Abasha

Abasha - City and Municipality in western Georgia, in the Samegrelo - Zemo Svaneti Region, the administrative center of Abasha Municipality. It is located between the Abasha and Noghela Rivers, at an altitude of 23 meters above sea level. It was declared a city in 1964. In the city there are railway station, industrial enterprises, health,educational,cultural institutions. The residency of Chkondidi Eparchy is located in Abasha.

History

The word " Abasha“ comes from Arabic, according to legend, the Arabs wanted to cross the river, but it was swollen and they shout to each other “Aba-sha”, which means let's go back.

In “Kartlis Tskhovreba” according to the chronicler Juansher, in the VIII century, 23,000 Abyssinian infantry of Ethiopian origin in the Marwan the deaf army was drawn in the one river and the other river took 35,000 horses. Because of this, one river was named Abasha and the other-Tskhenistkali.

The villages of Abasha, Kvatana and Sakacharavo were included in the Sachilao Samouravo at the beginning of the XIX century. The formation of the territory as an urban center is connected with the opening of the Tbilisi-Poti railway in 1870, when the Abasha railway station opened. The surrounding territory of the railway station was called Abasha and it covered former villages: Abasha, Kvatana, Sakacharavo. Since 1923 it received the status of a small town. From 1930 it became a center of the region. Since 1963, Abasha received a city status.

Sightseeings

• Sepieti Archangel Church
• Tkvieri Savior Church
• Sujuni St. George Church
• Kadari Church
• Guleikari St. George Church
• House-Museum of Writer-Academician Konstantine Gamsakhurdia