Tskhinvali Municipality
Tskhinvali: town on the Didi Liakhvi in historic Shida Kartli, first mentioned in 1398 — history and status of the occupied region.
Tskhinvali Municipality — overview
MunicipalityHistory
Tskhinvali Municipality is a de jure unit of Georgia in the historic region of Shida Kartli, centred on the town of Tskhinvali, which lies at about 860 m above sea level on the Didi (Great) Liakhvi River, north of Gori. The former Tskhinvali district covered about 695 km² of the lower Didi Liakhvi valley and the valleys of the Patara Liakhvi and Mejuda. Under the Law of Georgia on Occupied Territories, the Tskhinvali region (the territory of the former South Ossetian Autonomous Region) is occupied by the Russian Federation and is not under the control of the Georgian government.
Tskhinvali is first mentioned in 1398 as a village of Kartli. The fertile Liakhvi valley, with its orchards and villages, was for centuries part of the Georgian heartland of Shida Kartli; after the Russian annexation of eastern Georgia in 1801 it became part of the Tiflis Governorate. In the Soviet period, in 1922, the town became the centre of the South Ossetian Autonomous Region and in 1934–1961 was called Staliniri.
In December 1990 the Supreme Council of Georgia abolished the autonomous region. The conflict of 1989–1992 left Tskhinvali outside Georgian government control, and in August 2008 the town was the scene of the Battle of Tskhinvali at the start of the Russia–Georgia war. After the war, ethnic Georgian villages around the town were destroyed and their residents displaced.
Today the territory is occupied; it is recognised as independent only by Russia and a few other states, while the international community, including the EU and the UN General Assembly, supports Georgia’s territorial integrity and the right of displaced persons to return.
Visiting information: under Georgian law, foreign nationals may enter the Tskhinvali region only from the direction of Gori Municipality, and crossings are effectively closed; many governments, including the UK, advise against all travel to the region. This page presents the history of Tskhinvali for reference; nearby Gori, Uplistsikhe and Ateni can be visited freely.
FAQ
1) Where is Tskhinvali located?
In historic Shida Kartli, on the Didi Liakhvi River north of Gori.
2) What is the status of the territory?
Under Georgian law it is occupied by the Russian Federation and is not under the control of the Georgian government.
3) When is Tskhinvali first mentioned?
In 1398, as a village of Kartli.
4) What was Tskhinvali called in the Soviet period?
Staliniri, in 1934–1961.
5) When was the autonomous region abolished?
In December 1990, by the Supreme Council of Georgia.
6) What happened in August 2008?
The Battle of Tskhinvali at the start of the Russia–Georgia war.
7) Which river flows through Tskhinvali?
The Didi (Great) Liakhvi.
8) Who recognises the region’s independence?
Only Russia and a few other states; the EU and UN General Assembly support Georgia’s territorial integrity.
9) Can Tskhinvali be visited?
Crossings are effectively closed, and many governments advise against all travel to the region.
10) What can be visited nearby?
Gori, Uplistsikhe and Ateni Sioni in Gori Municipality.