in the coastline sand dunes, the horizon over the clouded sky is controlled by the huge groups of cormorants. Away from the coastline over the almost dark sea waves thousands of cormorants and grebes are floating; and closer to the sea shore

comparatively small grebes are tossing over the water as if they are predestined to be swallowed by the waves.

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You can also see Purple Herons and Black and White Storks in the Kolkheti lowland. In total, 194 species of animals use the Kolkheti highly humid territories for nesting, and unfortunately this multiplicity rarely includes the beautiful Pheasant;, however, the world learned about its existence from the Greek seamen visiting Colchis. The Azian name of the pheasant is Fasianus Cocicus; that originates from the archaic Georgian words: Fazis and Colchis. Nowadays the Kolkheti forests and scrubs are the ideal habitats for pheasants; however, you can rarely see Colchic Pheasant, the pride and beauty of Georgian fauna. The number of pheasants is dramatically reduced due to poaching that was conducted for years without punishment.

and scrubs. As a result of poaching, the population of wild boar has decreased to great extent, but it can be restored. As for Jackals, you can hear their howling at night everywhere in the territory of the park.

THE TERRITORIES OF KOLKHETI NATIONAL PARK ARE INTERESTING FIRST OF ALL IN BOTANIC TERMS. THE PHYTOCENOSIS COMPLEXES ARE RICH IN ANCIENT AND ENDEMIC SPECIES, AND VARIOUS COMPOSITIONS HAVE REMAINED THERE TO DATE. THEY ARE THE PLANT GROUPS OF THE MARSHES, MARSHY FORESTS AND SAND DUNES ALONG THE COASTLINE

Of the big mammals, Jackals and Wild Boars are best adapted to the Kolkheti marshy riverside forests

The Roe deer also lives in the territory of the park. In Kolkheti, which is rich in fish, lives the otter, but its population is not studied well. Accordingly, there is no exact information about this animal. From the amphibians living in Kolkheti we should point out Caucasian Tree frog, Eurasian Marsh Frog and two species of Newtâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Smooth Newt and Banded Newt. Reptiles include Grass Snake, Aesculapian Snake and European Pond Turtle.

Kolkheti national park that covers the sea as well, is populated with various itchy fauna. Out of the 88 species of cartilaginous and bony

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MODI GEO fish living there, 44 species live in Black Sea. 21 species live in fresh water and 24 species of fish are transiting. From the cartilaginous fish we should mention the Atlantic sturgeon and beluga; from the bony fish we should point out the Black Sea salmon, herring, striped mullet, pike, and bonito. In the park water area live such kinds of fish that are adapted to habitation in fresh as well as in salty water. Every spring, the silver crucian enters the fresh water reservoirs and rivers of the national park from the Black Sea; it feeds on water plants found on the silty bottom and small organisms, and then it goes back to the Black Sea. The young individuals of this fish often spend the whole year in fresh water. Three species of dolphins are habitants of the Black Sea: Aphalina, herring hog and white-side dolphins. These mammals are well adapted to an extremely specific environment of the Black Sea—low saltiness and high concentration of sulphuretted hydrogen. But poaching, sea pollution and impossibility of replenishment from the other populations have lead the Black Sea dolphins to the brink of depopulation. In case of the depopulation of this species of animals to the critical limit, it will be impossible to restore them. Kolkheti national park is well prepared for ecotourism. In the period of high levels of migration it is possible to observe a great number of rare birds. This form of tourism known as bird watching has become increasingly popular in western countries. Georgia, and especially Kolkheti, are rich in ornithological terms and may offer many interesting meetings to those who love bird watching. In the territory of the park bird watching tours are arranged. The tourists may stay in the visitors’ house located in national park as well as in the hotels of Poti, Grigoleti and Zugdidi. From Tbilisi to Poti is 330 km, from Batumi to Poti – 27 km. Sea tourism – Black sea water area adjacent with Kolkheti protected territories represents solid basis for development of this type of tourism from Kobuleti to Anaklia. Visitors will be able to visit seacoast and the landscapes as well. River tourism – it allows for observance of unique natural environment and existing traditions. Motor boats or regular boats are used and the visitors may observe water and swamp birds together with the picturesque landscape. Birds observance – there are dozens of local and migrating species of birds in Kolkheti national park territory. It is possible to observe these birds from specially fixed (disguised) observance points which are arranged along swamp, rivers, in particular areas of peatbogs (east bank of Paliastomi river, along small Paliastomi lake).

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The territory of national park included the water area adjacent to the park. This was done to protect dolphins and other representatives of sea fauna in order to study them better.. Together with the relict forests of Kolkheti, peat marshes and fresh water reservoirs, nowadays, this small part of the sea also is protected well and is the subject of special state care.

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Present column is prepared on the basis of â&#x20AC;&#x153;International Union for Conversation of Natureâ&#x20AC;? materials. This is Georgian membership-based Public Organization acting since 1994. For further introduction with the activities of the said Organization, including membership issues or supporting its programs you can visit web-page: www.gccw.org

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THE FIRST HOTEL CHAIN IN GEORGIA WAS FOUNDED IN 2007 AND CURRENTLY OPERATES SIX SUCCESSFUL HOTELS IN BATUMI, MAKHINJAURI, TELAVI, SIGNAGI, POTI AND KUTAISI

WWW.RCHEULI.GE ( 995 32) 72 90 09

12 Chanturia str., 0108 Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: +995 32 433 433 +995 32 106 392 info@investingeorgia.org www.investingeorgia.org National Tourism Agency

National Tourism Agency

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REVIVING THE APPAREL INDUSTRY IN GEORGIA Hoping that the apparel industry, holds untapped potential, the Georgian government is in intensive talks with European and US textile brands to revive what once was a thriving sector in Georgia. During their recent visit to Spain, Georgian government officials led by Minister Vera Kobalia toured the plants of Inditex, which unites the world’s largest fashion retailers. They made presentations on Georgia’s business environment aimed at attracting the latter’s interest. “We offer all services, including those plants which are already operating here as well as setting up a logistical center, which could supply all the region’s stores,” said Keti Bochorishvili, the head of the Georgian National Investment Agency (GNIA). Her agency is part of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia and is developing the country’s investment policy.

“The interest from Inditex was very high,” Bochorishvili says. In total, Inditex unites eight brands, including Zara, Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home and Uterqüe. The group boasts as many as 5.044 stores in 77 countries. Opened in 1975 in Spain, the Zara shop was the first venture for this booming business. Now the group, along with its covertures, controls more than 100 companies in textile design, manufacturing and distribution. The success of Inditex, the group’s representatives have said, is based on a unique business model, with innovation and flexibility as its priorities. This, Bochorishvili explained, has made Inditex one of the biggest fashion retailers worldwide. “First, Inditex will send a delegation to Georgia to study the potential of the country, and after this they will make their decision,” Bochorishvili said. Having a rich history in the apparel and textile sectors, Georgia used to produce high quality silk and wool blend fabrics, meeting up to 60% of the USSR’s apparel requirements. However, after the Soviet Union’s break up and subsequent economic collapse, Georgia’s textile and apparel industry almost died. The year of 2004 saw a breakthrough, when some Turkish investors began investing in the textile business in Georgia. Currently, according to Bochorishvili, the country offers foreign textile producers a business friendly environment, reliable trade regime, excellent geographic location, tax-free environment in the free industrial zones and a competitive and high qualified labor force. “We have all the advantages to develop this sector,” Bochorishvili noted. She has strong points. Georgia has been commended in various international rankings as a good place to do business. For instance, in the most recent Doing Business 2011: Making a Difference for Entrepreneurs report, Georgia is ranked 12th among 174 countries, up one from last year’s 13th place. Moreover, Georgia was named as one of the most active reformers globally, in particular showing progress in the areas of business regulation - protecting investors, closing a business, getting credit (legal rights) and enforcing contracts. “Customs procedures take 7 minutes, while if busi-

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12 Chanturia str., 0108 Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: +995 32 433 433 +995 32 106 392 info@investingeorgia.org www.investingeorgia.org

nessmen or companies are not included in the so called blacklist, they can even undergo customs procedures later if they wish,” Bochorishvili explained. “No corruption environment, free trade agreements with dozens of countries – CIS countries and Turkey – as well as a GSP regime with the U.S. and GSP+ with the E.U. countries are other advantages which should be appealing for any investor.” According to Bochorishvili, the textile industry is flourishing in Turkey. In her opinion, Georgia may have some better opportunities for this business including lower costs of electricity and communications overall. From May 4-5, 2011, the Georgian National Investment Agency participated in the 4th Istanbul Fashion Apparel Conference, conducted in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul Fashion Apparel Conference offered a real diversity of purchasing delegations as event participants had the opportunity to meet top representatives of apparel business from the Turkish Clothes Manufacture Association. The Georgian delegation had the chance to meet Paolo Zegna, the CEO of world famous Ermenegildo Zegna, and Pier Luigi Loro Piana, a well known name in the luxury goods industry. The GNIA director invited Paolo Zegna and Pier Luigi Loro Piana to visit Georgia in order to explore apparel business de-

velopment opportunities. Georgia may be considered as a provider of raw materials for leather fabrics for Zegna and Piana. In its preparation process for fashion conference, the GNIA was assisted by USAID’s Economic Prosperity Initiative. When speaking about cooperation with the GNIA, Alan J. Saffery, Non-Agriculture Sector Component Leader at the Economic Prosperity Initiative, notes: The USAID-funded Economic Prosperity Initiative (EPI) is pleased to have partnered with the GNIA in participation at the 4th Istanbul Fashion Apparel Conference. The value chains EPI identified through a comprehensive process of analysis earlier this year match closely with the GNIA’s targeted investment sectors, so it made sense for our two organizations to join forces in promoting investment in Turkey, not only Georgia’s largest trading partner, but also a major apparel manufacturer. When asked why he thinks apparel business is competitive in Georgia, Alan J. Saffery’s answer was simple: “With its lower labor costs (compared to Turkey), duty free trade potential with large consumer markets such as Russia and the EU (due to GSP+), lower tariffs to the US (due to GSP) and competitive tax rates, Georgia has the potential to become a small,

