Telavi

Telavi ( Georgia თელავი ) is a city in the Kakheti region of Georgia. She is primarily known for viticulture and has 21,800 inhabitants ( 2003). Telavi is the administrative center of the municipality of the same name.

Geography

Telavi is located approximately 70 kilometers east of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, and is the capital of Kakheti region. Telavi is on the river Alazani at the feet of the mountain Ziwi in the Caucasus.

History

Telavi was first in the 2nd century by the Greek geographer Ptolemy on the world map Geographike Hyphegesis (Latin also Explicatio Geographic, "Geographical Guide") mentioned as Teleda. The name derives from the Georgian word Tela and means on German elm.

Under the rule Kwirike the Great, the city in the 9th century it became the capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti - Heretien. The Silk Road brought people and goods. In the 12th century Telavi became the commercial center of Georgia. King Archil II made the city the capital of Kakheti, built a palace and a fortress. Today the Telavi is a center of Georgian viticulture and home to many wineries.

Culture and Science

In the south of the city, the State University James is Gogebashvili Telavi. It was founded in 1999 and teaches as humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and medicine mainly oenology. Precursor was the Pedagogical Institute was founded in 1939. In 2006, she had 2,241 enrolled students and 225 professors and academic staff.

The Georgian Technical University operates a branch in Telavi.

Attractions

• The facades of many buildings in downtown Telawis be rehabilitated since 2012 by the government at great expense or redesigned, sometimes building to be rebuilt. The redesign takes place in a historical style, in the above, the remote small town about 50 kilometers Sighnagi has been redesigned. Even the striking high-rise of the former Hotel Intourist, which was longer inhabited by refugees from Abkhazia and then stood empty, completely renovated.

• In the city center, an equestrian monument reminiscent of King Irakli II, who ruled from 1744 to 1798 Kakheti. Not far from the monument is the oldest tree in Georgia. It is a 900 year old sycamore tree which is 46 meters high and the Crown measures 36 meters. In the vernacular it is called Chadari.

• The royal residence has been preserved until today. Its architecture shows Persian influences which stem from the period of occupation by the southern neighbor. The fortress Batoni (Georgian Batoni Ziche ) with battlements and watchtowers dating back to the Middle Ages. It now houses a gallery and a historical- ethnographic museum.

• Near Telavi is the former Academy of Ikalto, which was founded in the 6th century as a monastery. She was a stronghold of the Georgian science. Legend has studied the Georgian national poet Shota Rustaveli. Are located close to the fortress Gremi, kachetische a royal residence from the 16th century, and the house of the poet Alexander Chavchavadze, which is now a museum.

• The Alaverdi Monastery ( about 15 km from Telavi ) is one of the most famous churches in Georgia. Particularly striking acts against the background of snowy mountains (up to 3,500 m) of the Greater Caucasus.

• The museum developed Tsinandali winery is located in the same, somewhat remote area. It was built by Alexandre Chavchavadze, an officer of the tsarist empire and important Georgian poet in 1886. Impressive is the local collection some centuries old wines. The winery is also the birthplace of the wine Tsinandali

Sports

In the city of Kakheti Telavi FC is established.

Twinning

Telavi maintains with the following cities twinned:

• Biberach an der Riss ( Germany ), since 1987
• Napa Valley (USA), since 1987

After the music school was burned down shortly after its completion Ranked # 1 in Telavi, the twinning association Biberach, Biberach the city, the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ ) and the Biberach University helped with the reconstruction.