Georgia, Svaneti - The Most Beautiful Place in the World (Original)
Svaneti or Svanetia (Suania in ancient sources) (Georgian: სვანეთი Svaneti) is a historic province in Georgia, in the northwestern part of the country. It is inhabited by the Svans, an ethnic subgroup of Georgians.
Svanetia is known for their architectural treasures and picturesque landscapes. The botany of Svanetia is legendary among travelers.[citation needed] The famous Svanetian towers erected mainly in the 9th-12th centuries, make the region’s villages more attractive. In the province are dozens of Georgian orthodox churches and various fortified buildings. Architectural monuments of Upper Svanetia are included in a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Svan culture survives most wonderfully in its songs and dances. Svanetia boasts arguably the most archaic three-part polyphonic singing. Most of their songs are connected to round dances, are performed very loud and are full of dissonant chords.[3]
Top Places In Georgia - 55 Places in Georgia | What We Can See In Georgia | 55 Места в Грузии
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What We Can See In Georgia? We're offering top 55 destinations to visit in Georgia:
Kakheti:
1. New Shuamta
2. old Shuamta
3. Ikalto monastery
4. Alaverdy monastery
5. Gremi
6. Nekresi
7. Tsinandali
8. Davit Gareja
9. Sighnaghi
Samtskhe-Javaketi:
10. Paravani lake
11. Saghamo lake
12. Khertvisi castle
13. Vardzia Cave
14. Rabati castle
15. Borjomi
Mtskheta-Mtianeti:
16. Svetitskhoveli
17. Jvari monastery
18. Shio-Mghvime monastery
19. Kazbegi
20. Chaukhi Mountains
21. Ananuri Castle
22. Gudauri
Shida Kartli:
23. Gori
23. Gori fortress
25. Gorijvari
26. The Ateni Sioni
27. Uplistsikhe
Tusheti:
28. Upper Omalo
29. Lower Omalo
30. Dartlo
31. Shenaqo
32. Diklo
33. Girevi
34. Bochorna
Svaneti:
35. Mestia
36. Ushguli
Racha:
37. Tskhrajvari
38. Shaori lake
39. Nikortsminda cathedral
40. Khotevi cathedral
41. Barakoni cathedral
42. Mravaldzali
43. Shovi
Khevsureti:
44. Shatili
45. Muco
46. Abudelauri lakes
Samegrelo-Imereti:
47. Martvili Canyon
48. Okace Canyon
49. Kinchkha Waterfall
50. Promete Cave
51. Sataplia
Kolkheti:
52. Paliastomi Lake
Guria:
53. Gomi Mountain / Gomismta
Achara:
54. City Batumi
55. Mtirala National Park
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Journey from Ushguli to Mestia, Georgia
USHGULI, THE MOST REMOTE VILLAGE IN GEORGIA
Ushguli is in the far, mountainous north of Georgia 6 kilometers from the Russian border.
It is nested in the Caucasus Mountains.
There are four villages that make up Ushguli, Svaneti, one of the region’s most remote outposts and Europe’s highest permanent settlement. The road from Mestia to Ushguli is by far the most dangerous in Europe, with steep dropoffs, narrow greasy winding road far above the fast running rivers below. Fraught with avalanches, mudslides and water washouts, this road can be treacherous.
The people of Ushguli are tough and taciturn, speaking an archaic Georgian dialect and practising a version of Orthodox Christianity owing much to earlier beliefs, Svan cultural identity is distinct. Isolated by an annual six-month winter, until the early 2000s Svaneti remained a lawless place; blood feuds and banditry were widespread. Georgians even ridicule Svans as unsophisticated (although, sensibly, they do it quietly).Stymied by its remote location, Ushguli had long endured a terminal decline, as harsh conditions combined with instability to drive depopulation. However, as Georgia has emerged from post-Soviet chaos, security has returned to Georgia, including Svaneti.
In Zhibiani, one of the larger villages, ancient Svan defensive towers overlook the winding lanes and wandering livestock. Substantial stone buildings of two storeys, upper floors fronted by enclosed wooden balconies, lie in varying states of repair.
