Ritsa Relict National Park

Ritsa Relict National Park (also known as in Abkhaz, რიწის დაცული ტერიტორია in Georgian, Национальный парк Рица Реликт in Russian) is a 311 km² national park in the northern part of Abkhazia, close to the border with Russia, whose main aim is protecting Lake Ritsa and the flora and fauna in the surrounding mountainous region. The landscape of the national park consists in mountain with different heights, lakes of different sizes, glaciers, caves rivers and waterfalls. The national park has also rich fauna and flore and is usually reached from Gagra. It's recomended to visit from April to October.

How do I arrive to Ritsa Relict National Park?

  Ritsa Relict National Park is located in a quite uninhabited part of Abkhazia so there aren't many different means of transport to arrive here.

• Bus: there are marshrutkas from Gagra in summer season. It can also be hired a tour or a taxi to arrive to the park.
• Car: Ritsa National Park can be reached from different places like Gagra (aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes), Pitsunda (aprox. 1 hour 20 minutes), Gudauta (aprox. 1 hour 25 minutes), Novy Afon (aprox. 1 hour 40 minutes) or Sukhumi (aprox. 2 hours 5 minutes). It can also be reached from Adler or Sochi in Kranodar Krai (Russia).

  Once in the Park the best ways to move around the park are the car, with mountain bike or hiking.  

History

In 1930 it was established Ritsinsky Reserve under the Soviet Union and when Georgia reestablished its independence (1991), the territory of the reserve was enlarged and the modern Ritsa Strict Nature Reserve established. With the outbreak of Abkhaz-Georgian conflict and subsequent war, the control is exercised by the de facto Government of Abkhazia, which established the Ritsa Relict National Park here in 1996.

What can I visit in Ritsa Relict National Park?

The National Park is one of the most worthy sightseeing points not only in Abkhazia, but in the whole area. It's also highly recommended to hire a guide to take the visitor to the lake and make stops because its infrastructure is quite bad preserved. Most of the attractions of the park are located along the only road to Ritsa Lake. To enter into the national park the visitor has to pay a fee (350₽/ 150₽/ free  adults/ kids under 12/ kids under 8):    

• 

  Devich'i slezy Waterfalls

  On the outskirts of the park there's Devich'i slezy Waterfalls (translated as Maiden Tears' Waterfalls), waterfalls on the bank of river Bzyb with bright multi-colored ribbons on the surface of the rock. The site is connected to a popular legend about a girl (Amra) and her lover (Adgur). When Amre was in danger, the young man was hunting in the mountains and felt the approach of trouble to her lover, but knew that he could not help the girl. So, in that moment, the man's tear fell to the ground and a waterfall appeared later in this place. Close to the waterfall there's Mamdzyshkha Mountain, a 1876 m high mountain that is just 5 km far from Gagra from where there are nice views of the coast of the Black Sea and it can be seen Sochi. The area is full of karst caves, including the 2nd deepest cave in the world, Krubera Cave (deeper than 2,000 m).
  

• 

  Gega Waterfall
  

  On the way to the national park the visitor can stop at the small Goluboye Lake (Blue Lake), a nice lake of kartic origin known for its turquoise water (given by azurite mineral).
• Walking 7 km from the main road (there's a mountain road to it but is in terrible condition) it can be found Gega Waterfall, also known as Circassian Waterfall. This 70 m high waterfall on river Gega (tributary of the Bzyb River), with water with a high lever of purity, is very popular among tourists (considered the most famous and beautiful waterfall of Abkhazia). The Soviet film The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson and many Georgian films had scenes filmed here. Next to it there's a grotto (formed by the exit of water from the side crevices) and a karst cave, Gega Waterfall Cave. 
  
• Continuing by the road to Lake Ritsa the visitor can stop at another nice waterfall, Muzhskiye Slezy Waterfall (translated as Men's Tears Waterfall), connected with the legend of Maiden Tears' Waterfalls.

  

  Yupshar Canyon
  

   Souvenirs and ribbons are sold at its foot (tributing the tourist tradition of tying ribbons near the waterfall and making wishes).
• Keeping driving the visitor can enter into Yupshar Canyon, an incredible 8 km long gorge formed along river Yupshar by being washed during millions of years of water action. Its walls overhang the road and river and the width of the gorge ranges from 100 m to 20 m. Usually tourists make a short stop (5 minutes) on one of the viewing platforms to take pictures. 
• Very close to the lake it can be enjoyed the views from Proshchay, Rodina Observation Deck. This place is called that way (translated like Goodbye, Motherland) because in the 1930s, during the construction of Stalins's dacha, one truck fell down from the lacet and as the truck was falling, the driver cried it. There's later another viewpoint, Lake Ritsa Observation Deck.

• 

  Lake Ritsa
  

  The main sightseeing point in the national park is Lake Ritsa, a wonderful lake with cold and clear water. During the Soviet times it was an important tourist attraction and it's still frequented by Russian tourists, although the infrastructure seems to be locked in the Soviet years. The lake is surrounded by mixed mountain forests and subalpine meadows, and many activities can be done here such as walk around the lake, boating or enjoy the cafes located by the lake. The lake is one of the must-visit of Abkhazia and the whole region. Here it can be visited Stalin's Dacha at Lake Ritsa (9-18; 150₽), one of the many summer residences that Josef Stalin had (believed to have been one of his favorites)

  

  Stalin's Dacha at Lake Ritsa
  

  built in 1947 as a simple-looking house using rare and precious wood. To ensure the electricity for the cottage and the associated builgins, it was built a small hydroelectric power plant. In the visit it's told the life of the leader, his character, habits and interesting things that don't appear in history books. Next to it there's also Khrushchev's Dacha at Lake Ritsa.
• There are some trails that begin in Lake Ritsa like Stalin's Dacha-Malaya Ritsa Lake Trail (9.7 km), a trail that connects both sites and goes by lake Ritsa, or Lake Ritsa-Pskhu Route (52.2 km), a 2-day long demanding route that connects lake Ritsa with Pskhu, the 2nd most important town in Sukhumi District (the visitor can enjoy some rest at Refuge Ankhor).

  

  Malaya Ritsa Lake
  

  Another interesting trail is Pshegishkhva Trail (9.1 km), trail that reaches Pshegishkhva (2216 m), going before by a ridge and an area of snow (even in summer). There are awesome views from here and it can even be distinguished the Black Sea. Most of the trails in the national park aren't very well indicated so the visitor has to be careful.
• Some of the previously mentioned trails also arrive to Malaya Ritsa Lake, also known as Smaller Ritsa Lake, a much smaller lake but also much more natural becuase it has no infrastructure and has fascinating views of the mountains like Pshegishkhva. It's sometimes considered to be more beautiful than Lake Ritsa.
  

  

  Molochnyy Falls
  

• By lake Ritsa there are other interesting places. One of them is Ptichiy Klyuv Viewpoint, a place with beautiful views of the lake that has a quite picturesque and beautiful waterfall. Another one are Molochnyy Falls, river waterfall that flows into the lake. Its water has the optical effect of seeming white (therefore the name of Milk Falls) because it has several rapids and its water is very cold (although it's said that swimming on it preserves youth)
  
• Keeping on the road, getting deeper into the mountains, there's the Base Adjara, from where starting Mount Atsetuka Trail (13.5 km). This difficult trail reaches that reaches Mount Atsetuka (2539 m high)

  

  Mount Atsetuka
  

  and that provides nice views of Mzi Lake and the rest of the lakes of the National Park. From it there are also views of another important mountain, Mount Kutykukh.
  
• Not far there's Avadjara, a mountain village and climatological resort on the southwestern slopes of the Avadhara Range at an elevation of 1600 m. Mineral water comes out from local springs, with a similar chemical composition to Essentuki and Borjomi, and there's accomodation available too.
  
• Other trail that is interesting to do is Lake Mzy and Waterfalls Trail (8.9 km), a trail that goes to Lake Mzy by Avadhara river, passing through forest and green alpine meadows.

