Borjomi Municipality
Borjomi: mineral water spa, Romanov Likani Palace, Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, Bakuriani ski resort and Green Monastery.
Borjomi Municipality — overview
MunicipalityHistory
Borjomi Municipality lies in the north of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, in the forested Borjomi Gorge of the Mtkvari River, which separates the Trialeti and Meskheti ranges of the Lesser Caucasus. Its administrative centre is the spa town of Borjomi, at about 790 m above sea level. The municipality covers about 1,190 km² and borders Kharagauli, Khashuri, Kareli and Gori to the north, Tsalka to the east, Akhalkalaki and Aspindza to the south and Akhaltsikhe to the south-west. The Borjomula and Gujaretistskali flow into the Mtkvari here, and high on the plateau lies Lake Tabatskuri (about 1,990 m), shared with Akhalkalaki.
Borjomi is world-famous for its mineral water. The springs were rediscovered in 1829 by soldiers of a Russian regiment, a mineral-water park was opened in 1850, and the first bottling plant began work in 1854. In 1871 Borjomi was granted to Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolayevich, and under the Romanovs the town grew into a fashionable resort; the Borjomi brand was introduced in 1890 and is today exported worldwide.
At the western edge of the town stands Likani Palace, built in 1892–1895 to the design of architect Leon Benois for Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich, with a hydroelectric plant added in 1898. In the surrounding forests are medieval monasteries: the Green Monastery (Mtsvane) near Chitakhevi, with a church of the late 9th–10th centuries, and Timotesubani, whose Dormition church dates from the reign of Queen Tamar and preserves frescoes of the early 13th century.
Large parts of the gorge belong to Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, established in 1995 and opened in 2001, one of the largest protected areas in the Caucasus, with marked trails, shelters and old-growth forests. Above the gorge, at about 1,700 m, the resort of Bakuriani has been a ski centre since the 1930s and hosted the 2023 FIS Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships.
For travellers, Borjomi is ideal in every season: taste the water from the springs in the historic park, take the cable car above the town, hike in the national park, visit Likani and the Green Monastery, and ride the narrow-gauge railway or drive up to Bakuriani for skiing in winter and mountain walks in summer.
FAQ
1) Where is Borjomi Municipality located?
In the north of Samtskhe-Javakheti, in the Borjomi Gorge of the Mtkvari River.
2) What is the administrative centre?
The spa town of Borjomi, at about 790 m above sea level.
3) When was Borjomi mineral water discovered?
The springs were rediscovered in 1829; the mineral-water park opened in 1850 and bottling began in 1854.
4) What is Likani Palace?
A Romanov palace built in 1892–1895 for Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich at the edge of Borjomi.
5) When was Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park established?
In 1995; it was officially opened in 2001.
6) Is Bakuriani in Borjomi Municipality?
Yes, the ski resort of Bakuriani, at about 1,700 m, is in Borjomi Municipality.
7) What major event did Bakuriani host?
The 2023 FIS Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships.
8) What is the Green Monastery?
A monastery near Chitakhevi with a church of the late 9th–10th centuries.
9) What is Timotesubani?
A monastery whose Dormition church dates from Queen Tamar’s reign, with early 13th-century frescoes.
10) Where can I find official municipal information?
On the municipality’s official website.