Marekhi Nijharadze’s, (longstanding local resident) house is in good order though, with Soviet symbols recalled in decorative fretwork. She invites Alex, my Georgian guide and me inside.
“I came here as a midwife,” she laughs. “Life was very different in the 1950s. I was the only medic. I had to extract teeth and even perform small surgeries. There was no money, no transport and the road to Mestia was terrible. It wasn’t what I was expecting but I wanted to help.”
These days Marekhi runs a guesthouse; beds stand wherever there’s space, while an extension to make room for more is clearly underway. In an original bedroom two significant fissures track across the wall – scars from the 1987 avalanche which saw half Zhibiani’s residents pack up and leave.
“Just 50 people remained – everyone was trying to escape,” she says. “Finally, tourism has brought them back.”
Despite its rough and ready nature, for centuries Svaneti proved a safe and remote repository for art and learning, usually under the protection of Orthodox monasteries. On a hill overlooking Zhibiani, against the backdrop of Shkhara’s snowy 5,000m massif, Lammeria monastery remains home of the Bishop of Upper Svaneti.
Past a shepherd dog the size of a pony is the entrance, where a bearded and robed monk appears and rings a peel of three bells. He opens the door to a tiny 10th century chapel and motions us to enter, lighting a candle before we take a seat.
“I was supposed to come for a month,” he says.
Not everyone in Ushguli is so straightforward. Surrealist artist Pridon Nijharadze also lives in Zhibiani, leading a reclusive existence and giving few interviews. He’s rumoured to be an awkward and eccentric character; but Alex knows Pridon’s nephew, who’s willing to make an introduction.
We walk along narrow alleys, past abandoned Russian trucks and silently wandering cows, to a half-stone, half-wooden building. At the top of a flight of steps, a whiskered elderly man eyes our approach – Pridon, as it turns out. “What do you think of the positions held by Stalin and Roosevelt after the Tehran Conference?” he demands by way of introduction. Happy with Alex’s reply, he invites us into his studio, to tell us about his past. “In the 1970s I studied in Tbilisi, but they couldn’t give me anything,” he says. “What I wanted to paint wasn’t allowed.”
“I demonstrated against the Soviets when they banned the Georgian language. They put me in an asylum, took my blood, gave me drugs. I’ve had health problems ever since.”
A group of Aussies descended on Ushguli recently guided by Georgian local Maka Tsertsvadze.
An absolute stunning place.
Georgia/Signagi to Tbilisi Part 10
Welcome to my travelchannel.On my channel you can find almost 1000 films of more than 70 countries.
See the playlist on my youtube channel.Enjoy!
Georgia:
Georgia: Georgian: საქართველო, is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital and largest city is Tbilisi. Georgia covers a territory of 69,700 square kilometres (26,911 sq mi), and its 2016 population is about 3.72 million. Georgia is a unitary, semi-presidential republic, with the government elected through a representative democracy.
Georgia is situated in the South Caucasus,between latitudes 41° and 44° N, and longitudes 40° and 47° E, with an area of 67,900 km2 (26,216 sq mi). It is a very mountainous country. The Likhi Range divides the country into eastern and western halves. Historically, the western portion of Georgia was known as Colchis while the eastern plateau was called Iberia. Because of a complex geographic setting, mountains also isolate the northern region of Svaneti from the rest of Georgia.[citation needed]
The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range forms the northern border of Georgia. The main roads through the mountain range into Russian territory lead through the Roki Tunnel between Shida Kartli and North Ossetia and the Darial Gorge (in the Georgian region of Khevi). The Roki Tunnel was vital for the Russian military in the 2008 Russo-Georgian War because it is the only direct route through the Caucasus Mountains. The southern portion of the country is bounded by the Lesser Caucasus Mountains.[166] The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range is much higher in elevation than the Lesser Caucasus Mountains, with the highest peaks rising more than 5,000 meters (16,404 ft) above sea level.
