Half of New Construction Projects Located in Tbilisi
Fifty percent of construction permits granted in the first three months of this year are located in the capital city of Tbilisi, according to new data released by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (GeoStat).
A total of 2,052 permits were granted between January and March alone, with 7.8 percent more square meters planned, compared to the same period last year. Nearly three-quarters of the permits were issued in just three regions of Georgia: half in Tbilisi, 11.1 percent in Adjara and 10.5 percent in Kvemo Kartli. Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti and Guria, two of the most sparsely-populated areas of Georgia, are home to only 0.3 percent and 1.6 percent of the planned projects, respectively.
As tourism to Georgia has blossomed in recent years, Tbilisi has subsequently exploded.
Andrea Basilaia, Head of Economic Development for the Tbilisi City Council, spoke to a group of British investors last October about the city’s economic potential.
He told investors that 7.9 million international tourists came to Georgia in 2017, 58 percent of which visited Tbilisi, yielding US$2.7 billion in revenue.
“Tourism is one of the main pillars at around 7% of Georgia’s GDP,” Basilaia noted. “The potential still big, so we’ll be developing new tourist attractions, as well as promoting and developing tourist infrastructure.”
He mentioned projects such as the renovation of the Tbilisi TV Broadcasting Tower, the proposed Tbilisi Theme Park near the Tbilisi Sea and Radio City, to be built on the site of a former Soviet radio factory north of the city.
source: Georgiatoday.ge by Lucy Papachristou
European heritage experts release report for David Gareji monument rehabilitation
European experts have published a report for rehabilitating David Gareji, one of the principal monuments of cultural heritage in Georgia, after it was named among Europe’s seven most endangered sites last year.
The report, presented by the Europa Nostra cultural heritage organisation, involves an assessment of the technical state of the monument and measures to be taken for its safeguarding from factors ranging from natural conditions to vandalism.
The release is a result of studies conducted by a Europa Nostra mission that worked closely with Georgian authorities and professionals during a visit to David Gareji in November and included experts of cultural heritage and financial support to rehabilitation projects.
Degradation of the physical structure and the artworks at the monument, along with vandalism and graffiti, was named as the main threat to the 22 rock-hewn monasteries and over 5,000 sanctuaries and cave-cells that comprise David Gareji, located on Georgia’s south-eastern border with Azerbaijan and partly extending over it.
The experts also noted unlawful practices, including taking souvenirs from the 6th century CE site and leaving graffiti on its surfaces, as contributing factors to its degradation.
Recommendations outlined by the team of professionals said the number of distinctive sites at the monument — and limited resources available to rehabilitate them — meant prioritisation of the most at-risk cave sites would be necessary.
Structural stability of “each cave site, or lavra” will require assessment through “geo-structural analysis”, while safe access to selected sites will be needed to set up security systems both for monitoring their geographical stability and safeguarding them from vandalism-motivated intrusions.
The report also includes a need for a “command structure” and a “steering committee” for overseeing the above-mentioned measures for safeguarding David Gareji.
Finally, the experts recommend setting up a visitor centre and a museum near the site to service the “increasing flows” of visitors and present exhibits discovered at the monument — instead of having them preserved at Tbilisi museum venues 70km away, as is currently the case.
The full technical and financial report for rehabilitating David Gareji can be accessed here.
Known formally as the David Gareji Monasteries and Hermitages, the site was named in Europa Nostra’s 7 Most Endangered programme last year, with the selection highlighting the seven monuments across Europe that face risks of disintegration or decay.
The Georgian site was nominated for the list by the Georgian Arts and Culture Centre, which represents the country in Europa Nostra.
Source: Agenda.ge; Photo: Georgiatoday.ge
The 4GB Electronic Music Festival
Tbilisi has made major steps forwards in terms of developing its night life offerings in recent years and is successfully following the world trends in this respect today, with numerous events organized year-round for music lovers, 4GB being among the most outstanding.
4GB is an annual international electronic music festival launched in 2011. At the beginning, the festival was small, organized as a tribute to the Georgian pioneer DJ Gio Bakanidze by his friends. However, with the dedication and hard work of the organizers and their partner institutions, the festival has grown, becoming ever-more colorful and offering the best electronic music to guests, transforming the memories of their friend into an unforgettable event for the country, as well as the Caucasus, and raising the bar of local festival culture to a new level.
