![Medieval ruins at Cheremi, Kakheti, Georgia 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Medieval_ruins_at_Cheremi%2C_Kakheti%2C_Georgia_01.jpg)
Gurjaani ( ka, გურჯაანის მუნიციპალიტეტი, ''Gurjaanis municiṗaliṫeṫi'') is an administrative-territorial unit in eastern
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
,
Kakheti
Kakheti ( ka, კახეთი ''K’akheti''; ) is a region (mkhare) formed in the 1990s in eastern Georgia from the historical province of Kakheti and the small, mountainous province of Tusheti. Telavi is its capital. The region comprises eigh ...
region. Until 1917, the territory of Gurjaani municipality was part of Telavi Mazra of Tbilisi Governorate; since 1921 it has been included in Telavi Mazra; Since 1930, it has been an independent district in Kakheti district, then it became a separate district. It has been a municipality since 2006.
The population was 54,337 as of the 2014 census, and it has an area of .
History
Gurjaani is a municipality located in the Kakheti region. It has been inhabited since ancient times; a
stone age
The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
human settlement has been discovered. The municipality's territory was densely populated both in the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
and the Ancient and
Feudal Ages. The name Gurjaani has a Turkish origin: the word "Gurj" is
Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
and means Georgian, and "Gurjaani" means a settlement of Georgians.
A large part of the territory of Gurjaani municipality was within Hereti under Saeristavo (principality) of Vejini. From the 70s of the 15th centuries, after the abolition of the principalities in Kakheti, there were several shrines (of Vejini, Veliszikhe, Kalauri, Shashiani, Akhasheni, Jimiti, Chumlaki and others).
Administrative divisions and population
Gurjaani municipality is a set of settlements with administrative boundaries and an administrative centre - the city of
Gurjaani
Gurjaani ( ka, გურჯაანი) is a town in Kakheti, a region in eastern Georgia, and the seat of the Gurjaani Municipality. It is located in the Alazani River Plain, at an elevation of 415 m above sea level.
Gurjaani is first recorded ...
. Gurjaani municipality has an elected representative (council) and an executive body (town hall), a registered population, property, budget, and income. The municipality is a legal entity under public law. The City Council and Mayor of Gurjaani Municipality are elected for a term of 4 years. The last elections were held in 2021.
Twenty-four administrative units are united in the municipality and is divided into one city (, kalaki), and 29 villages (სოფელი, sopeli):
Cities
*
Gurjaani
Gurjaani ( ka, გურჯაანი) is a town in Kakheti, a region in eastern Georgia, and the seat of the Gurjaani Municipality. It is located in the Alazani River Plain, at an elevation of 415 m above sea level.
Gurjaani is first recorded ...
Villages
*
Akhasheni
*
Velistsikhe
*
Kardenakhi
*
Bakurtsikhe
Bakurtsikhe — Village in Gurjaani District in the Kakheti region, Georgia.
Bakurtsikhe is located on the right side of the river of Alazani and on both sides of the Chalaubniskhevi river. 440 above the sea level. 8 km from Gurjaani
Gur ...
*
Gurjaani
Gurjaani ( ka, გურჯაანი) is a town in Kakheti, a region in eastern Georgia, and the seat of the Gurjaani Municipality. It is located in the Alazani River Plain, at an elevation of 415 m above sea level.
Gurjaani is first recorded ...
*
Vazisubani
*
Ziari
* Cheremi
* Qitaani
* Pkhoveli
* Naniani
* Jimiti
* Kachreti
* Makharadze
* Darcheti
* Kodalo
* Arashenda
* Melaani
* Chalaubani
* Kolagi
* Vejini
* Dzirkoki
* Chandari
* Chumlaqi
* Zegaani
* Mukuzani
* Shashiani
* Kalauri
* Vachnadzeani
Geography and climate
Five other municipalities border Gurjaani Municipality. It borders
Sagarejo Municipality
Sagarejo ( ka, საგარეჯოს მუნიციპალიტეტი) is a municipality of Georgia, in the region of Kakheti. Its main town is Sagarejo.
Population: 51,761 (2014 census)
Area: 1491 km2
History
In the 17th ...
to the west,
Signagi Municipality
Sighnaghi ( ka, სიღნაღის მუნიციპალიტეტი) is an administrative-territorial unit in eastern Georgia, Kakheti region. The municipality borders the municipalities of Gurjaani and Sagarejo to the northwest an ...
to the southeast,
Telavi Municipality
Telavi ( ka, თელავის მუნიციპალიტეტი) is a municipality of Georgia, in the region of Kakheti. Its administrative centre is Telavi. Telavi is an important transportation hub, industrial, agricultural (winem ...
to the northwest,
Qvareli Municipality
Qvareli ( ka, ყვარლის მუნიციპალიტეტი) is an administrative-territorial unit in eastern Georgia, in the northeastern part of the Kakheti region. Until 1917, the territory of Qvareli Municipality was include ...
to the north, and
Lagodekhi Municipality
Lagodekhi ( ka, ლაგოდეხის მუნიციპალიტეტი) is the administrative-territorial unit in Eastern Georgia (country), Georgia, in the Kakheti region. It is bordered by the Republic of Azerbaijan to the east, ...
to the east. Gurjaani municipality is the smallest administrative-territorial unit within the Kakheti region. Its area is 846.0 km². Agricultural fields occupy 39,430 ha, and the total area covered by forest is 27,730 ha. The administrative centre is the city of Gurjaan.
[გეოგრაფია და ბუნება](_blank)
/ref>
The territory of Gurjaani municipality belongs to the region of moderate humid subtropical climate
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 35° north and ...