The highest mountain in Georgia is Mount Shkhara at 5,068 meters (16,627 ft), and the second highest is Mount Janga (Dzhangi–Tau) at 5,059 m (16,598 ft) above sea level. Other prominent peaks include Mount Kazbek at 5,047 m (16,558 ft), Shota Rustaveli 4,860 m (15,945 ft), Tetnuldi 4,858 m (15,938 ft), Mt. Ushba 4,700 m (15,420 ft), and Ailama 4,547 m (14,918 ft).Out of the abovementioned peaks, only Kazbek is of volcanic origin. The region between Kazbek and Shkhara (a distance of about 200 km (124 mi) along the Main Caucasus Range) is dominated by numerous glaciers. Out of the 2,100 glaciers that exist in the Caucasus today, approximately 30% are located within Georgia.
Tourism is an increasingly significant part of the Georgian economy. In 2016, 2,714,773 ( In 2017 6 milion) tourists brought approximately US$2.16 billion to the country. According to the government, there are 103 resorts in different climatic zones in Georgia. Tourist attractions include more than 2,000 mineral springs, over 12,000 historical and cultural monuments, four of which are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Bagrati Cathedral in Kutaisi and Gelati Monastery, historical monuments of Mtskheta, and Upper Svaneti).Wikipedia
Ushguli Georgia
The historic region of Upper Svaneti in Georgia
Ushguli (Georgian: უშგული) is a community of four villages located at the head of the Enguri gorge in Svaneti, Georgia. Recognized as the Upper Svaneti UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ushguli is one of the highest continuously inhabited settlements in Europe. Compared to somewhat more developed towns like Mestia, Ushguli has been saved by its particularly inaccessible location, which helped preserve the villages' timeless feel.
Ushguli is located at an altitude of 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) near the foot of Shkhara, one of the highest summits of the Greater Caucasus mountains. About 70 families (about 200 people) live in the area, enough to support a small school. The area is snow-covered for 6 months of the year, and often the road to Mestia is impassable.
闲不住的苏小包Vlog| 欧洲性价比最高的旅行目的地：格鲁吉亚 One of the cheapest destination in Europe: Georgia
格鲁吉亚大概是近两年被讨论的最多的高性价比目的地，小姐姐好看，红酒便宜好喝，卡兹别克山一年四季都美到不行，还有臭臭滑滑的硫磺浴和山寨大包子。
更多精彩游记欢迎关注闲不住的苏小包公众号su_photography
Georgia is one the cheapest destination in Europe. There is great landscape, incredible food, amazing sulfur baths and warm people! Tbilisi might be your next destination!
Welcome to beautiful Caucasian Georgia (საქართველო) Part 1
Welcome to my travelchannel.On my channel you can find almost 1000 films of more than 70 countries.
See the playlist on my youtube channel.Enjoy!
Georgia:
Georgia: Georgian: საქართველო, is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital and largest city is Tbilisi. Georgia covers a territory of 69,700 square kilometres (26,911 sq mi), and its 2016 population is about 3.72 million. Georgia is a unitary, semi-presidential republic, with the government elected through a representative democracy.
Georgia is situated in the South Caucasus,between latitudes 41° and 44° N, and longitudes 40° and 47° E, with an area of 67,900 km2 (26,216 sq mi). It is a very mountainous country. The Likhi Range divides the country into eastern and western halves. Historically, the western portion of Georgia was known as Colchis while the eastern plateau was called Iberia. Because of a complex geographic setting, mountains also isolate the northern region of Svaneti from the rest of Georgia.[citation needed]
The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range forms the northern border of Georgia. The main roads through the mountain range into Russian territory lead through the Roki Tunnel between Shida Kartli and North Ossetia and the Darial Gorge (in the Georgian region of Khevi). The Roki Tunnel was vital for the Russian military in the 2008 Russo-Georgian War because it is the only direct route through the Caucasus Mountains. The southern portion of the country is bounded by the Lesser Caucasus Mountains.[166] The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range is much higher in elevation than the Lesser Caucasus Mountains, with the highest peaks rising more than 5,000 meters (16,404 ft) above sea level.