The festival carries a number of important messages. First of all, it demonstrates how the unity of like-minds and striving for mutual aspirations can turn a small memorial party into a festival of impressive scale, while maintaining the initial values. In addition, 4GB is a non-profitable event and all income is donated for the development of the idea.
The first 4GB festival was headlined by Michael Mayer, the German electronic musician and an iconic performer for DJ Gio Bakanidze, who brought together 1,000 listeners. The legendary figure has since become the permanent host of the festival, taking to the stage for over 20,000 visitors in 2017.
One of the unique features of the 4GB festival is the ever-changing location. The organizers know everything is in the details and so always aim to host the audience in a venue suited to electronic music.
The Electronauts Music Awards has five times recognized the 4GB festival as the Best Event of the Year.
2019 is to be no exception and the 4GB organizers are all set to offer unforgettable performances in an incredible environ to thousands of visitors once again.
Source: Georgiatoday.ge; By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya
Georgian Alphabet is Now on Google Arts and Culture’s Platform
Google Arts and Culture is an online platform created by the Google Cultural Institute that enables people to explore collections from around the world. The Georgian alphabet has recently been added on it and people can now enjoy the story of the century-old Georgian alphabet.
The three alphabets are presented: the Asomtavruli Alphabet, the Nuskhuri Alphabet and the Mkhedruli Alphabet. The page showcases photos of the oldest Georgian inscription from the fifth century as well as photos of old manuscripts. It explains the evolution of the alphabet and its particularities.
The site does honor to the UNESCO-recognized Georgian alphabet. It is a great tool to have precise and relevant information on the historical development of Georgia’s most precious cultural heritage.
To visit the webpage: https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/aAJSEzi41T85Jg?
Source: Georgiatoday.ge; By Gabrielle Colchen
Photo Source: artsandculture.google.com
Explore Tbilisi during Spring Nights
Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia founded in the 5th century. According to a legend, King Vakhtang Gorgasali was hunting in the woods on the banks of the Kura River and wounded a pheasant. The bird ran to the sulfur springs that healed it immediately. The King was amazed by the healing features of the spring and decided to build a city around it. Tbilisi is a mixture of cultures, models of architecture, different religious and ethnic groups.
Tbilisi has been conquered by Roman, Arab, Turkish, Persian, Mongolian and other conquerors. Russia invaded Georgia in 1799 and remained there until the end of the Soviet era. All the different cultures have left their tinges on the development of the city.
Now Tbilisi boasts about its old, traditional and modern, newly developed architectural centers. Old Tbilisi is replete with historical, cultural and religious centers with the typical balconies and carvings on the house. While modern Tbilisi has a variety of extraordinary buildings.
The district Old Tbilisi is located on both sides of the Mtkvari River and houses Mount Mtatsminda, Narikala fortress, and the Kartlis Deda monument. The venue is full of churches, museums, sulfur bathhouses, and peculiar wooden houses with open carved balconies.
The cable car, which connects the old and modern parts of Tbilisi, crosses over the Mtkvari River. Rike Park is situated in the modern part and from the park, the cable car will take visitors to the Narikala fortress. The fortress overlooks the capital – it offers tourist the best view over the entire city.
Source: Georgianjournal.ge
Museum of Broken Relationships Comes to Tbilisi
From April 11 to June 15, the Betlemi 10 exhibition hall is hosting the Museum of Broken Relationships which was first launched in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2006.
The concept of the museum is to bring together items connected to previous relationships in one space, including clothes, accessories, and photo and video sources. The visitors of the Museum of Broken Relationships also have an opportunity to share their stories with others.
The unique collection of the museum aims to provoke feelings of understanding among individuals and serve as some kind of therapy for those who have experience break-ups.
For the three months, Georgian visitors will have a chance to discover the exhibits of the global collection of the museum and add their personal items to it.
Source: Georgiatoday.ge, By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya
Photo: Google.ge
Direct flights may be launched between US and Georgia
Good news for travelers from USA.
We are working to ensure that flights between America and Georgia are timely launched, – Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze said at the briefing held before the governmental session.
The Prime Minister said that it was very important that direct flights be launched between the US and Georgia, which would help to increase the potential of economic cooperation between the two countries.
