Bolnisi Municipality
Bolnisi in Kvemo Kartli: 5th-century Bolnisi Sioni, the oldest Georgian inscriptions, German Katharinenfeld and Bolnisi Museum.
Bolnisi Municipality — overview
MunicipalityHistory
Bolnisi Municipality lies in the south-west of the Kvemo Kartli region, along the valley of the Mashavera River, with the town of Bolnisi as its administrative centre. The municipality covers about 804 km², from the fertile Mashavera valley to the surrounding hills and mountains. It borders Tetritskaro to the north, Marneuli to the east and Dmanisi to the west, and to the south it reaches the state border with Armenia. Like much of Kvemo Kartli, it is a multi-ethnic area with Georgian and Azerbaijani communities.
Bolnisi is home to one of Georgia’s most important monuments — Bolnisi Sioni, a three-nave basilica of tuff built in 478–493. It is considered the oldest standing church building in Georgia and the first Georgian building with its completion date inscribed on its walls. The Bolnisi inscriptions, dated to 493/494 and mentioning Bishop David and the Sasanian king Peroz, are among the oldest known texts in the Georgian alphabet. The church also gave its name to the Bolnisi cross, a symbol widely used in Georgia today.
The modern town has a distinctive history. In 1818, Swabian German settlers founded the colony of Katharinenfeld here. It was renamed Luxemburg in 1921, and after the German residents were deported in 1941, the town received the name Bolnisi in 1943. Many German houses still shape the town’s streets. Other monuments in the municipality include the Church of the Dormition in Akaurta and the Kveshi fortress.
The Bolnisi Museum, opened in 2020 and nominated for the European Museum of the Year award in 2021, presents the long history of the area — from the Dmanisi hominins and the ancient gold mining site of Sakdrisi to the medieval heritage and the German colony.
For travellers, Bolnisi is an easy day trip from Tbilisi: visit Bolnisi Sioni, walk through the old German quarter, explore the museum and continue to the Dmanisi archaeological site further up the Mashavera valley. The combination of early Christian architecture, archaeology and multicultural history makes Bolnisi a rewarding stop in southern Georgia.
FAQ
1) Where is Bolnisi Municipality located?
In the south-west of Kvemo Kartli, in the Mashavera River valley, bordering Armenia.
2) What is the administrative centre?
The town of Bolnisi.
3) When was Bolnisi Sioni built?
In 478–493; it is considered the oldest standing church building in Georgia.
4) What are the Bolnisi inscriptions?
Inscriptions dated to 493/494, among the oldest known texts in the Georgian alphabet.
5) What is the Bolnisi cross?
A cross design named after Bolnisi Sioni, widely used as a Georgian symbol.
6) What was Katharinenfeld?
A German colony founded by Swabian settlers in 1818 on the site of present-day Bolnisi.
7) When did the town get the name Bolnisi?
In 1943; earlier it was called Katharinenfeld and Luxemburg.
8) What is the Bolnisi Museum?
A museum opened in 2020, presenting the area’s archaeology and history.
9) Which other monuments are there?
The Church of the Dormition in Akaurta and Kveshi fortress.
10) Where can I find official municipal information?
On the municipality’s official website.