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| ქუთაისი, Kutaisi, Kutaisi | ||
| Region (Mchare) | Imereti | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 147.900 (2015) | |
| height | 120 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Kutaisi is the third largest city with 147,000 inhabitants Georgia and at the same time the capital of the region Imereti. The old capital of the country is - besides Batumi - the scientific, economic and cultural center of Western Georgia. In addition to the numerous historic churches and monasteries in and around the city, such as Bagrati, Gelati and Mozameta, some of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the city is also of major tourist interest. Also worth seeing in the area are the Geguti palace ruins and the Sataplia nature park with its stalactite cave and the footprints of the dinosaurs. Due to the good facilities of Kutaisi with hotels and restaurants, the city is also ideal as a base camp for exploring the region.
background
Districts
The city of Kutaisi is a self-governing city. It is divided into a few city districts, which, however, have no administrative significance. These are in the city center:
- Mepetubani. (მეფეთუბანი; "King's Quarter") - The historic center.
- Ukamerioni. (უქამერიონი; "Hinter-Rioni") - The old quarter north of the old town on the right bank of the Rioni, on the slope around the Bagrati Cathedral.
- Kronika. (ქრონიკა) - Old suburb to the west of the city center on the right bank of the Rioni.
- Balachwani. (ბალახვანი, Balakhvani) - Inter-war development on the left bank of the Rioni south of the old town in the area of the Kutaisi-1 train station.
- Sapichchia. (საფიჩხია, Sapichkhia) - Older suburbs east of the historical center along Tbilisi Street, there are numerous hostels and guest houses.
- Mzwanekwawila. (მწვანეყვავილა, Mtsvanekvavila; "Green Flower") - The former Jewish quarter northeast of the old town on the left bank of the Rioni.
Housing developments outside the city center:
- Tschoma. (ჭომა, Choma) - On the right bank of the Rioni north of the center, around the Botanical Garden.
- Aghmaschenebeli settlement. (აღმაშენებლის დასახლება, Aghmasheneblis Dasakhleba) - Large-volume residential buildings along Aghmaschenebeli Street, smaller urban villas behind.
- Chavchavadze settlement. (ჭავჭავაძის დასახლება, Chavchavadzis Dasakhleba) - The area by the southern city passage (Chavchavadze Street), there is the bus station, the Kutaisi-2 train station, the stadium and the Pionerta Park.
- Asatiani settlement. (ასათიანის დასახლება, Asatianis-Dasakhleba) - On the right bank of the Rioni along Asatiani Street.
- Saghoria. (საღორია) - Large-volume apartment blocks in the southeast of the city on Saghoria Mountain.
Prefabricated housing estates and districts far outside the center:
- Car factory settlement. (ავტოქარახნის დასახლება, Avtokarkhanis Dasakhleba) - To the west of the city, large-volume apartment blocks around the Kutais car factory.
- Awangardi (ავანგარდი, Avangardi), Bakisubani (ბაქისუბანი) and Nikea (ნიკეა): Prefabricated housing estates in the southwest and south of the city.
- Rionhessi settlement. (რიონჰესის დასახლება, Rionhesis Dasakhleba) - Housing estate in the south-east of the city near the Rioni hydroelectric power station (Hesi) and Rioni train station.
- Gumathessi. (გუმათჰესი, Gumathesi) - settlement far north of the city, near the village of Gumati, at the Gumati hydroelectric power station of the same name.
Gelati,Motsameta (Both raion Tkibuli), Sataplia and Geguti (both raion Zkaltubo) do not belong to the administrative area of the city of Kutaisi, but should be dealt with in this article because of its sights, which are mostly approached from Kutaisi.
history
The Colchian Plain was already settled in pre-Christian times, the Kingdom of Colchis had large and prosperous trading cities, as well Wani. In the 8th century BC Kutaia was mentioned as the capital of the Colchis. The name of the city comes from the Greek word kuata, which means stony. According to the Argonauts legend, Kutaisi could have been the place where the Golden Fleece was found.
Kutaisi was an important settlement even in the Middle Ages. In the 8th century it was the residence of the Abkhazian king Leon, and from the 10th to the 12th century it was the residence of the Georgian kings. In the 13th, 15th and 16th centuries, Kutaisi was the capital of the western Georgian kingdom Imereti. In the 17th century Kutaisi fell under Ottoman rule, and in the 18th century under Russian rule.