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but significant, apparel manufacturing and export base. Turkish investors are particularly interested in trade agreements with Russia and the US and, in fact, some Turkish manufacturers have already invested in countries such as Egypt and Jordan to overcome barriers of entry into the US market. Russia is still one of the key markets that Turkish investors would like to export to. Our research and discussions with Turkish manufacturers indicate that they have been largely unaware of Georgia’s apparel investment opportunities: government incentives, economic stability, wage rates, attitude to investment, trade agreements or business environment. If we can develop a clear value proposition, based on the key criteria investors look for, create a platform to answer the questions and concerns of potential investors and actively promote benefits, we could see some significant impacts.” Currently, more than 200 companies are operating in Georgia’s textile market. Approximately 95% of them are micro-enterprises. Out of the large enterprises, four are Turkish firms and only one is a Georgian investment. they produce coats, jackets, shirts, trousers, sweaters, underwear, sport clothes, T-shirts and socks. Mostly, these companies sell their products abroad. According to Bochorishvili, the export destinations are Turkey, Russia, the CIS countries and European countries.

To Georgia

“We are happy with our sales,” says Nana Kldiashvili of BTM-TEXTILE, a local apparel company. The group operates one plant and three shopping centers in the Ajara Autonomous Republic, producing women’s and children’s clothes for European brands including Marks & Spencer, Puma, George and Next. BTM-TEXTILE was set up in 2007 with an initial investment of $ 8 million. Another important player on the local apparel market is AJARA TEXTILE, also based in the Adjara region. Founded in 2008, the company produces casual sportswear. The company’s annual capacity is approximately 2,500 000 pieces. According to official statistics, approximately 5,800 people are employed in the textile industry in Georgia. The government expects that the development of this sector means thousands of new job places. “Once the “big players” come to Georgia, the unemployment problem, which is an acute problem for everyone, will be reduced in Georgia’s regions.” “If we say that a medium-sized plant can employ 250 locals on average, a large plant may create 1,000 job places,” says Keti Bochorishvili, GNIA director.

The National Center Of Manuscripts And Publishing House MODI Present Charity Auction on June 30, 2011

The National Centre of Manuscripts and Publishing House MODI will conduct a Charity Auction to rise funds for the rehabilitation of the Moqvi Gospel, created in 1300 in Abkhazia by request of Daniel the Bishop of Moqvi. The manuscript is distinguished by its miniatures performed on sheet gold and the colorful ornamentation. Over the course of time the coating has been damaged, the miniatures are fading. The manuscript needs intensive diagnosis and rehabilitation. At the auction will include items donated by famous people in Georgia, in order to save the Moqvi Gospel.

Modi save the Moqvi Gospel together

INSIDER

WELCOME TO GEORGIA

Georgia is a small slice of sumptuous beauty sandwiched between Turkey and Russia, on the coast of the Black Sea. In spite of its proximity to Russia, its climate couldn’t be more different - think Sicily, not Siberia.

ing that Georgia enjoys very warm weather most of the year, and mild winters that rarely go below freezing are the norm in low-lying areas like Tbilisi.

Georgia is in the South Caucasus, a region straddling Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Georgia’s northern border runs along the crest of the Greater Caucasus mountain range, and includes the southern flanks of the highest mountain in Europe. Georgia’s highest mountain, Shkhara, stretches to over 5193 meters. The Caucasus is often said to be the boundary of Europe and Asia. It might be a cliché to say that Georgia is on the crossroads of civilizations, the place where East meets West, but there’s an element of truth in that - while Georgian is definitely a European country, it also the most exotic country in Europe. In the South of the country are the Lesser Caucasus, but don’t let the name fool you, with peaks reaching over 3000 meters, they are serious mountains.

Georgia is divided into eastern and western zones by a small mountain range running down the central axis of the country. As well as being an ancient political boundary between the old Georgian states of Colchis and Iberia, it is also the watershed between rivers that empty into the Black Sea on the western side, and the Caspian Sea on the east. The west of the country, watered by the warm waters of the Black Sea, has a subtropical climate, with very mild winters in low-lying areas, and heavy snowfalls in the mountains. This region is home to temperate rainforests and jungle like vegetation. The east is more arid, and has a more continental climate, though still moderated by the moisture from the Black Sea. Summers are hotter and drier here, especially in regions like Kakheti, which contain areas of semi desert.

Georgia borders the Black sea, Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Hundreds of years ago it sat on the legendary Silk Road, and now it is developing as a gateway from the Black Sea to the larger Caspian and Central Asian regions.

In Georgia we have a legend that, when God was giving out lands to the peoples of the world, we were late, because we had been drinking all night at a party singing His praises. By the time we got there, God had already apportioned all the land, but because he liked us so much he gave us the small piece he was saving for himself. When you come to Georgia, you might just start thinking that the legend is true….

Georgia is one of the most diverse and unique countries of Europe. Its climate ranges from alpine meadows and coniferous forests to semi-desert and lush, subtropical coastlines with tea plantations and kiwi fruit. It also has an astonishing array of National parks, from Vashlovani in the east - home to some of Europe’s last native leopards, to the Kolkheti wetlands in the west, a mecca for bird watchers the world over. The great wall of the Caucasus Mountains protects the country from the cold winds of the north, mean-

To Georgia

No other country in the world offers visitors so much to see and do packed into such a small space. Although Georgia is only the size of Ireland, it contains subtropical beaches, dense forests, arid deserts as well as the highest mountains in Europe. Here are ten reasons why no one can visit Georgia without leaving enchanted with this exotic country, where Europe and Asia meet.

Summer sea and Winter Ski resorts

Georgia is a year-round destination. In Georgia, you can swim in the sea as late as November - one of the longest swimming seasons in Europe. After that, why not head to the mountains, where there is guaranteed snow until late April, making Georgia a top destination for skiers and snowboarders. Any month of the year though, you should try our famous spring waters, curative and tasty.

The birthplace of Vine and Wine

The first humans ever to leave Africa have been discovered in Georgia, meaning the country is home to the word’s first Europeans. Georgia is also a land of myth; it was here that Prometheus was chained to a mountainside for giving the secret of fire to mankind, and it was here that Jason and the Argonauts discovered the fabled Golden Fleece.

Georgian Spirit, Hospitality

Lifestyle

and

In Georgia, they say that every guest is sent by God. That’s something that every visitor feels firsthand as soon as they arrive in the country. Our hospitality is legendary, come and experience it for yourself.

Georgians are an ancient people, and our cultural traditions run deep. Our three-part harmony singing will have you mesmerized, while breathtaking national dances, some of which involve sword fighting and dagger throwing, will have you on the edge of your seat.

Architectural Monuments

From sixth century churches standing guard on mountaintops, to whole cave cities carved into the rock, Georgia has an amazingly rich architectural heritage. Even in the mountain fastnesses of the high Caucasus, medieval watchtowers and fortresses dot the landscape, and Tbilisi - once known as the Paris of the South - is home to whole districts of stunning nineteenth century buildings.

National Tourism Agency

An Ancient Country of Myth and Legend

Unique and Proud Culture

National Tourism Agency

Georgia is where the grape was first domesticated and wine was first produced. Today the country is home to hundreds of unique varieties, and many wines are still made according to ancient methods. Come and enjoy our sixth millennium of winemaking.

or relax at world class beach resorts - in Georgia, everything is possible.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Our three current heritage sites include the ancient capital city of Mtskheta, the massive cathedral complexes of Bagrati and Gelati, and the mountainous region of Svaneti, where every family has its own defensive tower. Sites on the tentative list include the Maltaqva wetlands, where thousands of endangered species of bird stop each year on their annual migration, and the regions of Khevsureti and Tusheti, where fortified villages still preserve preChristian pagan traditions.

CUISINE

Georgia’s unique food is a gourmet treat for every visitor, from vegetarian dishes to sumptuous feasts, prepared with secret spices and rare ingredients, Georgian cuisine offers something for everybody.

Flora and Fauna

Georgia is one of the most ecologically diverse countries in the world, with climatic zones ranging from subtropical to high alpine to semi-desert. Georgia is also home to vast expanses of completely unspoiled wildernesses, including one of Europe’s largest national parks. Our pristine wetlands and mountain aeries make this country a Mecca for bird watchers worldwide. Bears, lynxes and even leopards can be found in Georgia’s dense forests of Caucasian fir-the tallest trees in Europe.

