# Poti Municipality
- URL: https://explore-georgia.ge/en/municipalities/poti-municipality
- Type: municipality
- Region: Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
- Official website: https://poti.gov.ge

## History

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.

## Sources

- [Poti City Hall — official website](https://poti.gov.ge)
- [Poti (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poti)
- [Port of Poti (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Poti)
- [Poti Cathedral (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poti_Cathedral)
- [Lake Paliastomi (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Paliastomi)
- [Kolkheti National Park (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolkheti_National_Park)

## This page in other languages

- [Georgian](https://explore-georgia.ge/ka/municipalitetebi/poti-municipality)
- [Russian](https://explore-georgia.ge/ru/municipalitety/poti-municipality)