Resort of Gagra is situated in the calm gulf surrounded by mountains. Coastline is crossed by several rivers. Among them is Reprua which is contender to be awarded the title of the shortest river in the world. Its length is only 18 meters.

 

The territory of Gagra was settled from ancient times. As far back as 20 000 years ago Stone Age people lived in the gorge of river Tsikherva. In the II c. BC Greek colonists founded here a small trade colony named Triglite. Major population consisted of Colchis tribes and Greeks who traded initially with the Greek and later with Genoan and Venetian merchants and soled them locally manufactured commodities, like timber, wool, honey and wax. Existence of the town in later centuries proves Gagra basilica – famous early Christian Georgian architectural monument erected in VI-VII cc. It is one of the oldest specimens of

three-nave basilicas widely distributed in Georgia.

 

Great contribution in developing Gagra as a resort was made by the representative of the Russian Imperial family, Prince of Oldenburg. His plans encompassed turning Gagra into a high-profile elite resort, a kind of Russsian option of  "Nice". To that end, he laid out a park on the seashore of Gagra, built beautiful palace, hotel and restaurant ‘Gagripsh’ which is a symbol of Gagra even today. On January 9, 1903, Prince opened Gagra climatic station and celebrated this event in the restaurant "Gagripsh" constructed by himself. This day is considered to be inauguration date of the resort of Gagra. Soon first tourists appeared in Gagra. They were Germans, while in 1912 Gagra was honored by the visit of the Russian Emperor, Nicholas II.

 

On the territory of Gagra municipality, in the Western part of Gagra range, is located a limestone massif Arabika, where many

hollows, caves, funnels, wells and other shapes of karst landscapes are distributed. From first ten deepest karst hollows in the world, two – named after Kruber (reached depth 2195 m, the deepest karst hollow on the planet) and Sarma (1543 m) – are located in Arabika massif. From speleological research point, Arabika is a stand-alone spot. Presumably, under it are hidden unknown until now super deep karst abysses and gigantic cave systems.

 

 

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