Endless Tourism Possibilities

From adventure tourism to discovering the art of wine making, Georgia has something to delight every visitor. Take advantage of the cheapest heli-skiing in Europe, or tour some of the finest medieval architecture in the world, delve into ancient, subterranean cave cities,

National Tourism Agency June

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In 2009 the National Tourism Agency launched the project, designed to help the visitors of Georgia to easily access the information about the country. During the last 2 years numerous Tourism info centers were opened in all the regions of Georgia. The unified info center network offers information about transport, accommodation and other important issues, which will help the incoming tourists to plan their vacations.

To Georgia

National Tourism Agency

The list of the Tourism Info Centers Name

Address

Tel.

E-mail

Working Days Working Hours

Tbilisi

2, Freedom Sq.

43 67 67

tictbilisi@gmail.com

Everyday

10:00 - 18:00 (Summer 10:00 -19:00)

31 00 07

ticairport@gmail.com

Everyday

24 Hours

8 90 35 73 75

ticmestia@gmail.com

Everyday

10:00 - 18:00 (Summer 10:00 -19:00)

8 231 4 11 03

tickutaisi@gmail.com

Everyday

10:00 - 18:00 (Summer 10:00 -19:00)

Airport Mestia

7, Seti Sq.

Kutaisi Gori

23a,Kutaisi Str.

8 370 7 07 76

ticgori@gmail.co

Everyday

10:00 - 18:00 (Summer 10:00 -19:00)

Mtskheta

3, Arsukidze Str.

51 21 28

ticmtskheta@gmail.com

Everyday

10:00 - 18:00(Summer 10:00 -19:00)

Kvareli

8, Rustaveli Str.

8 352 213 40; tickvareli@gmail.com 8 352 213 50

Everyday

10:00 - 18:00 (Summer 10:00 -19:00)

Signagi

10, Kostava Str.

ticsignagi@gmail.com

Everyday

10:00 - 18:00 (Summer 10:00 -19:00)

Telavi

9, Erekle II Sq.

8 250 75 317

tictelavi@gmail.com

Mon-Fr

10:00 - 16:00

Borjomi

Rustaveli Str.

8 367 213 97

ticborjomi@gmail.com

Mon-Fr

10:00 - 16:00

Bakuriani

1, Agmashenebeli Str.

8 267 400 36; ticbakuriani@gmail.com 8 267 400 37

Mon-Fr

10:00 - 16:00

Batumi (1) 30, Rustaveli Str.

Mon-Fri

10:00 - 16:00

Batumi (2) Central Entrance of Boulevard

Mon-Fr

10:00 - 16:00

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Bank of Georgia The reliable partner for growing business GeoSteel , company representing one of the largest direct investment in Georgia was founded four years ago. In his interview with “MODI” Mr. Hardeep Singh, CEO of GeoSteel LLC, talks about the potential of the company and about the Georgian partners

.How did you start your business? What were the highlights of its development?

The main issues at the time of setting up the plant were the following:

The primary reason for selecting Georgia as a venue for setting up a Steel Plant was the congenial business environment prevalent in Georgia at that point of time. The palpable excitement and sincerity of the government and the other administrators in shaping the destiny of the country was very evident and as an entrepreneur this gave us the confidence to be a part of the growing economy. The absence of beauraucratic red tapism, complex licensing etc was another motivating factor. In addition Georgia is a corruption free country. We have never seen any evidence of corruption, so we believe that Georgia is a corruption free country.

a)Acclimatization with the local geography and the laws of the land b)Recruitment of the right people with right academic qualification and experience c)Generation of funds d)Erection difficulties because of the vagaries of Georgian climate.

The other reason for setting up a steel plant was that there was no steel production in Georgia; in Armenia too the steel was coming from Turkey and Ukraine. We had to set up a modern plant with similar technologies to those which Turkish mills have. We have a wellqualified staff with expertise in steel industry and we are capable of producing superior quality products. In this way we are helping Georgia and Armenia to reduce their dependence on imported steel. The customers will have the advantage of having quality materials and goods readily available.

If I am asked to mention one single factor which might influence an entrepreneur to set up an enterprise in Georgia, then it has to be the fact that there is a well coordinated effort from all sections of the government and administrative machinery to create a congenial environment for setting up and developing a business enterprise. The favorable geopolitical situation coupled with the fact there is an enterprising and hardworking workforce available here should definitely be an incentive for businessmen to invest in this country.

The company Geosteel was founded in Georgia three years ago. The people behind this company are from one of the biggest companies in India. Jindal South West (JSW) and U.K. based Georgian Steel Group Holding Limited. Two major partners put up this plant in Rustavi, town close to Tbilisi. JSW is mainly owned by Mr. Sajjan Jindal, who is the Vice-chairman and Managing Director of the company. The second partner is me representing Georgian steel Group Holding Limited.

Can you share with us your expectations for the next five years?

Why do you think it’s a good idea to start a business in Georgia, what can you tell a businessman intending to come to this country?

Our vision is to become the best rebar producer in the Caucasus region both in terms of market share and quality. The immediate goal is to reach the rated capacity of the plant within the next one and half years. From the HR perspective we would like to have an impeccably trained workforce in process as well as system management in the next two years.

What are the strengths of the company and please tell us about your partner the Bank assisting in your business development? When entering a new market you have to establish your credentials on quality and build up trust in the products you are offering. For Georgian market GeoSteel is trying to offer the best technologies. We will continue working on fulfillment and development of quality. The strengths of the company are as follows: a. our route of steel making which guarantees quality. b. Our strong back up support from JSW group of India which is one of the largest steel producers in India making nearly 14 million tons. Our financial partner in the country is Bank of Georgia. We’ve been working with the bank and its professional team for more than three years already. We make use of account administration, cash management, trade finance instruments and we are also availing the services of Forex and treasury operations for meeting our import-export requirements. The Bank’s customer attention is excellent and all our banking requirements are met by them speedily and to our entire satisfaction.

What about the Corporate lending – flexibility of local banking vs. pricing? We think that in the corporate lending Bank of Georgia is quite flexible and competitive in pricing. The services rendered by them are excellent. Nowadays we are in the process of negotiation with the bank for their payroll program. As regards the feedback of the company financial management is concerned, the company is having sound financial management system. The approach of its employees is professional and they provide prompt and most courteous services all the times.

INSIDER

PRESENTATION MAY 18, 2011

Old Moambe

TAV Georgia

Rusudan Kervalishvili Nino Daraseli Vladimir Dzhishkariani

Giorgi Akhalkaci Vladimir Dzhishkariani

Gia Kutateladze Tako Pkahadze

Zviad Mosiashvili

Davit Tvildiani Kakha Chelidze Tamar Gogoberidze

Vera Kobalia Temo Machavariani

Zviad Mosiashvili Giorgi Kalandadze

Giga Kobidze Nino Daraseli Teo Khmaladze

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OTSKHELI STRUCTURE, EXPRESSION, GROTESQUE Petre Otskheli was only 30 when he fell victim to the Bolshevik regime in 1937. His active professional career lasted only 9 years. Yet, his works rightly place him among the best artists of the early twentieth century. Otskheli’s sketches of stage costumes and sets shaped the future of Georgian Theatre. In his article, Kote Jandieri explores the phantasmagorical universe created by the artist’s imagination. Kote Jandieri

tskheli could have been quite convincing as a biologist had he chosen to become one. This strange thought entered my mind in 1998, when I was flipping through his breathtakingly beautiful, dust covered drawings in the dimly lit vault of a museum. One of the most striking features of Petre Otskheli’s powerful body of work for theatre (frankly, I find it rather difficult to call his pieces merely “sketches” for costumes and sets) is not its radical novelty, unconventional formal achievements or stylistic sophistication. Rather, it is marked by an extreme lucidity. I should make clear, however, that I’m not talking about skilful clarity or misleading simplicity. It’s more than that. It’s profoundly of an innate nature. His work seems to be completely devoid of the

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psychologist’s scrutinizing gaze. Rather, it is treated by a person who’s genuinely fascinated by all living things. His drawings usually display instinctual features of the stage characters. It is for this reason that Otskheli’s Desdemona might remind you of the graceful queen of an unknown insect species and Frantz Moor appears as an aggressive parasite. Indeed, insects could identify themselves in Otskheli’s drawings if they were able to perceive the visual arts. Otskheli’s drawings push us toward an interior not easily detected by the basic biological features of the human being. He is interested in the physics, as it were, rather than in the psychology of souls. There’s nothing artificial, superficial, or baroque in his drawings; one can’t tell where the human body ends and

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the costumes becomes visible as both represent one living organism. This much talked about approach worked wonderfully for Otskheli, making his characters intriguing, lucid and monumental all at the same time. To some extent it also explains the longevity of his stage work. His genius was to charge each stage character with personal magnetism. He was capable of breathing life into his sketches, which in many ways determined the ways the actors moved, gestured and behaved on stage. These weird but easily recognizable characters inhabit, fairly naturally, phantasmagorical parallel universes created by the artist. The startling, often distorted set forms are as natural to these scenic creatures as termite “architecture” is to the termite colony; they are the creators and, at the same time, captives of their own surroundings. As is the case with