  

  Lake Mzy
  

  The trail reaches Lake Mzy, one of the most picturesque lakes of Abkhazia becuase the lake is surrounded by mountains. It's located at an altitude of 2000 m high and its water comes from melting glaciers (therefore its water is very cold). Another available route is Mount Adjara Trail (6.3 km),  that climbes Mount Adjara (2905 m high).
• Further from the main part of the national park the visitor can arrive to the Valley of Seven Lakes. This is a beautiful plateau over 2000 meters with several beautiful mountain lakes (in fact there are more than 7) formed by melt water from mountain snowcaps and rain. Arriving in the valley on a mountain trail provide great views of still pristine nature like alpine meadows, lakes and Caucasus mountains.

Where can I eat in Ritsa Relict National Park?

There aren't many places where to eat in the park so it's better to take food from outside (or eating in the places available in the park, although they aren't cheap).

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Posted in: Abkhazia,Europe,Georgia,National Park

Sukhumi

Sukhumi (Аҟәа in Abkhaz, სოხუმი in Georgian, Сухум in Russian) is a 65,439 inhabitants city by the Black Sea, being the de facto capital of the unrecognised country of Abkhazia and de iure capital of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, part of Georgia. It's also the capital of Sukhumi District. Sukhumi has a vibe similar to some cities in Italy, with a gorgeous setting on a bay,  hills on its back and semitropical vegetation. although it has many buildings ruined and in very poor conditions. The town had 119 150 residents in 1989 but after the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (1992–93), ethnic cleansing of Georgians and other circunstances its population was importantly reduced.

How do I arrive to Sukhumi?

 Sukhumi is good base to explore Abkhazia, both because of being its largest city and being in the center.

• Plane: there's an airport, Sukhumi Babushara Airport, but it doesn't offer flights to international destinations.
  
• Train: there are trains that link Sukhumi with Moscow (aprox. 1 day 18 hours) via Sochi. In summer trains runs between Sukhumi and St. Petersburg or Sukhumi and Belgorod, stopping at Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh. Another choice is reaching Adler (aprox. 24 hours) and crossing the border in minibus. There used to be a train line that connected Abkhazia and Georgia but it was damaged during the war. As for the local railway network, a train connects Sukhumi with Novy Afon, Gudauta, Tsandripsh and Gagra.
  
• Bus: there are buses from Sukhumi to cities in Russia like Sochi, Tuapse and Vladikavkaz. There are also often marshrutkas from Sukhumi to Novi Afon (aprox. 30 minutes), Ochamchire (aprox. 1 hour), Gagra (aprox. 2 hours) and the border with Russia (aprox. 2 hours 30 minutes).
  
• Car: if you have a car from Sukhumi it can be reached places in Abkhazia like Gulrpishi (aprox. 15 minutes), Novi Afon (aprox. 30 minutes), Gudauta and Ochamchire (aprox. 50 minutes), Gali (aprox. 1 hour 10 minutes), Tkvarcheli (aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes), Gagra (aprox. 1 hour 25 minutes), Pitsunda (aprox. 1 hour 30 minutes) or Ritsa Relict National Park (aprox. 1 hour 50 minutes). It can also be reached from places in Russia such as Adler or Sochi and places in Georgia like Zugdidi (aprox. 1 hour 30 minutes), Poti (aprox. 2 hours 30 minutes) in the Kolkheti National Park or Kutaisi (aprox. 3 hours 15 minutes).

History

The history of the city began in the mid-6th century BC when a previous settlement of local Colchian tribes was replaced by Dioscurias, a Greek colony of Miletus. It became engaged in commerce between Greece and the indigenous tribes (importing wares and exporting salt, Caucasian timber, linen, slaves and hemp), flourishing until its conquest by Mithridates VI Eupator of Pontus. Under the Roman emperor Augustus the city assumed the name of Sebastopolis but its past prosperity had already disappeared (though it kept existing during the times of Arrian). There were already Christians in Sukhumi in the late 4th century. In 542 the Romans evacuated and demolished the town to prevent it from being captured by Sasanian Empire but in 565, the Byzantine emperor Justinian I restored the fort and Sebastopolis continued to remain one of the Byzantine strongholds in Colchis (until being sacked by the Arab conqueror Marwan II in 736). Restored by the kings of Abkhazia from the Arab devastation, it particularly flourished during the Georgian Golden Age (12th-13th centuries) when Tskhumi became a center of traffic with the European maritime powers and the Republic of Genoa established their short-lived trading factory at Tskhumi in 14th century. Tskhumi became the summer residence of the Georgian kings, as well as a cultural and administrative center. (later it served as capital of the Odishi-Megrelian rulers). Contested between the princes of Abkhazia and Mingrelia, Tskhumi finally fell to the Turks in the 1570s, (calling it Sohumkale) and fortifying it. Sukhumi was declared the seaport (1847) and was directly annexed to the Russian Empire after the ruling Shervashidze princely dynasty was ousted. During the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) it was temporarily controlled by the Ottoman forces and Abkhaz-Adyghe rebels. The town and Abkhazia in general were engulfed in the chaos of the Russian Civil War, being incorporated into the Democratic Republic of Georgia as the autonomous People's Council of Abkhazia but the Red Army and the local revolutionaries took the city in 1921. Sukhumi became the capital of the Abkhazian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Georgian SSR and by 1989 it was one of the most prosperous cities of Georgia. Sukhumi was a center of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, severely damaged, and a full-scale campaign of ethnic cleansing against its majority Georgian population took place. Since then the city has not regained its earlier population and ethnic diversity.

What can I visit in Sukhumi?

  There are not very many interesting sites and attractions in Sukhumi and most of them aren't very well preserved (in fact, there are many ruined buildings and sightseeing points). The promenade of Sukhumi is probably the nicest in the whole of Abkhazia with clean waterfront, entertainment and shops. It also has the inscription Ye Sukhum, piers, sculptures... 

These are Sukhumi's main attractions:

• Former Building of the Council of Ministers

  

  Former Building of
  the Council of Ministers

  : building built in 1960 by Soviet builders to host the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, one of the most significant historical places of Sukhumi. It stands out because in Sukhumi there are almost no multi-storey buildings but it's in a very poor situation because it was gutted during Georgian-Abkhazian conflict and set in fire when the Abkhaz army took the city in September 1993. In 2018 it was installed a large awning to mark 25 years of Victory. The visitor can get into the ruined building, having the possibility of walking around. 
• Freedom Park: park that is one of the main publi spaces in the city of Sukhumi, having a monument that honours fighters for Abkhaz independence. The park has the flags of all the countries that officially recognise Abkhazia as an independent country.

  

  Sukhumi Abkhaz
  Orthodox Cathedral
  

  
  
• Sukhumi Abkhaz Orthodox Cathedral: Neo-Byzantine style cathedral built between 1909 and 1915 for the vibrant Greek community that lived in Sukhumi. It was then consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas and was, therefore, popularly referred to as Greek Nicholas Church. In the 1940s (when most of the Greeks were expellled by the Soviet government), the church passed to the Georgian Orthodox Church, remaining as one of the few functioning churches in autonomous Abkhazia throughout the Soviet period. As a result of the War in Abkhazia the church was left to the unrecognised Abkhazian Orthodox Church.
  
• St. Johannes Lutheran Church: church built in 1915 for the German community that lived in Sukhumi and Abkhazia during the Russian Empire.

  

  Entrance to the Botanical
  Garden of Sukhumi
  

  
  
• Botanical Garden of Sukhumi (8-18; 250₽/ 50₽/ free  adults/ kids under 12/ kids under 8): botanical garden founded in 1838, one of the oldest in the Caucasus, used for military purposes (to provide the soldiers with fresh vegetables and occupy their free time) as well as the introduction of new plants in the region (particularly tea and citrus fruits). It was ravaged by Turkish forces in the course of the Russo-Turkish wars and continued to develop during the Soviet rule, transformed into the research institute of botany of the Academy of Sciences (suffering greatly during the Georgian-Abkhazian War). Today it has more than 4,500 species were collected in the garden, including 1,200 tropical ones.
• Sukhumi Monkey Nursery (11-19; 250₽/ 50₽/ free  adults/ kids under 12/ kids under 8): reserve from 1927 that acts both as a zoo and part of scientific research as part of the Academy of Sciences of Abkhazia. In the past it reached 2000 individuals but after the war it was reduced to 27. Today the Institute and the nursery is again restored,

  

  Exhibition at Abkhazian
  State Museum
  

  although reaching its normal state is still very far away (old cells, unkempt grounds, dirt...).
  