In 1877 the city was connected to the railway line Potentiometer-Tbilisi via a branch line, in the ensuing industrialization, the population of Kutaisi grew to over 30,000. Numerous factories were built, such as sparkling wine and brandy as well as fruit juices and mineral water. During the Soviet era, heavy industry and mechanical engineering also emerged, including the Kutaisier Automobilwerk (KAS), which mainly produced trucks, as well as tractor, aircraft and chemical plants. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a large part of industrial production collapsed.
In 1921 Kutaisi was the seat of the Menshevik government of the Democratic Republic of Georgia for 14 days before Kutaisi was occupied by the Red Army.
Due to the numerous educational and cultural institutions (2 universities, 5 theaters) Kutaisi is today the cultural center of Western Georgia and is seen by its residents as the "secret capital" of the country. Kutais residents speak of Tbilisi as "Dedakalaki" (capital, literally mother city), but Kutaisi is "Mamakalaki" (literally: father city), a kind of opposite pole to the water head in the east of the country.
Numerous well-known personalities from Kutaisi shaped and still shape the economic, political and cultural life of Georgia and are also internationally known, for example the opera composer Sakaria Paliashvili, the university founder Dimitri Usnadze and the well-known film director Tengis Abuladze, who knows his hometown in numerous and still is popular films (e.g. "Neobyknovennaja Vystavka") immortalized. Nino Burdschanadze (opposition politician) and Katie Melua (jazz singer who now lives in Great Britain) should be mentioned at the moment.
getting there
| Distances | |
| Tbilisi | 226 km |
|---|---|
| Batumi | 140 km |
| Zugdidi | 105 km |
| Potentiometer | 100 km |
| Samtredia | 37 km |
| Tkibuli | 37 km |
| Sestaponi | 36 km |
| Baghdati | 26 km |
| Kopitnari(Kutaisi Airport) | 24 km |
| Zkaltubo | 18 km |
By plane
The 1 "Davit Aghmashenebeli International Airport" or. Kopitnari Airport is about 20 km southwest of the city on the main road to Samtredia. It currently offers low-cost airline flights, among other things Wizz Air out Memmingen, Dortmund, Berlin, Warsaw, Katowice, Vienna and Budapest at.
The airport is Not accessible by public transport. A taxi costs around 20-25 lari, you can also take a marshrutka from the bus station to Samtredia and ask the driver to stop at the airport. The company Georgian Bus also offers transport by minibus to the city and from Kutaisi to the airport, tailored to the arrival and departure times (5 Lari) - you can pre-book this via the Internet or after arriving at the airport, where you are anyway is approached by Georgian Bus employees.
There are alternative airports in Batumi and Tbilisi. Another airport 2 Kutaisi West Airport (no scheduled service) Kutaisi-West, on the western outskirts, does not offer any scheduled flights.
By train
Kutaisi is off the main line of Georgia. The express trains between Tbilisi and Batumi, Zugdidi and Poti therefore do not stop in Kutaisi. However, you stay on 3 Rioni train station, 10 km south of the city, from where you can take marshrutkas into the city.
There are two train stations in Kutaisi itself: 4 Kutaisi-1 Railway Station, a few hundred meters south of the historic center; and 5 Kutaisi-2 Train Station, on the southwestern outskirts.
There are three daily direct connections from Tbilisi to Kutaisi-1 (approx. 5 1/2 hours), two daily direct connections between Kutaisi and Machindschauri (Batumi) (approx. 3-4 hours) and a daily direct connection Kutaisi - Zugdidi (approx. 3 1/2 hours). There are also four daily train pairs Kutaisi-2 - Zkaltubo, two daily train pairs Kutaisi-1 - Tkibuli and two daily train pairs Kutaisi-1 - Punch scissors (via Sestaponi and Chiatura). Georgian Railways train schedule
By bus
The 6 Central bus station from Kutaisi is next to the Kutaisi-2 train station on Chavchavadze Street in the south of the city. Minibuses ("Marschrutkas") from / to Tbilisi (Didube), Batumi, Poti, Zugdidi run several times a day, to Tbilisi several times an hour. From this bus station you can also reach all regional destinations several times a day.
