Mtskheta – Mtianeti

It is best to start talking about  Mtskheta-Mtianeti  from the city of Mtskheta, considered  to be established by the eponymous founder Mtskhetos, son of legendary King Kartlos. The city built at the place where the rivers Mtkvari and Aragvi flow  […]

It is best to start talking about  Mtskheta-Mtianeti  from the city of Mtskheta, considered  to be established by the eponymous founder Mtskhetos, son of legendary King Kartlos. The city built at the place where the rivers Mtkvari and Aragvi flow  into each other , is a museum town protected by  UNESCO.

Mtskheta was usually passed by kings, ambassadors, or envoys, caravans and merchants,  travelers and historians going from North Caucasus to the south. Peculiar, fascinating beauty of Mtskheta:Kartli nmountains , reaching the sky , the river Mtkvari  winding as a silver belt, the river Aragvi flowing with  the roaring emerald color waves and a piece of land spreading  in a triangle form between the two rivers charmed Greeks, Roman, Jewish, Arab or Chinese guests, commanders or warriors.

Mtskheta has long been a spiritual center of Georgia and there were idols of Armazi, Zadeni, Gatsi and etc.  The city and its surroundings are naturally rich  in architectural monuments and archeological materials. There are located more than 200 architectural monuments and its region.

Svetitskhoveli  , the patriarchal cathedral of Mtskheta occupies a central place among these  monuments .  The cathedral  differs not only in its artistic value , magnificence and harmony , but in the special role  it has played in the history of Georgia. The period  of the cathedral construction commencement  (the beginning of the 11th C.) coincided with the most difficult and interesting epoch  in the history of Georgia .  Catholikos Melkisedek I constructed  the temple by means of endowments received from Byzantium Empire. Nowadays , Svetitskhoveli saves lots of religious shrines such as : the tunic of Christ,  peace of Cross on which  Jesus was crucified, the remain of Andrew the First Called  and graves of Georgian kings and queens.

Its interesting to know that some sepulchers discovered  in Mtskheta that belong  to the 2nd and 3rd C. The  bodies in the graves  are buried  in accordance with Christian rules , but it is acknowledged  that Kartli was converted to Christianity in 337.

In front of Mtskheta directly up on the hill located Jvari Monastery, completed in the 7th C. the place was  chosen not accidently . Before  there was set Armazi idol, when Georgian were converted to Chrisitianity by St. Nino the idol was destroyed  and a big cross a symbol of new religion was erected on it place. Jvari monastery is of the most eminent monuments of Georgian architecture  as if it was the first example of domed  roof architecture . Today , Jvari monastery is under UNESCO protection.

 

MTIULETI

Zhinvali Water Reservoir  has replaced  the gorge of Aragvi River. Several sites of ancient villages  are under  the surface of the reservoir.  The construction of Zhinvali  reservoir was finished in 1985. In addition to its hydroelectric  function, the reservoir supplies the greater part of Tbilisi with drinking water.

Mtiuleti, the land of mountainous people, begins at this very place.  The powerful Dukes of Aragvi were always eager to conquer the region and bend it to their will. Sometimes they even succeed  in their attempts. The road passing through Ananuri and the whole Mtiuleti runs parallel to the gorge of Tetri Aragvi Rive – White Aragvi. From the village of Mleta it turns into a serpentine road giddy height and descends to the North Caucasus through the pass of Jvari. It called the “Georgian Military Highway”. The read received this name when in the 19^th C. Russian troops ,using  the road invaded Georgia to stay in the country  for two long centuries.

Another pearl of Mtiuleti is the steep gorge of Khada together  with its villages of towers. Almost no roads exits in the gorge. Sometimes there appear tracks  leading to the ski resort of Gudauri that is divided from the gorge by a pass with an observation tower.

In 1980  , it was decided to built a ski resort in the unremarkable small village Gudauri (2000m). Guduri is situated along Georgian Military Highway. The local infrastructure  developed rapidly there.  This place became the most popular winter resort in Georgia due to its perfect skiing routes.

On the opposite side of Gudauri there is a small basilica  on the top of a slope towering above the village of Mleta: Lomisa is the main prayer  house of the Mtiulians. It is situated on the mountain pass acting as a watershed for the Ksani and Aragvi Rivers at 2,400 m above the sea level. Pilgrims also come from the gorge  of the Ksani River situated  on the other side of mountain ridge. People feast on the ridge  near the church. Many even stay overnight.