• Abkhazian State Museum (10-17 Tue-Sun; 100₽): museum that shows the history and life in Abkhazia, considered its only major museum. It has interesting exhibitions, particulary a very good one about archaeology,and other sections about WW2 and the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict or even a collection of stuffed animals. The museum is surprisingly renovated but its signals are only in Russian. 
• Abkhazia State Philharmonic Hall: threater that is the seat of the Abkhaz State Philharmonic, built in 1947. Famous figures and creative teams of Abkhazia, Russia, the republics of the former Soviet Union and abroad have performed here. As many buildings in the city, it suffered greatly during the Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict.
  
• Sukhumi hosts the embassies of the countries that recognise its independence but, without any kind of doubt, the most impressing one is the Embassy of Russia in Sukhumi.
• Abkhazian State Art Gallery (8-20): art gallery with more than 3,000 works.

  

  Abkhazia State Drama Threater
  

  Its collection presents beautiful copies of frescoes of Lykhny Cathedral, works of the Soviet era and the paintings of one of the most important Ankhaz artists, A. K. Chachba. Every year the gallery hosts a retrospective and thematic exhibitions.
  
• Abkhazia State Drama Threater: threater with a whimsical and beautiful architecturefirst built in 1930 which is today the main drama theater of Abkhazia. The building was burned down in 1943 because of a German bombing and reconstructed in 1952, uniting its original Art Nouveau style with Stalinist Empire style. The auditorium has 700 seats and its plays are on Abkhaz language (available headphones with simultaneous Russian translation). On its square there's a picturesque fountain with mythical griffins.

  

  Hotel Abkhazia
  

  
  
• Sukhumi used to have many luxurous hotelsd uring the Soviet times. Some of the most prominent ones were Hotel Abkhazia (currently defunct and empty) and Hotel Ritsa. 
  
• Ruins of Sukhumi Fortress: remnants of the fortress built by the Turks in 1724, although almost nothing has been preserved and archaeological excavations and restoration haven't taken place. It is said that the ruins of the ancient Greek town of Dioskurias are located close to this point.
  
• Sukhumi Central Beach: 2 km long pebbly beach with muddy water that divided into sections by concrete breakwaters from the Soviet period. Its area is one of the most developed in the city and here the visitor can practice water sports or enjoy its cafes.

  

  Sukhumi Central Beach
  

• Sukhumi Lighthouse: 37 m high lighthouse made in France by Ernest Goüin et Cie and brought and installed in Sukhumi in 1861. It stopped working in the year 2000, being restored some time later. In front of it there's Sukhumi Lighthouse Beach, a pebbly beach with a length of 5 km that doesn't have breakwaters and is considered the most pure in Sukhumi. Cotinuing by the sea the visitor can reach Gumista Beach, a wild beach outside Sukhumi with pebbles and some sand that is less crowded than others in the city.
  

  

  Castle of Bagrat
  

• Castle of Bagrat: ruined medieval castle from the late-10th century built in the times of Abkhaz and Georgian king Bagrat III to protect the south of Sukhumi and the harbour in the estuary of river Basla. It also functioned as a shelter for the local elite (including the Shervashidze family) and it was abandoned when the town was moved west in the 16th century. The surviving structures are walls and remains of fortified structures, wine jars, jugs, glazed pottery and other items found on archaeological digs..
  
• Mocha Beach: beach that is considered the best in Sukhumi because it's mostly made of sand (although still having pebbles). It's known as the youth and the rave beach.

  

  Besleti Bridge
  

• Kelasuri Walls: remains of the former Great Abkhazian Wall, a stone wall that is thought to have been first built by Byzantines in the 6th century (although most of the remnants that can be seen today are from the 17th century, when Prince of Mingrelia Levan II Dadiani to protect his lands from the Abkhaz invasions). The wall used to consist in about 300 towers, most of them now entirely or largely ruined.
• Besleti Bridge: single-arch stone bridge that crosses the small river Besletka located 6 km from the center of Sukhumi. It dates back to the late-12th century and it's one of the most illustrative examples of the medieval bridge design popular during the reign of Tamar of Georgia. It had inscriptions in Georgian (destroyed during the war in the 1990s) and next to it there are ruins of other medieval towers
  

Kamani Monastery

Not far from Sukhumi it can be visited, in the depopulated village of Kamani (uninhabited because its population, Georgians, suffered ethnic cleanings in the Kamani massacre), Kamani Monastery. This monastery complex from the 1980s (although Russian authorities founded a convet here that faell in desuse soon) on the foundations of a medieval church, a church that is very related to the Abkhaz-Georgian legends with Saint John Chrysostom (who allegedly died here). The monument is nowadays in a poor condition. Also close to Sukhumi the visitor can arrive to Chernigovka Gorge, a beautiful small gorge flowed by a mountain river equiped with tracks, stairs, viewing platforms.... Another choice in Sukhumi District is visiting Pskhu-Gumista Strict Nature Reserve, a 733 km² nature reserve created to protect the flora and fauna in surrounding mountainous region, including the gorges of rivers Gumista, Pskhu and Bzyb. Here it's also located Inal-Kuba Mountain, one of the Seven Shrines of Abkhazia.

Where can I eat in Sukhumi?

 The culinary offer of Sukhumi isn't the best but there are still some nice things that are worth a try. It's a good experience visiting Sukhumi Central Bazaar [Сухумский центральный базар] (Ardzinba Street) to get deeper in local life and maybe buying something local. The best ideas to eat are the Ekmek Bakery [фирма Экмэк] (Abazinskaya Ulitsa 25), the traditional soup resturant cafe Lika [Сели Поели] (Lakoba Street 57), the restaurant in the pier Amra [Амра], the Caucasian restaurant Akyafurta [Акьяфурта] (Leona Avenue 2), restaurant Nartaa [Нартаа] (Makhadzhirov Embankment 54) or the club-restuarant DEM (Makhadzhirov Embankment 4).

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Posted in: Abkhazia,Europe,Georgia

Abkhazia

Abkhazia (Аԥсны in Abkhazian, სამხრეთ ოსეთი in Georgian, Абхазия in Russian) is a 245 thousand people de facto state, considered de iure part of Georgia (who regard it as occupied by Russia) in the northwestern part of Georgia, by the border with Russia. It's surrounded by the republic of Karachay-Cherkessia and Kransnodar Krai in Russia and the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti in Georgia. The population has a mostly Orthodox Christian tradition. The official languages are Abkhaz and Russian (although Georgian, Armenian and Svan are also spoken) and its currency is the Russian ruble (₽). The main and capital city of Abkhazia is Sukhumi, with other important towns like Tkvarcheli or Ochamchire. 

How do I arrive to Abkhazia?

  There are two viable land crossings into Abkhazia: close to rive Psou via Adler (from Russia) and on river Enguri, near Zugdidi (from Georgia). It's more comfortable entering from Russia (but Georgia sees it as an illegal entry in its territory, with important punishments). Abkhazia is much better communicated with Russia than with Georgia (it's only possible to take a marshrutka to the border, cross it walking and then taken another marshrutka).

• Plane: there's an airport, Sukhumi Babushara Airport, but it doesn't offer flights to international destinations.
  
• Train: there are trains that link Sukhumi with Moscow (aprox. 1 day 18 hours) via Sochi. In summer trains runs between Sukhumi and St. Petersburg or Sukhumi and Belgorod, stopping at Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh. Another choice is reaching Adler (aprox. 24 hours) and crossing the border in minibus. There used to be a train line that connected Abkhazia and Georgia but it was damaged during the war. As for the local railway network, a train connects Sukhumi with Novy Afon, Gudauta, Tsandripsh and Gagra.
  
• Bus: there are buses from Sukhumi to cities in Russia like Sochi, Tuapse and Vladikavkaz. There are also often marshrutkas from Sukhumi to Novi Afon (aprox. 30 minutes), Ochamchire (aprox. 1 hour), Gagra (aprox. 2 hours) and the border with Russia (aprox. 2 hours 30 minutes).
  
