 Tusheti national park
Located on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, Tusheti is bordered by the Russian republics of Chechnya and Dagestan to the north and east, respectively and by the Georgian historic provinces Kakheti and Khevsureti to the south and west, respectively
The population of the area is mainly ethnic Georgians called Tushs or Tushetians (Georgian: tushebi).
Historically, Tusheti comprised four mountain communities: the Tsova (living in the Tsova Gorge), the Gometsari (living along the banks of the Tushetis Alazani River), the Pirikiti (living along the banks of the Pirikitis Alazani River) and the Chaghma, living close to the confluence of the two rivers). Administratively speaking, Tusheti is now part of the raioni of Akhmeta, itself part of Georgias eastern region of Kakheti. The largest village in Tusheti is Omalo.
The area is thought to have long been inhabited by the Tush, a subgroup of Georgians, which themselves divide into two groups- the Chaghma-Tush (Georgian name, used for Tush who speak the local Georgian dialect) and Tsova-Tush (Nakh-speaking Tush, better known as Bats or Batsbi).
TUSHETIAN PROTECTED LANDSCAPE
On April 22, 2003 the Parliament of Georgia with support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank – financed "Gorgia – Protected Areas Development Project" adopted the law on establishment of 8 new Protected Areas in the East Georgia. The Tusheti Protected Areas are among them. They involve: the Tusheti National Park (83453 ha), the Tusheti Protected Landscape (27903 ha), and the Tusheti State Nature Reserve (10694 ha) established in 1981. Tusheti State Nature Reserve was established in 1981. It is located in Tusheti depression, the Eastern Caucasus, at 900 - 4 800 meters above sea leveland it is one of the biggest and high altitude parks on the territory of Europe. They lie 280 km away from Tbilisi. The pine groves (Pinus sosnovkji) and birch groves (Betula litvinovii, B. raddeana) within the reserve are vitally important as they provide habitats to the rare animal species, and present an erosion-preventive and water regulating system. The Nature Reserve comprises the habitats of many rare and virtually extinct animal species. The following species should be noted: Wild goat, mountain goat, chamois, wolf, lynx, bear, lammergeier, falcon, Golden Eagle, ect. This territory is especially important as the habitat for Anatolian leopard (Panthera pardus).
Visitors are astonished by the severity and the beauty of Tusheti Mountains, intact and wild nature, environment of traditional villages and delicious cooking, architectural monuments from past centuries that so closely intertwine in the beautiful nature and the landscape of Tusheti. These are the memories that Tusheti offers to its visitors.
TRAVELLERS IMPRESSIONS
Any person, who has ever visited Tusheti even once, has had contacts with these open-hearted and most hospitable people, has felt a strange mixture of sadness and joy of life, carried by Tushetians, as a heritage received from their ancestors, has apprehended poetical nature of the world, in which Tushetians live and which they express in their poetic works, has listened to Tushetian songs, full of deep mysticism and metaphysical sorrow, has watched Tushetian dances, has felt intimate, visible closenesswith sons of god, while looking at the sky at daybreaks and nightfalls, cannot avoid keeping inside himself a nostalgia for this region. He easily understands whyTushetians take on heed of difficulties of the road and problems of living in the highland and why each spring Tushetians still mount their horses and go to spend several months in this fantastic world, you can also understand why you come across one or several men in each Tushetian village, who for some ten years spend especially cold winters among the snow-coveed mystic mountains, thus feeling involved in the oldest and everliving divine services to God.
is a small historical-geographic area in northeastern Georgia. It is included in the modern-day Kazbegi district.
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Located on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus mountains.Borders with North Osetia (Russian Federation). It comprises three gorges of the rivers Truso, Tergi and Snostskali.
The landscape of Khevi is dominated by alpine meadows dotted with rhododendron, mountain passes and waterfalls, and the Mount Kazbek (locally known as Mkinvartsveri, i.e. “ice-capped”), a dormant 5047-meter high volcano. The area is a popular tourist destination. It is a part of the projected Khevi-Aragvi Biosphere Reserve. Among the important cultural sites of Khevi are the Gergeti Trinity Church (fourteenth century), Garbani Church (ninth to tenth century), Sioni Basilica (ninth century) and castle, Betlemi Monastery Complex (ninth to tenth century), and Sno fortress.
