About Gurjaani
Gurjaani is placed in the Alazani Valley, in the north-eastern slope of Gombori ridge at an altitude of 415 m and 122 km east of Tbilisi. Its population is about 10,000. The city is a center of wine production in Georgia.
Genesis of the denomination is often related with a variety of folk legends and accordingly there are several versions. According to one of the most reasonable from a historical perspective version is the name of Turkish origin from the word Gurgi meaning Georgians, respectively, Gurjaani – home of Georgians.
In Gurjaani region are such important historical monuments of the country, as the two domed church of Assumption, Church of the Ascension, historical monuments of Cheremi, Vachnadziani and Zegaani. And more recently, to the history of Gurjaani also added new facts.
Until recent times, the city was considered relatively young, however, opened facts allow us to accept the new version.
Georgian land still keeps a lot of historical facts, the manifestation of which occurs at different stages.
In Gurjaani on one of the streets was found burial stone box discovered by a farmer during cultivating works.
By definition of historians the burial is of the early feudal period of 7- 8th centuries, where the men skeletons were found, one of which was buried in the Christian tradition. In the tomb were also rusty iron and bronze bracelets and fragments of metal.
Unlike other cities in Kakheti, Gurjaani considered younger settlement, but this finding proves that in the early feudal period it was a densely populated area.
Gurjaani All Saints Church of VIII-IX century built of cobblestone on the principle of straight lines, angles, and decorative details of chiseled pumice. Arches and support columns erected from square bricks.
Vachnadziani – the village of the district located in the north-eastern slope of the mountain range, on Gurjaani – Telavi road. about 9 km from the village and is the monastery complex of All Saints consisting of domed church, chamber, Trinity Church, etc. But in the village there is also the small size basilica.
Memorial Museum of Military Glory in memory of those killed during the Second World War opened in Gurjaani on May 9, 1978. The monument is decorated with a statue of the father of a soldier, whose author is a famous sculptor Merab Berdzenishvili.
This statue was created according the film Father of a Soldier. The complex includes five stone pillars meaning the 5 years of war, the memorial wall, which bears the names of 4,000 soldiers who did not return from the war, and an exhibition hall, where presented the works of the heroic devotion of Georgian soldiers.