• Car: if you have a car from Sukhumi it can be reached places in Abkhazia like Gulrpishi (aprox. 15 minutes), Novi Afon (aprox. 30 minutes), Gudauta and Ochamchire (aprox. 50 minutes), Gali (aprox. 1 hour 10 minutes), Tkvarcheli (aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes), Gagra (aprox. 1 hour 25 minutes), Pitsunda (aprox. 1 hour 30 minutes) or Ritsa Relict National Park (aprox. 1 hour 50 minutes). It can also be reached from places in Russia such as Adler or Sochi and places in Georgia like Zugdidi (aprox. 1 hour 30 minutes), Poti (aprox. 2 hours 30 minutes) in the Kolkheti National Park or Kutaisi (aprox. 3 hours 15 minutes).

History

Dolmen of Abkhazia at
Sukhumi State Museum

Hunting-gathering encampments in Lower Paleolithic are the first known settlements on modern-day Abkhazia, most of them close to the coastline. Mesolithic and Neolithic periods brought larger permanent settlements (beginning of farming, animal husbandry and production of ceramics). Then megalithic culture (early 3rd millennium BC-Bronze Age) appeared with constructions like the so-called dolmens of Abkhazia (consisting of four upright mass stones and a capstone; a dolmen from the Eshera archaeological siteis its best example). Late Bronze Age saw the development of more advanced bronze implements and continued into the Iron Age as a part of the Colchian culture, that covered most of what is now western Georgia and part of northeastern Anatolia. The written history of Abkhazia largely begins with the coming of the Milesian Greeks to the coastal Colchis (6th-5th centuries BC) and founded maritime colonies along the eastern shore of the Black Sea. Dioscurias was one of the most important centers

Colchis and Iberia

of trade (presumed to have subsequently developed into the modern-day Sukhumi) and other notable colonies were Gyenos (Ochamchire), Triglitis (Gagra) and later Pityus (Pitsunda). The peoples of the region were notable for their number and variety (for example, multitude of languages were spoken in Dioscurias. Some of the inhabitants of the region engaged in piracy, slave trade and kidnapping people for ransom. According to The Georgian Chronicles, the first inhabitants of what is now Abkhazia and the whole western Georgia were Egrosians (descendants of Egros son of Togarmah, grandson of Japhet, son of Noah). Along with the rest of Colchis, Abkhazia was conquered by Mithridates VI Eupator of Pontus between 110 and 63 BC, then taken by the Roman commander Pompey and incorporated into the Roman Empire in AD 61. The Roman rule here was tenuous and the Greek settlements suffered from the wars, piracy and attacks of local tribes.

Kelasuri Walls

With the downfall of the Roman Empire, the tribes living in the region gained some independence, nominating their rulers who were to be confirmed by Rome. In the 3rd century AD, the Lazi tribe came to dominate most of Colchis, establishing the kingdom of Lazica. Colchis was a scene of the protracted rivalry between the Byzantine and Sassanid empires, culminating in the Lazic War (542-562). The Abasgi in their dense forests won a degree of autonomy under the Byzantine authority. It was built Sebastopolis in the region and Abasgia was a prime source of eunuchs for the empire. The people remained pagan until a mission sent by the emperor Justinian I converted the people to Christianity and Byzantines constructed defensive fortifications (like Kelasuri Wall). The Abasgi grew in relative strength and Abasgia started to denote a larger area (including Mingrelian- and Svan-speaking tribes), subordinated to the Byzantine-appointed princes who resided in Anacopia.

Kingdom of Abkhazia

The Arabs penetrated the area in the 730s, but did not subdue it. Through their dynastic intermarriages and alliance with other Georgian princes, the Abasgian dynasty acquired most of Lazica and Leo II of Abkhazia established himself as king of the Abkhazians (most of scholars agree that the Abkhazian kings were Georgian in culture and language) in the 780s, ousted the Byzantines and expanded his kingdom, transferring his capital to Kutaisi. To eliminate the Byzantine religious influence, the dynasty subordinated the local dioceses to the Georgian Orthodox patriarchate of Mtskheta. The most prosperous period of the Abkhazian kingdom was between 850 and 950, when it dominated the whole western Georgia and claimed control even of the easternmost Georgian provinces. In 989, the Bagratid ruler Bagrat III came to power in Abkhazia (inherited from his mother Guranduxt Anch'abadze) and in 1008 he inherited K'art'li from his father, uniting the kingdoms of Abkhazia and Georgia into a single Georgian feudal state.

Kingdom of Georgia

This state reached the apex of its strength and prestige under the Queen Tamar (1184–1213), who granted the lordship over part of Abkhazia to the Georgian princely family of Shervashidze (known as Chachba in Abkhaz), whose ascendancy would last until the Russian annexation in the 1860s. The Genoese established their trading factories along the Abkhazian coastline in the 14th century (for a short time) and the area was relatively spared from the Mongol and Timur's invasions, which fragmentated the kingdom of Georgia by the late 15th century. One of them was the Principality of Abkhazia (officially a vassal of the Kingdom of Imereti) who engaged in incessant conflicts with the Mingrelian potentates.
In the 1570s the Ottomans occupied the fort of Tskhumi (turning it into Suhum-Kale) and in the Peace of Amasya (1555), Abkhazia and all western Georgia remained in the hands of the Ottomans. Abkhazia came under the increasing influence of Turkey and gradually lost its cultural and religious ties with the rest of Georgia. In the end of the 17th century, the principality of Abkhazia broke up into several fiefdoms and Adyghe clansmen migrated from the North Caucasus mountains and blended with the local ethnic elements.

Highlanders leave the aul
by Pyotr Gruzinsky

In the mid-18th century the Abkhazians revolted against the Ottoman rule but soon the Turks regained the control of the situation. Kelesh Ahmed-Bey Shervashidze (last pre-Russian ruler of Abkhazia) managed to control his nobles, invaded the Principality of Mingrelia. Russia annexed eastern Georgia in 1800 and took over Mingrelia in 1803. Hi son Sefer-Bey (ruled until 1821) was unable to control the situation and Russia made him fled. Russia acquired possession of the whole Abkhazia (between 1829 and 1842) and the Abkhaz revolts (1866 and 1877) resulted in most of the Muslim population emigrating to the Ottoman possessions (around 60% of the population, known as muhajirs, also known as the Circassian genocide). Large areas of the region were left uninhabited and many Armenians, Georgians, Russians, Germans resettled much of the vacated territory (sources say that in 1897 Abkhaz constituted 60-65% of the population in Sukhumi while in 1911 two-thirds of the population were Mingrelian Georgians). After the abolition of the autocephalous status of the Georgian Church (1811) begins the process of Russification and the Abkhaz Church. The small town of Gagra, acquired by a German prince Peter of Oldenburg (member of the Russian royal family) turned to a resort of particular tourist interest early in the 1900s.

Democratic Republic of Georgia

In the Russian revolution of 1905, most Abkhaz remained largely loyal to the Russian rule (while Georgians tended to oppose it). splitting deepen in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution of 1917. The Russian Civil War forced Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to unite into fragile federative structures (Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic) but Abkhazia became embroiled into supporters of the Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus (pro-Bolshevik faction), a pro-Turkish nobility and a pro-Georgian Menshevik group. In March 1918, local Bolsheviks under the leadership of Nestor Lakoba won power but were ousted by the forces of the republic.The independence of the Democratic Republic of Georgia was proclaimed and then autonomy was given to Abkhazia.

