Jan 11, 2011

Alaverdi Monastery, Kakheti, Georgia

Alaverdi Monastery, Kakheti, Georgia © Onnik James Krikorian 2009

My last post reminds me that I haven’t even done the tourist thing in Georgia. Even though I’ve been visiting the country since 1999, and while I’ve traveled around various parts of the country, it’s always been on work. From time to time, however, that will mean I’ll chance upon a cultural site. The Alaverdi Monastery, for example.

Alaverdi Monastery (Georgian: ალავერდის მონასტერი) is a Georgian Eastern Orthodox monastery located 25 km from Akhmeta, in the Kakheti region of Eastern Georgia. While parts of the monastery date back to 6th century, the present day cathedral was built in the 11th century by Kvirike III of Kakheti, replacing an older church of St. George.

Maybe I should make it my New Year’s Resolution to change that in 2014.

Alaverdi Monastery, Kakheti, Georgia © Onnik James Krikorian 2009

Tbilisoba 2024

Oct 17, 2024

Earlier this month, Tbilisi celebrated Tbilisoba, the city’s annual harvest festival. Over the years it has changed significantly and seems smaller than before. I first covered the event in 2011 but the best so far remains 2014 when there was more representation of traditional Georgian folk dance and music as well as by ethnic minorities such as the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities. This year, that was held relatively far away from Tbilisi’s Old Town and Rike Park with very little publicity or in some media any at all. Nonetheless, those that attended appeared to enjoy themselves sufficiently and I managed to photo stories.

One Caucasus Festival in Georgia Bridges Regional Divides

Sep 1, 2024

This month, against the backdrop of the Caucasus Mountains, a unique four-day festival in Georgia celebrated its tenth anniversary. Held annually in August, the multi-disciplinary One Caucasus festival aims to rediscover a spirit of unity and cooperation that once flourished among the diverse nations of the region.