“We are trying to deepen the economic cooperation with the US. Relations between the US and Georgia have never been so intensive and I think it’s very important that direct flights be launched between the US and Georgia. Accordingly, the Ministry of Economics is conducting research, which will help us find a company that will be able to start flights between the US and Georgia. This will help us to increase the potential of economic cooperation between the two countries”, Mamuka Bakhtadze said.
Source:Georgianjournal.ge; Photo: Georgianjournal.ge
See historical Georgian costumes on Europe’s largest online platform
Millions of visitors of Europeana, the largest European digital platform for cultural heritage, will now be able to learn about Georgian costumes worn by the country’s historical nobility as well as those used in classic film and theatre productions.
Over 30 exhibits from Tbilisi-based Art Palace museum have been uploaded to the online database’s fashion section, after the Georgian venue collaborated with organisers of the platform to have their collections showcased.
The range of Georgian attires, gowns and robes is displayed in the section that also presents entries such as the legacy of Paris fashion houses, famed designers including Yves Saint Laurent, and exhibits demonstrating various techniques of garment creation.
Examples from the Art Palace collection include a 1948 dress worn by an actor in Keto and Kote, a film staged based on the celebrated 1919 Georgian opera of the same name.
Art Palace director Giorgi Kalandia told Rustavi 2 TV the dress had been donated to the museum years ago in severely damaged condition. It was later repaired by professionals at the venue and is on both physical and digital display.
Other items include a ceremonial robe worn by Georgia’s 12th century Queen Tamar — created based on an 18th century fresco by celebrated theatre designer Simon Virsaladze — and a traditional woman’s dress from the highland Mtiuleti province.
The costumes are now part of over 50 million digitised items including garments, artwork and books the Europe-wide platform has accepted on its website since its launch in 2008. About 3,000 cultural institutions from across Europe have exhibits on Europeana.
Art Palace launched talks for exhibiting the museum’s collections on the website last year, as part of the European Year of Cultural Heritage.
The joining of the Europeana directory comes as part of an initiative bringing the museum’s stories on exhibits and personalities of Georgian art to online space, first launched on Google Arts & Culture — another international digital platform for cultural heritage.
Art Palace’s collections on the latter include displays for painter, art researcher and technological pioneer David Kakabadze, contemporary artist Tamara Kvesitadze and theatre designer Petre Otskheli.
The Tbilisi venue said more exhibits from its vaults are set to be prepared to be displayed on Europeana as its collaboration with the platform evolves.
Source: Agenda.ge, photo: Agenda.ge
Wives of Ambassadors Enthusiastic about Mastering Georgian Dance
Georgian dance is one of the most significant and unalienable parts of the country’s diverse and colorful culture. Each region in Georgia has its own unique dance which perfectly portrays the character and outstanding features of the Georgian people.
Georgian dance is known in different parts of the world among different nations. However, it is quite interesting that the guests of Georgia are so enthusiastic about mastering the country’s traditional national dances.
The wives of the Ambassadors to Georgia expressed interest in learning Georgian national dance and have begun to take classes in it.
The master-classes are led by a professional dancer of the National Georgian Ballet Sukhishvili (also known as Sukhishvilebi), Tea Darchia.
The idea of taking courses of Georgian dance was initiated by the spouse of the Ambassador of Sweden to Georgia. She motivated other representatives of the diplomatic corps. The ladies state these classes help them get a sense of the Georgian soul.
Aside from a love of Georgian dance and music, the spouses of the ambassadors have been united for a much more important reason. With the given initiative, they express solidarity to women with breast cancer.
The future plans of these ladies also involve giving a concert.
Source: Georgiatoday.ge, By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya
Street Name Commemorates German Heritage in Georgia
The Union for the Protection of German Cultural Heritage in the South Caucasus has announced that Joseph Stalin Street in Asureti is now called Schwabenstrasse (Schwabian Street).
Around 1400 German families settled in Kvemo Kartli in Georgia after the Russian Tsar Aleksandr I invited foreigners to live in Transcaucasia.
His 1804 law allowed foreigners to make use of land plots and cultivate them. They were also tax-exempt and not required to complete military service.
The German families settled in Elizabethal settlement, named after the Russian Tsaritsa Elizabeth Alexeievna. Many of the families who emigrated to Georgia were Swabians. They also settled in Tbilisi and Abkhazia.
Source: Georgiatoday.ge, By Amy Jones
Photo: Georgiatoday.ge