Nestor Lakoba and Lavrentiy Beria

Despite the 1920 treaty of non-aggression, Soviet Russia invaded Georgia in 1921. It was proclaimed the Abkhazian Soviet Socialist Republic, uniting with Soviet Georgia. Both together entered the Transcaucasian SFSR in 1922 and joined the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. In 1930 Abkhazia's status was reduced to an Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) within the Georgian SSR. During the Stalin years, a purge was carried out on the orders of Lavrentiy Beria (then Party Secretary in Transcaucasus) and Abkhaz party leader Lakoba suddenly died shortly after his visit to Beria in Tbilisi in 1936. The purges in Abkhazia were accompanied by the suppression of Abkhaz ethnic culture (Latin-based Abkhaz alphabet was changed into Georgian, ethnic Georgians were guaranteed key official positions and all the native language schools were closed). Between 1937 and 1953 tens of thousands of peasants from Western Georgia were settled in Abkhazia and in the 1926 Soviet census, the Abkhaz accounted for 26.4% of the region's population. In 1949 the Greek and Turkish minorities were deported from Abkhazia to Central Asian republics and Georgians were settled in the formerly Greek (2,700-year-old Greek population was completely deported in 1949,

Tourists in Abkhazia

only allowed to return in 1959) and Turkish villages. After Stalin's death and Beria's execution (1953), Abkhaz were given a greater role in the governance of the republic (a Cyrillic scrip was devised for Abkhaz, Abkhaz schools reopened and administration put largely in the Abkhaz hands). Abkhaz nationalists attempted on several occasions to convince Moscow to transfer the autonomous republic from Georgian SSR to the Russian SFSR (achieving serious economic and cultural concessions, making Abkhazia prosperous even by the standards of Georgia, one of the wealthiest Soviet republic of that time). The favourable geographic and climatic conditions were successfully exploited to make Abkhazia a destination for hundreds of thousands of tourists, gaining a reputation of Soviet Riviera.

As the Soviet Union began to disintegrate at the end of the 1980s, ethnic tension grew between the Abkhaz and Georgians over Georgia's moves towards independence. Many Abkhaz opposed this (fearing that it would lead to the elimination of their autonomy) and argued instead for the establishment of Abkhazia as a separate Soviet republic.

Georgian Civil War

The dispute began when the Soviet Georgian government gave in the demand to transform a Georgian sector of Sukhumi State University into a branch of Tbilisi State University. Georgia boycotted the referendum proposed by Mikhail Gorbachev but it was held in Abkhazia (52.3% of the population of Abkhazia voting, virtually all the non-Georgians). Georgia declared independence on 9 April 1991, under the rule of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, forced to resign in 1992. He was replaced as president by Eduard Shevardnadze (former Soviet foreign minister). The Soviet-era constitution was abolished and it was restored the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Georgia (1921). Many Abkhaz interpreted this as an abolition of their autonomous status and in response, the Abkhazia government effectively declared secession from Georgia. The Georgian government dispatched 3,000 troops to the region to restore order and heavy fighting between Georgian forces and Abkhazian militia broke out in and around Sukhumi (beginning of the Abkhaz-Georgian conflict), managing to take control of most of Abkhazia.

Georgian ethnic people
fleeing Abkhazia

Volunteer paramilitaries from North Caucasus and Russia and Russian regular forces joined forces with the Abkhazian separatists to fight the Georgian government, driving Georgian forces out of large swathes of the republic. Sukhumi fell on 27 September 1993 and Eduard Shevardnadze (who was in Sukhumi) narrowly escaped death. Abkhaz militants and their allies committed one of the most horrific massacres against remaining Georgian civilians, Sukhumi Massacre. The separatist forces quickly overran the rest of Abkhazia as the Georgian government faced a second threat (uprising by the supporters of the deposed Zviad Gamsakhurdia in Mingrelia). Almost all ethnic Georgian population fled, escaping a large-scale ethnic cleansing (around 10,000-30,000 ethnic Georgians died 250,000 people were forced into exile).

Upper Kodori Valley

The economic situation in the republic after war was very hard (aggravated by the sanctions imposed in 1994 by the Commonwealth of Independent States, dropped in 1997). In 1999, Abkhazia officially declared its independence. After the war some Georgians returned to Gali district (around 40,000-60,000 refugees) and tourists began to visit Abkhazia after several peaceful years, mainly coming from Russia. In 2004 presidential elections caused controversy, solved with Sergey Bagapsh as presidential candidate and Raul Khadjimba as a vice presidential candidate. Upper Kodori Valley was the only part of Abkhazia that was not controlled by the Abkhazian government, under the formal control of Georgian authorities until South Ossetia War (2008) when Abkhaz forces occupied it.

Abkhazian Revolution

That year Russia recognised Abkhazia's independence. Since then there have been efforts to isolate Georgian population in Abkhazia from the rest of Georgia (destruction of the railroad bridge that connected Gali district and Zugdidi). In 2014 it took place the so-called Abkhazian Revolution against President Aleksandr Ankvab (caused because of poverty and the liberal policy towards ethnic Georgians in the Gali). Vladimir Putin moved to formalise the Abkhazian military's relationship as part of the Russian armed forces in November 2014.

Currently Abkhazia is only recognised by the de facto countries of Transnistria, South Ossetia and Artsaj; and by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru and Syria (formerly by Vanuatu and Tuvalu).

 

What can I visit in Abkhazia?

Abkhazia is much more accessible and open to travel that South Ossetia. Abkhazia requires a visa for visitors (except for citizens of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan) that has to be applied online, handed in once in Sukhumi, visiting the Ministry of Repatriation (paying there too). For the common traveller Abkhazia is relatively safe but the visitor should try to avoid the places near Georgia, where most of the tension is located (although further fights are highly unlikely).Southeastern areas of Abkhazia are the most impoverished parts (some cases of mugging have been reported). It's highly recommended to make a copy of the passport and any appropriate visas.  

Despite the country lacks money (and therefore many of its towns and monuments are in very poor conditions) there are many places to do here, having an awesome nature and history (a place that in other circunstances would probably be full of tourists all year long).

• Sukhumi

  

  Former Building of
  the Council of Ministers
  

  (Аҟәа in Abkhaz, სოხუმი in Georgian, Сухум in Russian): is a 65,439 inhabitants city by the Black Sea, being the de facto capital of the unrecognised country of Abkhazia and de iure capital of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, part of Georgia. It has a vibe similar to some cities in Italy, with a gorgeous setting on a bay,  hills on its back and semitropical vegetation. although it has many buildings ruined and in very poor conditions. The town had 119 150 residents in 1989 but after the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (1992–93), ethnic cleansing of Georgians and other circunstances its population was importantly reduced.
  

• 

  New Athos Monastery
  

  Novy Afon (Афон Ҿыц in Abkhaz, ახალი ათონი in Georgian, Новый Афон in Russian): 1,518 inhabitants town by the Black Sea, located 22 km far from Sukhumi. Its name means New Athos because monks from Rossikon Monastery on Mount Athos arrived here for place for possible resettlement during Russo-Turkish War. The town is famous for having a popular and facilitated cave.
  • New Athos Monastery: Neo-Byzantine monastery established in the 1880s by Russian monks which came from Mt. Athos (Greece) with funds provided by Tsar Alexander III of Russia.

    

    Interior of New Athos Monastery
    

    During Soviet times it was used for other purposes, such as a tourist base or a hospital, but when it collapsed, the monastery was recovered as a temple. Inside the complex Neo-Byzantine style frescoes can be seen (very well preserved)
    
  • Stalin's Summer House: manor that is one of the 5 dachas (a seasonal or year-round second home typical of Russian-speaking countries), that Joseph Stalin had. It had its own railway station too.
    
  • Novy Afon Beach: nice local stone beach from where enjoying beautiful sunsets. Next it there's the Novy Afon Seaside Park, a park with system of ponds fed by river Psyrtsha.
  • Parchinskaya Tower: tower from Genoese origin that is the only surviving tof the coastline fortifications of the ancient capital Anakopia, a trading and port citythat existed from the 4th to the 17th century.
    
  • St. Simon the Canaanite Abkhaz Orthodox Church:

    

    St. Simon the Canaanite
    Abkhaz Orthodox Church
    

    church, influenced by the Byzantine and Georgian art traditions, that dates back from the 9th-10th century and is dedicated to St. Simon the Canaanite (who is said to have preached Christianity in Abkhazia and Egrisi according to the 11th-century Georgian Chronicles). The church was abandoned but still standing (except for the collapsed dome) until in the 1880s, the church was reconstructed. The church is adorned with images of Christian symbols such as a fish, lion, and cross curved in relief.
    