. The plain has a moderately humid climate with mild winters and hot summers in the east. Gombori ridge has a moderately humid climate characterized by a long summer. The Iori plateau has a dry subtropical steppe climate with moderately cold winters and hot summers.
The average annual temperature is 12.4 °C, the average temperature of the coldest month of the year, January, is 0.9 °C, and the average temperature of the hottest month, August, is 23.6 °C. The average annual volume of precipitation is up to 800 mm in most parts of the territory, and it decreases to 500-600 mm in the plateau part of the territory. The main river of the municipality is Alazani, with short tributaries of small water (Chermishkhevi, Shromiskhevi, Chalaubniskhevi, Tsiliana and others).
Education
There are 25 public schools and 37 kindergartens in Gurjaani municipality. There are 13 libraries in Gurjaani municipality, and the library named after Shota Rustaveli
Shota Rustaveli ( ka, შოთა რუსთაველი, c. 1160 – after c. 1220), mononymously known simply as Rustaveli, was a medieval Georgian poet. He is considered to be the pre-eminent poet of the Georgian Golden Age and one of th ...
, located in Gurjaani. A wine library functions based on this library.
Culture
The house museum of the famous Georgian poet Ioseb Noneshvili operates in the village of Kardenakhi. The museum was opened in 1986.
The house museum of the famous Georgian film actor Nato Vachnadze
Natalia "Nato" Vachnadze ( ka, ნატო ვაჩნაძე), born Natalia Andronikashvili ( ka, ნატო ანდრონიკაშვილი), (14 June 1904 – 14 June 1953) was a Georgian and Soviet film actress. She started h ...
has been open in the village of Gurjaani since 1981. Since 2008, the building has had the status of an immovable monument of cultural heritage.
The Village History Museum, named after Giorgi Maisuradze, is located in the village of Vachnadzian. The museum was opened in 1966 and is located in the residence of nobleman Levan Jandieri, which was built in 1889.
The Memorial Museum of Fame is located in the city of Gurjaan. The museum is a memorial complex and is dedicated to the memory of those who died in the Second World War. There is an amphitheatre on the territory of the museum, and there is a copper monument of " Father of a Soldier" weighing 80 tons and it is 20 meters high. A wall of lost in the war was built, where the names of fallen warriors are engraved.
The museum of Ivane Beritashvili
Ivane Beritashvili ( ka, ივანე ბერიტაშვილი; January 10, 1885 – December 29, 1974), was one of the great Georgian physiologists, one of the founders of the modern biobehavioral science.
He was a founder and direct ...
, the famous Georgian academician, and the founder of the Physiological School in Georgia, has been opened in the village of Vejini.
A puppet theatre has been operating in the city of Gurjaan since 1987. Initially, the theatre functioned as a public puppet theatre on the basis of the House of Culture; now, it has the status of a state theatre.
The People's Theater has been operating in Velistsikhe village since 1885. The theatre is named after Vaso Godziashvili.
Festivals and public holidays
Economy
The leading industry is agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
, mainly viticulture and animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...
. Vine culture occupies 20% of agricultural land. The main branch of industry is winemaking; there are several wine and spirits factories in the municipality, as well as small enterprises of other profiles. Railways and highways pass through the territory of the municipality.
Historical landmarks and sightseeing
A lot of historical architectural monuments have been preserved in the territory of Gurjaani municipality. One of their most important is the 8th-9th century Georgian monument, All Saints of Gurjaani, built with cobblestone. An important Georgian architectural monument is the Gurjaani Kvelatsminda Church, located a few kilometres from the village of Vachnadziani.
There is a fortress built of cobblestone near the village of Vejini. There are several churches inside the castle, among which the churches of Ascension of the Resurrection and St. Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...
are worth mentioning.[History of Georgia](_blank)
/ref>
The church of Sabatsminda from the 13th century is preserved near the village of Kardenakhi. The church is quite badly damaged. The Georgian architectural monument "Tsverdabali" stands near Cheremi; there is also Nakalakari.
Other historical monuments include the three-nave basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...
of Vazisubani, the "Sanagire" monastery, etc.
Notable people
Twin towns – sister Municipalities
* Piaseczno Municipality (Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
)
* Považská Bystrica District
Považská Bystrica District ( sk, okres Považská Bystrica, ; hu, Vágbesztercei járás) is a district in the Trenčín Region of western Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, ...
(Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
)
* Municipality of Laguardia (Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
)
* Pakruojis District Municipality (Lithuania
Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
)
* Kuusalu Parish
Kuusalu Parish ( et, Kuusalu vald) is a rural municipality in northern Estonia, the largest in Harju County. After joining with the adjacent Loksa Parish in 2005, the municipality has now a population of 6,863 (as of 1 January 2009) and covers an ...
(Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
)
* Gorodok District of Vitebsk District (Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...
)
* Vinnytsia Oblast
Vinnytsia Oblast ( uk, Ві́нницька о́бласть, translit=Vinnytska oblast; ; also referred to as Vinnychchyna — uk, Ві́нниччина) is an oblast of western and southwestern Ukraine. Its administrative center is Vinnytsia. ...
(Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
)
See also
* List of municipalities in Georgia (country)
A municipality ( ka, მუნიციპალიტეტი, tr) is a subdivision of Georgia (country), Georgia, consisting of a settlement or a group of settlements (Community (administrative division), community, თემი, ''temi''), wh ...
References
External links
Official website
Statoids.com
{{coord, 41, 45, N, 45, 48, E, region:GE_type:adm2nd_source:kolossus-itwiki, display=title
Municipalities of Kakheti