THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE ADMINISTRATION

Chiatura

Chiatura  located inland Chiatura plateau and the narrow valley of the Qvirila river, at an altitude of 340-500 meters, Gomi-Sachkhere-Zestafoni road. 220 km away from Tbilisi (railway). Chiatura has a humid sea subtropical climate, knows cold winter and relatively dry, hot summer. The average temperature is + 13%, + 2% in January, + 23% in July, -20 absolute minimum, absolute maximum +42. 1100 mm precipitation of  year.

Every town has its own history,arising and development of Chiatura was totally based on rich manganese bed.But as archeological researches had proved areas around Chiatura,as main part of upper imereti has been settled since ancient  times.Scientists analyzed caves,existed in the canyons of river Kvirila and River Jruchula :”cave of wolf”,” dzudzuana rock” and etc.

There are manu hisrorical and architechtural monuments in the Region of  Chiatura,which proots that population of this Georgian area took active part in torming material and spiritual culture of the whole Georgian nation.Among  these monuments several are unigue; especially interesting is column of Katcki.One can see huge 40sm,high column and to conguer this column is possible only for alpinists.

In the Fast of Chiatura,on the right side of River Kvirila, through the rocks,is situated an important monument of 13 th centuru,nunneru of Mgvimevi. The village of Katskhi  is the site  of a tenth century church with six apses,in close vicinity to the unique pillar of Katskhi. 

The citadel of Sveri,also hewn in rock,is surrounded by a natural balcony and a stone balustrade.According to Vakhushti Bagrationi,it was built in the ninth century.The Didveli fortress and church,still intact in the village of Bzhinevi,and the fortress of Zedubani,date back to the Middle Ages. St.George’ s Chruch at Dargveti dates from the eleventh century, while the churches in Rganisi   and Perevisi were constructed in the eleventh,twelfth and thirteenth centuries respectively.

Some artifacts have been found in the canyon of the Chruchuli River,a short way from Chiatura,that date approximately from the 60-70 millenia BC. Remnants of the world”s oldest iron-melting furnace,bits of iron and slag have been excavated near the village of Navardzeti: they bear testimony to the fact shat Geogians had been using manganese alloys long before our era to produce metal of superior quality.

Manganese deposits in Chiatura were first discovered  in 1846 by  Akademician  H. Abikh.who had a high opinion of their value. He wrote: “The discovery in the Caucasus of manganese ore of high purity and merit is a phenomenon that deserves close attention from science and technolo-gy”.Akaki Tsereteli  was the first to pay  attention to this ore,so in 1879 he busied himself in making pre- parations for mining the deposit.

Chiatura region besides manganese ore is rich with quartz sand,which comes out on the aurface by powerful steps and is easily cultivated.Chiatura quartz sand is one of the highest quantities and creates the best raw material in producing of concrete,silicates brick and glass,and also is used as building.

Through the Chiatura region goes Baqo-Supsa oil-pipe-line.It is interesting that roule oil-pipe-line totally coincides the oldest highway which used to have the same route.

In Chiatura,the first ropeway was built in 1900 and the first cableway in 1948.There were 17 cableways for the passengers and 21 ropeways for manganese,and the whole length of them had been 30 kilometers.

The three part moving cableway in the center of town is really unique.It connects the higt mountainous part with the center of town.

The state Drama theater of Akaki Tsereteli plays an important role in the cultural life of Chiatura region,which is one of the oldest in the State.

There are cultural houses and libraries not only in the town,but in every village in the surrounding areas as well.The library in Chiatura contains many archived historical documents.There is a museum,which contains very unique exhibitions of the past life of Chiatura.