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Opposite the ridge which boasts the oldest monastery in the Gareji Desert - the Lavra of St. David of Gareji, founded in the 6th century, is a rock-hewn monastery commonly known as Udabno (said to have been called Tsamebuli until the 19th century). Emerging at the turn of the 10th- 11th centuries, and active until the 14th century, Udabno comprises several dozen caves that house large and small churches, chapels, hermit cells, and utility chambers.
“Georgia has always been and must continue to be a country of bread and wine...” - Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, 2006 These words were spoken in a significant and historical context in December 2025, when UNESCO added “Georgian Wheat Culture: Traditions and Rituals” to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision to do so was made during the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee held in New Delhi.
In his farewell letter to David (Duda) Gabashvili (1914-1995)- painter, graphic artist, sculptor, teacher, Honored Artist of Georgia, and People’s Artist of Georgia - the art historian and Academician Vakhtang Beridze noted that Gabashvili was an artist of impeccable taste and refinement, possessing the highest artistic culture and professionalism. Art historian Gogi Khoshtaria, meanwhile, argues that David Gabashvili’s art has not received the recognition it deserves. Rather than appealing through superficial effects, it demands a thoughtful and discerning viewer capable of engaging with its deeper artistic and intellectual dimensions.
In 1970s Soviet Georgia, the pressure of socialist realism propaganda and censorship had lessened significantly, but nonconformist artists were still unable to take advantage of state benefits. Without large orders, they were unable to buy cars, apartments, or country homes with party lists, nor could they hope for a personal exhibition or widespread recognition. Yet, locked in their studios, they retained their creative freedom, refused to praise their leaders, and in doing so, learned to expect, no accolades from them. Half-starved, they continued to produce true art.
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Amir Kakabadze was one of the most notable players on the Georgian art scene throughout the second half of the 20th century. He was born in 1941 to the family of David Kakabadze, a well-known Georgian artist. Eter Andronikashvili-Kakabadze, his mother, was also an artist. As a result, Amir had a natural affinity for drawing at a young age. Following his graduation from the I. Nikoladze Art School in 1961, he was enrolled in the Tbilisi Academy of Arts, where he first studied theatrical painting at the Faculty of Fine Art, in 1967, under the guidance of P. Lapiashvili. He continued his postgraduate studies in 1972.
Artist in Focus – Koki Makharadze (1929-1992) was a Georgian painter and graphic artist. Emerging in the 1950s, he developed a distinctive visual language within the era of Socialist Realism, combining national themes with symbolic and metaphorical imagery.
Before discussing one of the greatest recognitions of Georgian culture, it is worth recalling how a new understanding of cultural heritage emerged globally and evolved within the framework of modernity.
Artist in focus • Nino Ananiashvili (ნინო ანანიაშვილი) is celebrated for the rare combination of technical precision, emotional depth, and individuality she brings to the stage. Throughout her international career, she has performed with leading ballet companies and on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, leaving a distinctive mark on audiences and the art form itself. As Artistic Director of the State Ballet of Georgia, Ananiashvili brings that experience back to her home country. Her work reflects both a deep respect for Georgia’s rich ballet heritage and a vision for its continued artistic development, connecting tradition with new creative perspectives.
In October 2025, Tbilisi hosted the Georgian Wrestling World Championship. One hundred athletes from 25 countries around the world competed for the prestigious wrestling title. The competition featured participants from a diversity of countries, including among them Turkey, Greece, Mongolia, Egypt, Brazil, Japan, Iran, and Estonia. The celebration of this national sport culminated in a fascinating compelling master class, where Georgian wrestlers demonstrated showcased traditional techniques and unique technical aspects moves to the visiting athletes. Behind this achievement lies centuries of experience and a rich cultural heritage.
#HistoryofOneBuilding - Pushkin Street house Nº 3 stands on Freedom Square, near the historic Kojori Gate, from where the nineteenth-century development of Tbilisi’s Garetubani District began. The house was built in the 1880s together with house Nº 1 on the same street, and was architecturally integrated with it. According to some sources, both buildings were designed by the well-known Tbilisi-born German architect Albert Salzmann. From the 2000s to the present, Pushkin Street Nº 3 has belonged to the საქართველოს ბანკი • Bank of Georgia. Since 2020, it has housed the bank’s branch for wealth management.
The veneration of the Mother of God in Georgia spans many centuries. The perception of the Mother of God as the protector of humankind is further deepened by the belief that she is the patron saint of the Georgian land.
The work of the late 19th- to early 20th-century self-taught Georgian artist Niko Pirosmanashvili is among the jewels of Georgian cultural heritage. On one hand, Pirosmanashvili's legacy reflects his unique inborn talent, individual mastery and artistic individuality, while on the other his art is most often considered among the best expressions of the Georgian national aesthetic identity and its continuous artistic traditions.