The name of this province, literally meaning "a gorge", comes from the ancient and early medieval district of Tzanaria known to the Georgian annals as Tzanaretis Khevi, i.e. the Tzanar Gorge. People of Khevi are ethnic Georgians called Mokheves. History, traditions and lifestyle of the Mokheves are very similar to those of other mountaineers of eastern Georgia. Since ancient times, Khevi has been of great strategic and military importance due chiefly to its immediate neighborhood to the Darial Pass, which connects North Caucasus with Transcaucasia. Free of typical feudal relations, they lived in a patriarchal community governed by a khevisberi (i.e. "gorge elder") who functioned as a judge, priest and military leader. The Khevian mountainous communities were regarded as direct vassals of the Georgian crown except for the period from the end of the seventeenth century to 1743, when the area was placed under the control of the semi-autonomous Duchy of Aragvi. The fierce resistance offered by the Mokheves to the attempts of the Aragvian lords has been greatly reflected in local folklore as well as classical Georgian literature. The establishment of Russian rule in Georgia (1801) was met with hostility by the mountaineers who staged an uprising in 1804, which was promptly suppressed by the Tsarist military. However, the people of Khevi retained their medieval traditions and a unique form of society until the harsh Soviet rule changed their lifestyle through permanent repressions, forcibly removing several families to the lowlands
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GeographyComprising the small river valleys of the Migmakhevi, Shatili, Arkhoti and the Aragvi, the province borders with Chechnya
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Khevsureti, with the area of approximately 405.3 square miles (1050 km²), is traversed by the main crest of the Greater Caucasus Range, dividing the province in two unequal parts. Pirikita Khevsureti ("thither") is a larger one, with the area of c. 565 km², while Piraketa Khevsureti ("hither") occupies 428 km². The largest villages are Barisakho and Shatili
Traditions
Like other mountainous areas of Georgia, Khevsureti is characterized by a great diversity of traditions and customs. Khevsurs speak a local dialect of the Georgian language that resembles the literary Georgian of the Middle Ages and retain many of their ancient traditions including elements of folk ritual.The institution of the Blood feud was still alive in the twentieth century.
Khevsur music also resembles that of Georgia in the Middle Ages. Khevsureti is famous for its Medieval ballads and folk music.
The traditional costume of Khevsureti includes a male upper garment called the Perangi. While this bears some resemblance to the classic Georgian Chokha (known in Russia as the Cherkeska - i.e. garment of the Circassians),it is shorter and trapezoidal in shape and features a more powerful color balance and a greater use of cruciform decorative motifs.
The architecture of Khevsureti is mostly highly fortified and defensive in character,featuring a profusion of towers clinging to the mountainsides,signifying constant vigilance in the face of enemy attack. The Khevsurs were renowned for their warfare with the (mostly Muslim ) peoples of the Northern Caucasus including the Chechens,the Kists, and the many peoples of Dagestan. Due to the geographic,ethnic and religious complexity and lack of industrialization in the Greater Caucasus,it was a common occurrence for the tribes of the North Caucasus to attack and rob mountain-dwelling Georgians. Well-known Georgian poet Vazha Pshavela described the warfare of the Khevsurs in his poems. One of the most famous of these is Aluda Ketelauri, the eponymous hero of which is a Khevsur youth,famous for his bravery and warrior skills. One day, after the Khevsur village of Shatili,where he lived, had been invaded by the Kists (Ingush, in classical Georgian works, despite the name of the modern group of Chechen Georgians in Georgia"s name being the "Kist", Kist actually referred to the Ingush: the name for Chechens was the "Dzurdzuks"however, Ingush were less likely to raid than Chechens due to socioeconomic factors, so it may have very well been a Chechen nonetheless), Aluda followed the invaders and killed both of the robbers. However,after killing the "Kist" called Mussah, Aluda began to weep,mourning for the warrior, in recognition of his bravery and dedication to his Muslim faith. When Aluda returned to Shatili he confessed to the villagers his admiration for the "Kist" hero who had proved such a worthy adversary,but they were shocked at this praising of a "pagan" and ended by condemning Aluda and expelling him from the community.
The Encyclopædia Britannica reported in 1911 that many curious customs still prevailed among the Khevsurs, as for instance the imprisonment of the woman during childbirth in a lonely hut, round which the husband parades, firing off his musket at intervals. After delivery, food was surreptitiously brought to the mother, who was kept in her prison a month, after which the hut was burnt. One of the more striking features of the traditional cultures of Khevsureti was the premarital relationship known as sts"orproba (or ts"ats"loba as it is known in Pshavi). As a young couple could lie together during the night with a sword placed between them. Sexual intercourse between the pair was strictly forbidden. Any man who breached this rule was condemned to death.
Dozens of fortifications, sanctuaries and churches are scattered across the province. Chief of these are the Khakhmati fortress, Akhieli fortress, Lebaiskari fortress, Mutso fortress, Shatili fortifications, Gudani Cross, and the Anatori Cross.
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Semi Desert "Gareja Monastery"
In the rating of National Geographic,Gareja is on 13-th place in 17 of the worlds most wild and beautiful places
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The 6th century David Gareja monastery complex is one of Georgias most important landmarks and is located on the arid slopes of Mount Gareja close to the Azerbaijan border.
Established in the 6th century by St. David Garejeli, who was one of the 13 "Syrian fathers" who travelled from the Middle East to spread Christianity to Georgia. The modest order grew a reputation for the copying and translating of ancient texts as well as founding some of the earliest schools of Georgian Art before it was destroyed by Mongol invaders in 1265. Faulting attempts at the reviving the house of learning and worship were met with more plundering foreign powers, as the Timurs, Persians and Russians all ransacked the precious items within.
The Lavra monastery is spread across three levels, with buildings dating from many different periods. The surrounding defensive walls and watchtower are from the 18th century. From the entrance, you cross through the 17th century Church of St. Nicholas, down to the Church of the Transfiguration containing the remains of Davit Gareja and his two Kakhetian disciples Lukiane and Dodo. The monks living quarters are cut into the rock above the monastery and are out of bounds.
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