7 Regional buses (Red Bridge) (e.g. Sataplia, Gelati, Zkaltubo) also drive away from the city center, they stop at the Red Bridge.
In the street
Kutaisi is on the 
, Georgia's main road connecting Tbilisi with the west of the country. With the exception of the Tbilisi-Gori section, this road is a two-lane interurban road with through-towns and sometimes heavy traffic. The travel time by car is about 4 hours to Tbilisi, 2 hours to Batumi and Zugdidi, and 1.5 hours to Poti.
Kutaisi is bypassed by an expressway about 15 km south. The main access from the motorway to Kutaisi in the half-expansion is from the 8 Geguti south of the suburb of Nikea. Since this road is currently being expanded as of summer 2016 and is therefore a bad gravel road, it is recommended to continue to drive to the city via the old interurban roads from the junctions at Nakhshirghele in the east or from Samtredia:
- Coming from the east, take the old trunk road from the Chugnari exit and am 9 Tschognari roundabout (S1 / E60) Do not turn left at the roundabout at Tschognari, but continue straight ahead (not signposted!) Over the old road. You can reach the city center directly.
- Coming from the west, the city center can be reached by leaving the expressway at the Bashi exit and switching to the old trunk road. You drive past the airport and through the places Partskhanakanevi and Kvitiri. After you reach the city limits, you cross the 10 Railway bridge (S1 / E60) and go straight on.
The following well-developed regional roads start in Kutaisi (clockwise from the west):
to Choni
to Zkaltubo, Zageri and downsvaneti (Lentechi)
to Ambrolauri
to Gelati, Tkibuli and Ambrolauri
to Baghdati and Wani
However, these regional roads are poorly signposted or not signposted at all in the city and some of them lead along narrow side streets in the historic center.
mobility
The city itself is small enough to be explored on foot. It also has a good network of city buses and marshrutkas. Especially the bus line 1, which runs on a circular route between the center and the two train stations, should be highlighted here. A ride costs 0.20 Lari and is paid directly to the driver when you get off. Numerous city buses from Germany and Austria have been retired and still drive around Kutaisi in their original paintwork.
A cable car runs from the 11 Cable car valley station White Bridge (Tetri Chidi) for Park of culture and recreation on the other side of the Rioni River. Here one direction costs 1 lari each.
There are marked cycle paths along Chavchavadze and Aghmashenebeli streets.
The trolleybus network - the last of its kind in the South Caucasus - was discontinued in summer 2009.
Tourist Attractions
The small city center, which has been newly renovated and now looks a bit sterile, is particularly worth seeing. The area near the synagogue is a little shabbier, but more original. A large number of the sights listed below are not in the city itself, but in the surrounding area.
Churches and synagogues
- 1 Bagrati Cathedral - belongs to the Unesco world heritage, see below.
- 2 church Dedamschoblis Charebis Tareba, Varlamishvili Street, a few hundred meters northeast of the Central Park.
- 3 Zminda Giorgis Eklesia (Church of Saint George), at the end of Newport Street, also a few hundred meters northeast of the central park,
- 4 Kutais Synagogue Gaponow-Straße 57-59 a few hundred meters northeast of the central park, built in 1885.
- 5 Another two synagogues, which are older (built around 1850), are also located on Gaponow Street at house numbers 8 and 10.
Surroundings:
- 6 Monastery, Academy and Cathedral of Gelati, one of the most important churches in the country and a Unesco world heritage site.
- 7 monastery Mozameta - see article Gelati
Bagrati
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The Bagrati Cathedral (georg. ბაგრატი; ბაგრატის ტაძარი) stands on the Ukimerioni mountain on the right bank of the Rioni. It was built at the beginning of the 11th century under King Bagrat III. (r. 978-1014) built. An inscription indicates the year 1003 for the completion. It is a triangular complex with a large central dome, three semicircular apses behind a straight east wall, triangular niches on the outside. A tambour supported by four free-standing pillars raises the dome.
