Georgia’s historical and geological region of Samtskhe, nowadays represented by Akhaltsikhe municipality, is stretching in the gorges of rivers Mtkvari and Potskhovi, in the hollow of Akhaltsikhe. In the South it is bordered by the Georgian-Turkey state border. Principal town of municipality, Akhaltsikhe, is located at the confluence of rivers Mtkvari and Potskhovi. Akhaltsikhe, a hub on the crossroads and linking roads of Kartli, Javakheti, Ajara-Imereti and Tao-Klarjeti was always distinguished by its multi-national population. Here always lived Georgians, Armenians, Greeks and Jews as next-door neighbors. The town was rimmed by a wall, and in its center was erected a fortified fortress of the town’s master, Atabag Jakeli (so called Rabat). Today Akhaltsikhe retains the function of a transit hub: here merge roads

coming from neighboring nations – Armenia and Turkey, Georgia’s backbone expressways – s-8 (E691, Khashuri-Borjomi-Akhaltsikhe-

Vale, last point-Turkish border) and s-11 (E691, Akhaltsikhe-Akhalkalaki- Ninotsminda, last point Armenian border), freeway of internal

state importance Akhaltsikhe-Batumi (S-1) and Khashuri-Vale, railway segment. Many tourist routes cross the territory of municipality.

One of them follows river Uraveli gorge located in the ultimate Southern part of municipality. The gorge is noted for scores of historical monuments and mineral water springs. Here are outlets of therapeutic mineral water used for treatment of many diseases. Sub-thermal (38 degrees) mineral water spring is also available in Akhaltsikhe.

 

1. Gorge of river Uraveli. According to the local legend, 16 km South-East from Akhaltsikhe, great Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli allegedly studied in the Agara Monastery dating to XII century.

2-3. There are several fishing farms in the gorge where Uraveli trout having specific taste properties is cultivated. Local Tenili (spagetti) cheese which in 2014 was honored with Georgia’s Non-Material Cultural Heritage Status is very special product. It is worth mentioning that in Javakheti, from traditional types of bread manufactured from ancient species of grain, like Lavash or Shoti, tradition of making other types of bread has been preserved (Somini, Kakala, Ukha, Bazlama and Chatsekili).

 

Location: slope of Trialeti range, gorge of river Uraveli (tributary of river Mtkvari)

Distance: 18 km from Akhaltsikhe, 215 km from Tbilisi

Sea level: 1250 m

Landscape: mountainous

Climate: middle mountain (lower belt), winter cold with little snow, mean temperature in January -4 degrees centigrade; summer moderately warm and moderately dry, mean temperature in August 17 degrees centigrade

Average annual precipitation: 520 mm

Average comparative annual humidity: 73%

Annual average number of sunlight hours: 2000 h.

Natural treatment factor: climate of middle mountain lower belt and carbohydrate, hydro-carbonate, sodium-calcium- magnesium mineral waters with general mineralization 3 g/dm3 containing carbohydrate gas (more than 1,2 g/dm3), biologically active silicon acid (more than

90 g/dm3) and bivalent iron (more than 10 mg/dm3);

discharge: 70 000 l/day

Types of therapy: mineral water baths and application (drinking), passive climate therapy

Diseases for treatment: alimentary tract organs, musculoskeletal and peripheral nervous system diseases.