Kareli Municipality
Kareli in Shida Kartli: ancient Urbnisi and its Sioni basilica, Ruisi Cathedral, the Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi and Bateti Lake.
Kareli Municipality — overview
MunicipalityHistory
Kareli Municipality lies in the west of the Shida Kartli region, in the valley of the Mtkvari River, with the town of Kareli as its administrative centre, at about 620 m above sea level on the right bank of the Mtkvari, some 94 km west of Tbilisi. The municipality covers about 688 km² of river plains and foothills; it borders Gori to the east, Khashuri to the west and Borjomi to the south, while part of its northern territory has been outside Georgian government control since 1992. In the foothills lies the small Bateti Lake (about 1,313 m).
The municipality preserves one of the most important ancient cities of Kartli, Urbnisi, on the high left bank of the Mtkvari. Settled since the 3rd millennium BC and a city by the 4th century BC, it was captured by the Arab commander Marwan in the 730s. Its large three-nave Sioni basilica, an early medieval church rebuilt in later centuries, still stands in the village. Nearby, Ruisi Cathedral, first built in the 8th–9th centuries and remodelled in the 10th–11th centuries, was destroyed by Timur in 1400 and restored by King Alexander I in the 15th century.
In 1103 King David IV the Builder convened here the famous Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi, a church council that strengthened the unity of the Georgian state and church. Later, in 1483, the Battle of Aradeti took place on the territory of the municipality during the struggles between the Georgian kingdoms.
The town of Kareli is relatively young: it is first mentioned as a village in 1715, when it belonged to the Tsitsishvili princes, became a district centre in 1939, a township in 1962 and a town in 1981. The municipality also includes the town of Agara and villages with old churches, such as Breti, where a monastery was founded in the 6th century by one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers.
For travellers, Kareli is an easy stop on the main highway between Tbilisi and western Georgia: visit the Sioni basilica in Urbnisi and Ruisi Cathedral, explore the riverside villages of the Mtkvari valley and combine them with nearby Gori and Uplistsikhe.
FAQ
1) Where is Kareli Municipality located?
In the west of Shida Kartli, in the Mtkvari valley.
2) What is the administrative centre?
The town of Kareli, on the right bank of the Mtkvari, about 94 km west of Tbilisi.
3) What is Urbnisi?
An ancient city of Kartli, settled since the 3rd millennium BC, with an early medieval Sioni basilica.
4) What is Ruisi Cathedral?
A cathedral first built in the 8th–9th centuries and restored by King Alexander I after Timur’s destruction.
5) What was the Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi?
A church council convened by David IV the Builder in 1103.
6) When did Kareli become a town?
In 1981; it is first mentioned as a village in 1715.
7) What happened at Aradeti in 1483?
The Battle of Aradeti, fought during the struggles between the Georgian kingdoms.
8) What is Bateti Lake?
A small lake in the foothills at about 1,313 m.
9) Which municipalities border Kareli?
Gori, Khashuri and Borjomi.
10) Where can I find official municipal information?
On the municipality’s official website.