The church was devastated and blown up by the Ottomans in 1692. in the process, the dome and the ceilings collapsed. The church was not rebuilt and remained as an imposing ruin in the cityscape of Kutaisi. The first restoration work began in 1952, mainly to secure the state of ruin. In 1994 the Bagrati Cathedral was shared with the monastery Gelati Unesco world heritage site. After the church ruins were handed over to the Georgian Orthodox Apostle Church in 2001, which consecrated them again as a church, the reconstruction of the ruins, which had been around for over 300 years, slowly began. The church was reconstructed in its original form, completed in 2012 and reopened. The joint World Heritage Site Bagrati and Gelati was placed on the Red List of Unesco World Heritage Sites during the construction work. As of 2014, the plan is to split Bagrati and Gelati into two separate World Heritage Sites, with Bagrati losing its status as World Heritage since the church is no longer in its original state.
The reconstruction of Bagrati also split the country of Georgia and especially the population of Kutaisi. While part of the population welcomes the rebuilding of the cathedral and is a symbol of a strengthened, independent Georgia that has left centuries of foreign rule and oppression behind, another part of the population sees the reconstruction as a cultural disgrace.
Whatever your opinion as a visitor, it definitely pays to visit the newly opened church to form your own opinion on the controversial reconstruction on site, or even just to take nice photos.
The church is free and accessible during the day, respectful clothing and behavior is required.
Buildings
City center
- 8 White bridge (თეთრი ხიდი, Tetri Chidi) over the river Rioni, known from the bridge diver scene in the film "Neobyknovennaja vystavka" (1968), including a statue that recreates this scene.
- Market hall in the city center (1930s) with a magnificent wall relief - see section Shopping
- 9 First public school, built around 1900
suburban
- 10 New Parliament to the west of the city on the arterial road Choni. Completed in 2012, it was one of the prestige projects of President Mikheil Saakashvili to move the parliament from Tbilisi to Kutaisi, so people moved into it quickly and quickly a few days before the elections, although it was not quite finished; for example, the air conditioning was not in operation. As of 2014, the successor government is still considering reversing the move. However, this fails primarily because it is difficult to find a subsequent use for the 50 million euro building.
Monuments
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- 11 Davit Aghmaschenebeli (David the Builder) has been standing at the end of Aghmaschenebelistraße in front of Kutaisi-1 train station since 2012
- 12 Fountain in the city center near the central park - a kitschy, beautiful new creation. Davit Aghmaschenebeli stood at this point until 2012.
- 13 mother tongue (Deda Ena)
- 14 Kutais Automobile Plant (KAZ) - Wall mosaic
Museums
Streets and squares
Parks
- 15 Central Park "Boulevard" downtown. When the weather is nice, a popular meeting place for young and old. In the park, the "Savane" coffee house offers homemade ice cream.
- 16 Park of culture and recreation with a small amusement park (Ferris wheel) on a mountain on the right bank of the Rioni, accessible by cable car from the city center
- 17 Park "Pionerta" in the south of the city, on Chavchavadze Street in the Bakisubani district
- 18 Botanical garden "Kolchuri" in the north of the city on the arterial road towards Zageri.
- 19 Natural park Sataplia, 15 km northwest of the city, with a stalactite cave, footprints of dinosaurs and a glass viewing platform
shop
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Shopping centers
- 1 Karvasla,, Akaki Tsereteli Str. 4th. Mainly clothes, a small electronics shop and a few junk shops.Open: 10: 00-19: 00.
- 2 Foodmart, 141 Shota Rustaveli Street. Well-stocked supermarket; was called Populi XL until 2013.Open: daily 9 a.m. to midnight.
Markets
- 3 Basroba, downtown.
- Basroba, Ilia Chavchavadze Gamsiri (in the area to the east around the bus station). More choice than in the old town. In addition to food, you can also get electronics and clothing here.
kitchen
Cheap
- 1 Bikentias Sakababe, Tsisperi Kantselebi Str. Founded in 1954, a Kutais legend. Shabby wood paneling, bar tables, the only food Kababi (minced loafs) with spicy Satzebeli (tomato sauce), optionally with beer (6 GEL) or lemonade (5.50 GEL). Perfect for a quick but substantial lunch.Price: 6 GEL.
medium
- 2 MC Donalds, Ilia Chavchavadze Gamsiri. Open: 24/7.Price: 2-10 GEL.
On the main road ს 1 directly at the Kutaisi-2 train station and bus station, it is ideal for a rest in the transit. Clean toilets, which cannot be taken for granted in Georgia.
