Samtredia Municipality
Samtredia in Imereti: Georgia’s railway crossroads, Telepisi fortress, Vazisubani church and the Rioni plain. History and routes.
Samtredia Municipality — overview
MunicipalityHistory
Samtredia Municipality lies in the western part of the Imereti region, at the meeting point of Imereti, Guria and Samegrelo, with the town of Samtredia as its administrative centre, about 30 km west of Kutaisi. The municipality covers about 364 km², most of it on the flat Kolkheti (Colchis) Lowland, while its outer hill villages lie on the Sajavakho plateau. The Rioni flows through the municipality for about 35 km, joined by the Tskhenistskali and Gubistskali. Samtredia borders Abasha, Khoni, Tskaltubo, Vani, Chokhatauri and Lanchkhuti municipalities.
The low, once swampy and forested plain has been inhabited for a long time, and the municipality preserves medieval monuments such as the ruins of Telepisi fortress (11th–12th centuries) and the 12th-century church of Vazisubani, as well as the church at Nogha and a number of churches from the 15th–19th centuries. The town of Samtredia itself, however, is relatively young: in the late 18th century it was still a small village surrounded by marshes and forests. Its name is linked to the Georgian word *mtredi*, “pigeon”.
Samtredia’s growth is tied to the railway. When the Poti–Tbilisi line was built in the 1870s, Samtredia became one of its key junctions, and the settlement developed rapidly around the station. The first school opened in 1895, and Samtredia received town status in 1921. In the Soviet period food and wood industries developed here, and the town played a notable role in Georgia’s national movement, including railway blockades in 1990–1991.
Today Samtredia remains one of the main railway hubs of Georgia, and international highways cross the municipality, linking western Georgia with the Black Sea ports and Tbilisi. The village of Kulashi is known for its historic synagogue, a reminder of the long presence of Georgian Jews in the area. Among the notable people connected with Samtredia are the mathematician Andrea Razmadze, a co-founder of Tbilisi State University, and the footballer and politician Kakha Kaladze.
For travellers, Samtredia is mainly a convenient transit point: Kutaisi International Airport is about 20 km away, and trains between Tbilisi, Batumi and Poti pass through the town. From here it is easy to reach Guria, Samegrelo and the sights of central Imereti, and to explore the plain landscapes of the Rioni valley, Telepisi fortress and the Kulashi synagogue along the way.
FAQ
1) Where is Samtredia Municipality located?
In the western part of Imereti, where Imereti, Guria and Samegrelo meet.
2) What is the administrative centre?
The town of Samtredia, about 30 km west of Kutaisi.
3) How large is the municipality?
About 364 km², mostly on the Kolkheti Lowland.
4) Which rivers flow through it?
The Rioni, Tskhenistskali and Gubistskali.
5) Why is Samtredia important?
It is one of Georgia’s main railway junctions, established on the Poti–Tbilisi line in the 1870s.
6) When did Samtredia become a town?
In 1921.
7) What does the name Samtredia mean?
It is linked to the Georgian word mtredi, “pigeon”.
8) Which historical monuments are there?
Telepisi fortress (11th–12th centuries), Vazisubani church (12th century) and the Kulashi synagogue.
9) How far is Kutaisi International Airport?
About 20 km from Samtredia.
10) Where can I find official municipal information?
On the municipality’s official website, samtredia.gov.ge.