Among the hills covered with pine forest and steppe grasses, a pedestal of gigantic dimensions rises. Residents of Gldani and the coast of the Georgian sea can see its silhouette even from a distance of several kilometers. What is this architectural wonder, somewhat reminiscent of Salisbury’s Stonehenge? Of course, the Chronicles of Georgia, a monument that bears on its walls the history of the existence of the ancient Caucasian state.
History of the monument “Chronicle of Georgia”
About the architect
So, the monument “History of Georgia” is the brainchild of the famous monumental sculptor Zurab Tsereteli. The architect has always been famous for the scale of his projects. Thus, from under his hand came the monument to St. George the Victorious, “Man and the Sun”, the sculpture of Mimino (Tbilisi works), “The Birth of the New Man” (Sylvia), the monument to Peter I (Moscow), “Break the Wall of Mistrust” (London) and many other sculptures.
If you are interested in his work, you can visit the Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Contemporary Art (Tbilisi, Shota Rustaveli Ave., 27).
About the creation of the Georgian Stonehenge
According to rumors, this place was set aside for a 100-meter monument to Joseph Stalin back in the early Soviet era. However, the Secretary General never managed to bring the idea to life – he did not find a worthy, in his opinion, sculptor. The place was empty for several decades, until in 1980 it was assigned to Tsereteli’s new grandiose project.
Active construction work lasted 18 years – from 1985 to 2003, but they never managed to finish it. Perestroika, the collapse of the Union, in the 90s Tsereteli left for Moscow and worked on the memorial slowly and piecemeal. The creation of the project turns out to be at the turning point of eras, it becomes difficult to finance it.
The difficulty was also that the sculptor mainly carried out orders from the party on political themes. And here – a grand monument of historical and religious nature.
Ultimately, in 2003, the construction was completed, the monument acquired a more or less integral appearance. Nevertheless, some parts still lie at the foot and have been waiting for their turn for more than 20 years. Also, several slabs were removed by order of the patriarch due to historical inaccuracy and now require re-engraving.
About composition
“The History of Georgia” is located on Mount Kenisi, and in combination with its 35-meter height, it creates a “wow-effect” of a gigantic architectural structure. The spectacle will amaze anyone, even an experienced observer – photographs can hardly convey its scale.
On a foundation of 80 * 80 meters there are 16 columns – 12 forming the walls and 4 internal. The material is an alloy of bronze and copper, which is why the monument has a characteristic greenish color. From a bird’s eye view, the Chronicles take the form of the Bolnisi equilateral cross – in this way the author paid tribute to the religious Georgian traditions.
The composition is divided into 3 equal parts, that is, you need to read the plots not on a separate column, but as a whole layer.
It is difficult to examine all the details depicted on the columns, most likely you will only be able to see the 1st plot row. The upper parts are clearly visible in photographs from drones, I am attaching a photo:
Now let’s go through the chronology of the subjects:
The bottom row depicts biblical motifs, the faces of Jesus Christ and other saints. You can see the subjects of the Last Supper, the Resurrection and the Transfiguration. It was in this part that there were the most discrepancies with history, so some details of the row are missing.
The middle one is dedicated to the “makers of history” – kings, military leaders, politicians, writers and artists. For example, there is Saint Nino, Queen Tamar, Ilya Chavchavadze, the 13 Assyrian Fathers and others. Quotes and lines of poetry are also engraved.
The upper row is bustling with activity and life. Here, peasants are harvesting, singing folk songs, sowing is going on nearby, and cows are being led to pasture nearby. In general, the scenes depict the life, traditions, and holidays of ordinary people. By the way, it is symbolic that the author depicted them at the very top, as the completion of a complete historical picture.
At the beginning of the ascent to the Chronicles, there is a row of venerable elders – a monument to the 13 Assyrian Fathers. This is a group of preachers who came to Georgia in the 6th century to teach and enlighten people. Partly, it is thanks to their efforts that Christianity has become so popular here. Each of the statues has distinctive facial features and costumes; very meticulous work was done during their creation. They were made by the same Zurab Tsereteli.
You can also go inside the small church to look at the medieval style frescoes. Or at the bronze chronicle of the history of Georgia – a copy of the manuscript that was found near this place.
Memorial “History of Georgia” – what is nearby
Spending almost a whole day of your vacation and driving across the entire city to look at one monument is impractical. Frying under the scorching sun among the hot pillars of the Chronicle is also not much fun. Therefore, I offer several ideas on how to spend the day in the most interesting way.
First, you can go to the Gino Paradise water park. This is the largest water park in Tbilisi, where there is everything you need for a fun and comfortable vacation. Slides for children and adults, pools of different depths, with and without heating, a health complex with massages and medical procedures. And after you have had your fill of swimming, choose one of the dozens of local restaurants, go have a delicious dinner and relax.
The trick of the water park is that closer to the evening, ticket prices drop almost in half. Also, if you buy tickets for several people at once, the price will be even less. Thanks to this system, getting here with a large company will not only be fun, but also very profitable. Plus, the water park will be a real salvation after the difficult journey to the “Chronicle of Georgia”, especially if you went there on a hot summer day.
An alternative to a water park is a yacht cluб «La Cote». This is a sports and entertainment complex that specializes in family recreation, holding festive events and simply water sports. Here you can ride a yacht or a sailboat, a water parachute or skis, try diving with a professional instructor. The territory also has a children’s entertainment sector, a swimming pool, recreation areas and a restaurant. In a word – comfortable, varied, and most importantly – interesting recreation.
You can read more about “Gino Paradise” and “La Cote” in the article about Tbilisi Sea.
From the Chronicles to the water park or yacht club you can get there in 10-15 minutes by taxi.
The third option of what you can do on the shore of the Tbilisi Sea is to come up with your own entertainment, namely, have a picnic. Although a law was recently passed banning the lighting of fires in wooded areas, this can be circumvented. Having descended from the mountain on which the Chronicles are located, you will find yourself on a flat steppe area. Here you are allowed to make a fire and fry kebabs.
But in any case, remember the precautions and watch the fire! And then you can go and plunge into the inviting cool water. There is a rather popular city beach right under the monument. If you want to swim, it is better to approach one of the locals and ask which places in the bay are best suited for this.
How to get to the Chronicle of Georgia
The shortest road from Freedom Square to the History of Georgia is 15 kilometers long, not a short distance. As I said earlier, it is worth going here if you have a day to spare that you are willing to spend on visiting the monument.
And there are 2 ways to get there:
- Taxi. Quite fast and very convenient. It takes 40 minutes of your time and 12-15 lari one way.
- Metro + bus. First, you need to overcome more than half of the metro line and get off at the station “Grmagele”. There is a stop right opposite the exit, wait for bus 360, which will take you to your destination. The road from the center will take about an hour and a half.
The bus and taxi only go to the foot of the mountain, so when climbing Kenishi you will have to rely only on your own strength. At first there will be a dirt road, and at the very end there are steps leading to the monument. Be sure to wear comfortable light shoes and take water with you – it is very hot at the top.
More about Tbilisi and Georgia:
Best hotels in the mountains of Georgia
Souvenirs – what to bring from Georgia as a gift
Top 6 Restaurants for the Best Khinkali in Tbilisi
Best Hotels in the Center of Tbilisi
My name is Vitaly Kibitlevsky, I am a tour guide and creator of unique quests in Batumi. If you want to walk around the city with a fascinating storyteller or plunge into an exciting adventure, write to the mail: vitkibit@gmail.com
Find out more about me and my projects here