Ambrolauri

Ambrolauri (Georgian ამბროლაური ) is the capital of the Georgian region of Racha - Letschchumi and Niederswanetien and as the administrative center of the homonymous municipality Ambrolauri. It has about 2,400 inhabitants ( 2009).

Location

The place is located in the north-central part of Georgia approximately 160 line kilometers northwest of the capital Tbilisi and about 40 kilometers south of the main ridge of the Greater Caucasus and the Russian border mainly on the left bank of the Rioni, in there flows the river Krichula. A few kilometers rioniaufwärts towards Oni the valley narrows, as it is located down river widened and used because of its sheltered climate for wine growing, where the red wine in the successor states of the Soviet Union popular red wine Chwantschkara is produced, which is also reflected in the design of Coat of Arms. The eponymous village Chwantschkara is a good twelve kilometers west ( downstream ) of Ambrolauri.

History

Situated in the historic landscape Ratscha place is known since the 17th century, when there was one of the residences of the kings of Imereti. 1769 gave the third to last imeretische King Solomon I. the place the Prince Zurab Matschabeli.

1810 Ambrolauri came to Russia and later belonged to Ujesd Ratscha the governorate Kutais.

In the Soviet period the city was given the status of an urban-type settlement and 1966, the city rights. On 29 April 1991 Ambrolauri from severe in this part of the Caucasus ever recorded earthquake ( 7.0 on the Richter scale; MSK IX) was partially destroyed.

Note: 1959-2002 census data, in 2009 calculation

Culture and sights

From the imeretischen royal residence ruins of a church and a tower have been preserved. The town has an art museum and a theater.

Economy and infrastructure

In Ambrolauri there are companies in the food industry (wine, juice, canned food).

To the south is road link towards Tkibuli and on to central Georgia. The road crosses over the 1218 m high Nakerala Pass the there 1,500 to 2,000 m high Racha - comb (Georgian Ratschis kedi ). In by road 42 km (air line 25 km) away Tkibuli is also the nearest railway station. In Ambrolauri the road crosses the Rioni and there are connections to the river on its right side from the Russian border down over Oni to Kutaisi following Ossetian Military Highway.