Gori Municipality
Gori in Shida Kartli: Gori Fortress, Uplistsikhe rock-cut town, Ateni Sioni frescoes and the Stalin Museum. History, tips and routes.
Gori Municipality — overview
MunicipalityHistory
Gori Municipality lies in the heart of the Shida Kartli region, in the broad valley of the Mtkvari River, with the city of Gori — the regional centre — as its administrative centre, at about 590 m above sea level where the Liakhvi joins the Mtkvari. The municipality covers about 1,350 km² of fertile plains, river terraces and foothills, known for their orchards. It borders Kaspi to the east, Kareli to the west, Borjomi and Tsalka to the south, and in the north reaches the occupied Tskhinvali region.
The city grew up around Gori Fortress, which crowns a rocky hill in the centre. Archaeology shows the hill was fortified in the last centuries BC, the fortress is recorded from the 13th century, and its present form dates from the reigns of King Rostom (1630s) and Erekle II (1774). Under Russian rule Gori became a town in 1801. A strong earthquake on 20 February 1920 destroyed many old buildings, and during the 2008 war the city was bombed and temporarily occupied.
About 10–15 km east of Gori, on the high left bank of the Mtkvari, lies Uplistsikhe, one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia: a rock-cut town that flourished from the 4th century BC to the 4th century AD and again in the 9th–11th centuries, with halls, a theatre-like structure and a three-church basilica of the 8th–10th centuries. It declined after the Mongol invasions and is on UNESCO’s Tentative List. South of Gori, in the Tana valley, the 7th-century Ateni Sioni church preserves outstanding frescoes of the second half of the 11th century and some of the earliest Georgian inscriptions.
Gori is also known as the birthplace of Joseph Stalin; the Stalin Museum, dedicated in 1957, includes his birth house and personal railway carriage and is visited as a historical museum of the Soviet era. Other notable people born in Gori include the philosopher Merab Mamardashvili. On a hill near the city stands the church of St George at Gorijvari, with views over the valley.
For travellers, Gori is the classic stop between Tbilisi and western Georgia: climb the fortress, visit the museum, and combine the city with Uplistsikhe and Ateni Sioni for a full day of history in Shida Kartli.
FAQ
1) Where is Gori Municipality located?
In the heart of Shida Kartli, in the Mtkvari valley where the Liakhvi joins it.
2) What is the administrative centre?
The city of Gori, also the centre of the Shida Kartli region.
3) How old is Gori Fortress?
The hill was fortified in the last centuries BC; the present fortress dates from the 1630s and 1774.
4) What is Uplistsikhe?
A rock-cut town east of Gori, flourishing from the 4th century BC to the 4th century AD and in the 9th–11th centuries.
5) Is Uplistsikhe a UNESCO site?
It has been on UNESCO’s Tentative List since 2007.
6) What is Ateni Sioni?
A 7th-century church south of Gori with frescoes of the second half of the 11th century.
7) What is the Stalin Museum?
A museum dedicated in 1957, including Stalin’s birth house and railway carriage.
8) When did Gori become a town?
In 1801, under Russian rule.
9) What happened in 1920?
A strong earthquake on 20 February 1920 destroyed many old buildings in Gori.
10) Where can I find official municipal information?
On the municipality’s official website.