Upscale
accommodation
There are now numerous hostels and guest houses across the city. One finds 2017 too about 25 hostels.
Cheap
- 1 Golden fleece (From the McDonalds at the bus station, turn right approx. 700 m down Hauptstsraße. At the unmistakable gate of the youth park, turn right, the first larger building after the end of the park - a little more than 1 km in total). Tel.: 995 568 72 22 02. Space for 120 guests, clean with a well-equipped self-cooker kitchen. Not very close to the center of the old town, but easily accessible from the bus station, ideal for spending the last night before departure from Kutaisi airport. One speaks German.Open: check-out 12.00 noon.Price: Dormitory (8/10 bed) 15-20 Lari. Double "Suite" 50 Lari.
security
Kutaisi was the “mafia capital” of Georgia in the 1990s. Today the place is, like all of Georgia, very safe. It is most likely to take care of drunk people who would like to tempt you to drink along and who can also become aggressive at times.
Practical advice
- 1 Tourist info, 9 a Rustaveli Avenue, Kutaisi 4600, Georgia (Next to the Shota Rustaveli Bridge). Tel.: 995 431 24 11 03.
trips
The area around Kutaisi is rich in cultural and natural monuments worth seeing. Numerous local excursion providers offer day and half-day excursions to the following places. But it is also possible to go on these excursions on your own with marshrutkas or taxi.
- Sataplia. About 10 km northwest of the city you can see possible dinosaur footprints in the karst rocks. There is also a stalactite cave that can be visited.Open: The stalactite cave is closed on Tuesdays.Price: Entry 5 Lari.
- Gelati and Motsameta. Two church and monastery complexes, which date from the time of the Kingdom of Imeretia in the 11th century, approx. 15 km northeast of the city. They are close together and are usually visited in one excursion. Gelati is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 20 Geguti. About 15 km south of Kutaisi is the palace complex of Queen Tamar from the 12th century just outside the village of the same name. It is one of the few secular architectural monuments of the medieval Georgian kingdom that is well preserved and has been developed for tourism. The facility is freely accessible and not monitored.
- Tskaltubo. About 20 km northwest of Kutaisi is the health resort with numerous dilapidated buildings (sanatoriums and hotels) from the Soviet era. Once one of the classiest Kurdish destinations in the USSR, where Stalin liked to stay, the decline began in the 1990s. Numerous magnificent buildings from the 1930s to 1980s bear witness to its former size. The spa operation is still very limited, the place is to be revitalized again.
- 21 Prometheus Cave (პრომეთეს მღვიმე), Raion Tskaltubo, Locality Kumistavi (The approach from Kutaisi (22 km) by Marshrutka is possible, but not very useful. You have to get from the Tsiteli Khidi (“Red bridge”) to Tskaltubo take the Marschrutka line 30 (runs every half hour) to Zkaltubo and then for the remaining 8 km line 42 (only runs every 1-2 hours). A taxi from Kutaisi costs around 20 Lari (one way) or 40-50 Lari there and back plus waiting time.). Tel.: 995 577 10 14 17. The Prometheus Cave is one of the most important sights in the region. The stalagmites, stalactites and other formations are beautifully set in scene with effect lighting. Six large caverns are shown, the rock formations are illuminated with colored lights. The boat trip on the water flowing through the cave is not always possible.Open: Tue-Sun 10.00-17.30.Price: 20 lari for tourists, 5 lari for children, the boat trip costs an additional 15 lari.
- Nawenachewi Cave. Another karst cave system is located about 20 km east of Kutaisi in the village of Nawenachewi. It is also accessible to visitors, but not nearly as attractive or touristically staged as the Prometheus or Sataplia caves.
- Wani. The ancient capital of the Kingdom of Colchis is believed to be in the district town about 35 km southwest of Kutaisi. Extensive excavation work is accessible on the western outskirts. The archaeological museum there documents the finds and the history. However, gold finds are in the National Museum in Tbilisi.
- Nikorzminda. The 11th century Nikorzminda Cathedral has rich frescoes. It is located about 70 km northeast of Kutaisi on the way from Tkibuli to Ratchet.
Web links
- http://kutaisi.gov.ge/ - Official website of Kutaisi
