Gori

Gori

The city of Gori is located in eastern Georgia, serving as the regional capital of Shida Kartli, and is situated at the convergence of two rivers, the Mtkvari and the Liakhvi. It is Georgia's fifth largest city. It is famous as a birthplace of Soviet politician and leader Joseph Stalin, ballistic missile designer Aleksandr Nadiradze, and philosopher Merab Mamardashvili. This settlement, which dates back to the Hellenistic era, with the fortification of Gori built at least in the 7th century, was granted the status of a town in the 12th century. In the Middle Ages it was an important military fortress, and its location on the main road connecting the eastern and western parts of Georgia makes it strategically important. Throughout its history, Gori has been invaded several times by the armies of local powers. During the 2008 Russian-Georgian war, the city was taken by Russian troops. There are several notable cultural and historical landmarks in and around Gori. While Gori is best known to many foreigners as the birthplace of Joseph Stalin, the city has long been identified in Georgian historical memory with its citadel, the Gori Fortress, which stands on a rocky hill above the central part of the modern city. The 18th-century St. George's Church of Gorijvari, a favorite place of pilgrimage, stands on another hill. The connection between Stalin and the city is highlighted by the Joseph Stalin Museum in the center of Gori and, until quite recently, by the Stalin Monument in the front of the Gori City Hall, which was one of the few remaining memorials to survive Nikita Khrushchev's de-Stalinization campaign.