Senaki Train Station
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Senaki ( ka, სენაკი; xmf, სანაკი) is a town in
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti (Georgian: სამეგრელო-ზემო სვანეთი) is a region (Mkhare) in western Georgia with a population of 308,358 (2021) and a surface of . The region has Zugdidi as its administrative center, w ...
region, western Georgia. It is located at around between the rivers Tekhura/i and Tsivi, at an elevation of 28–38 meters above sea level. Senaki is the center of the Senaki Municipality and serves as a residence of Metropolitans of Senaki and Ckhorotskhu Eparchy of the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church.


Etymology

According to Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani the name "Senaki" (''სენაკი'') means "small room" or "chapel" in Georgian. From 1935 to 1976 the town was called "Mikha Tskhakaya" in honor of the Georgian
Bolshevik The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
revolutionary leader
Mikhail Tskhakaya Mikhail Grigoryevich Tskhakaya ( ka, მიხეილ გრიგოლის ძე ცხაკაია, russian: Михаил Григорьевич Цхакая; 4 May 1865 — 19 March 1950), also known as Barsov, was a Georgian revolution ...
. In 1976 the name was simplified to "Tskhakaya". After 1989, the town was given back its original name.


History

The geographical name "Senaki" first appears in the 17th century referring to the old trade settlement and cathedral on the right river bank of the river Tekhura/i. Historically, the city was the administrative center of
Senaki Uyezd The Senaki uezd was a county (''uezd'') of the Kutaisi Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the Zugdidi uezd to the west, the Lechkhumi uezd to the north, the Kutaisi uezd to the east, and the Ozurgeti uezd t ...
of the Kutaisi Governorate. After the beginning of the construction of the Poti-Tbilisi railway line (1872), the center was relocated to its current location, 5 km away from the old settlement. Senaki was one of the important centers of the mutiny against the
Bolsheviks The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
in 1924 as well as the center of the Georgia military mutiny of 1998. The town used to be an important military airbase during the Soviet period. The Second Infantry Brigade of the Georgian Army is now stationed on the same base. It was renewed after 2005 to meet
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
standards. The town was also the site of a battle during the
2008 South Ossetia war The 2008 Russo-Georgian WarThe war is known by a variety of other names, including Five-Day War, August War and Russian invasion of Georgia. was a war between Georgia, on one side, and Russia and the Russian-backed self-proclaimed republics of Sou ...
.


Demography and population

Historically Senaki is known as a distinctly mono-ethnic town with a majority of Georgians. According to the 2002 state census 98% of the total population were ethnic Georgians. The oldest official data about the population of Senaki stems from the 1897 census and counted 1248 people (927 – male, 321 – female). The 1950s-1970s were an important period for the development of Senaki which also affected the growth of the population. The 2014 census counted 21.596 people (including IDPs from Abkhazia). Today, besides Georgians (99,4%), Russians (0.19%), Armenians (0.18%), Assyrians (0.11%) and others (0.12%) are living in Senaki. During Soviet times a lot of Jews were living in the town. They mostly left town in the late 1970s.


Economics

Senaki is an important station of the Tbilisi – Poti and Tbilisi – Zugdidi railway lines. It also connects several roads of international and national importance. Due to its location Senaki is one of the leading economic and trade centers of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region. During the Soviet period there used to be mechanical, carpet manufacturing and brick producing factories; The processing of wine, tea and citrus were developed there. The small and middle-sized industries functioning today in Senaki include several agro products (nut, laurel, tea, milk, corn) processing factories, wood and asphalt production. In June 2016, construction of a Euro 4 standard cement producing plant began close to the town. Cement produced in Senaki will target both local and export markets. At a three kilometer distance from Senaki the resort Menji can be found. During Soviet times it was a famous balneologycal and recreational water resort, which, nowadays, is severely damaged and abandoned.


Culture and education

Historically Senaki was one of the important cultural and educational centers of the region. Two years after the establishment of the Georgian Theatre in 1879, the first performance was held in Senaki. One of the first nobiliary schools in Georgia was opened in Senaki ''(Currently Dzveli Senaki)'' in 1884. Famous Georgian writers, academics and public figures including Simon Janashia, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, Arnold Chikobava, were taught in this school.


Architecture and landmarks

One of the important landmarks of the town constitutes the State Theater in
Baroque Revival The Baroque Revival, also known as Neo-Baroque (or Second Empire architecture in France and Wilhelminism in Germany), was an architectural style of the late 19th century. The term is used to describe architecture and architectural sculptur ...
style (architect Vakhtang Gogoladze). The theatre is part of the Georgian cultural heritage and is under rehabilitation until 2018. The town is also famous for its neat streets with red brick houses. At proximity to the town, on the so-called "Archangel hill", the historical church built by the monk Alex Shushania ''(named Senakeli)'' in 1908 can be found. The church was one of the few churches which were not closed during Soviet times in Georgia. North of the town different kinds of spiritual and historical sights are situated: the Teklati Convent, the Shkhefi fortress and the Sakalandarishvilo fortification. Close to Senaki the ancient archeological and historical site of Nokalakevi (Archeopolis, Tsikhe-Goji) can also be found. According to the different sources (e.x. F. Diobua de Monpereoux) the mythical Colchian town "Aia" and then capital of Lazica ( ka, ეგრისის სამეფო) "Tsikhegoji" was located there.


Annual events


Egrisoba

"Egrisoba" ( ka, ეგრისობა) – The main annual event and public festival in Senaki. It is mostly celebrated in the middle of autumn. "Egirosoba" firstly was held in 1989 and then reestablished in 2014.


Sports

* FC Egrisi Senaki * FC Senakuri Senaki * FC senakuri Egrisulo * Futsal Club Kudji * Rugby Club Jikha * Horse-racing Marula


Notable Citizens

* Valerian Gunia (1862–1938), Georgian dramatist, actor, director and critic. * Arnold Chikobava (1898–1985), Georgian linguist and philologist *
Feofan Davitaia Feofan Farneevich Davitaia ( ka, თეოფანე ფარნას ძე დავითაია; 2 (15) September 1911, in village Eki, now Senaki Municipality, Georgia – 29 July 1979, in Tbilisi, Georgia) was a Georgian geographer, cli ...
(1911-1979), Georgian geographer, climatologist and agrometeorologist. * Giuli Gegelia (1942-), Georgian architect *
Vladislav Vetrov Vladislav Vladimirovich Vetrov (russian: Владислав Владимирович Ветров; born 9 February 1964) is a Soviet and Russian theater and film actor, director and writer. Biography Vladislav Vetrov was born in Senaki, Georgian ...
(1964-), Russian and Soviet (theater) actor, director, playwright


Twin towns – sister cities

*
Rakvere Rakvere is a town in northern Estonia and the administrative centre of the Lääne-Viru ''maakond'' (county), 20 km south of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. Rakvere is the 8th most populous urban area in Estonia. Rakvere has a tota ...
, Estonia *
Bila Tserkva Bila Tserkva ( uk, Бі́ла Це́рква ; ) is a city in the center of Ukraine, the largest city in Kyiv Oblast (after Kyiv, which is the administrative center, but not part of the oblast), and part of the Right Bank. It serves as the admi ...
, Ukraine * Gudauta, Abkhazia, Georgia


See also

* Senaki Municipality *
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti (Georgian: სამეგრელო-ზემო სვანეთი) is a region (Mkhare) in western Georgia with a population of 308,358 (2021) and a surface of . The region has Zugdidi as its administrative center, w ...


References

{{Authority control Cities and towns in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Kutaisi Governorate