Marneuli

Marneuli (მარნეული in Georgian, Sarvan in Azeri, Марнеули in Russian) is a 20,211 inhabitants town and 2nd largest town in the region of Kvemo Kartli, in the south of Georgia. The town is mostly inhabited by Georgian Azerbaijanis (83%) and is situated very close to the borders with Armenia and Azerbaijan. Some  consider  Marneuli as the capital of Azeri-populated Georgia.

  

 How do I arrive to Marneuli?

  Marneuli isn't very well connected with other towns in Georgia, despite being an important transit city on the way to Armenia.

• Bus: there are marshutkas that stop in Marneuli from Tbilisi (hourly; aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes), or some to Bolnisi or Tetri Tskaro. The minibuses that go from Tbilisi to Yerevan (Armenia) usually stop in Marneuli.
• Car: if you rented a car, from Marneuli it can be reached Bolnisi (aprox. 30 minutes), Tetri Tskaro (aprox. 45 minutes), Tbilisi (aprox. 1 hour), Manglisi (aprox. 1 hour 5 minutes) in Algeti National Park, Rustavi (aprox. 1 hour 10 minutes), Dmanisi (aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes), Mtskheta (aprox. 1 hour 20 minutes), Tsalka (aprox. 1 hour 30 minutes), or Ninotsminda (aprox. 2 hours 35 minutes).  
  

History

In the north of Marneuli a major battle of Georgian troops with the Iranian conquerors took place in 1625, with the Iranian victory and they entering Tbilisi. Another battle took place here in the Georgian-Armenian war of 1918, with the city remaining in the Georgian-Armenian neutral zone and subsequently incorporated into Georgia after the armistice. Before 1947 the town was known as Borchali. The name of the town was changed to Sarvan between 1947 and 1952 (still used in some contexts) and it gained the official status of a town in 1964. Marneuli is the site of a Georgian military air base and therefore, this base was bombed during the Russo-Georgian War (reportedly leaving 4 dead).
 

What can I visit in Marneuli?

  Marneuli isn't very touristic and there aren't many things to do here, but Marneuli can be a good base to explore most of Kvemo Kartli.

These are Marneuli's main attractions:

• Imam-Ali Mosque: mosque that was first founded in 1739 and rebuilt several time, the last one in 2000.
• Imam-Husein Mosque: mosque first built in 1920, whose style follows the tradition of Iranian and Central Asian mosques.
• Kolagiri Fortress: fortress that was one of the last fortresses built in Kartli-Kakheti, built by Queen Darejan in the 18th century. As many other castles, it lost its function in the beginning of the 19th century. It keeps its cylindrical towers in the corners, with one rectangular in the center of the east and west walls.
  
• In the south of Marneuli, close to the border with Armenia, there are some things to do. Two of them are Shulaveri Fortress and Gagi Fortress. This latter are the ruins of a fortress first mentioned in sources in the 11th century, known from the 15th century as Agjakali, the main fortress by the Armenians in the late Middle Ages).
  
• A bit further, but still by the border with Armenia, it's located Tserakvi Monastery, a monastic complex dating from the 12th-13th century that has a three-nave hall church with inscriptions from the 15th century, a smaller church, a bell tower and fragments of a defensive wall too. Not far from there are the Ruins of Tsopi Fortress, remains of a fortress that functioned between the 6th and 13th centuries, mainly used by Armenians.
  

Imam-Husein Mosque

Kolagiri Fortress

Samshvilde Canyon

In order to get deeper into Kvemo Kartli, 40 km far from Marneuli, it's located Tetri Tskaro (თეთრი წყარო in Georgian, formerly Ağbulaq), 3,093 inhabitants. In the town it can be seen a 19th century cross-domed  church erected by the Russian colonizers, St. Nikolozis Georgian Orthodox Church. Close to this town, the visitor arrives to Samshvilde Canyon, a part of Khrami gorge in the area around confluence of the rivers Khrami and Chivchavi, created by erosion in the volcanic plateau and with spectacular views. In the canyon it's also located Samshvilde, a ruined fortified city and archaeological site that is regarded as one of the oldest fortified cities in ancient Kartli, dating back to the 3rd century BC. Samshvilde changed hands several times (being capital of the Armenian kings of Tashir-Dzoraget, then incorporated in the Kingdom of Georgia, falling into decline from the 13th century onwards, being in ruins by the 18th century.. Some of the most recognizable monuments are the Samshvilde Sioni Church (ruined medieval Christian cathedral with a centralized domed built in the 8th century) and a citadel erected on a rocky river promontory.

