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28-700: Racha occupies 2,854 km in the north-eastern corner of western Georgia. Spurs of the Greater Caucasus crest separates Racha from the Georgian historical regions of Svaneti and Lechkhumi on the north-west and from Imereti on the south, while the main Caucasus ridge forms a boundary with Russia ’s North Ossetia . On the east, Racha is bordered by breakaway South Ossetia , officially part of Georgia's Shida Kartli region. Racha had been part of Colchis and Caucasian Iberia since ancient times and its main town Oni

56-450: A general Suanian preference for the alliance to Persia, set against a Lazican preference for Roman alliance, which was to remain a point of tension until the Arab conquests". The Byzantines wanted the region, for if they secured its passes, they could prevent Persian raids on the border areas of Lazica. With the end of the war (562), Svanetia again became part of Lazica. Then, the province joined

84-482: A medieval rural village, the community of Ushguli in Upper Svaneti was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Svan songs and dances are notable cultural traditions. Svanetia boasts arguably the most archaic three-part polyphonic singing . Most of their songs are connected to round dances, are performed very loudly and are full of dissonant chords. Shkhara Shkhara ( Georgian : შხარა )

112-505: A rival of the pro- Ottoman Imeretian king Bagrat IV . On the defeat of Archil, Racha was overrun and plundered by an Ottoman punitive force. Under Rostom (1749–1769), the duchy became virtually independent from Imereti . However, towards the end of 1769, King Solomon I of Imereti managed to arrest Rostom and to abolish the duchy. In 1784, King David II of Imereti revived the duchy and gave it to his nephew Anton. Local opposition attempted to use an Ottoman force to take control of Racha, but

140-598: A treaty of protectorate with the Russian Empire on November 26, 1833. Difficult to access, the region retained significant autonomy until 1857, when Russia took advantage of the dynastic feud in Svanetia and effectively abolished the principality's autonomy. In 1875, the Russians toughened their rule by imposing additional taxes. Protests ensued, and Russia deployed troops against the province . Despite having suffered heavy losses,

168-457: A zone that experiences short, cool summers (less than 3 months) and long and cold winters. Large parts of Svaneti lie above 3000 meters (9840 feet) above sea level, a zone that does not have a real summer. Due to Svaneti's close proximity to the Black Sea, the region is spared from the extremely cold winter temperatures that are characteristic of high mountains. The Svans are usually identified with

196-532: Is a historic province in the northwestern part of Georgia . Running along the Greater Caucasus range, Svaneti is one of the most mountainous regions of Georgia. It is largely inhabited by the Svans , an ethnic subgroup of Georgians . [REDACTED] = Upper Svaneti [REDACTED] = Lower Svaneti Situated on the southern slopes of the central Caucasus Mountains and surrounded by 3,000–5,000 meter peaks, Svaneti

224-670: Is dominated by mountains that are separated by deep gorges. Most of the region which lies below 1,800 meters (5,904  ft) above sea level is covered by mixed and coniferous forests. The forest zone is made up of tree species such as spruce , fir , beech , oak , and hornbeam . Other species that are less common but may still be found in some areas include chestnut , birch , maple , pine and box . The zone which extends from 1,800 meters to roughly about 3,000 meters (5,904–9,840  ft) above sea level consists of alpine meadows and grasslands. Eternal snows and glaciers take over in areas that are over 3,000 meters above sea level. The region

252-614: Is notable for its glaciers and picturesque summits. Svaneti's signature peak is probably Mount Ushba which towers over the Inguri Gorge and can be seen from many parts of the region. The climate of Svaneti is humid and is influenced by the air masses coming in from the Black Sea throughout the year. Average temperatures and precipitation vary considerably with elevation. Annual precipitation ranges between 1000 and 3200  mm (39 and 126 inches). The highest amount of precipitation falls on

