Kutaisi

 

(kūtəē'sē) , city (1989 pop. 234,870), W Georgia, on the Rion River. Georgia's second largest city, it has industries producing trucks, mining and transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, and food products. Industry is aided by a large hydroelectric station on the Rion. Kutaisi was the capital of ancient Colchis (8th cent. B.C.), and the capital of Imeritia in the 13th, 15th, and 16th cent. A.D. It was taken by the Russians in 1810. There is some notable medieval architecture, including the ruins of the 11th-century St. George Cathedral.

Kutaisi ქუთაისი
Location in Georgia
Flag	Coat of arms
Basic information
Area	70.0 km²
Population	185,965 (2002 est.)
Time zone	GMT +4
Location	42°15′N, 42°42′E
Government
Country :	Georgia
Region	Imereti
Mayor :	Nugzar Shamugia

Kutaisi (Georgian: ქუთაისი; ancient names: Aea/Aia, Kutatisi, Kutaïssi) is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.

Geography

Kutaisi is located along both banks of the Rioni River. The city lies at an elevation of 125-300 meters (410-984 feet) above sea level. To the east and north-east, Kutaisi is bounded by the Northern Imereti Foothills, to the north by the Samgurali Range, and to the west and the south by the Colchis Plain.

Climate

The climate in Kutaisi is humid subtropical with a well-defined on-shore/monsoonal flow (characteristic of the Colchis Plain) during the Autumn and Winter months. The summers are generally hot and relatively dry while the winters are wet and cool. Average annual temperature in the city is 14.5 degrees Celsius. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 5.2 degrees Celsius while July is the hottest month with an average temperature of 23.2 degrees Celsius. The absolute minimum recorded temperature is -17 degrees Celsius and the absolute maximum is 44 degrees Celsius. Average annual precipitation is around 1530mm (60.2 inches). Rain may fall in every season of the year. The city often experiences heavy, wet snowfall (snowfall of 30cm/12 inches or more per single snowstorm is not uncommon) in the winter, but the snow cover usually does not last for more than a week. Kutaisi experiences powerful easterly winds in the summer which descend from the nearby mountains.

Landscape

Kutaisi is surrounded by deciduous forests to the northeast and the northwest. The low-lying outskirts of the city have a largely agricultural landscape. Because of the many gardens in the city centre and the high leafy trees alongside the sidewalks of its streets and boulevards, Kutaisi is painted in bright green in the spring and in yellow-red in the autumn. In the springtime, when the snow starts to melt in the nearby mountains, the storming Rioni River in the middle of the city is heard far beyond its banks.

History/Background

Kutaisi was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Colchis. Archeological evidence indicates that the city functioned as the capital of the kingdom of Colchis as early as the second millennium BC. It is widely believed by historians that when Apollonius Rhodius was writing about Jason and the Argonauts and their legendary journey to Colchis, Kutaisi/Aia was the final destination of the Argonauts and the residence of King Aeetes. In 975-1122 Kutaisi was the capital of the united Kingdom of Georgia, and in the 15th century-1810 the capital of the Imeretian Kingdom. In 1810 the Imeretian Kingdom was occupied by Tsarist Russia. Before Georgia's independence in 1991, followed by the country's economic collapse, Kutaisi was a major industrial center. Today, many inhabitants of the city have to leave and work abroad in order to make a living. Small-scale trade prevails among the rest of population.

Education and Science

Kutaisi is one of the most important educational and scientifical centers in Georgia, hosting the Gelati Academy of Sciences which was established in the 12th century by King David IV. Here is also one of the most important educational centers in modern Akaki Tsereteli State University Georgia, established in 1930. Beside these two, there are many kinds of universities, institutes, colleges and schools in Kutaisi.

Culture

Kutaisi has big and one of the anciest cultural traditions. Here are the list of the cultural centers in Kutaisi.