If one gets deeper into the  Tetri Aragvi Gorge, goes upwards and leaves behind the grasslands,  he will  find himself in an absolutely unique place: Mepiskalo Volcanic Plateau is spread with lakes of different sizes. This completely wild area is a kingdom of bears and chamois. Here begins an only slightly visible path crossing  the volcanic deposit .It leads up to Keli Lake. Situated at 3,000 m above the sea level. The depth of the lake which is mostly covered with ice is 65m.  This is one among the most interesting routes in Georgia and unfortunately it has turned into a dangerous one.

KHEVI

The Holy Trinity Church,  built in the 1430’s, it’s a true symbol  of Khevi. It is the main prayer house of the region. Khevi flags were formerly kelp in the temple. They were brought out only for religious days and during wartime. For many centuries , Trinity Church  was the storehouse and also a hiding place for the treasury of Mtskheta. One of the holiest relics for Georgian Christians – the Cross of St.Nino , had been kept for a long period of time.

The Gorgian the word “khevi” means gorge . Stepantsminda  townlet is the center of this region. In the soviet time  it was renamed Kazbegi. At the beginning of Sno, Gorge used to be two Khevsurian villages – these Khevsurians are a Georgian mountainous tribe settled eastward of the Mokhevians. Juta is one of the preserved villages . It is situated  under the massif of Chaukhi, at 2,200m  above the sea level.

Mokhevians are the only Georgian people living exclusively in the North Caucasus. Dariali Gorge, a deep and beautiful canyon cut by the Terek River north of Kazbegi, is the most important route in the  nCaucasus connecting  Georgia with the peoples of the North  Caucasus and Russia. The name “Dari-Ali” means “Door to Ossetia”. The narrow gorge served the whole Caucasus as a getaway and strategic  location.

Mokhevians  never had a feudal lord obeyed only their charismatic religious leaders who automatically turned into commanders when a war was launched. The same leaders used to fulfill the functions of a court and occupied themselves with moral issues of their tribe.

Makhevians were good sheep breeders and warriors. They called God simply “The Creator of Sheep”. They fought  with each other and their neighbours mostly about grasslands for their sheep.

Stepantsminda region is one of the most beautiful parts of Georgia. Even in 19^th C., the Georgian Military Highway crossing through Khevi was the main route connecting Georgia not only with Russia but also Europe. Many world-famous writers who found themselves in this part of the world after the stepped of the North described  the unforgettable impression left by the mount, always covered with snow  and its surrounding areas.

It is hard to forget Khevi: sullen  landscape, the Mkinvartsveri and Tchaukhi rock mass, together with Truso Gorge, rich in acid springs and lakes, medieval towers that may have  witnessed too  much, silent sites of ancient villages, wilderness and the happiness caused by sudden meeting of wilding and birds. Mokhevians are people  of interesting  history and traditions.

PSHAVI

In old times , Pshavi together with Piraketa Khevsureti, Southern Khevsri, was known as Pkhovi. Pkhovi was a land  of tree and rebellious mountainous people. Historical information  about this part of the world is rather rare. All of the existing data is mainly connected to  uprising against attempts to convert  the locals to Christianity.

The geography of Pshavian and Khevsurian myths is rather specific. The ancient land of Pskhovi  had been a battlefield of the Son of God and evil  ogres sent  to save men from the demons. Kviria,Kopala,  Lakshar and Pirkushi  are among the names of the names of the so-called Sons of God.

In Pshavi , all smaller stone-made prayer houses are considered to be the terrestrial adobes of the Sons of God. These houses of worship are surrounded  with forests. Woods are regarded as taboo and sacred territories where no one has the right to cut trees.

The Icon’s Days are often held at the prayer  houses. The Pshavians sacrifice cattle for slaughter  to icons asking for their grace.

There has never been a feudal lord ruling in these mountainous land. The Sons of God, the icons, were the patrons of the people living there . And the people were the serfs of the icons.

Pshavi is the motherhome  for the famous Georgian writer, Vazha Pshavela.  His literary and journalistic heritage has been one of the favorite readings of the Georgians for it has not grown state ever since.

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