Kartli

Description

Kartli is a historical province in central-to-eastern Georgia traversed by the river Mtkvari, on which Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, is situated. Known to the Classical authors as Iberia, Kartli played a crucial role in the ethnic and political consolidation of the Georgians in the Middle Ages. Nowadays, it consists of Shida (inner) and Kvemo (lower) Kartili areas.

Located in Kartli province, Uplistsikhe (literally “Lord’s Fortress“) is an abandoned rock-hewn town, which once has played an important role in Georgian history. The place was founded in the late Bronze Age, around 1000 BC, and continued to be inhabited until 13^thcentury AD. Uplistsikhe was one of the most important political and religious centers of pre-Christian Kartli – one of the predecessors of the Georgian state and the main spot of Georgian Great Silk Road.

In Gori you can visit the museum of Joseph Stalin. He was born in Gori and you can see the original house where he was born and raised until he was 4. His family and career stories can easily be followed at the museum.

Dmanisi archeological site is the place where 1.8 million-year old skulls of world-famous hominids – Zezva and Mzia were found. According to the research,Dmanisi is the first place where migrating people of Africa stopped and developed their lives.

The oldest Georgian church script which has reached us is in Bolnisi Sioni church. The town of Bolnisi keeps the history of German settlements in Georgia in the beautiful old houses built by the community back in the 19^th century.