Avchala Street

Overview

Grigol Khandzteli Street (until 2024 Avchala Street; Georgian: გრიგოლ ხანძთელის ქუჩა, formerly ავჭალის ქუჩა) is a street in the Gldani district of Tbilisi, in the Zahesi settlement (Avchala). By order No. 270 of the Tbilisi City Council of 24 May 2024, Avchala Street in the Zahesi settlement was given the name of Grigol Khandzteli. In OpenStreetMap (OSM) the street is still labelled with the old name (“ავჭალას ქუჩა”, Avchala Street), and the bus stops on it also carry the old name.

The street is a section of the Tbilisi Bypass Road: OSM maps it as a trunk road with the national number S9 (ს 9) and the international number E60. According to OSM, the section mapped under the old name is about 1.9 km long. It follows the terrace on the left bank of the Mtkvari (Kura) river, between the residential areas of Avchala and Zahesi.

Location

According to OSM, the western end of the street (about 41.8260° N, 44.7469° E) is at the junction with Giorgi Maqashvili Street, where the road continues as the Tbilisi Bypass Road. From there the street runs east-northeast. The western part (about 1.6 km) is a two-way, four-lane road; the road then divides into two one-way carriageways and ends at about 41.8287° N, 44.7697° E at the junction with Elefter Andronikashvili Street, from where the bypass road continues. The midpoint of the street is at about 41.8269° N, 44.7581° E.

Measured from the western end (approximate distances, OSM), the following streets join it: Mikheil Tsinamdzghvrishvili Street (≈0.5 km), Tsotne Mirtskhulava Street (≈0.65 km), Arsen Okrojanashvili Street (≈0.7 km), Giorgi and Zviad Ugrekhelidze Street (≈1.2 km) and Svimeon Shotadze Street (≈1.3 km). The naming documents of Okrojanashvili and Mirtskhulava streets describe them as streets “located near Avchala Street”.

In Nominatim address data most of the street belongs to Zahesi and its westernmost end to Avchala; both are part of the Gldani district, postcode 0178. There is no metro station nearby: the nearest one, Akhmeteli Theatre, is about 5.7 km from the eastern end of the street in a straight line.

Name

The street’s former name, Avchala, is the name of an old village and present-day neighbourhood. Avchala lies on a terrace on the left bank of the Mtkvari, at about 440 m above sea level. The village is often mentioned in historical chronicles; on 20 September 1939 Zemo (Upper) and Kvemo (Lower) Avchala were merged into the urban-type settlement of Avchala, and in 1962 Avchala became part of Tbilisi. It became widely known after the construction of the Zemo Avchala Hydroelectric Power Station (ZAHES, Zahesi), whose first stage was put into operation on 9 April 1927.

The new name honours Grigol Khandzteli (Gregory of Khandzta, 759–861), a Georgian churchman and writer who organised monastery building in Tao-Klarjeti and founded the Khandzta monastery. He is a saint of the Georgian Orthodox Church; his life was described by Giorgi Merchule.

On the same day (24 May 2024) the City Council gave new names to sections of the Grigol Khandzteli Street that had existed in the Zahesi settlement until then: one section became part of Aleksandre Managadze Street (order No. 268), another, together with Grigol Khandzteli 1st Dead End, became Skhvitori 1st Lane (order No. 269).

Nearby places

• Church of St Grigol Khandzteli — about 30 m.

• Church of St Nektarios of Pentapolis — about 50 m.

• Convent of the Mother of God Pantanassa — about 230 m.

• Public School No. 208 — about 290 m.

• Zahesi railway halt — about 380 m from the eastern end.

• Mtkvari river and the hydraulic structure mapped in OSM as “Zahesi” — about 440–490 m.

Distances are straight-line, calculated from OSM coordinates to the nearest point of the street.

FAQ

1) Where is Grigol Khandzteli (former Avchala) Street?
In the Gldani district of Tbilisi, in the Zahesi settlement (Avchala), on the left bank of the Mtkvari: from Giorgi Maqashvili Street to the junction with Elefter Andronikashvili Street.

2) When and why was the street renamed?
By order No. 270 of the Tbilisi City Council of 24 May 2024, Avchala Street in the Zahesi settlement was given the name of Grigol Khandzteli. The document does not state a reason for the change.

3) Who was Grigol Khandzteli?
A Georgian churchman and writer (759–861) who organised monastery building in Tao-Klarjeti and founded the Khandzta monastery; he is a saint of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

4) How long is the street?
According to OSM, the section mapped under the old name is about 1.9 km long; about 1.6 km of it is a two-way, four-lane road.

5) Is the street part of the bypass road?
Yes. OSM maps it as a section of the Tbilisi Bypass Road, numbered S9 (E60).

6) Which streets does it connect to?
Giorgi Maqashvili, Mikheil Tsinamdzghvrishvili, Tsotne Mirtskhulava, Arsen Okrojanashvili, Giorgi and Zviad Ugrekhelidze, Svimeon Shotadze and Elefter Andronikashvili streets.

7) What is the nearest metro station?
Akhmeteli Theatre, about 5.7 km from the eastern end of the street in a straight line.

8) What is nearby?
The churches of St Grigol Khandzteli and St Nektarios of Pentapolis, the Pantanassa convent, Public School No. 208, Zahesi railway halt and the Mtkvari river.

9) What is Avchala?
An old village and now a Tbilisi neighbourhood in the Gldani district; Zemo and Kvemo Avchala were merged into one settlement in 1939, which became part of Tbilisi in 1962.

10) Why do maps still show “Avchala Street”?
OSM and the bus stop names still use the old name; since 2024 the official name is Grigol Khandzteli Street.

Sources

• On naming Avchala Street after Grigol Khandzteli — Tbilisi City Council order No. 270 of 24 May 2024, matsne.gov.ge

• On naming a section of Grigol Khandzteli Street after Aleksandre Managadze — order No. 268, matsne.gov.ge

• On naming a section of Grigol Khandzteli Street and its 1st Dead End Skhvitori 1st Lane — order No. 269, matsne.gov.ge

• On naming an unnamed street near Avchala Street after Arsen Okrojanashvili — order No. 260 of 2019, matsne.gov.ge

• On naming an unnamed street near Avchala Street after Tsotne Mirtskhulava — matsne.gov.ge

• Avchala Street (central section) — OpenStreetMap

• Avchala Street (western end) — OpenStreetMap

• Avchala Street (eastern one-way section) — OpenStreetMap

• Zahesi — OpenStreetMap

• Akhmeteli Theatre metro station — OpenStreetMap

• Public School No. 208 — OpenStreetMap

• Avchala — Georgian Wikipedia

• Zemo Avchala Hydroelectric Power Station — Georgian Wikipedia

• Gregory of Khandzta — English Wikipedia