Tourist Attractions & Monuments Georgia

Simoné knows France well; he came several times in Burgundy with his polyphonic group. In his beautiful typically kakhétienne house, he organized a small workshop where one can come and taste local traditions. For some lari, one can join a soupra (banquet) in a traditional building, taste homemade wine, understand the functioning of the craft, observe the manufacture of the pandouri, lute Georgian. Simoné receives the guests in tchokha, traditional suit, he sings with his family. It's an excellent tamada. A good opportunity to spend a moment in a kakhétienne family; The garden is nice and it is nice to spend the afternoon. Simoné speaks French fluently, do not hesitate to contact him in advance to organize a visit. Gia and Simoné know each other well, they can send you from one to the other.

Visit the little church of Antioch at the end of the street at the right of Svétitskhovéli. It is incredibly small, but is superbly located on the rivers, opposite Djvari - always ubiquitous in the landscape. This little church dates back to the 2000 th century, but it was only a ruin until, where it was almost completely redone.

One of the relics of the past, interesting to see, even more panoramic seen on the other side of the Aragvi than close: the fortress of Mtskhéta, dating from the th century. It's half in ruins, you can climb it easily.

This small monastery of the th century is one of the most beautiful of Imérétie, if you do not count the two flagship sites of the Koutaïssi region. It has a little common look for a Georgian complex; it would even resemble a fortified monastery of the high Middle Ages. Georgian churches and monasteries are often carved stone or brick, Oubissa is a rare case constructed of apparent round stones - which gives it the airs village air. Black grey tones of stones are also unusual. The monastery consists of three buildings included in the fortified enclosure, whose size reports combine nicely with a very special silhouette. The covered porch is particularly large and has itself the shape of a small church. Next, the little basilica of the th century.

Its interior is particularly valuable: it has a wall cycle of the th century. The masterpieces of the round are the Supper and the Nativity. The cycle was conducted by the artist Damiane. There is a great influence on the Was Byzantine school. The third building is a four-storey tower dating back to 1141, which was the residence of the Dean of the monastery. The whole is very sophisticated and slender, despite a chivalric appearance due to the fortification and color of the stones. The monks of Oubissa seem particularly modern: they use a solar panel! Besides this, they sell delicious honey and very well reputed, do not hesitate to buy it.

In the region of Sénaki it is a beautiful excursion in the deep Mingrélie. It is located at the top of the mingréliens foothills, at the foot of the Caucasus, in a magnificent landscape. The monastery dates from the end of the th century; The Church of the Virgin dates from the th century, but its current structure comes from the fourteenth century. This is one of the most important sanctuaries in West Georgia, after Guélati. Martvili was the episcopal chair of the Georgian Orthodox Church until the Russian conquest. There were also buried monarchs of the Middle Ages. The frescoes of the th and th centuries covered the whole church; some of them are retained; they represent kings, nobles and donors alongside traditional iconography.

Recently, the monks revived the complex, asphaltant the road, build dependencies, stairs, ramps, by even partially restoring the church and its esplanade, to the detriment of historical authenticity.

The monastery is located on the hill above the small town of Martvili, very well connected by marchroutka in Koutaïssi and Zugdidi. You can walk on foot (1,5 km). Magnificent views at the summit.

On the left bank of the Kura in Issani (after Avlabari to the east), is the monstrous and eccentric palace of Marriages which was the office of civil ceremonies in Soviet times. It is omnipresent in the landscape in this part of the city, on both sides of the Kura. It was completed in 1984, incorporating vaguely the silhouette of a church. In the 1990 s, he was sold to the sulfureux Sulfureux Sulfureux Billionaire, who was deceased, who made his residence in Georgia. Since 2009, the palace has become a municipal office for weddings.

In the descent of the pass, one passes next to a very visible source ferrugineuse (left side of the road), which forms curious orange retro. The volcanic area is full of hot and mineral springs.

In the village of Sioni is a very iconic basilica of the th century, beautifully perched on its hill, keeping the whole valley.

The park has its entrance at the exit of Bordjomi towards Akhaltsikhé, shortly after the Marchroutkas station and the market on the left. It extends to the east of the city. This is where information on routes and shelters can be obtained. You can buy brochures, maps and maps. On the premises of the office is also an interesting small museum of the fauna and flora to visit (explanations in Russian and English). A book for sale will serve as a guide (5 lari).

At the time of writing, the centre of the park was undergoing renovation, and had temporary offices in Bordjomi, on the wharf of Kura street Roustavéli, at the crossing of Kostava Street crossing the river to the thermal park. 

Can help organize circuits in the park. 

This kartlien village (not to be confused with its namesake of Djavakhétie), beautifully situated on the foothills of the Chaîne chain, at the foot of arid hills, has several interesting monuments.

Just above the village, the small chapel of Pavnissi, with remarkable green stones (th - th centuries).

Two kilometres above the village is the magnificent, imposing church of Ertatsminda dating back to the th and th centuries.

After Akhalkalaki, towards the west, lies the small (adjoining) village of Garikhoula, where a manor house built in the th century by a Polish architect is located. Artists from the Academy of the Arts in Tbilisi have elected them, and there is a regular visit to «Art Villa Garikhoula» of artistic Events, festivals and meetings.

For more information on these festivals, visit www.garikula.org