Pitsunda

Pitsunda Пиҵунда (Abkhaz) ბიჭვინთა (Georgian) Bichvinta
—  Town  —
The view of Caucasus mountains from Pitsunda cape.
Pitsunda Location of Pitsunda in Abkhazia
Coordinates: 43°10′N 40°20′E / 43.167°N 40.333°E / 43.167; 40.333Coordinates: 43°10′N 40°20′E / 43.167°N 40.333°E / 43.167; 40.333
Country	Abkhazia[note 1]
District	Gagra
Government
• Mayor	Beslan Ardzinba
• Deputy Mayor	Beslan Smyr[1]
Website	http://www.pitsunda-ab.ru/

Pitsunda (Abkhaz: Пиҵунда, Georgian: ბიჭვინთა, Bichvinta; Russian: Пицунда) is a resort town in Gagra district of Abkhazia^{[note 1]}.

The town was founded by the Greeks in the 5th century BC as a trade colony Pityus (Ancient Greek: Pityus, Πιτυοῦς, genitive Pityuntos, Πιτυοῦντος) or Pitiunt.^[2] Excavations guided by Andria Apakidze unearthed remains of three 4th-century churches and a bath with superb mosaic floors. The former "Great Pityus" harbour is now a mere lake within the town. Saint John Chrysostom was exiled there and died near the shore in 407.^[2] Like Dioskurias, remained under Roman control within the Diocese of Pontus until the 7th century. The city passed under Abasgian control and became one of the major political and religious centres of the kingdom of Egrisi (Lazica). An archbishopric of Pitiunt was instituted in 541. In medieval Georgia, the town's name was spelled as Bichvinta. At the end of the 10th century, King Bagrat III of Georgia built there the Pitsunda Cathedral which survives to this day and contains vestiges of wall-painting from the 13th and the 16th centuries. Bichvinta also served as the seat of the Georgian Orthodox Catholicate of Abkhazia until the late 16th century when Abkhazia came under the Ottoman hegemony. It is still a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church.^[2] In the late 13th century, the area housed a short-lived Genoese trade colony called Pezonda.

Pitsunda was the favourite resort of Soviet President Nikita Khrushchev. In October 1964 he happened to be vacationing in Pitsunda when he was deposed from power. Khrushev once proposed a major dam and hydroelectric power scheme on the Bzyb River near Pitsunda, but his experts informed him that a dam built on the Bzyb River would have had catastrophic effects in causing beach erosion at Pitsunda. In the end, the dam was built on the Inguri River instead, where the impact upon the coastline was assessed to be considerably less pronounced.^[3]

Administration

Town status

On 8 February 2007, after many appeals by inhabitants, the People's Assembly of Abkhazia resolved to give Pitsunda town-status. Parliamentarians expressed the hope that the decision would help Pitsunda develop as a resort.^[4] Since becoming a town, the Mayor of Pitsunda is no longer appointed by the Governor of Gagra District but instead directly by the President of Abkhazia.

2011 Assembly elections

In the 2011 assembly elections, Mayor Beslan Ardzinba and six other incumbent deputies of the Assembly stood for re-election. The winnning candidates were Beslan Ardzinba, Badra Avidzba, Olga Grigorenko, Chengiz Bigvava, Georgi Zardania, Gennadi Cherkezia, Gennadi Mikanba, Damia Kokoskeria and Inessa Dzkuia.^[5] On 14 February, during the first session of the new convocation, Damir Kokoskeria was elected Chairman of the Assembly over Gennadi Cherkezia, by a one vote difference.^[6]

List of Mayors

Gallery

Notes

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pitsunda

v t e Administrative divisions of Abkhazia Districts Gagra Gali Gudauta Gulripsh Ochamchira Sukhumi Tquarchal Cities Sukhumi Towns Gagra Gali Gudauta New Athos Ochamchira Pitsunda Tkvarcheli Other settlements Adzyubzha Avadhara Bedia Bzyb Chkhalta Chuburkhindji Gulripsh Guma Gyachrypsh Ilori Kvemo Barghebi Labra Lykhny Myussera Pskhu Psou Tsandryphsh See also: Administrative divisions of Georgia

v t e Cities and towns in Georgia Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia Sokhumi · Akhali Atoni · Gagra · Gali · Gudauta · Ochamchire · Tkvarcheli · Bichvinta · Gantiadi · Gulripshi · Leselidze · Miusera. Autonomous Republic of Adjara Batumi · Kobuleti · Makhinjauri · Chakvi · Ochkhamuri · Keda · Khelvachauri · Shuakhevi · Khulo Guria Ozurgeti · Lanchkhuti · Chokhatauri · Kveda Nasakirali · Laituri · Naruja · Ureki Imereti Kutaisi · Chiatura · Baghdati · Khoni · Sachkhere · Samtredia · Terjola · Tkibuli · Tsqaltubo · Vani · Zestaponi · Kharagauli · Kulashi · Shorapani Kakheti Telavi · Akhmeta · Dedoplistskaro · Gurjaani · Lagodekhi · Sagarejo · Sighnaghi · Qvareli · Tsnori · Mirzaani Mtskheta-Mtianeti Mtskheta · Dusheti · Akhalgori · Sioni · Stepantsminda · Tianeti · Zhinvali Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Zugdidi · Abasha · Anaklia · Jvari · Khobi · Martvili · Poti · Senaki · Tsalenjikha · Chkhorotsqu · Mestia Samtskhe-Javakheti Akhaltsikhe · Akhalkalaki · Borjomi · Ninotsminda · Vale · Abastumani · Adigeni · Akhaldaba · Aspindza · Bakuriani · Bakurianis Andeziti · Tsagveri Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti Ambrolauri · Oni · Tsageri · Kharistvala · Kvaisa · Lentekhi · Kvemo Kartli Rustavi · Bolnisi · Gardabani · Dmanisi · Tetritskaro · Marneuli · Tsalka · Bediani · Kazreti · Manglisi · Shaumiani · Tamarisi · Trialeti Shida Kartli Gori · Kaspi · Kareli · Tskhinvali · Khashuri · Agara · Java · Surami · Znaur Cities with local Government Tbilisi · Batumi · Kutaisi · Rustavi · Poti Capital City Tbilisi

v t e North Pontic Greek colonies Tyras Olbia Borysthenes Eupatoria Chersonesos Charax Theodosia Kimmerikon Nymphaion Tyritake Panticapaeum Myrmekion Kepoi Phanagoria Hermonassa Gorgippia Pityus Dioscurias Tanais