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the ants’ nest, where its configuration determines the bio-social function of each ant in the colony, the phantasmagorical surroundings of Otskheli’s sets determine the role of each stage character; here, the creator is submitted to the tyranny of his creation. It is a hidden driving force of Otskheli’s work. Throughout the twentieth century, Georgian fine arts knew many fine masters of the “elegant brushstroke”, “subtle silhouette” and “delicate outline” but Otskheli definitely stands out from the crowd. He is one of a kind, a maverick without predecessor whose art, regardless of the manner in which it was done – Modernist, Constructivist or Surrealist – is always deprived of unwelcome mannerism. His drawings are his intimately and obsessively, one might say. At the same time, Otskheli is a product of the epoch

STRUCTURE

Born in 1907 in Kutaisi, Petre Otskheli was receiving his first regular drawing lessons at the Artists’ Studio at school from Ivane Cheishvili. According to reliable sources drawing had been Petre’s passion from early childhood, he was rarely seen without pencil in his hand. In 1926 Otskheli enters the Academy of Fine Arts in Tbilisi and joins the class guided by Professor Charlemagne, which proved to play important role in his future career. Otskheli’s formative years coincided with the tremendous cultural movement of the 20th century Europe, where a vital culture known as “modernism” was being born. It gained force as it moved around the world, opening new artistic possibilities. Otskheli, like most of his contemporaries, was influenced by the artistic atmosphere established in Georgia via Europe in the first decade of the century and, still in his teens, was among the most promising newcomers. Otskheli’s drawings never belonged solely to the world of theatre. In fact, many of his sketches are literally unrealizable on the stage. Actually, they suggest, apart from silhouette, color and form, how far the director can take his characters on stage. No matter what technical devices he employed, his art was always deeply personal, completely individual and certainly could not have been done by anyone else. In short, his wrawings did all the talking.

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in which he lived and worked – an epoch rich with cataclysms and aesthetic quests. His art sometimes bears the elements of Surrealism, Constructivism or Expressionism, but strictly in cases where they serve his vision. His individuality makes it impossible to place him in the box of “isms”. “Regarding my formalism, I’m not pretending I’m dissociating myself from it; I’ll never do that,” he wrote in a letter to his sister not long before his untimely death. “It would be ridiculous to shy away from something that shapes my individuality and originality... But you mustn’t think I am a formalist. It would be a mistake to label everything unreal as ‘formalism.’ All these ‘isms’ have too many branches to try to find names for all of them.” It is a well-known fact that Otskheli was not fortunate enough to have studied or worked in Paris, Berlin or Vienna, the art capitals of Europe back in the beginning

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of the 20th century. Nevertheless, physical confinement and repressive officialdom failed to alienate his sense of universal awareness and thus failed to separate his art from world art processes. He took whatever he needed from contemporary tendencies without being a copyist, a follower or becoming engrossed in mannerism. Like Klimt and Tatlin and Miro, he is an authentic innovator. Together with David Kakabadze, he must be regarded as the most important contemporary reformer in the field of the visual arts in Georgia. There are three aspects that give rise to the powerful, shock-like effect of his drawings: emotional potency, subtext and the clarity of his intentions. In all his best work, Otskheli rules out anything that suggests superficiality and easy gratification. Instead, he elaborates a precise concept for each character or set. The clarity in Otskheli’s work is achieved by solid structures, both in

EXPRESSION

The first success came to Petre Otskheli in 1927, when he was given a chance to design a production of A. Lunacharsky’s play “ The Five Starlets” at the so-called “Workers Theatre” in Tbilisi. That’s where Kote Marjanishvili saw his work for the first time and was so impressed, that he immediately invited young artist to Kutaisi to join his company, thus beginning the perfect partnership between the aged maestro and talented newcomer that lasted for years. Otskheli owes a lot to Marjanishvili. The director played a crucial role in forming and establishing Otskheli as one of Georgia’s most remarkable stage designers. Marjanishvili’s sensibility matched Otskheli’s artistic aspirations, as they both had similar views on the aesthetics of theatre and both took poetry, emotion and spirituality extremely seriously. The result of this cooperation is regarded as a landmark in the history of Georgian theatre. It is often said that Otskheli transformed the approach to set and costume design for his first work with the great maestro. “Hurriel Acosta”, staged in 1929, brought Otskheli to his widest public yet, thus catapulting his career. The repertoire included drama classics, modern western literature, opera classics and even some film work. Kote Marjanishvili (1872 – 1933) One of the most prestigious and professional of Georgia’s theater directors,famous for his lavish and massive theater shows. Marjanishvili is regarded as an important contributor to the pre- and post-revolutionary evolution of Georgian, Russian and Soviet stages.

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the costume sketches and the sets. Remember though, that he’s always far from dry constructivism. His line is amazingly elastic and emotional. The harmonization of stern structure and dynamic expressiveness is Otskheli’s trademark. In the phantasmagorical universe of Petre Otskheli the relationship between the characters and their destinies are governed more by the laws of geometry and biology than by personal aspirations or psychology. That’s why, as in the case of Kafka for example, his drawings are permeated with irony – sometimes tragic, occasionally comic – but always presented in the form of the grotesque. No wonder all his characters look like gigantic insects or exotic plants. Otskheli’s penchant for the grotesque is not an end in itself but is an essential part of his worldview. Structure, expression, grotesque – these are the three essential elements which allowed

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Otskheli to create his bizarre universe. All of his work is influenced, to a greater or lesser degree, by these three elements. Unfortunately, his followers never saw the aesthetic route he took. The totalitarian Bolshevik regime never shared his artistic beliefs and aspirations, as he, in his turn, wasn’t able to embrace the tediousness of the aesthetic dictatorship. “Maybe it is possible to fill all the furniture stores in Moscow with standard pieces of furniture but it is just preposterous to think that it’s viable to turn the theatres of Meierchold, Okhlopkov and Tairov into places where they show regular, realistic plays all the time,” he wrote. “Why don’t we just close all of them down and let people flock to the dull productions of the Moscow Drama Theatre with its numerous branches around the country? Now, that would have been absolutely the same as to fill all the furniture

GROTESQUE LIFE IN DATES

stores with standard furniture pieces.” Regrettably, Otskheli lived in less favorable times when it was almost a heroic act just to remain a decent human being. To Stalin’s empire he was just a tiny insect and it treated him like one, forgetting that sometimes these tiny creatures can build structures that exceed their biological potential.

1907 Petre Otskheli is born in Kutaisi in the well-off Catholic family 1917 October revolution leaves the family almost ruined with most of property confiscated. 1920 Otskheli begins painting classes in a studio of Ivane Cheishvili 1926-27 Tbilisi Academy of Fine Arts (Proffesor Charlemagne’s classes) 1927 THE FIRE STARLETS(A.Lunacharsky). Workers Theatre. Tbilisi 1929 HURRIEL ACOSTA (K.Gutskov) St. Drama Theatre. Kutaisi. Director: K.Marjanishvili 1930 BEATRICE CENCI (Percy Bysshe Shelley)St. Drama Theatre. Kutaisi. Director: K.Marjanishvili KHATIJE (K.Kaladze) St. Drama Theatre. Kutaisi. Director: K.Marjanishvili 1931 THE MASTER BUILDER (Henrik Ibsen) Korsh Theatre. Moscow. Director: K.Marjanishvili BRAVE SOLDIER SCHWEIK (Jaroslav Hasek) St. Drama Theatre. Kutaisi. Director: K.Marjanishvili 1932 DUMB SPEAK UP (G.Baazov) Tbilisi St. Drama Theatre. Director: D.Antadze JOY STREET (N.Zarkhi) St. Drama Theatre. Kutaisi. Directors: A.Chkhartishvili, G.Suliashvili THE ROBBERS (Johan Christoph Friedrich von Schiller) Director: K.Marjanishvili (not produced) RICHARD III (William Shakespeare) Moscow Drama Theatre. Director: K.Marjanishvili (n/p) 1933 OTHELLO (William Shakespeare) Tbilisi St. Drama Theatre. Director: K.Marjanishvili SURAMI FORTRESS (D.Chonkadze) Tbilisi Children’s theatre. Director: A.takaishvili SAMANISHVILI’S STEPMOTHER (D.Kldiashvili) Director: K.Marjanishvili (n/p) HAMLET (William Shakespeare) Director: K.Marjanishvili (n/p) 1934 VOLPONE (B.Jonhson) State Drama Theatre. Kutaisi. Director: V.Khusitashvili 1935 BROKEN BRIDGE (I.Chavchavadze, Sh.Dadiani) Kote Marjanishvili State Theatre. Tbilisi. Director: V.Khusitashvili 1936 INTRIGUE AND LOVE (Johan Christoph Friedrich von Schiller) Maly Theatre. Moscow. Director: V.Abashidze 1937 Petre Otskheli wins the competition organized by K.Stanislavski for production of “RIGOLETTO” 1937 The Bolsheviks arrest Otskheli. He is accused of a membership in Georgian nationalist organization. Allegedly executed on December 2. 1939 Petre Otskheli’s work is awarded the Gold Medal for Artistic Achievements at the World Stage Design Exhibition in London.

