Temka

Overview

Temka (Georgian: თემქა; also written Temqa) is a residential neighbourhood in the north of Tbilisi, in the Nadzaladevi district, near the Tbilisi Reservoir (the “Tbilisi Sea”). It is also known as the Zghvisubani settlement and was formerly called the Khevdzmari settlement. Besides Temka, the Nadzaladevi district includes Nadzaladevi, Sanzona, Lotkini and Avshniani.

Construction of the neighbourhood began in the 1960s. The settlement consists of four microdistricts: I, III, IV and XI. We could not find official population figures for Temka itself, or officially defined boundaries.

Location

In OpenStreetMap the centre of the Zghvisubani neighbourhood is at approximately 41.7793° N, 44.8123° E. OSM also maps a wider “Temka” area, which extends east towards the Tbilisi Reservoir.

Grigol Zardalishvili’s 1978 dictionary of Tbilisi place names describes Temka as the settlement of the Tbilisi Electric Locomotive Plant in Ghrmaghele, on the road to Tianeti. The same dictionary describes the Gldani settlement as a new quarter between the village of Gldani and Temka.

According to the same dictionary, Zghvisubani (“Sea quarter”) is the name for the area around the Tbilisi Sea. It covers the Lotkini Hill settlement and the built-up area next to Avchala.

The former name, Khevdzmari, comes from the Khevdzmara river, a 17.4 km left tributary of the Mtkvari that joins it at Lower Avchala. Zghvisubani still has a Khevdzmara Street.

History and name

In the Soviet period the Tbilisi Electric Locomotive Plant was built near today’s neighbourhood. The area was called Temka after an abbreviation of the plant’s Georgian name. The settlement was first renamed the Khevdzmari settlement and then the Zghvisubani settlement. The name Zghvisubani appeared in the second half of the 20th century, when the Tbilisi Reservoir was created and the city’s housing reached the “Sea”.

According to Russian Wikipedia, the plant counts 1939 as its founding year. Construction began in 1942, and it has been called the “electric locomotive building” plant since 1957, when it started producing electric locomotives. Today it is JSC Elmavalmshenebeli. In OpenStreetMap its site is in Sanzona, about 1.9 km in a straight line from the centre of Zghvisubani.

According to the encyclopedia Sakartvelo, the “Temka” housing estate was built by Tbilkalakmsheni, the capital’s main construction organisation, founded in 1925.

Zghvisubani was laid out under plans of 1971 and 1988. According to Ambebi.ge (2024), the Temka settlement was renamed Zghvisubani in 1999.

Microdistricts

According to Georgian Wikipedia (citing T. Kvirkvelia, Old Tbilisi Names, 1985), the Zghvisubani settlement is divided into four microdistricts:

• Microdistrict I — quarters IV, IX, X and Xa;

• Microdistrict III — quarters I, II, III, IV and V;

• Microdistrict IV — not divided into quarters;

• Microdistrict XI — quarters I, II and III.

Administrative status and streets

Temka is part of the Nadzaladevi district. By decision No. 476 of the Tbilisi City Council of 9 September 2022, Temka Street in the Nadzaladevi district was named after Levan Chochua, a fighter killed in the 2008 Russia–Georgia war.

Transport

Based on OpenStreetMap coordinates, the nearest metro stations to the centre of Zghvisubani are Sarajishvili (about 1.2 km), Akhmeteli Theatre (about 1.3 km) and Guramishvili (about 1.4 km). All distances are in a straight line.

FAQ

1) Where is Temka?
In northern Tbilisi, in the Nadzaladevi district, near the Tbilisi Reservoir (the “Tbilisi Sea”).

2) What does the name Temka mean?
It is an abbreviation of the Georgian name of the Tbilisi Electric Locomotive Plant. It was first used for the plant’s workers’ settlement.

3) Are Temka and Zghvisubani the same place?
Yes. The Temka settlement was renamed first the Khevdzmari settlement and then the Zghvisubani settlement.

4) When was Temka built?
Construction began in the 1960s. The neighbourhood was laid out under plans of 1971 and 1988.

5) How many microdistricts does Temka have?
Four: I, III, IV and XI. Microdistricts I, III and XI are divided into quarters; IV is not.

6) When was the electric locomotive plant founded?
It counts 1939 as its founding year. Construction began in 1942, and electric locomotives have been built there since 1957.

7) Where does the old name Khevdzmari come from?
From the Khevdzmara river, a left tributary of the Mtkvari that joins it at Lower Avchala.

8) Which district is Temka in?
Nadzaladevi district.

9) What is Temka Street called now?
Since 2022 it has been Levan Chochua Street, named after a fighter killed in the 2008 war.

10) What is the nearest metro station?
Sarajishvili (about 1.2 km), Akhmeteli Theatre (1.3 km) and Guramishvili (1.4 km), all in a straight line.

Sources

• Zghvisubani — Georgian Wikipedia (citing T. Kvirkvelia, 1985)

• Temka — G. Zardalishvili, Toponymy of Tbilisi and its Environs (1978), National Parliamentary Library dictionaries (in Georgian)

• Gldani settlement — G. Zardalishvili, Toponymy of Tbilisi and its Environs (1978) (in Georgian)

• Zghvisubani — G. Zardalishvili, Toponymy of Tbilisi and its Environs (1978) (in Georgian)

• Khevdzmara — G. Zardalishvili, Toponymy of Tbilisi and its Environs (1978) (in Georgian)

• Tbilisi City Council decision No. 476 of 9 September 2022 (naming Temka Street after Levan Chochua) — Legislative Herald of Georgia (in Georgian)

• Tbilisi Electric Locomotive Plant — Russian Wikipedia

• Nadzaladevi District — English Wikipedia

• “Gldani, Mukhiani, Temka — when and how three Tbilisi suburbs were built” — Ambebi.ge, 20 Apr 2024 (in Georgian)

• Zghvisubani — OpenStreetMap (coordinates, streets, plant and metro station locations)

• Encyclopedia Sakartvelo — article “Tbilkalakmsheni” (georgianencyclopedia.ge, in Georgian).

• T. Kvirkvelia, Dzveltbilisuri dasakhelebani (Old Tbilisi Names), Tbilisi, 1985 (in Georgian).