  • Museum of the Kingdom of Abkhazia (10-18; 100₽):

    

    Exhibition at the Museum
    of the Kingdom of Abkhazia
    

    museum that shows the history of the Abkhazia going back to the times of deep antiquity (the first Abkhaz kings date back to the 1st-2nd centuries, supported by Roman authorites). The exhibition consists on paleontological, archaeological and ethnographic objects (some found on Anacopia Fortress) and materials showing the history of the Abkhaz statehood and historical reconstructions of military and hunting equipment.
    
  • Novy Afon Waterfall: waterfull produced by a small hydroelectric power station and artificial lake on the river Psyrtskha river,

    

    Artificial lake and Psirtskha Station
    

    built by the monks of the monastery between 1892 and 1903 and repaired in 1922. It produces an estimated 100 kW per hour for the monastery. Next to it there's the picturesque Psirtskha Railway Station, from Soviet times.
    
  • Novy Afon Cave (9-18 Wed-Thu, 9-18 Sat-Sun; 500₽/ 100₽/ free  adults/ reduced/ kids under 8):  karst cave in the Iverian Mountain, few km far from Novy Afon, that consists on 9 major cavities with numerous stalactites and stalagmites in many bizarre shapes.

    

    Novy Afon Cave
    

    The complex of caves is the most touristic one in Abkhazia and largest caves in the world (it has a volume of about 1,000,000 m³), it's not even in its top 10 of Abkhaz caves in terms of length. To get into the caves the visitor has to take New Athos Cave Railway, also known as New Athos Subway, an underground electric railroad that transports visitors to the otherwise difficult-to-access cave. In case of wanting to take pictures it costs 50₽.
  • Anacopia Fortress (7-21; 200₽): ruins of the 8th century fortress of Anakopia, capital of Abkhazia in those years (first a princedom in the orbit

    

    Anacopia Fortress
    

    of the Byzantine Empire and then, archon Leon II declared himself a king in the late 8th century), till it was move to Kutaisi. It was first an ancient Greek port town and in the 5th century Georgians built a fortress here. Anacopia was ceded to Byzantine Empire (1033) but was retaken by Georgians in 1072 when the Empire was defeated at the battle of Manzikert. Some of its most important sights are the eastern tower of the citadel, and the Temple of Theodor Tiron, a 11th century church that was first built in 6th-7th centuries where it was located the miracolous Iberian Icon of Mother of God (now it's just kept, the original is kept in the Iberian monastery on Mount Athos, Greece.
    

    

    Gudauta
    

• Gudauta (Гәдоуҭа in Abkhaz, გუდაუთა in Georgian, Гудаута in Russian): 8,514 people town on the Black Sea, 37 km northwest to Sukhumi. It used to be home to a Soviet Air Defence Forces base (Bombora airfield) and it was a center of Abkhaz resistance to Georgian government forces during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (1992–1993) because, according to Georgia, it offered military support to Abkhaz rebels. In 1995, Georgia legitimized Russian leases of three bases (Gudauta base among them). After the Russo-Georgian War, Russia recognized Abkhazia as independent and signed with its government the treaty allowing Russia to keep its military base in Gudauta and reinforce it.

  

  Exhibitions at Abazgia Museum
  

  • The town has several monuments to war heroes of Abkhazia such as Dbar Sergei Platonovich orWolf Vitaly Alexandroviu and the Abkhazian-Georgian War Memorial.
  • Abazgia Museum (9-12 and 13-18 Mon-Thu, 9-17 Sun; free): museum of local history that contains household items, handicrafts and works of art of modern Abkhazia. It consists on four exhibitions halls: two of them dedicated to the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, one to archeology and another to ethnography.It's focused in the area of Abazgia, the  region of Abkhazia between the rivers Zhayuapsy (near Gagra) and Psyrtskha (near Novy Afon).

    

    Gudauta Beach
    

  • The town also has a nice beach, Gudauta Beach, located at Gudauta Bay.
    
  • In the village of Abgarhuk the visitor can explore the Ruins of Abgarhuk Fortress. This remains of the fortress from the 13th century whose walls surround the complex and inside has a four-storey tower on the edge of the cliff (very damaged).
    
  • Only 5 km northwest it can be reach Lykhny, a 524 inhabitants village with several important historical monuments. It was once was a capital of Abkhazia and an official residence of Abkhazian Prince (from 1808 to 1864). A square in the center of the village, Lykhnashta, is one of the seven shrines of the Abkhaz people.

    

    Frescoes at Lykhny
    Abkhaz Orthodox Cathedral

    One of those monuments is Lykhny Abkhaz Orthodox Cathedral, 10th century church with a small dome and a simple façade. The highlight of the church are its colored, dynamic and expressive frescoes from the 14th century, influenced by the contemporary Byzantine art (and adorned with more than a dozen of Georgian and Greek inscriptions). One of the inscriptions in Georgian is related to the apparition of Halley's Comet in 1066, under the reign of Bagrat IV of Georgia. It was restored in 2010 but Georgian authorities say it was in risk of losing its authenticity and original features. Other monuments are the Ruins of the Palace of Shervashidze Princes, a two-storey palace used as a residence by the princes of Abkhazia that collapsed when a Russian expedition attacked the village (1866), and the Ruins of the Fortress of Abaanta, a fortress built in the 7th century on the left bank of the Khipsta River.
  • Going towards the mountains there's one of importance for Abkhazians, Dydrypsh, a 919 m high mountain that is part of the Seven Shrines of Abkhazia. 
    
    

• 

  Pitsunda Beach
  

  Pitsunda (Пиҵунда in Abkhaz,  ბიჭვინთა in Georgian, Пицунда in Russian): a 4,198 inhabitants resort town by river Ghalidzga in the southern part of Abkhazia, 75 km far from Sukhumi. The town had 10,146 residents in 1989 but after the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (1992–93) it experienced a significant population decline. The town was the favourite resort of Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. 
  • The area located by the promenade and the nice pebble beach that the town has, Pitsunda Beach, can be enjoyed quite a lot despite the strong winds and large waves that bypass it.

    

    Sea by Irakli Ochiauri
    

    On it there are Soviet-style sculptures, such as Sea by Irakli Ochiauri (a famous sculpture which symbolizes a swimming season), and Pitsunda Lighthouse, an iron tower that helped sailors for decades (nowadays it doesn't work anymore).
    
  • Pitsunda Abkhaz Orthodox Cathedral: 10th century cathedral built by king Bagrat III of Georgia that used to be the seat of the Georgian Orthodox Catholicate of Abkhazia until the late 16th century (when it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire), currently used as the seat of the Abkhazian Orthodox Church (considered irregular by the Eastern Orthodox communion). The cathedral has an impressing size and is made of three naves and three apses, with its walls made up of alternating rows of stone and brickwork (typical late-Byzantine technique). T

    

    Pitsunda Abkhaz
    Orthodox Cathedral

    he interior of the cathedral contains vestiges of wall-painting from the 13th-16th centuries and here it was found the Manuscript of the Four Gospels (a 12th century Georgian manuscript preserved at the Georgian National Center of Manuscripts in Tbilisi). Unlike most of the Orthodox churces it has an organ (because the church was used by Catholic tourist communities in the 19th century). The church is located in a complex with other buildings called Great Pitsunda (10-19; 100₽/ 50₽  adults/ reduced). Another place to visit here is Pitsunda Town Museum, a small museum where the original frescoes and icons Pitsunda Cathedral can be seen and objects found in archaeological excavations from the ancient Greeks times.

    

    Inkit Lake
    

  • On the outskirts of the town the visit can explore Pitsunda Relict Pine Reserve, a pine grove stretches along the coast for 4 km (from Pitsunda to Lidzava) with trees that are more than 200 years old. The reserve has also some lakes such as Inkit Lake.
  • Very close to Pitsunda there's the village of Lidzava, a small village that has a nice beach too, Lidzava Beach. But apart from that in Lidzava the visitor can get into Khetsurian House-Museum,  small museum founded by the collector and folk artist George Khetsuriani with original historical and ethnographic items (among them a chaise owned by the founder of Gagra, the Prince of Oldenburg or few large bas-reliefs).

    

    Landscape of Pitsunda-Myssera
    Natural Reserve
    

    The village is one of theSeven Shrines of Abkhazia.
    