280-647: Is the highest inhabited area in the Caucasus . Four of the 10 highest peaks of the Caucasus are located in the region. The highest mountain in Georgia, Mount Shkhara at 5,201 meters (17,059 feet), is located in the province. Prominent peaks include Tetnuldi (4,974 m / 16,319 ft), Shota Rustaveli (4,960 m / 16,273 ft), Mount Ushba (4,710 m / 15,453 ft), Ailama (4,525 m / 14,842 ft), as well as Lalveri , Latsga and others. Svaneti has two parts corresponding to two inhabited valleys: They are separated by

308-562: Is the highest point in the country of Georgia . It is located near the Russian-Georgian border, in Russia's Kabardino-Balkaria region on the northern side, and the Svaneti region of Georgia in the south. Shkhara lies 88 kilometres (55 mi) north of the city of Kutaisi , Georgia's second-largest city, and closer to the townlet of Mestia in Svaneti . The summit lies in the central part of

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336-595: The Greater Caucasus Mountains. The region is characterized by very heavy snowfall in the winter and avalanches are a frequent occurrence. Snow cover may reach 5 meters (16.4 feet) in some areas. In general, the lowest regions of Svaneti (800–1200 meters / 2624–3936 feet above sea level) are characterized by long, warm summers and relatively cold and snowy winters. Middle altitudes (1200–1800 meters above sea level) experience relatively warm summers and cold winters. Areas above 2000 meters above sea level lie within

364-574: The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range , to the south-east of Mount Elbrus , Europe 's highest mountain. Shkhara is the third-highest peak in the Caucasus, just behind Dykh-Tau . Shkhara is the high point and the eastern anchor of a massif known as the Bezengi Wall , a 11–12-kilometre-long (6.8–7.5 mi) ridge. It is a large, steep peak in a heavily glaciated region, and presents serious challenges to mountaineers. Its north face (on

392-557: The Kingdom of Abkhazia ( John and Adarnase of the Shavliani dynasty, 871–893) to form a unified monarchy which was incorporated into the Kingdom of Georgia in the early 11th century. Svanetia became a duchy ( saeristavo ) within it, governed by a duke ( eristavi ). The province's Orthodox culture flourished particularly during the Georgian “golden age” under Queen Tamar (r. 1184–1213), who

420-523: The Russian side) is 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) high and contains several classic difficult routes. The significant sub-summit Shkhara West, at 5,068 m (16,627 ft), is a climbing objective in its own right, and a traverse of the entire Bezingi Wall is considered "Europe's longest, most arduous, and most committing expedition". The peak was first climbed in 1888 via the North East Ridge route, by

448-645: The Soanes mentioned by Greek geographer Strabo , who placed them more or less in the area still occupied by the modern-day Svans. The province had been a dependency of Colchis , and of its successor kingdom of Lazica (Egrisi) until AD 552, when the Svans took advantage of the Lazic War , repudiated this connection and went over to the Persians . The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity notes that "this seems to have reflected

476-531: The Svaneti Range which is almost as high as the main Caucasus range. Historical Svaneti also included the Kodori Gorge in the adjoining rebel province of Abkhazia , and part of the adjacent river valleys of Kuban and Baksan north of the crest of the Caucasus. Writing in 1848, Bodenstedt said that Upper Svaneti could only be reached by a difficult footpath that was closed in winter. The landscape of Svaneti

504-636: The 1460s, fighting broke out for controlling the province. Part of Upper Svanetia formed an independent principality under the Princes Dadeshkeliani , a branch of the Gelovani family, while Lower Svanetia, originally ruled by the Princes Gelovani, was temporarily usurped and subdued by the Mingrelian princes Dadiani . Facing serious internal conflict, Prince Tsioq’ Dadeshkeliani of Svanetia signed

532-449: The 4th-6th centuries. However, some remnants of old paganism have been maintained. Saint George (known as Jgëræg to the locals), a patron saint of Georgia, is the most respected saint. The Svans have retained many of their old traditions, including blood revenge. Their families are small, and the husband is the head of his family. Typically bilingual, they use both Georgian and their own, unwritten Svan language , which together with