The highest mountain in Georgia is Mount Shkhara at 5,068 meters (16,627 ft), and the second highest is Mount Janga (Dzhangi–Tau) at 5,059 m (16,598 ft) above sea level. Other prominent peaks include Mount Kazbek at 5,047 m (16,558 ft), Shota Rustaveli 4,860 m (15,945 ft), Tetnuldi 4,858 m (15,938 ft), Mt. Ushba 4,700 m (15,420 ft), and Ailama 4,547 m (14,918 ft).Out of the abovementioned peaks, only Kazbek is of volcanic origin. The region between Kazbek and Shkhara (a distance of about 200 km (124 mi) along the Main Caucasus Range) is dominated by numerous glaciers. Out of the 2,100 glaciers that exist in the Caucasus today, approximately 30% are located within Georgia.
Tourism is an increasingly significant part of the Georgian economy. In 2016, 2,714,773 ( In 2017 6 milion) tourists brought approximately US$2.16 billion to the country. According to the government, there are 103 resorts in different climatic zones in Georgia. Tourist attractions include more than 2,000 mineral springs, over 12,000 historical and cultural monuments, four of which are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Bagrati Cathedral in Kutaisi and Gelati Monastery, historical monuments of Mtskheta, and Upper Svaneti).Wikipedia
South Caucasus UNESCO Treasures
Studded with UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites and cultural treasures, the South Caucasus countries of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan are neighbors in the “melting pot” region between Europe and Asia, with its wines, cuisines, cultures and natural beauty considered by many travelers to be “the best of the best.
Located between the Black and Caspian Seas, the South Caucasus region is home to dozens of languages, religions, musical styles and landscapes, with 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and 16 UNESCO cultural treasures – from bread, carpets and copper to alphabets, wines, and spine-tingling polyphonic singing.
• Learn more about MIR's group tours and handcrafted, private journeys to the South Caucasus –
• Explore MIR’s favorite South Caucasus tours: A Taste of Georgia: Wine, Cuisine & Culture ( and Treasures of the South Caucasus (
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CREDITS:
Photos: Michel Behar, Inga Belova, James Carnehan, Devin Connolly, Richard Fejfar, Ana Filonov, Peter Guttman, Martin Klimenta, la Tabagari, Nino Murvanidze, Mariana Noble, Paul Schwartz, Jake Smith, John Wurdeman
Videos shot by Jake Smith and Mariana Noble
Maps in video: Google Maps ©2017
Video thumbnail photo: James Carnehan
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VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 – INTRO
The South Caucasus countries of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan share stunning mountain backdrops; powerful stone fortresses, monasteries, and watchtowers; and a strong culture of home, hearth, and especially hospitality. They are laden with UNESCO-listed treasures.
00:36 – WHAT MAKES GEORGIA, ARMENIA & AZERBAIJAN DISTINCTIVE
Each country is distinctive in its own history and traditions, with Georgia's renowned winemaking, Armenia's multitude of ancient churches, and Azerbaijan's Zoroastrian and Islamic background.
01:00 – WHAT GEORGIA, ARMENIA & AZERBAIJAN HAVE IN COMMON
Yet what these countries share is a love of fresh, savory foods; traditional dancing; and UNESCO World Heritage sites:
01:43 – Armenia: Geghard Monastery, Haghbat and Sanahin monasteries, Echmiadzin Cathedral and the ruins of Zvartnots
02:17 – Georgia: Polyphonic singing, Gelati Monastery and Bagrati Cathedral, the historical monuments of
Mtskheta, and Upper Svaneti with its ancient watchtowers
02:45 – Azerbaijan: Art of carpet-weaving, ancient rock carvings of Gobustan, and the walled city of Baku with Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower
03:13 – These South Caucasus countries of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan are a mixing bowl and a melting pot of East and West; ancient and modern; Persian, Turkic and Russian in their languages, cuisines, and cultures; with memories of mountains and landscapes to last a lifetime.
Svaneti (Mestia-Ushguli)-Tbilisi-Georgia
Temmuz 2016
JeepTour2Geoegia - Svaneti (Koruldi Lakes)