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PORTFOLIO PETRE OTSKHELI

Flying Decorator (1936)

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PORTFOLIO PETRE OTSKHELI

The Whites (1930)

June

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PORTFOLIO PETRE OTSKHELI

The Master Builder (1936)

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PORTFOLIO PETRE OTSKHELI

Flying Decorator (1936)

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Interview

Clouds “As a Cloud” is the name of a new feature-length film by Mikheil Kobakhidze. We don’t know whether this film will be released or not; unfortunately, like in his films, great hopes and reality do not always coincide with each other. “MODI” met with the renown film director and interviewed him about changes in Tbilisi, “Music of Images,” impressions, long shooting pauses and future plans. Maka Kukulava We had many premières in Georgia, recently. Do you follow ongoing Georgian filmmaking processes? Do you have any favourites and attend premières? No, I don’t.

step.

Do you still feel the same charm of the city, you mentioned before?

The Tbilisi from your earlier films has changed greatly; it is an exceptionally new city now. How do you see it? Do you feel the changes? And tell us, please, what’s your Tbilisi like?

Unfortunately, I don’t, it is lost, but by all means, the city must develop I remember that people were not pleased before, they visited various countries abroad and were impressed by the shops, cafes, gardens they saw and wished to have the same here now, when all is present, they are still dissatisfied, saying that there are too many cafes, restaurants.

It has changed but I’m not surprised of it, life changes everything. Presently, the city is in a stage that Europe acquired a long time ago. Tbilisi was a very warm, pleasant city. Maybe at this time, we don’t have a relevant level of city architecture, design, but everything will take its shape, step-by-

It’s a kind of non-stop process. As for me, I miss old architecture, interesting buildings, streets, all these are changing now and vanishing away. I feel very sorry about that. I think someone can draw up a plan for keeping and reconstructing the old; this will be more interesting than erecting skyscrapers.

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Interview Your favourite places in Tbilisi? Most of all, I like this street. Not because I was born here and lived here for 22 years. This is really an amazing street. I don’t feel I am in this city. Or in Europe, in Tbilisi… it has the feeling of some special cosiness.

Now you live in France. Georgia was known as the part of the Soviet Union, how do you present your country, abroad? There was no need to present Georgia. I even didn’t think about it, they just presented me as the Georgian film director.

Wikipedia identifies Mikheil Kalatozishvili as a Soviet Film Director, Otar Ioseliani as a Georgian-French Film Director and you – Georgian Film Director Mikheil Kobakhidze. Is it important for you? I don’t really think about it, you know. I am a Georgian by nationality, but it is unclear for me, whether I am a Georgian film director or French.

Our magazine has a section “in search of Georgian wonders”. What’s that for you?

There is a Chinese proverb, a curse, May you live in interesting times... If this means more problems, more chaotic surroundings and changes and one thinks that this is very interesting, I don’t know, it is not easy, of course.

To Georgia

Everyone wants to feel good; none can prefer a chaotic life. And as for peace, I can say I love action, kind of balanced actions.

You’re often compared to Jacques Tati and Buster Keaton. And you talk about this in various interviews as well. What epoch, films, directors impressed you? You know what? I’m impressed with many things, and even you can have an effect on me, right now. I cannot imagine any person, that is not impressed by anything in the world. Many directors have influenced me; it wouldn’t be true if I said I made those films because of Jacques Tati and Buster Keaton; unconsciously, many have influenced me, mostly Kurosawa, Jean Vigo, Godard, Chaplin, but somehow I’m often compared to them, as you mentioned above. The work of Jacques Tati and Buster Keaton is a different cinematography. Comedies of Buster Keaton include gags, many fights, to throw the audience into funny situations and make them feel as participants of the whole play. I don’t use any comic stunts in my films, I don’t use stunts at all, which distinguishes Keaton’s work so much.

I care for images on the screen and I can express everything through images; when you hear music, you don’t feel lack of speech, right? This is the music of images. I do not completely oppose film conversations, of course, vice versa, I’m interested in it and I would like to make a film with conversations for future, but right now, I am still in the same place

Fitting wonders to a nation is a difficult task. Georgians and Georgia are very close to me. I do love my country, but as for wonders, my whole life and existence in general is a kind of wonder for me! Thus, the notion of Georgian wonders to a Georgian film director somehow is unclear for me.

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Do you prefer peace and quietness?

People consider your films allegoric Yes, this is a different thing; really allegoric.

Allegory facilitates protests against anything, right? Especially in a period of false reality, as a method to avoid censorship I didn’t think about avoiding censorship, then. What I did, didn’t refer to politicians, I didn’t humiliate anybody, I was not interested in politics at all, I was interested in human nature, permanent things like love, friendship, happiness, that’s what my films are about.

But these topics could serve as protest during that period, right? Well, to say so, phenomena of the Soviet Union was a hard issue. If you were free and expressed your opinion freely that was already a form of protest for them. They didn’t like it. You had to repeat the things you were told.

I remember the story about your diploma film “8 1/2”. The film included a scene where an offscreen voice asked people: “How are you, people?” And they stretched their arms desperately and shouted, “not so well!”... Yes, and “they” requested that I remove this scene. I tried to put “We are well!” instead of “not so well” but it got worse, as hundreds of people were shouting “We are well!” with the same desperate gesticulation.

And the film was destroyed... Yes, it was, but it’s OK. Fortunately it was for the good. I was able to shoot “Qortsili” (The Wedding) then...

Which is your favourite film from your works? My favourite is the one I haven’t shot yet. Beginning each film is a quest, an endevour, a checking of something; I still haven’t done things I want. I feel my films as a whole; if you compile all my novels together, you will see the way I passed in cinematography.

What do these films, heroes have in common? They are all my films and they are all taken in one vision, method; my films are different from each other, but the vision is the same, they stand on silent plastique.

When people discuss your work, they consider it has a transparent face. What is this universal film language for you - silent, black-and-white, film? I care for the images on the screen and I can express everything through images; when you hear music, you don’t feel a lack of speech, right? This is the music of images. I do not completely oppose film conversations, of course, visa-versa. I’m interested in it and I would like to make a film with conversations in the future, but right now, I am still in the same place.

You have had a 30 year break since the last film, which you shot in France - were you afraid to start it?

No, I was not afraid at all because I have experience. People often ask me about it after so many years of inactivity. I answer that I was 22 years old when I shot my first film, so before that, for 22 years I wasn’t a film director. In 1969, I shot my film “Musicians” and in 2000 “On the Road”. It turns out that I haden’t shot for 30 years before that; so, if I began to work now, we can count 11 years from my last French novel. Time is so cruel, it runs so fast . . .

I saw you in the theater several times. I heard, you’re going to stage something... Well, yes, I plan to make a play. If I have chance to work, maybe I will stage something.

Is this your play? I mean, will you stage your own play? Yes, it will be something strange. The play will depict my working path, what I did, how I worked, etc.

Will you be on stage? No, actors will take part but I don’t know yet, whether this play will be staged or not, hard to say, you know.

As I know, you had part of the funds for your full-length film, right? Polish side has to finance for June. I have Polish producer. French also financed this project. This was very important for me, but couldn’t get through the contest.

It is said that you have created a direction, school in cinematography, school of film miniature, after “Umbrella” and “Wedding” (Qortsili) allegory - form of expression, began to flourish, though masterpieces were not created ever after don’t you think to give lectures? Yes, I did think about it, but there was no offer yet. Let’s see what will be

. It would be great favour for students, so bad… Many things are bad in this life, but unfortunately, there is nothing you can do.

GALLERY

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GALLERY

Karlo Kacharava June

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GALLERY

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To Georgia

GALLERY

June

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GALLERY

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GALLERY

June

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Gourme’t

GEORGIAN CHEESE HOUSE For several reasons the Georgian market “believed”, that there are only four types of cheese available lovally - “Sulguni”, “Imeretian”, “Guda” and so called “Georgian Cheese”, which is also known as the “factory made”. However, the best and the most reliable source - ethnography - still carefully keeps the information about the diversity of the Georgian dairy products. Each region of Georgia has its own unique methods of cheese-making and storing. And it definitely would not be the exaggeration to say, that agricultural traditions are of the same importance as the historical monuments.

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Gourmet’t

GREEN CHEESE (Mildewed Chechili) It is popular among Georgian and Armenian populatons residing in Samtskhe-Javakhe region of Georgia. It is the variety of cheese produced as the regular “Chechili” type butmildewed then carded and salted. This variety is more or less common in Javakhe andmountainous part of Ajara region.This variety is popular both in as dry, well-dried out (in a dried form) as well as in a slightly wet and raw condi/ons kept in jars

BATISTA KHIZABAVRULI It is the parmesan type cheese, with thick crust and well-pressed. Time for maturing for this variety lasts longer (2 years or more, however keeps its piquant taste and pleasant flavor .) This variety is produced from natural and well-fed cow milk raised in Vaios mountainous area (Samtskhe-Javakheti region) at 2200 meters above sea level.