Pitareti Monastery

Another religious sight close to Tetri Tskaro is Gudarekhi Monastery, 13th century Georgian Orthodox monastery that king Rostom granted the monastery to the princely family of Germanozishvili in 1643, abandoned after the decline of the family and the village the following century. The monastery complex consists of the main hall church with stone-carvings and inscriptions in Georgian asomtavruli script (the interior is painted with the partially faded frescoes), a free-standing bell-tower (the oldest extant dated bell-tower in Georgia, completed in 1278), and ruins of various structures. Further it's situated Pitareti Monastery, a Georgian Orthodox monastic complex with origin in the 13th century, property and a burial ground of the noble family of Kachibadze-Baratashvili and then, the princes Orbelishvili. Its design shares a common features with other Georgian monasteries (such as Betania, Kvatakhevi, and Timotesubani), with its façades decorated and remains of damaged murals in its interior.

Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral

Driving 23 km west, it can be a good idea stopping at Bolnisi (ბოლნისი in Georgian, Bolnissi in German, formerly Katharinenfeld and Luxembourg), a town with 8,967 people in the heart of Kvemos Kartli and a former settlement of Caucasus Germans. The colony Katharinenfeld was founded in Bolnisi in 1818 by German colonist families from Swabia (between current Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria). All the Germans descendants who were not married to Georgians were deported in 1941 to Siberia. There are still remnants of the German past in Bolnisi with 19th century German architecture and old houses (some of them in a very poor state of preservation). The visitor who is interested in the history of Bolnisi and the Germans in Georgia can visit Bolnisi Museum (10-18 Tue-Sun; 5₾/ 0.50₾  adults/ students and kids) to get more information on those topics. But the main highlight in here is Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral, a Georgian Orthodox cathedral was built in 5th century (oldest extant church building in Georgia) under Bishop David, seat of the bishop of Bolnisi.

German style house in Asureti

Its architecture was heavily influeced by Sasanian style, but also from Armeanian architecture. Some parts of the church are adorned with curling vine scrolls, arabesques, and foliate motifs. This temple is known for its Bolnisi inscriptions, Old Georgian inscriptions written in asomtavruli script dated to 494 AD. Not far from here is Tsughrughasheni Georgian Orthodox Church, a church was built in the 13th century by king George IV Lasha that resembles stylistically the other Georgian churches from the same period, but is smaller and has a higher cupola. Another town that was settled with Germans was Asureti (ასურეთი in Georgian, Assureti in German, formerly Elisabethtal), 978 inhabitants village that was founded by German families in 1818 too. This village has some German architecture and buildings, such as typical half-timbered house (Fachwerkhaus), remains of the German church built in 1871 or a cemetery for Germans.

Dmanisi Museum-Reserve

Continuing on the road that took you to Bolnisi during 35 km it can be reached Dmanisi (დმანისი in Georgian, Başkeçid in Azeri), a small town with 2,661 people. One of the best choices to stop and learn more about the wine culture, history and traditions of Kakheti is the Dmanisi Museum-Reserve (10-17 Tue-Sun; 3₾/ 0.50₾  adults/ students), an open-air museum and archaeological site where it has been found the oldest evidence of humans discovered outside of Africa, dating back 1.8 million years, that correspond to a subspecies of Homo erectus (Homo erectus georgicus). It also contains an exhibition hall displaying more than 2300 artifacts found in this archaeological site. This site has been placed in UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2007. Here it can also de found Dmanisi Sioni Cathedral,

Dmanisi Sioni Cathedral

three-church basilica with a prominently protruding apse, and a richly adorned narthex added in the early 13th century (with inscriptions in Georgian asomtavruli script). The inner walls were once fully frescoed (keeping only badly damaged 13th-14th-century wall paintings). Its origin is thought to be founded in the 9th century and worked as seat of an episcopal see till 1750 and from 2003 onwards. It's believed that it served as burial ground to king Vakhtang III of Georgia (the tomb hasn't survived). The complex has the ruins of one of the most important towns and commercial centres in medieval Georgia, Dmanisi, with fortifications, churches, Muslim and Christian cemeteries, bathhouses, and workshops.

Where can I eat in Marneuli?

  Marneuli doesn't have many places to eat but it can be a good idea trying Azerbaijani food here.

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