Gori Khartli

Core country of Georgia

 Kartli is located in the Central Georgia and is considered the core country of Georgia. This is a small mountain range of the Great and Small Caucasus. Tradition connects the name of the region with the mythical progenitor of Georgians Kartlos. Soon the name spread throughout the country - Sakartvelo. The country for Georgians. The former and present capital of Georgia: Mtskheta and Tbilisi, at the crossroads of which hundreds and hundreds of years have passed, are also located in Kartli. The two cities are still regarded today as the spiritual, political and cultural centers of Georgia.
The kingdom of Kartil-Iberia was already a powerful state of East Georgia, the first capital was Mtskheta, and from the 5th century already the Tiflis. In the 10th century it became the center of the united Georgian state. From the 15th century onwards, Cartl- Kakheti was established, which was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1801.
The mild climate allows for diverse agriculture. The region is famous for its wines, apples, tomatoes and walnuts.
There are some of the most important sights of the country in the beautiful landscape, which is rich in wine fields, fruit and vegetable gardens.
The sights of Kartli: Cave town Uplistsikhe, Ateni Sioni church, Samtavisi church, Kintsvisi church, Dmanisi, Bolnisi Sioni e.g.

 

The city of Gori

At the crossroads of the old caravan paths near Mtskheta, the path leads westwards into the wide, fertile landscape of the interior of Kartli. About 86 km away from Tiflis lies the city Gori at the mouth of the river Liakhvi in the Mtkvari. Its name is the Gori fortress (gora -hill) built on the huge sandstone rock, which was built in the second century BC. In the 20th century, Gori was known as the birthplace of Josef Besarionovich Jugashvili, alias Koba, alias Stalin, (the steel).To this day the city is an architectural image of the Soviet era. On the main square of Gori is an impressive marble roof over the birthplace of the Soviet dictator. Behind this Pantheon is the Stalin Museum. During the visit of the museum, in former times the dutiful honor of the dictator, today openly and critically approach the subject, visitors return to the old Soviet time.
Uplistsikhe –„the Lord’s fortress“at the river Mtkvari
Uplistsikhe is an ancient rock-hewn town in Georgia. It has been inhabited since the end of the second century BC until the 18th century. In the 10th to 6th century BC, it was the seat of the ruling tribe in Kartli, hence the name of the Lord's castle, derived from the words Upali (Gog,lord) and Tsikhe (castle). The city reached its peak in the middle Ages. The caravan route that led along Mtkvari made Uplistsikhe rich city. The entire area now offers visitors a stroll along the ancient streets, the theater, the pharmacy, royal rooms, pagan temples and Christian basilica church.
Ateni Sioni Church
A trellis of vines leads visitors to the Ateni Zioni church (7th century), a bright sandstone building, rising on a rock above the river Tana. The church is worth seeing for its frescoes (second half of the 11th century) and the inscriptions (from the 8th century), which cover the walls in Georgian and partly Armenian language, including cryptograms. The extravagances carry various donor portraits, mythological animals and holy representations.
The visit of the Sioni Church of Ateni is a main part of pilgrims and travelers.
Samtavisi Church
The bishop's cathedral of Samtavisi (11th century) is one of the more modest representatives of the highly medieval Georgian monumental buildings. It is unquestionably a highlight of medieval ornament and sculpture decoration in Georgia. Particularly famous is the church with its magnificent sculpture on the east facade, which is a grapevine tree. This sculpture motif clearly shows the importance of winegrowing in the country.
Kintsvisi Church

The monastery Kintsvisi (35 km from Gori) is very secluded on the slopes of a small Caucasus mountain range, into which  Kintsvisi Bach has cut a picturesque valley. From the monastery itself, only the main church dedicated to St. Nicholas was preserved (12th / 13th century). The frescos of the Nicolas church of Kintsvisi are mentioned in the Georgian literature as an example of the "Georgian Renaissance". The famous color "Kintsvisi's Blue" is the main and background color of the Kintsvisi frescoes.
The path to the monastery from the village of Kintsvisi is on foot (about 45 minutes). But it is a nice walk along the last houses and gardens, then through meadows and finally into a forest part. Above the monastery, there are wonderful picnics and a cool spring for refreshment.
Dmanisi

The city Dmanisi is located in southern Georgia in Lower Katrli. It reached its heyday in the 12th century. Dmanisi was on the old Silk Road and was considered an important trading center between Byzantium, Armenia and Iran. In the archaeological excavations (2001), the scientists discovered 1.8 million-year-old skulls of the Fermi. The skulls can be seen in the State Museum of Tbilisi. In Dmanisi visitors can visit other excavations.
Bolnisi Sioni
Bolnisi Sioni Church is one of the largest and aspiring Basilica Churches in Georgia. The Georgian inscriptions (Bolnisi inscriptions) on the facade are among the oldest Georgian documents (5th century).  Bolnisi cross, pagan sculptures, and bird motifs at the church refer to the time of the upheaval.