GOAT’S CHEESE It is the variety that is most popular in the regions of Guria and Samegrelo and with production technology resembles Imeretian cheese type. Due to the high content of Calciumand Phosphoric salts in goat’s milk, it has the sweetish taste and pleasant flavor thoseare transferable qualities from milk to cheese. The Goat’s cheese is regarded as the exclusive one (due to the milk shortage) in Georgia and only popular among gourmets.

MENGRELIAN GUDA CHEESE ! “LAGUJISHI” Ihe newly established dairy farming “Hamos” so called “Cheese for capacity to remember” - It is the variety of cheese produced under household conditions from cow’s milk with no rennet added in a sack made of goat’s (rarely of ca0le or horse) skin which is hanged in a barn or places to be exposed enough to sun or fire. On the daily bases, the sack is added both with fatted milk as well as slight mixture of red Mengrelian spices together with paper and salt. The cheese ismatured as the regular Guda type with its form and wider pores. The cheese is decorated with grounded or sliced paper when served.

“HAMO” CHEESE It is the variety of cheese named as the newly established dairy farming “Hamos” so called “Cheese for capacity to remember” - These are balls made of Sulguni cheese (or any other type of crusted cheese) and kept in honey (for unlimited time period) in tall clay jars as well as in specially prepared cheese pits. This variety is only popular in Samegrelo region and it is considered as the gourmet favorite, the recipe of which is not very commonly used therefore regarded as the exclusive type for “Hamos” dairy production line.

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Gourme’t

“CHACHAKVELI” CHEESE It is the Sulguni variety being kept in salted brine for 6 months a er which it is covered by remains of newly picked and squeezed grapes and kept exposed to sun for a while which dries out soon and hardens Sulguni cheese and therefore gives it piquant fiavor and pleasant taste.

WETTED CURD (It is regarded as the universal drugstore among shepherds) This type of curd produced from bu0ermilk and curd is the real family drugstore. Due tothe diverse composition of difierent types of cephalin, lecithin and lycids, it prevents cholesterols to be accumulated in a human body as well as makes any type of fat easily digestible, fights against and capsulate a bacillus of tuberculosis therefore it is mostly favored by shepherds in Georgia.The curd buried in the ground is covered with a cheesemold thatmakes its taste very remarkable. It can be consumed as the regular cheese as well as in dishes (the latter one is more popular), it can be roasted in bu0er together with toasted “crispy” bread!

Present column is prepared on the basis of “Georgian Cheese House” materials.

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CONCEPT STORE

HOME GIFTS VINTAGE

HELPING WITH A MOOD DISORDER

29 Abashidze st Tel: 29 22 31

Ma i l : i nfo @ p ie r r o le fo u .com Facebook : P ier r ot le Fou Plus

Interview

Georgian National Museum info@museum.ge www.museum.ge Facebook/Georgian National Museum

NEW LIFE OF THE

MUSEUM At the end of May the renovated Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia reopened with the exhibition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Archaeological Treasuryâ&#x20AC;?. Specimens of goldsmithery, brought to light as a result of archaeological excavations in Georgia, shed light on the developmental path of Georgian culture from the 3rd millennium BC to the 4th century AD, which preceded Georgian Christian culture. The part of this exhibition was displayed for several years in leading museums of the world, yet the special feature of this exhibition lies in the fact that for the first time since the foundation of the National Museum it jointly displays of specimens of goldsmithery preserved in the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia and the Shalva Amiranashvili Museum of Fine Arts. This helps one to form a better idea of the development of Georgian goldsmithery.

Sculpture of Golden Lion. Tsnori burial mound, Mid-III millennium BC

June

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Special Project

Necklace. Trialeti burial mound, the beginning of the II millennium BC

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To Georgia

Special Project

Miniature Chapel. Second half of the 1st-beginning of the 2nd century AD. Khaishi Treasury.

June

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Special Project

Golden Pin, Bedeni burial mound, Mid-III millennium BC

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To Georgia

Special Project

Diadem with temple-rings. Vani. The 5th century BC.

Special Project

Necklace. Gold. Vani. The 5th century BC.

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To Georgia

Special Project

Necklace. Second half of the 2nd-beginning of the 3rd century AD, Mtskheta

June

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Special Project

Temple-rings. Gold. The 4th century BC. Akhalgori Collection.

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To Georgia

GUIDE

EMBASSY

Fax: (+995 32) 44 73 64

CHINESE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC EMBASSY,

Tbilisi, 37d T. Tabidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 91 49 70, 91 49 71, 91 49 72 Fax: (+995 32) 95 49 78, 91 49 80

Tbilisi, 12a Kipshidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 25 39 61 Fax: (+995 32) 25 11 86

CZECH REPUBLIC - EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 37 Chavchavadze Ave., b. 6 , Tel: (+995 32) 91 67 40, 91 67 41, 91 67 42 Fax: (+995 32) 91 67 44

Estonia - embassy

Tbilisi, 4 Likhauri lane Tel: (+995 32) 36 51 22, Fax: (+995 32) 36 51 38

GREECE REPUBLIC - EMBASSY

IRAN ISLAMIC REPUBLIC EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 80 Chavchavadze Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 91 36 56, 91 36 57, 91 36 58 Fax: (+995 32) 91 36 28

Italian Republic EMBASSY

EU MONITORING MISSION

Tbilisi, 3a Chitadze St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 64 18 Fax: (+995 32) 99 64 15

Federal Republic of Germany - EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 7d Krtsanisi St. Tel: (+995 32) 75 21 11 Fax: (+995 32) 75 21 12

Tbilisi, 49 Krtsanisi Tel: (+995 32) 24 37 18, 24 37 10

Tbilisi, 20 Telavi St. Tel: (+995 32) 44 73 00, Fax: (+995 32) 44 73 64

GREECE REPUBLIC - EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 37d T. Tabidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 91 49 70, 91 49 71, 91 49 72, Fax: (+995 32) 95 49 78, 91 49 80 www.greekembassy.ge

Estonia - embassy

Tbilisi, 4 Likhauri lane Tel: (+995 32) 36 51 22, Fax: (+995 32) 36 51 38

Federal Republic of Germany - EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 20 Telavi St. Tel: (+995 32) 44 73 00,

Japan - embassy

kingdom of the Netherlands - embassy

Tbilisi, 20 Telavi St. Tel: (+995 32) 27 62 00 Fax: (+995 32) 27 62 32

Kingdom of Sweden EMBassy

Tbilisi, 12 T. Tabidze St Tel: (+995 32) 55 03 20 Fax: (+995 32) 25 12 26

Kingdom of Denmark honorary consulate

Tbilisi,7 N.Nikoladze St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 81 15, (+995 77) 74 40 01 Fax: (+995 32) 92 35 33

Kingdom of Belgium honorary consulate

Tbilisi, 24 Kazbegi Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 46 52 00 Fax: (+995 32) 46 52 00

To Georgia

Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 91 26 45 Fax: (+995 32) 91 27 38

REPUBLIC OF FRANCE EMBASSY

SPAIN honorary CONSULATE

Tbilisi, 4 Odessa St. Tel: (+995 32) 24 48 58 Fax: (+995 32) 38 14 06

Tbilisi, 15 Gogebashvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 99 76, 93 42 10 Fax: (+995 32) 95 33 75

lithuania republic embassy

REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY EMBASSY

latvia republic - mbassy

Tbilisi, 25 Abuladze St. Tel: (+995 32) 91 29 33, 25 81 00 Fax: (+995 32) 22 17 93

norway honorary consulate

Tbilisi, 20 Abasheli St. Tel: (+995 32) 29 09 79 Fax: (+995 32) 29 35 53

People’s Republic of China - EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 52 Barnov St. Tel: (+995 32) 25 26 70

Republic of Armenia EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 4 Tetelashvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 95 17 23, 95 94 43 Fax: (+995 32) 96 42 87

Republic of Azerbaijan EMBASSY

Tbilisi, Kipshidze St., q. 2, b. q Tel: (+995 32) 25 35 26, 25 35 27, 25 26 39 Fax: (+995 32) 25 00 13

Republic of Bulgaria embassy

Tbilisi, 61 Agmashenebeli Ave.