560-522: The Georgian Special Forces as of March 2004 resulted in significant improvement of the situation. The Svans, the indigenous population of Svanetia, are an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians . Until the 1930s, Mingrelians and Svans had their own census grouping, but were classified under the broader category of Georgian thereafter. They are Georgian Orthodox Christians, and were Christianized in

588-506: The Georgian, Mingrelian , and Laz languages constitute the South Caucasian or Kartvelian language family. Svanetia is known for its architectural treasures and picturesque landscapes. The botany of Svanetia is legendary among travelers. The famous Svanetian tower houses , erected mainly in the 9th-12th centuries, make the region's villages more attractive. With a high quantity of these unique houses and exceptional preservation of

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616-560: The Russian army units eventually crushed the rebels burning their stronghold Khalde to the ground in 1876. Part of the Russian governorate of Kutais , Svanetia was divided into two raions (districts) — Mestia (former Sethi) and Lentekhi — under the Soviet rule. The unsuccessful anti-Soviet Svaneti uprising took place in the region in 1921. In 1987, avalanches destroyed several homes and killed at least 80, many of them schoolchildren. In

644-754: The aftermath the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union passed a decree to resettle some 2,500 families to districts of eastern Georgia (eco-migration to Marneuli , Tetritskaro , Bolnisi , Sagarejo , Gardabani , Dmanisi , Kaspi , Tskaltubo , Khoni , Ozurgeti , and Lanchkhuti rayons). The end of the Soviet Union and subsequent Georgian Civil War created severe socioeconomic problems in

672-652: The province until 1278. In 1278 King David VI Narin abolished the duchy during his war against the Mongols . In the mid-14th century, the duchy was restored under the rule of the Charelidze family. The next dynasty of Chkhetidze governed Racha from 1465 to 1769. Vassals of the King of Imereti , they revolted several times against the royal power. The 1678–1679 civil war resulted in the most serious consequences. In this war, Duke Shoshita II of Racha (1661–1684) supported Prince Archil ,

700-533: The region. While the Svanetian population resisted the unpleasant conditions of the high mountain environment they lived in for centuries, the increasing economic difficulties of the last two decades and frequent natural disasters — floods and landslides as of April 2005 ( [1] ) have brought about a strong tendency towards migration. The province became a safe haven for criminals threatening local residents and tourists. Large-scale anti-criminal operations carried out by

728-819: The victory of King David at Skhvava (January 26, 1786) temporarily secured his dominance in the area. In 1789, the next Imeretian king Solomon II finally abolished the duchy and subordinated the province directly to the royal administration. Out of the tested Rachian last names, the most common Y-chromosomal haplogroup among the Rachians is G2a (64%), in the second place is the Y-chromosomal haplogroup J2a (22%). [1] 42°38′10″N 43°26′10″E  /  42.63611°N 43.43611°E  / 42.63611; 43.43611 Svaneti Svaneti or Svanetia ( Svan : შუ̂ან, ლემშუ̂ანიერა shwan, lemshwaniera, Suania in ancient sources; Georgian : სვანეთი Svaneti )

756-525: Was respected almost as a goddess by the Svanetians. The legend has it that the duchy was annually visited by Tamar. The Svans had been known as fierce warriors for centuries. Their inflatable war banner was named Lemi (Lion) because of its shape. The marauding Mongols never reached Svanetia and, for a time, the region became a cultural safe house. Following the final disintegration of the Kingdom of Georgia in

784-468: Was said to have been founded by King Parnajom of Iberia in the 2nd century BC. Upon the creation of the unified Georgian kingdom in the 11th century, Racha became one of the duchies (saeristavo) within it. Rati of the Baghvashi family was the first duke ( eristavi ) appointed by King Bagrat III . Descendants of Rati and his son Kakhaber, eponymous father of Racha's ruling dynasty of Kakhaberisdze , governed

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