Museums, Archive, Library, Gallery, Art Salon:
1. Kutaisi State Historical Museum
2. Kutaisi Museum of Sport
3. Kutaisi Museum of Martial Art
4. Museum of Zakaria Paliashvili
5. Kutaisi State Historical Archive
6. Kutaisi State Scientific-Universal Library
7. David Kakabadze Fine Art Gallery
8. Art Salon

Theatres, Cinema and Entertaining Center:
1. Kutaisi Lado Meskhishvili State Academic Theatre
2. Kutaisi Meliton Balanchivadze State Opera House
3. Kutaisi Iakob Gogebashvili State Puppet Theatre
4. Cinema and Entertaining Center “Suliko”

Professional Unions and Public Organizations:
1. Georgian Writers’ Union
2. Georgian Painters’ Union
3. Folk Palace

Media:
Local Newspapers: “Kutaisi”, “Imeretis Moabe”, “PS”, “Akhali Gazeti”, "Kutaisuri Versia", "Chveneburebi" (Journal); Scientific Journal “Gantiadi”.
TV: "Rioni"; Radio: "Dzveli Kalaki" (old City)

P. S. Also all the republican newspapers, journals and televisions have their representations in Kutaisi.

Sport

Kutaisi has a lot of traditions in sports. It has many famous sport clubs. For example: FC Torpedo Kutaisi which participated in the highest league of the Soviet Union in football. After the independence it won many domestic and international titles. RC AIA Kutaisi won the Soviet Championship several times in Rugby and after the independence National Championships and Cups. Kutaisi also had a famous basketball club. Many famous Georgian athletes grew up here.

Landmarks

The landmark of the city is the ruined Bagrati Cathedral, built by Bagrat III, king of Georgia, in the early 11th century. The Bagrati Cathedral, and the Gelati Monastery a few km east of the city, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One of the famous churches in Georgia is Motsameta Church. It is named after of two saint persons David and Constantine. They were the Dukes of Margveti and they were tortured by Arabs in the VIII century. Besides the churches, there are many interesesting places in Kutaisi, such as: Sataplia Cave, where you can see footprints of the Dinosaur. Geguti Palace, which was one of the residences of the Georgian Kings, "Okros Chardakhi" – Georgian Kings’ Palace, Pantheon, where many famous peoples are barried and etc.

Famous People Born in Kutaisi

Aeetes - King of kingdom of Colchis
Bagrat III - King of united Kingdom of Georgia in 975-1014
Giorgi I - King of united Kingdom of Georgia in 1014-1027
Bagrat IV - King of united Kingdom of Georgia in 1027-1072
Giorgi II - King of united Kingdom of Georgia in 1072-1089
David IV - King of united Kingdom of Georgia in 1089-1125
Revaz Gabriadze - Cinematografiste, Writer, Director, Production Designer
Niko Nikoladze - Georgian Public Figure
Zakaria Paliashvili - Georgian Composer
Meliton Balanchivadze - Georgian Composer
Veriko Anjaparidze - Georgian Actress
Akaki Vasadze - Georgian Actor
Iakob Nikoladze - Georgian Sculptor, the author of the previous state flag of Georgia.
David Kakabadze - Georgian Painter
Władysław Raczkiewicz (1885-1947) - First president of the Polish government-in-exile, 1939-1947.
Zurab Sakandelidze - Georgian basketball player, Olympic Champion
Mikheil Korkiya - Georgian basketball player, Olympic Champion
David Khakhaleishvili - Olympic Champion in Wrestling
Teimuraz Apkhazava - World and European Champion in Wrestling
Revaz Dzodzuashvili - Georgian football player, winner of the Bronze Medal of the World Cup 1966
Otar Korkiya - Georgian basketball player, European Champions' Cup champion and Olympic silver medalist
Katie Melua - singer

Sister cities

City	Country
Columbia, Missouri	United States
Newport	United Kingdom
Gelsenkirchen	Germany
Vitoria-Gasteiz	Spain
Nikaia	Greece
Tula	Russia
Plovdiv	Bulgaria
Ashqelon	Israel
Rasht	Iran
Samsun	Turkey
Ganja	Azerbaijan
Gyumri	Armenia
Tianjin	People's Republic of China
Xinhua	People's Republic of China
Lyon	France
Monterey	France
Bayonne	France
Donetsk	Ukraine
Kharkiv	Ukraine
Lviv	Ukraine

Gallery

Kutaisi in 1870

See also

• Colchis
• Imereti
• Georgia
• History of Georgia
• Culture of Georgia

External links

• http://www.kutaisi.com.ge/
• http://www.kutaisi.org/
• http://www.nkta.org/
• http://www.kutaisi.ucoz.com/

Coordinates: 42°15′N, 42°42′E

	Historic capitals of Georgia
Mtskheta · Tbilisi · Kutaisi

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