Georgian - American restaurant “Vera Steakhouse. 37a Kostava St. Tbilis. www.verasteakhouse.ge

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Tel: (+995 32) 91 01 94, 91 01 95 Fax: (+995 32) 91 02 70

Tbilisi, 83 Lvovi St. Tel: (+995 32) 39 90 08 Fax: (+995 32) 39 90 04

Republic of Kazakhstan embassy

Tbilisi,23 Shatberashvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 76 84 Fax: (+995 32) 29 24 24

Republic of Poland EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 19 Zubalashvili Brothers St. Tel: (+995 32) 92 03 98 Fax: (+995 32) 92 03 97

Republic of Turkey EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 35 Chavchavadze Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 25 20 72 Fax: (+995 32) 22 06 66

Tbilisi, 29 I. Abashidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 35 58 35

State of Israel - EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 61 Agmashenebeli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 95 17 09, 94 27 05 Fax: (+995 32) 95 52 09

Swiss Confederation embassy

Tbilisi, 11 Krtsanisi St. Tel: (+995 32) 75 30 01, 75 30 02 Fax: (+995 32) 75 30 06

UKRAINE - EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 75 Oniashvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 31 11 61 Fax: (+995 32) 31 11 81

united kingdom of GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHern IRELAND - EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 4 Freedom Sq. Tel: (+995 32) 27 47 47 Fax: (+995 32) 27 47 92

USA - EMBASSY

ROMANIA - EMBASSY

Tbilisi, 11 Balanchini St. Tel: (+995 32) 27 70 00 Fax: (+995 32) 27 77 01

RUSSIAN FEDERATION (Russian federation interests section at the Embassy of Switzerland)

Tbilisi, Nutsubidze plateau 2m/d,40 Zhgenti St. Tel: (+995 32) 53 76 01, 53 76 04 Fax: (+995 32) 53 67 04

Tbilisi, 7 Lvov St. Tel: (+995 32) 38 53 10 Fax: (+995 32) 38 52 10

Tbilisi, 51 Chavchavadze

VATICAN (the holy see)

Entering Dzveli Sakhli, you seem to travel in the Old Tbilisi of XIXceturies

GUIDE

Hotels

Rcheuli Villa

Batumi, N. Zhordania str. 31 tel: (+995 32) 72 90 09, (+995 99) 31 69 28, (+995 222) 7 07 07

Rcheuli Marani

Marriott Tbilisi

Telavi, I. Chavchavadze str.154 tel: (+995 32) 72 90 09, (+995 99) 31 69 28, (+995 250) 7 30 30

Courtyard Marriott –

Signagi, Central square tel: (+995 255) 4 30 30

Tbilisi, Rustaveli ave 13 tel: (+995 32) 77 92 00 Tbilsi, Freedom square 4 Tel: (+995 32) 77 91 00 Fax: (+995 32) 77 91 10

Sheraton Metechi Palase

Tbilisi, Telavi str. 20 tel: (+995 32) 77 20 20

Sheraton Batumi

Batumi, Vazha-Pshavela str.2

Radisson blu IVERIA

PIROSMANI

Tetnuldi

Svaneti-Mestia, Margiani str.9

Bagrati

Kutaisi, A.Cereteli 2a tel: (+995 331) 4 75 76

Sport Hotel Gudauri

Gudauri

Carpe Diem

Bread House- Georgian

3 Metekhi slope, Tbilisi

Buffet - Italian Cuisine

Georgian Restaurant Beliashvili St. Tbilisi tel: (+995 95) 43 10 20

31 I. Abashidze St. Tbilisi

Caravan - Literary ArtCafé

10 Purtseladze St. Tbilisi

Chardin 12 Restaurant

Sakura

Tbilisi, 25 Kostava St. Tel: (+995 32) 92 09 50

Tsiskvili

Tbilisi, 22 Metechi St., I fl. Tel: (+995 92) 32 32 32

Dzveli Sakhli –Georgian Restaurant - 3 Sanapiro St. Tbilisi

In the shadow of Metekhi

Georgian Restaurant-29 K. Tsamebuli Ave. Tbilisi tel: (+995 32) 77 93 83

Kala – Café

8/10 Erekle II St. Tbilisi tel: (+995 99) 79 97 37

KGB - Cafe with Soviet Interior

Bakuriani, Didveli (Close to Tatra-puma lift)

14 Chardin St. Tbilisi

Holidey Inn

RESTAURANTS, BARS,CAFES

Restaurants Network - 7 Bambis Rigi St. Tbilisi tel: (+995 32) 30 30 30

Intourist Batumi Palace

Batumi, E.Ninoshvilis str. 11 tel: (+995 222) 7 55 25

Antre

Batonebi - American café 64 Paliashvili st. Tbilisi

Belle De Jour - French

Restaurant- 29 I. Abashidze St. Tbilisi

Bamba rooms

Tbilisi, 12 Bambis rigi Tel: (+995 32) 43 99 77

China Town - Chinese Restaurant

Citadines

Tbilsi, 26 May square1 Tbilisi, Makashvili str.32/34 Tel: 93 14 04

Pur Pur

1 A. Tbileli st. Tbilisi

two Side Party-Club

Tbilisi, 7 Bambis rigi St., reservation: Tel: (+995 32) 30 30 30

10’ A

Tbilsi, Rousen square Tel: (+995 32) 40 22 00 Tbilisi, Freedom square 4 Tel: (+995 32) 54 70 30

Phaeton –

Clubs

on Chardin Street- 12 Chardin St. Tbilisi

Gudauri

PolSport

Old Metekhi

restaurant-7 Gorgasali St. Tbilisi

8/10 King Erekle St. Tbilisi

L’express - French Cafe Maspindzelo - Sakhinkle

Matryoshka – Slavic

cuisine- Hero’s Square, Tbilisi

Missoni – Lounge,

Cocktail Bar - 11 Erekle II St. Tbilisi

Betsy’s hotel is an exquisitely decorated boutique hotel overlooking the center of Tbilisi.Tbilisi Makashvili str.32/34 www.betsyshotel.com

Salve – French cuisine Japanese Restaurant - 29 I. Abashidze St. Tbilisi Georgian Restaurant The Right Bank of the R. Mtkvari. Tbilisi tel: (+995 32) 53 07 97

Two Side

Club-Restaurant - 7 Bambis Rigi St. Tbilisi

Vera Steak House

Beatles CLUB

CITY CLUB

NIGHT CLUBS CLUB 33A

Tbilisi, 76 Chavchavadze Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 22 51 33

why not

American/Georgian Restaurant -37a Kostava St. Tbilisi

Tbilisi, 45 Kostava St. Tel: (+995 91) 68 88 00

Vong

Tbilisi, 12 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 98 38 03, (+995 93) 22 20 60

Asian Restaurant - 29 I. Abashidze St. Tbilisi

Dinning Room 38, Paliashvili Street Tbilisi, Georgia tel: (+995 32) 25 09 00

10 A

Abanotubani, Tbilisi, Georgia tel: (+995 32) 72 00 21

Guru

kalakuri

Tbilisi, 13 Shavteli St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 66 83 Fax: (+995 32) 92 24 96

magti club

Tbilisi, 22 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 90) 21 21 21, (+995 95) 21 21 21

Citadines Freedom Square Tbilisi is the first Apartment Hotel in Georgia. http://www.citadines.com/georgia/tbilisi/freedom_square.html

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GUIDE night flight

Tbilisi, Baratashvili bridge, Mtkvari Right embankment Tel: (+995 32) 92 30 17 Fax: (+995 32) 92 30 16

SAFE

Tbilisi, 11 Rkinis rigi Tel: (77) 22 02 82

THEATERS A. GRIBOEDOV RUSSIAN STATE DRAMA THEATRE

Tbilisi, 2 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 93 58 11, 93 18 40 Fax: (+995 32) 93 31 15

fingers theatre

CINEMA

Tbilisi, 8 Merjanishvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 95 35 82

AMIRANI

G. MICKELADZE STATE TOY THEATRE

Tbilisi, 36 Kostava St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 99 55, Fax: (+995 32) 93 38 71

CACHE - CINEMA CLUB

Tbilisi, 18 Nikoladze St. Tel: (+995 32) 25 05 80

CACHE - CINEMA CLUB

Tbilisi, 9 Kiacheli St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 05 51, (+995 99) 44 08 18

CINEMA HOUSE

Tbilisi, 64 Paliashvili St. Tel: (+995 90) 22 64 64

MOVIE TIME

Tbilisi, 44 Chavchavadze Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 29 25 34, (+995 97) 90 14 94

RUSTAVELI

Tbilisi, 5 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 92 03 57, 92 02 85, Fax: (+995 32) 55 50 00

SAKARTVELO

Tbilisi, 2/9 Guramishvili Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 69 66 47, 69 66 51

Tbilisi,103Agmashenebeli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 95 69 03 Fax: (+995 32) 95 17 13

G. SHAVGULIDZE THEATRE SAKHIOBA

Tbilisi, 64 Guramishvili Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 61 84 26, 61 84 13

INDEPENDENT THEATRE

Tbilisi, 2 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 98 58 21 Fax: (+995 32) 93 31 15

K. MARJANISHVILI STATE ACADEMIC THEATRE

Tbilisi, 8 Marjanishvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 95 35 82 Fax: (+995 32) 95 40 01

kakha bakuradze movement theatre

Tbilisi,182 Agmashenebeli Ave. (Mushtaidi) Tel: (+995 99) 56 87 57

Cocktail Bar - 11 Erekle II St. Tbilisi

142

To Georgia

KONSTANTINE GAMSAKHURDIA SOKHUMI STATE DRAMA THEATRE

Tbilisi, 11a Leonidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 74 27, (+995 99) 57 95 92

M. TUMANISHVILI CINEMA ACTORS THEATRE

Tbilisi,164Agmashenebeli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 35 31 52, 34 28 99, 35 70 13 Fax: (+995 32) 35 01 94

meore sakhli (the second home)

Tbilisi, 60 Agmashenebeli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 95 78 22

music and dramatic state theatre

Tbilisi,182 Agmashenebeli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 34 80 90, 34 79 59 Fax: (+995 32) 34 80 90

nabadi - georgian folklore theatre

Tbilisi, 19 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 98 99 91

nodar dumbadze state children`s theatre

Tbilisi, 99/1Agmashenebeli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 95 50 67, 95 78 74 Fax: (+995 32) 96 32 89