  • In the area between Pitsunda and Myussera the visitor can explore Pitsunda-Myssera Natural Reserve, a 38 km² reserve that connects Pitsunda Peninsula and Myssera Upland and has picturesque forests, beaches and plains where rivers flow into the Black Sea. It has the endemic pine of Pitsunda, a rare species of pine that listed in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

• 

  Promenade and beach in Gagra
  

  Gagra (Гагра in Abkhaz, გაგრა in Georgian, Гагра in Russian): 12,002 inhabitants seaside town in the northwestern part of Abkhazia, 80 km far from Sukhumi and 22 km far from Sochi. The town had 26,636 residents in 1989 but after the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (1992–93), ethnic cleansing of Georgians and other circunstances its population was importantly reduced. It was a popular health resort in the times of the Russian Emprie and the Soviet Union because of its subtropical climate.
  • Ruins of Abaata Fortress: remains of the a fortress originally built in the 5th-6th centuries but destroyed and restored several times. Most of the remnants were destroyed in the beginning of the 20th century when the

    

    Gagra Church

    Prince of Oldenburg ordered the construction of a hotel here. Today only some remnants of the fortress walls and towers are visible. In the  complex of the fortress it can be visited the Historical Museum Abaata (10-18; 100₽/ free  adults/ kids under 7), a small museum with exhibits of various historical periods of Gagra, quite focused in the Prince of Oldenburg.
  • Gagra Abkhaz Orthodox Church: a three-nave church built in the 6th-7th centuries by the first Caucasian Christians during Anchabadze dynasty, considered one of the oldest buildings in Abkhazia. The church was reconstructed for Princess Eugenia Maximilianovna of Leuchtenberg (wife of the Duke Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg) in 1902. It has common architectural features with similar basilicas in eastern Georgia.
    

    

    Palace of the Prince
    of Oldenburg
    

  • Palace of the Prince of Oldenburg: Art-Nouveau palace designed by I. K. Luteranskiy for the Prince Peter of Oldenburg in 1902, on of the founders of the plan to create in Gagra a climatic resort (nicknamed as the Russian Nice). In Soviet times it was converted for recreation of the Soviet elite and after the Soviet collapse, the building was abandoned and looted (surviving to a fire), being bardly damaged during the Georgian-Abkhazian War. It's an architectural landmark of Gagra although now it's reduced to ruins and can't be visited.
  • Marlinsky Tower: ruins of a watchtower from the 19th century, named after the Decembrist Bestuzhev-Marlinsky (who served in the garrison).
    
  • Gagra Seaside Park: park that was built by the Prince of Oldenburg in 1902 for the decoration of the resort of

    

    Independence Memorial
    

    Gagra with the aim of creating a beautiful park and fill it with exotic plants. Unfortunately, during the years of Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, it fell into disrepair.  It still has a water park, old rides, a tennis court, a rope park, several cafes and a mini zoo.
    
  • Independence Memorial: monument built in memory of those killed during the armed Georgian-Abkhazian Conflict, located in the main square in Gagra (by far the cleanest and well kept place in town).Some of killed have their names  immortalized on the memorial.

    

    Cave of St. Hypatius
    

  • Cave of St. Hypatius: cave where some monks lived, among them the monk and hermit Hypatius (later St. Hypatius of Gangra), who later became Bishop of Gangra (supporting St. Athanasius the Great against the Arian heresy). In his honor was erected Gagra Church. Getting to the cave isn't easy (having to climb 12 m of rock) and the place is very seldom visited by tourists. 
  • Near the sanatorium Solnechnyy it can be seen Stalin's Summer House, one of the dachas that he owned.
  • In Gagra there's also one of the shortest rivers in the world, river Reprua, only 27 m. The sources of the river are the springs in karst Krubera Cave and it flows into the Black Sea.
    

  • 

    Tsandripsh Beach
    

    Not far from Gagra, only 5 km far from the border with Russia, it's located the 5,170 inhabitants town of Tsandripsh (Цандрыҧшь in Abkhaz, განთიადი in Georgian, Цандрыпш in Russian) whose inhabitants are mostly Abkhaz Armenians. It's the most touristic and developed of the quiet resort towns in Abkhazia because of the proximity to the Russian border although it's still quite launched and dilapidated. The visitor can enjoy the nice beaches that are located here such as Tsandripsh Beach, a 8 km long pebble beach with clean water that has a part with small white cliffs. Another posibility is visiting the Ruins of Tsandripsh Church, remnant of a three-apse basilica from the 6th century basilica (considered one of the oldest Christian temples in Georgia) built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I for Abazg tribes when they got Christianized. It was modified several times in the 8-10th centuries and partly destroyed by Ottomans in 1576.

    

    Ruins of Bzyb Church
    

    
    
  • In the way to Ritsa Relict National Park the visitor can explore in the village of Bzyb the Ruins of Bzyb Church (50₽/ free  adults/ kids under 12).  This ruined church by river Bzyb used to be part of the Bzyb fortress, dating back to the 9th-10th centuries. The church may have served as the seat of the Byzantine bishop of Soterioupolis. Only the ruins of walls covered with blocks of hewn stone survive and it's reported that is in an inadequate state of conservation.
    

• 

  Ritsa Relict National Park
  

  Ritsa Relict National Park (also known as in Abkhaz, რიწის დაცული ტერიტორია in Georgian, Национальный парк Рица Реликт in Russian): 311 km² national park in the northern part of Abkhazia, close to the border with Russia, whose main aim is protecting Lake Ritsa and the flora and fauna in the surrounding mountainous region. The landscape of the national park consists in mountain with different heights, lakes of different sizes, glaciers, caves rivers and waterfalls. The national park has also rich fauna and flore and is usually reached from Gagra. It's recomended to visit from Apr to Oct.
• Gulpripshi (Гәылрыҧшь in Abkhaz, გულრიფში in Georgian, Гульрыпш in Russian): 3,910 inhabitants seaside town that is 12 km far from Sukhumi and capital of the district with the same name.

  

  Ruins of Sanatorium Smetsky
  

  The town had 10,697 residents in 1989 but after the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (1992–93) it experienced a significant population decline due to ethnic cleansing of Georgians.
  
  • The main thing to do here is exploring the Ruins of Sanatorium Smetsky, threee tanatoria built in the early 20th century by Nikolay Smetskoy for patients with pulmonary. After the Russian Revolution the sanatoria were nationalised and nowadays just the reuins remain.

  • 

    Dranda Abkhaz
    Orthodox Church

    In the way to Sukhumi, stopping at the town of Dranda (3,205 inhabitants), there's Dranda Abkhaz Orthodox Cathedral. This Byzantine style cathedral is said to have been first built in the year 551 by emperor Justinian I. Dranda was the seat of a bishop in the times where the Georgian Orthodox Catholicate of Abkhazia existed. Its exterior and roof have been coveredd covering stucco, hiding much of the original brick architecture, and its original frescoes were lost with time. 
  • Another place, located between Gulpripshi and Sukhumi (in the village of Tsabal) there's another of the Seven Shrines of Abkhazia, Adagua Mountain Shrine.
    

    

    Kodori Gorge
    

  • In the north-eastern part of Gulripshi district there used to be Upper Abkhazia, a corner of Abkhazia that was controlled by Georgia until the Battle of the Kodori Valley (2008). Most of its inhabitants (19,918 inhabitants) were fled after the battle because they were ethnic Svans (a subgroup of the Georgian people). Here it is located Chkhalta, a village that was the administrative center of Upper Abkhazia and of the Georgian-backed government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia. Not far from here it's located the nice Kodori Gorge.
• Ochamchire (Очамчыра in Abkhaz, ოჩამჩირე in Georgian, Очамчира in Russian):

  

  Ochamchire

  5,280 inhabitants seaside town by river Ghalidzga in the southern part of Abkhazia, 53 km far from Sukhumi. The town had 18,700 residents in 1979 but after the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (1992–93) it experienced a significant population decline due to ethnic cleansing of Georgians.
  
  • The town of Ochamchire doesn't have many things to see itself but for the Ruins of the Roman Baths and the Ruins of the Medieval Walls. It has a nice beach too, Ochamchire Beach.
    

