Day 1,487
ქუთაისი
After leaving Vani we made our way towards Georgia's fourth largest city, Kutaisi. Situated in the centre of Georgia it is the capital of the Imereti region, and one of the oldest settlements in Europe. The Ancient Greeks named it Aia, and it is generally accepted that it was the capital of the Colchis Kingdom from 13th to 1st centuries BC. Those that know their Greek mythology will know that Colchis was where Jason and his Argonauts came in search of the Golden Fleece, and during our time in Georgia we have seen many works of art featuring this myth.
Our journey was pretty much what we have become used to. Mostly quiet roads and considerate drivers. We had hoped to visit the Gelati monastery but it is closed during weekdays due to renovations, which was sad for us, but great that it is not being left to rot away. We spotted some statues partially hidden by trees and as we explored realised it was another war memorial. One of the statues was of a larger than life representation of a woman, standing tall holding a basket of fruit high above her. It is a theme the Soviets used often, woman, hard at work, strong and confident.
As we approached Kutaisi we were on the look out for something a little different. Not an abandoned Soviet building but a recent Georgian one. In 2009, in a drive to expand the economy of Kutaisi, and take advantage of its more central location in the country, providing perhaps a safer area in case of security issues with Russia, the then President Mikheil Saakashvili decided to have the country's parliament building here rather than in Tbilisi. It was a controversial decision, and ultimately doomed, as the rest of the government offices would remain Tbilisi.
It was built on the site of the Glory Memorial to Soviet Soldiers of WW2. It was to be a stunning and modern building to reflect modern day Georgia and its future. Designed and built by the Spanish firm CMD Ingenieros, and covering an area of 40,000 sq. metres. It cost an estimated $83 million. The building's use was short-lived, from just 2012 to 2019.
Reviews have complained about how it sat neglected and surrounded by rubble and overgrown fields, so it was a pleasant surprise to see the newly landscaped gardens instead. It is rumoured that the government is moving back, sorry only joking, but they are creating an information and technology hub. As for the building, I'll let Tom’s photos tell the tale. For me it looked like an architect from the 1960s vision of the future. I just loved it!
The ex-Georgian Parliament Building
We only touched briefly on what Kutaisi has to offer. We paused several times as we cycled through. We paused to see the ‘Kolkhida’ a Soviet era work of art on the walls of the old market. Created in 1982, by Bernard Nebieridze, and finished by colleagues after his death, it shows the history of Georgia, depicting various historical scenes, the kingdom of Colchis, Jason and the Golden Fleece, etc., many of the faces on the panels were of locals living in the area in the 1980s.
The Kolkhida on the side of the local market
One of the main sights is the Colchis Fountain, which is built on a roundabout! So Tom and I cycled round and round, weaving through the traffic and tourists. It is made up of copies of various figurines discovered in a prehistoric Colchian grave. We've seen these used before, especially the deer with massive antlers, a pagan symbol and the Tamada toastmaster.
Throughout the city there is art work everywhere. We sat and ate a snack beneath what we took to be a massive Soviet era work, it was a bit of a mix of styles, we both loved the jester figure, but then that was it, our brief visit was over. There is so much more to see and experience. We would both like to return to this fascinating city, but time is moving on and we have mountains to cycle up!
