In the northern end of Tbilisi, past the charming and dilapidated Italianate neighborhoods from the old city and up the hill from the 20-story concrete apartment blocks from the Soviet era, stands the most sublime, imposing sculpture I've ever seen. It's a 35-meter-high structure, perched at the top of a hill near the Tbilisi sea, about as close to the heavens as possible in the city. It's made of black bronze and stone, composed of a series of sixteen connected obelisks, and it dwarfs any and every visitor and tour bus around it.
The Chronicle of Georgia is an unfinished Soviet-era sculpture begun by Zurab Tsereteli in 1981, and despite its looming presence, it was neglected by tourists and the state until recently.
I made the 30-minute hike up the hill, but it wasn't my being out of shape that knocked the wind out of me.
The monument illustrates the history of Georgia in tiers. The Chronicle, also known as Sakartvelos Matiane, commemorates 3,000 years of Georgian statehood and 2,000 years of Christianity. The bottom layer closest to home depicts the foundations of Christianity, intrinsic to the origin story of this small and proud nation—the second country to ever fully adopt Christianity. The middle tier focuses on Georgian historical figures, and features towering kings, poets and religious figures, the majority of which I know nothing about, as there's very little information available in English — the Georgian script is gorgeous but entirely illegible to me. The top layer features Georgian symbolism, grapevines, some astrological icons, as well as some more broadly defined Soviet iconography.
Originally, this mountaintop was slated to be graced by a 100-meter effigy of Joseph Stalin. How Tsereteli managed to persuade officials committed to enforcing secular society to shift the plan towards something so overtly religious is anyone's guess—deification of Stalin notwithstanding. The artist is a controversial figure in his own right, but immensely talented. I'd say he succeeded in creating a work of art unlike any I've ever seen. It felt like a religious experience, seeing it in person, and I wholeheartedly recommend skimming my photos and making the pilgrimage in person.
Photos by the author:
Previously:
• In former Soviet state of Georgia, an iPad knockoff for police
• Saakashvili regime in Georgia using sonic blasters on civilians?
• Vegan restaurant in Tblisi, Georgia says that neo-Nazis pelted it with meat