  • 

    Ilori Abkhaz
    Orthodox Church
    

    In the nearby village of Ilori it can be found Ilori Abkhaz Orthodox Church, a 11th century church that belonged traditionally to the Georgian church, being one of the most important sites of western Georgian architecture and one of the more significant religious locations of medieval western Georgia. The building has a single-nave design, having underwent several important architectural modifications (among other,s in the 17th century under Levan II Dadiani). In the 2010 restoration, Abkhazian authorites installed a Russian style dome and the interior was partially repainted in white (plastering the Georgian inscriptions carved).

  • 

    Bedia Abkhaz
    Orthodox Cathedral

    A bit further it can be visited, in the 288 inhabitants village of Bedia, Bedia Abkhaz Orthodox Cathedral. This cathedral was built in the 10th century, under king Bagrat II of Abkhazia (then first king of the Georgia as Bagrat III, buried in the church), although most of the building dates back to the 13th-14th centuries. Bedia used to be the center of a diocese and the seat of a bishop until the 17th century, considered one of most significant ecclesiastical, cultural and educational centre of Georgia. It has a bell tower and fragments of murals (specially interesting one representing Bagrat II and representatives of the Dadiani noble family of Georgia) and the ruins of an old palace are here too (the dome and drum are currently collapsed).

  • 

    Mokvi Abkhaz
    Orthodox Cathedral

    Going 15 km north, in the village of Mokvi (939 inhabitants), the visitor can have a look at Mokvi Abkhaz Orthodox Cathedral, a 10th century cathedral built under king Leon III of Abkhazia that was a seat of a bishop in the Catholicate of Abkhazia until the 17th century. The church consists of five naves and is said to have been painted during the reign of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and David IV of Georgia. The church used to have an important library with antiquities of significance and artistic value like Mokvi Four Gospels.
  • Continuing north it can be visited Abrskil Cave (9-18; 250₽, tours only begin with enough people), a stalactite cave near the village of Otap (named after Abrskil, the Abkhaz Prometheus) tha is more than 2 km long (1.5-1.7 km accessible)

    

    Ruins of St. Tommaso Fortress

    with a beauty that is usually compared with New Athos Cave (but far less touristic).
  • In case of going northwest, towards Sukhumi, the visitor can stop at the village of Kyndyg (711 inhabitants), a village that is famous because of its hot springs, Kyndyg Hot Springs (6-22; 150₽). Here it can also be seen the Ruins of St. Tommaso Fortress, remains of a fortress that was built in the Genoese period (from the 13th to the 15th century) till it was surrendered to the Turks in the second half of the 15th century.
• Tkvarcheli (Тҟəарчал in Abkhaz, ტყვარჩელი in Georgian, Ткварчели in Russian):

  

  Thermal Power Plant of Tkvarcheli
  

  5,013 inhabitants town on the river Ghalidzga that is 30 km far from Ochamchire, very linked to coal mining. The town had 21,744 residents in 1979 but after the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (1992–93), in which the unsuccessful Siege of Tkvarcheli was put by the Georgian Army, most of its population escaped from here (after the war all the industries closed too).
  
  • The town has many of its industrial buildings abandoned that are preserved in ruins or about to collapse. One of the most picturesque ones is the Thermal Power Plant of Tkvarcheli.

    

    Abandoned buildings in Akarmara
    

    
    
  • Only 8 km far the visitor can explore a mysterious town with abandoned apartments and factories which became uninhabited due to the War in Abkhazia in the early 1990s, the Ghost Town of Akarmara. 
  • On the outskirts of Tkvarcheli the visitor can reach Lashkendar, a 1,373 m high mountainconsidered one of the seven shrines of the Abkhaz people. There are also ruins of a Christian temple featuring bas-reliefs of leopards (or possibly dogs) from the 7th-11th centuries. 

  • 

    Gupsky Waterfall
    

    Close to the villiage it can be found Gupsky Waterfall and Canyon, a narrow gorge on the river Sue with a waterfall. At the base of the waterfall there's a kind of  pool where the visitor can swim and below the surfece, on the banks of the river, there is some blue clay (used for cosmetic purposes).
• Close to the border with Georgia it's located Gali (Гал in Abkhaz, გალი in Georgian, Гал in Russian), a town with 7,605 inhabitants located 77 km southeast to Sukhumi. According to the Soviet census of 1989 it had 15,763 inhabitants by then, most of them Georgians (concretely Mingrelians). Nowaday the majority of the population is still ethnic Georgian despite having been one of the most affected areas affected by the war.
  

What and where can I eat in Abkhazia?

Adjika

Abkhazia has its own cuisine, Abkhazian cuisine, a version of Georgian cuisine that has own elements, using many spices and walnuts. The most popular condiment in Abkhaz cuisine is adjika [аджика], a fragrant, spicy paste-like relish based on red pepper, garlic and various herbs. The most popular dishes are the different varieties of mamalyga or abysta [абыста] (corn porridge, similar to ghomi of Mingrelia, the Abkhaz version of mămăligă), apyrpylchapa [апырпылчапа] (pepper skin stuffed with walnut sauce), achma [ачма] (variation of khachapuri), aritsvmgeli [Арицвмгели] (corn bread with walnut), achash [ачаш] (Abkhaz chudu with cheese, a cheese pie), achapa [ачапа] (kidney beans with walnut), akutaghchapa [акутагьчапа] (boiled eggs filled with walnuts). One of the most important main dishes is apkhazura [aбхазия] (fried meat enrolled in caul fat). There's an important variety of cheese such as ashvlaguan [ашвлагуан] (suluguni), ashvadza [ашвадза] (sour milk cheese), ashvchapan [ашвчапан] (mixture of ashvlaguan and ashvadza with mint and a spicy sour milk sauce), achayur [ачаюр] (wineskin pasty cheese) or akhacha [ахача] (a kind of curd mass).

Abkhaz traditional meal

Despite being close to the sea, fish isn't very used in the meals in Abkhazia. The most popular dessert are akuarkuar [аквакуар] (cookies with honey) or alaharya [aлаҳария] (roll-ups made from figs). Abkhaz wines are also famous, specially Lykhny, Apsny, and Anakopia ones; and there's a traditional spirit made of red and white wine and grape vodka called chacha [чача].
The best places to eat in Abkhazia are located in Sukhumi. But other towns have also some nice places such as Novy Afon, where the visitor can eat, for example, at the Italian restaurant Guada [Гуада] (Tbilisi-Senaki-Leselidze Highway). In Gagra the best idea is eating at the historical restaurant Gagripsh [Гагрипш] (Ardzinba Ave).

 

 Learn some Abkhaz

 

 Abkhaz is the co-official language of Abkhazia, together with Russian, and is currently spoken by 190 thousand people aprox. Abkhaz language is a northwest Caucasian language, close to Abaza language. Abkhazia has a significant share of non-Abkhaz speakers (among ethnic minorities as well as Abkhaz themselves) and a shortage of teachers of Abkhaz, making it be classified as vulnerable in UNESCO's list of endangered languages. Russian is the language most commonly used in public life at present.
These are some basic words in Abkhaz:

Abkhaz	English	Abkhaz	English
Бзиа збаша /Bzia zbaşa/	Hello	Иҭабуп  /It̢abup/	Thank you
Иҟеи? /Iꝁei?/	How are you?	Бзиала шәаабеит /Bziala šəaabeit/	Welcome
Абзиараз! /Zbogum!/	Goodbye!	Ааи  /Aye/	Yes
Уа, Шьыжьы бзиа!   /Ua, Š’yž’y bzia!/	Good morning!	Мап   /Map/	No
Аҵх алҧха уоуааит! /Ac̄x alṗxa uouaait!/	Good night!	Англыз бызшәа жәдыруама? /Anglyz byzšəa žədyryama?/	Do you speak English?

Useful links

 In case you want to look for more information about Abkhazia (https://visitabkhazia.ru/ [RU]; other page about tourism in Abkhazia: https://abkhazworld.com/aw/abkhazia [EN]) or its cities and towns, here there's a list with some pages to get it:

• Novy Afon (http://afon-abkhazia.ru/) [RU]. 
• Sukhumi (https://www.sukhumcity.ru/) [RU].
  

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Posted in: Abkhazia,Europe,Georgia