Royal quarter theatre

Tbilisi, 10 Abesadze St. Tel: (+995 32) 92 38 70 Fax: (+995 32) 99 61 71

S. AKHMETELI STATE DRAMATIC THEATRE

Tbilisi, 8 I. Vekua St. Tel: (+995 32) 62 61 97, 62 59 73

SH. RUSTAVELI state THEATRE

Tbilisi, 17 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 93 65 83, 93 18 94 Fax: (+995 32) 99 63 73

SOKHUMI CHILDREN’S THEATRE

Tbilisi, 8 Tetelashvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 96 17 40

TBILISI STATE MARIONETTE THEATRE

Tbilisi, 26 Shavteli St. Tel: (+995 32) 98 65 89, 98 65 93 Fax: (+995 32) 98 65 89

Z. PALIASHVILI TBILISI STATE THEATRE OF OPERA AND BALLET

Tbilisi, 25 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 98 32 48, 98 32 49 Fax: (+995 32) 98 32 48

Batumi Theatre

Batumi, Rustaveli str. 1

Kutaisi Thetre

Kutaisi, Agmashenebeli square 1

GALLERY ART AND ANTIQUE SALON

Tbilisi, 30 Leselidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 92 05 76

ART GALLERY LINE

Tbilisi, 7 Bambis Rigi; 44 Leselidze St.; Airport,

TEATRALURI SARDAPI – RUSTAVELI

“primeclass” CIP lounges

Theatre – veriko

Tbilisi, 10 Chardin St. Tel: (+995 32) 75 45 10, (+995 99) 50 53 02

Tbilisi, 42 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 99 95 00 Tbilisi, 16 Anjaparidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 22 13 38, 99 98 96 Fax: (+995 32) 22 13 38

Tel: (+995 32) 50 85 80 Fax: (+995 32) 50 85 80

BAIA GALLERY

CAMEO

THEATRE OF PANTOMIME

Tbilisi, 11 Rkinis Rigi Tel: (+995 32) 72 48 72, (+995 93) 31 92 66

theatre on atoneli

Tbilisi, 13 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 99 09 25

Tbilisi, 37 Rustaveli Av. Tel: (+995 32) 99 63 14, (+995 77) 41 41 50 Tbilisi, 31 Atoneli St. Tel: (+995 32) 93 32 38

CHARDIN

EVENT GALLERY

Tbilisi, 8/10 Erekle II St. Tel: (+995 32) 93 89 14

A unique and vibrant premier Restaurant & DJ Bar at Tbilisi . Tbilisi , 12 Bambis rigi, www.bambarooms.ge

GUIDE GALA

Tbilisi, 27 Atoneli St. Tel: (+995 32) 93 14 18

GEORGIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM - PICTURE GALLERY

Tbilisi, 11 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 98 48 14

GIA GALLERY

Tbilisi, 9 Griboedov St. Tel: (+995 32) 51 43 87, (+995 99) 46 32 72

GTM Frame

Tbilisi, 10 Abashidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 23 21 07, 14 36 24

HOBBY

Tbilisi, 8 Chanturia St. Tel: (+995 32) 98 98 89, (+995 99) 56 99 71

KARVASLA’S EXHIBITION HALL

ORNAMENT - ENAMEL GALLERY

Tbilisi, 7 Erekle II St. Tel: (+995 32) 93 64 12 Fax: (+995 32) 98 90 13

PHOKANI - GALLERY OF PHOKA ST. NINO NUNNERY

Tbilisi, 7 Bambis rigi Tel: (+995 32) 43 90 47, (+995 99) 97 60 51

RUSTAVELI 34

Tbilisi, 34 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 99) 73 17 30

RUSUDAN PETVIASHVILI`S GALLERY

Tbilisi, 103 Agmashenebeli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 95 28 20, (+995 99) 50 20 80 Fax: (+995 32) 95 17 13

TEVDORE

Tbilisi, 8 Sioni St. Tel: (+995 32) 92 32 27

Tbilisi, 6 Erekle II St. Tel: (+995 32) 98 98 56

KOPALA

VERNISAGE

Tbilisi, 7 Zubalashvilebi St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 99 02 Fax: (+995 32) 99 99 02

Tbilisi, 17/6 Agmashenebeli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 91 00 24

LA MAISON BLEUE - TEXTILE ART STUDIO

museums

Tbilisi, 94 Barnov St. Tel: (+995 32) 23 21 16, (+995 93) 30 70 29

M GALLERY

Tbilisi, 11 Taktakishvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 25 23 34

MARCO

Tbilisi, 30/2 Leselidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 88 72, (+995 97) 74 33 00

MODERN ART GALLERY

Tbilisi, 3 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 98 21 33 Fax: (+995 32) 98 21 33

N GALLERY AND SANDRO ANTADZE

Tbilisi, 15 G. Akhvlediani St. Tel: (+995 32) 92 00 53, (+995 99) 90 33 09

NEWKAZ - TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

Tbilisi, 5 Janashia St. Tel: (+995 32) 23 37 56, (+995 99) 51 68 42 Fax: (+995 32) 23 37 56

144

To Georgia

Animation Toy`s Museum

Tbilisi, 23 Amagleba St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 57 88

Archaeological Museum

Tbilisi, Agmashenebeli Alley Tel: (+995 32) 52 13 05

Cinema Historical Museum

Tbilisi, 88 I. Javakhishvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 34 74 79, 91 01 92

D. Baazov Georgian Jewish Historical Ethnographical Museum

Tbilisi,3Anton Catholicos St. Tel: (+995 32) 98 59 92, 98 90 62

Dendrologic Museum (BOTANIC GARDEN

Tbilisi, 1 Botanikuri St. Tel: (+995 32) 72 11 85 Fax: (+995 32) 72 34 09

E. Akhvlediani HouseMuseum

Money Museum

Z.Paliashvili HouseMuseum

Tbilisi, 12 Kiacheli St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 74 12

Tbilisi, 3/5 Leonidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 44 24 05, 44 24 06

Tbilisi, 10 Bakradze St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 81 16

Folk and Applied Arts Museum

Niko Pirosmanashvili State Museum

The National Center of Manuscripts,

Tbilisi, 28 Sh. Dadiani St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 97 22, 99 61 52

George Chitaia The Open Air Ethnographical Museum

Tbilisi, Kus tba highway 1 Tel: (+995 32) 72 90 46

Georgian Folk Songs and Instruments’ Museu

Tbilisi, 6 Samgebro St. Tel: (+995 32) 45 77 20, 45 77 21

Georgian National Museum

Tbilisi, 3 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 99 71 76, 98 48 11 Fax: (+995 32) 98 21 33

Georgian National Museum-Picture Gallery

Tbilisi, 11 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 98 48 14

Tbilisi, 29 Pirosmani St. Tel: (+995 32) 95 86 73

Sh.Amiranashvili State Museum of Arts

Tbilisi, 1 Gudiashvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 99 09 Fax: (+995 32) 98 21 33

Sh.Rustaveli Academic Theatre’s Museum

Tbilisi, 17 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 98 40 51

Simon Janashia Georgian Museum

Tbilisi, 3 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 99 80 22 Fax: (+995 32) 98 21 33

Soviet Occupation Museum

Tbilisi, 3 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 99 80 22 Fax: (+995 32) 34 86 51

State Museum of Theatre, Museum and Cinema

Georgian Olympic Museum

Tbilisi, 6 Kargareteli St. Tel: (+995 32) 95 19 00, 95 86 98

I.Chavchavadze HouseMuseum

6 Tsabadze St. Tel: (+995 32) 34 09 67, 34 09 63 Fax: (+995 32) 34 09 67

Tbilisi, 2 Dolidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 36 57 23, 36 57 20

Tbilisi, 22 Chubinashvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 95 02 60

K.Marjanishvili State Academic Theatre’s Museum

Tbilisi, 8 Marjanishvili St. Tel: (+995 32) 94 00 76

State Silk Museum Tbilisi

Tbilisi Z.Paliashvili Opera and Ballet State Theatre’s

Museum Tbilisi, 25 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: (+995 32) 93 37 43

Toy’s Museum

Minerals Museum

Tbilisi, 17 Shavteli St. Tel: (+995 32) 99 53 37, 99 65 11

Mirza Fatali Akhundov Azerbaijanian Culture Museum

Vakhtang Chabukiani Museum

Tbilisi, 27/1 Leselidze St. Tel: (+995 32) 98 92 89

Tbilisi, 17 Gorgasali St. Tel: (+995 32) 72 15 71, 75 35 30

Tbilisi, 83/23 Agmashenebeli St. Tel: (+995 32) 95 19 63 Fax: (+995 32) 23 70 25

1/3, M. Alexidze. Georgia,Tbilisi Tel.(+995 32) 36 41 85 Fax:(+995 32) 36 32 41 www. manuscript.ge

CLOISONNĂ&#x2030; ENAMEL MOSAIC Ceramics

Bambis rigi 7 Tel: +995 91 409 864 / Rustaveli Ave. 26 Tel: +995 91 409 854 / Chavchavadze Ave.23 Tel: +995 91 409 863

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Gonio fortress - Roman city within Colchis

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Niko Nikoladze