Kvareli Municipality
Kvareli in Kakheti: Gremi, Nekresi monastery, Ilia Chavchavadze’s birthplace, Ilia’s Lake and Kindzmarauli wine. History and routes.
Kvareli Municipality — overview
MunicipalityHistory
Kvareli (Kvareli) Municipality lies in north-eastern Kakheti, on the left side of the Alazani Valley at the foot of the Greater Caucasus, with the town of Kvareli as its administrative centre, at about 450 m above sea level. The municipality covers about 1,000 km², rising from the valley floor to mountains above 1,800 m; forests cover over a quarter of the territory. The Duruji River flows through the town. Kvareli borders Telavi, Gurjaani and Lagodekhi municipalities and, across the Caucasus ridge, Dagestan (Russia).
The area has been settled since the Bronze Age. Its most famous historical site is Gremi, a royal city and capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti in the 16th–17th centuries; its Church of the Archangels, built by King Levan in 1565, still crowns the hill above the ruined town, which was destroyed by the Persian army in 1615. Gremi is on UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage. Another landmark is Nekresi: according to the chronicles the town was founded by King Parnajom, and the hilltop monastery was established in the 6th century by St Abibos, one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers; excavations have revealed early basilicas and a Zoroastrian fire temple.
Kvareli itself is closely tied to Georgian culture. In 1755 its fortress withstood an attack by Dagestani forces in the Battle of Kvareli. The town is the birthplace of the writer and public figure Ilia Chavchavadze (1837–1907), whose family house is now a museum, and of the theatre director Kote Marjanishvili. Kvareli received town status in 1964.
The municipality is one of Kakheti’s premier wine areas. It includes the protected appellations Kindzmarauli — a naturally semi-sweet red wine made from Saperavi — and Kvareli. Wine tourism is centred on cellars and wineries, including a wine tunnel dug into the mountainside in the 1950s and now used for ageing wine. The artificial Ilia’s Lake on the Duruji, renamed in 2011, is a popular leisure spot.
For travellers, Kvareli offers a rich mix of history and wine: combine Gremi and Nekresi with the Chavchavadze house-museum, a tasting of Kindzmarauli and a walk around Ilia’s Lake against the backdrop of the Caucasus. The town is an easy drive from Telavi and a good base for exploring the northern side of the Alazani Valley.
FAQ
1) Where is Kvareli Municipality located?
In north-eastern Kakheti, on the left side of the Alazani Valley at the foot of the Greater Caucasus.
2) What is the administrative centre?
The town of Kvareli (Kvareli), at about 450 m above sea level.
3) Is Gremi in Kvareli Municipality?
Yes. Gremi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti in the 16th–17th centuries.
4) When was the Church of the Archangels in Gremi built?
In 1565, by King Levan.
5) What is Nekresi?
A monastery founded in the 6th century by St Abibos, on the site of an ancient town.
6) Who was born in Kvareli?
Ilia Chavchavadze (1837–1907); his family house is now a museum.
7) Which wine appellations are in Kvareli?
Kindzmarauli and Kvareli.
8) What is Kindzmarauli?
A naturally semi-sweet red wine made from Saperavi grapes.
9) What is Ilia’s Lake?
An artificial lake on the Duruji River near Kvareli, renamed in 2011.
10) Where can I find official municipal information?
On the municipality’s official website.