Poti Municipality
Poti: ancient Phasis at the Rioni mouth, Black Sea port, Hagia Sophia–style cathedral, Lake Paliastomi and Kolkheti wetlands.
Poti Municipality — overview
MunicipalityHistory
Poti is a self-governing city on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, where the Rioni River flows into the sea. The city covers about 65.8 km² of flat delta land at sea level, about 312 km west of Tbilisi. To the south-west lies Lake Paliastomi, and the city is surrounded by the wetlands and forests of the Kolkheti lowland. As a city municipality, it consists of the city of Poti itself.
Poti stands near the site of ancient Phasis, a Greek colony founded in the late 7th or early 6th century BC at the mouth of the river of the same name (today’s Rioni) — the legendary destination of the Argonauts in Colchis. Over the centuries the area changed hands many times; in the 19th century, under Russian rule, Poti received port-city status in 1858, and from 1872 it became the terminus of the railway from Tbilisi.
Modern Poti owes much to Niko Nikoladze, mayor from 1894 to 1912 and often called the founding father of modern Poti. Under his leadership the main construction of the Port of Poti began in 1899 and was completed by 1907, turning the town into one of the key ports of the Black Sea. In 1906–1907 the Poti Cathedral was built by architects Alexander Zelenko and Robert Marfeld, modelled on Hagia Sophia in Constantinople; it served as a theatre from 1923 and was returned to the Georgian Orthodox Church in 2005.
Today Poti remains one of Georgia’s main seaports and a gateway for trade between the Caucasus and Europe. Nature is close at hand: Lake Paliastomi (about 17 km²), connected to the sea by a narrow channel, lies within Kolkheti National Park, established in 1998–1999 to protect the wetlands of the Colchis lowland, which have been a Ramsar site since 1997.
For travellers, Poti is worth a stop on the coastal road between Batumi and Anaklia: see the cathedral and the port, walk along the seafront, and take a boat trip on Paliastomi or the Pichori River into the Kolkheti wetlands, a paradise for birdwatchers.
FAQ
1) Where is Poti located?
On the Black Sea coast at the mouth of the Rioni River, in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region.
2) Is Poti a separate municipality?
Yes, Poti is a self-governing city municipality.
3) What was ancient Phasis?
A Greek colony of the late 7th–early 6th century BC near today’s Poti, at the mouth of the Phasis (Rioni) River.
4) When did Poti become a port city?
It received port-city status in 1858.
5) Who was Niko Nikoladze?
Mayor of Poti from 1894 to 1912, often called the founding father of modern Poti.
6) When was the Port of Poti built?
Its main construction began in 1899 and was completed by 1907.
7) What is Poti Cathedral?
A cathedral built in 1906–1907, modelled on Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
8) What is Lake Paliastomi?
A coastal lake of about 17 km² near Poti, within Kolkheti National Park.
9) When was Kolkheti National Park established?
In 1998–1999.
10) Where can I find official municipal information?
On the official website of Poti City Hall.