GEORGIA (Country) - History, Culture, Cuisine and many more

Day 2,896, 15:22 • Published in Georgia Georgia • by Shred Them All
GEORGIA



Georgia (საქართველო-Sakartvelo) is a small country in the center of Caucasus, between Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, place where Europe meets Asia, many consider Georgia as an Asian country, but they are wrong, Georgia is European country. Georgian roots go to Diauehi (13th century BC) and after that Colchis and Iberia (8th and 7th century BC).

Georgia is divided into 10 parts:

• Abkhazia - აფხაზეთი
Abkhazia is one of the most beautiful places in Georgia, it is the place where, sea meets beach and a huge mountains of Caucasus.

After dissolution of the Soviet Union, Georgia declared its independence in 1991 and war started in Abkhazia by ethnic group of people, who were resettled from north Caucasus, with support from Russia, Georgia lost the territory temporarily and now Abkhazia is partially recognized "independent country" (recognized by - Russia,Nicaragua,Venezuela and Nauru)

• Samegrelo and North Svaneti - სამეგრელო და ზემო სვანეთი
Second biggest part of Georgia, known for its different cuisine (even in Georgia), center of this part is Zugdidi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd-vpFmxIVY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy2xPocKQhU


• Guria - გურია
Smallest part of Georgia,people known for its humor, fast folk music and delicious citrus. main city is Ozurgeti.




• Adjara - აჭარა
Adjara is known for its biggest tourist numbers in Georgia, will it be seacoast or high mountain tourism, best known city is Batumi and also second biggest city in Georgia.



• Imereti - იმერეთი
Imereti is known for its big open lands, fastest winds in Georgia,for biggest variety of animals in Georgia and for amazing cheese. central city is Kutaisi third biggest city in Georgia.


• Racha Lechkhumi and South Svaneti - რაჭა-ლეჩხუმი და ქვემო სვანეთი
This part of Georgia is full of unbelievable landscapes and highest populated places.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuPfXQEhomo




• Samtskhe Javakheti - სამცხე-ჯავახეთი
Place where Kartvelians(Georgians) and ethnic Armenians live together, known for Borjomi water and amazing "Vardzia"




• Kartli - ქართლი
Divides into to parts north and south Kartli, south part's population are Georgians, ethnic Armenians and ethnic Azeris, north part also divided into two parts Samachablo and Kartli, Samachablo is a temporarily lost territory, in a war against ethnic group of Ossetians (supported by Russia). central city is Gori.




• Mtskheta Mtianeti - მცხეთა-მთიანეთი
Mtskheta-Mtianeti divedes into several parts too,all this parts of Georgia are with amazing landscapes and with the best cuisine in Georgia (maybe even the best in the world)




• Kakheti - კახეთი
Kakheti is the richest part of Georgia, not only economically, but also with traditions, known for the best wine on the planet and with contrast of landscapes.




Tbilisi - თბილისი
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H9yg_lbFd0
Capital city of Georgia, 15 centuries old, city where you can see Christian church, Synagogue and Mosque just in several hundred meters from each other, Tbilisi has biggest number of friendly Cities around the world (including - Jerusalem,Istanbul,Athens,Riga,Warsaw,Baku,Bilbao,Bristol,Lincoln,Atlanta,Odessa,Paris,Budapest,Prague and many more)






A few notable places for tourists :

Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi
Largest Orthodox church in the world and third largest Christian church


Caves
You can visit Sataflia cave, it is really entertaining


Towers
You can visit Svaneti to see this ancient towers (under defence of UNESCO)


National Park
You can go to Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, see amazing landscapes and many species of animals, have a picnic and an amazing time with you friends


Electronic music festivals
Every summer at seacoast of Anaklia you can attend huge international electronic music festivals (This summer you could see Armin Van Buuren)


Tbilisi Open Air
A rock music festival from Tbilisi, you could see bands like Deep Purple and Placebo



GEORGIAN CULTURE AND CUISINE

Georgian culture counts hundreds and thousands of years, Caucasian culture is different than anything you have ever seen.
Here is the promo video of Georgian national ballet (Sukhishvili)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujo65bBRQ4I
each part of Georgia has its own version of dances.
Georgian folk music, also something you have never heard before and every part of Georgia has their own style of this folk music :

Xevsuruli (Part of Mtskheta Mtianeti)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQIEppAhn6k
Svanuri (Svaneti)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eM7zwt5CpY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D2QGQIhe8E]Music and Dance Video of Adjarian Song/Dance

Some of traditional Georgian melodies and songs
Salamuri (instrumental)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpBxmz-nzps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFeojQmMdY8
Georgian Military (song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKqjj2o8crk
Modern Georgian (song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XY1oRK98_U]Modern Georgian song

Georgian Movies and Theater
Georgian theater isn't too old it was modified in the period of USSR as were movies, especially Georgian comedy movies of 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s period was difficult so movies became darker, but after 2000s Georgian movies became better last notable mention for Georgian-Estonian movie "Tangerines" which was nominated for Oscar as "The best foreign movie" here is the trailer :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAh9m2bkgww

Georgian Cuisine
Georgian cuisine is also different and also has many variations, every part of Georgia has its own style, i'll show you the best and the most known from them:

Khachapuri

Adjarian Khachapuri

Khinkali



Some interesting facts about Georgia :

• Georgian Alphabet (script)

Georgia is a small country, but i can proudly say that, one of the 14 scripts, we have today on planet Earth is Georgian.

• Georgian Wine
Many of you will not know that Georgia is a birthplace of Wine, Georgian wine counts 8000 years. Georgian people are still making wine with technology that was used back in that time.
Look how Georgian wine is made

• First European
In 2001 in Dmanisi, archaeologists found skeleton, 1,8 million years old and called it Homo-Georgicus, this discover gave us information, that first Europeans lived on todays Georgian territory.


• Ushguli
Ushguli is located in north Svaneti and today it is the highest populated place in Europe.


• Christianity
Georgia is second country which became Christian (21 years after Armenia) and the first Orthodox country.


• Joseph Stalin
As i don't think we should be proud, but it is so that big leader of USSR, Joseph Stalin (Georgian - Ioseb Jugashvili), was Georgian.


• Name Georgia
As you call our country Georgia, Gruzja and many more of its version, i have to say you are "wrong", Georgians are Kartvelian people so name of our country isn't Georgia it is Sakartvelo.

• Guest
From ancient times it is believed in Georgia, that "A guest is a gift from God", so don't be confused when some stranger Georgians will make you eat and drink so much that you won't be able to move.

• Supra/Tamada
When it is time to celebrate, friends or family or all together are sitting at Supra, eating and drinking, telling some toasts, Supra is a feast table, full of drinks and food, Tamada is a head of Supra, man who starts telling toasts first, it is an ancient Georgian tradition, Tamada knows almost all special and common toasts which should be told, all others are listening and than drinking with him it will be a wine or chacha(Georgian version of Vodka).








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