10 interesting facts about Georgia – a country that has preserved old traditions

Georgia is located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. It is a multinational country with a rich history. It is famous for its picturesque nature, amazing architecture, delicious national dishes and friendly attitude of local residents.

Most people do not have the right idea about Georgia. They believe the stereotypes that they came up with back in Soviet times. “Women wear only black”, “Men are very temperamental and impose their attention on all the fairer sex”, “It is very dirty there– and stuff like that. These statements are of the same category as the Russian bears with balalaikas that walk around Red Square.

If you still have not decided where to spend your next vacation, pay attention to this colorful country. Below is a rating of interesting facts about Georgia. Also, this information will be of interest to those who like to learn something new. Let’s start.

10 The alphabet is based on the Aramaic language

The Georgian language is beautiful, but difficult. For example, it has a word consisting of 8 consonants. The alphabet is considered perhaps the most ancient in the world. He went through three stages, three stages of development: asomtavruli, nuskhuri, mkhedruli.

The Aramaic-Pahlavi script was taken as the basis. Aramaic is a very ancient language, having been used since the time of Jesus. Scientists also note that there were some Greek influences here.

9. The country claims to be the birthplace of wine

Georgia is called the birthplace of this drink, and not without reason. In France, in the city of Bordeaux, a study was conducted. University of Pennsylvania professor and wine historian Patrick McGovern led a group of six scientists.

For three years they tried to find an answer to the question: in which country did wine first appear? They carefully studied the archaeological materials and came to the conclusion that Georgia can be called the birthplace of winemaking. According to some reports, the tradition of making wine in this country dates back more than 8 thousand years.

8. It hides 2400 mineral springs in its depths

One of the most stable associations associated with Georgia is mineral waters. The most famous is Borjomi. There are many other sources that are just as useful. The total number of mineral springs in Georgia reaches 2400.

Water is not only drunk, but also used for bathing. This tradition comes from antiquity. In the XNUMXth century, stone baths were discovered on the territory of Georgia, which were used in the XNUMXst century BC. e.

Mineral water can replace medicine, it will help get rid of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, digestive system, kidneys and many others. It is not surprising that the medical resorts of Georgia are very popular among residents of many countries.

7. Ushguli is the highest mountain settlement in Europe

Ushuguli community is considered the highest mountain settlement in Europe. Its height is 2200 meters above sea level. It consists of 4 villages, located in the high mountain valley of Upper Svaneti.

Valuable architectural and historical monuments, in particular, Svan tower houses, have been preserved in Ushguli. There is also a church built in the XNUMXth century.

Tourists are attracted to this area, despite the fact that getting here is not easy. The local population of Ushguli does not exceed 200 people. For half a year the neighborhood of the community is covered with snow and it is not possible to leave its territory.

6. Khinkali is one of the main dishes of Georgian cuisine.

Most tourists admit that they are captivated by Georgian cuisine. There are many dishes that you should definitely try, but one of the most important is khinkali. This is a bag of pastry stuffed with meat. The dish is prepared according to a special technology, thanks to which inside the “dumpling brothers» fragrant broth accumulates.

Khinkali are large in size, not everyone can handle a serving (10 pieces). The filling does not have to be meat, you can add mushrooms or cheese.

5. Mayakovsky was born in Georgia

Mayakovsky’s birthplace is the Georgian village of Baghdadi, which was located in the Kutaisi province. Vladimir Vladimirovich considered himself a Georgian, although his parents were representatives of other nationalities.

He sincerely loved his homeland, but after the death of his father, his mother decided to leave for Moscow. For the rest of his life, Mayakovsky was drawn to Georgia. He visited there several times, and in Tiflis his most secret dream came true. Vladimir Vladimirovich staged a performance based on a play of his own composition.

4. The main religion is Christianity

The Georgian Orthodox Church is one of the oldest in the world (among Christians). The country was one of the first to adopt Christianity, this happened back in the XNUMXth century. At the moment, most of the inhabitants of Georgia profess Orthodoxy. The figure is impressive – 83,42% of the total population.

Everyone else is of a different faith. There are Protestants, Muslims, Catholics, and so on. Due to the multinationality of the state, its religious composition is also very diverse.

3. In many high-rise buildings, a paid elevator ride

For foreign guests, the elevator fee may come as a surprise. In high-rise buildings in elevators there are special boxes resembling coin boxes. Residents who need to go up put money down there, the elevator descent is free. For the sake of fairness, it is worth noting that the fee is negligible. Still, it’s not very pleasant to take out your wallet every time you go home.

Although e, if you figure it out, there is nothing to be surprised at. Our compatriots also pay for the elevator, but they don’t even think about it. The amount is included in utility bills. And in Georgia, a certain organization is engaged in the maintenance of elevators, which has nothing to do with the management company. Residents pay her directly.

2. Folk dances and songs are part of UNESCO

The list of UNESCO cultural heritage includes not only architectural monuments, but also folk art. The culture of the country is diverse, its inhabitants managed to preserve traditions to this day.

Unforgettable sight – Georgian national dance. There are several types, but they all have one thing in common – the complexity of execution. The movements of women are smooth and graceful, men dance more “aggressively”, thus demonstrating their dexterity and militancy.

A real masterpiece of folklore is Chakrulo’s song, drinking, choral, polyphonic. It is dedicated to a warrior who is being prepared for battle against a villain who oppresses the people. Two vocal parts against the backdrop of a slow choir is a real feast for the ears.

1. The tradition of stealing a bride has been preserved

The legendary “Prisoner of the Caucasus” Gaidai is still relevant here. Usually kidnappings are committed if the parents do not give consent to the wedding, and the girl reciprocates.

Unfortunately, there are many such situations when the bride is stolen against her will. If she refuses the kidnapper, and the relatives turn to the police, the girl will be returned to her family. But she will no longer have a single chance to arrange her personal life. Her reputation will be ruined, no man will marry her. There is only one way out – to agree to marry the kidnapper or remain an old maid.

This tradition has broken many women’s destinies, but there are also lucky women who met their love in such an unusual way.