Oni, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Oni is a town
in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti
region (mkhare
), Georgia
. Historically and ethnographically, it is part of Racha
, a historic highland province in western Georgia. The town also serves as an administrative center of the Oni district
(raioni).
Oni is situated in a deep gorge on the left bank of Rioni River
, some 830 m above sea level and 210 km northwest of Georgia’s capital Tbilisi
.
The territory of modern-day Oni has been inhabited since the Bronze Age
. Archaeology revealed the artifacts of Colchian culture
, particularly a collection of Colchian coins dating back to the 6th-3rd centuries BC. Oni is first chronicled in the 15th century, though a legend has it that the town was founded by the 2nd BC king Pharnajom of Iberia
. Located on the crossroads from Northern Caucasus, Kartli
(central Georgia), Imereti
(western Georgia) and Lower Rach’a, Oni developed into a typical late medieval commercial town and was contested between the kings of Imereti
and the princes of Rach’a. The town was absorbed by Imperial Russia in 1810, and made it, in 1846 a center of the Rach’a district. During the Soviet Union
, the town was united with a number of surrounding villages into the Oni district, which is currently administered as a part of the Racha-Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti region.
In recent decades Oni has suffered from earthquake
s and a series of avalanche
s. A particularly severe earthquake
occurred on 29 April 1991. The earthquake's magnitude was measured at 6.9 on the Richter scale
, the most powerful ever recorded in the Caucasus Mountains, and caused significant damage to the infrastructure of Oni.
Despite a post-Soviet tendency towards migration, Oni still retains a small number of Jewish families - remnants of once powerful and large historic Jewish
community , Georgia’s third largest, after those of Tbilisi
and Kutaisi
. There is a synagogue
in Oni built in the 1880s by polish architect and the builders were greek jews from Thessaloniki.
Oni and its environs house a number of historical monuments, including the ruins of medieval forts and Georgian Orthodox churches. A popular spa
, Shovi
, and Utsera are located some 15-30 km from Oni, on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus
mountains. The Racha Regional Museum, located in Oni, has an impressive collection of 14000 unique artifacts from the fields of archeology, ethnography, numismatics, natural history, fine art, historical documents, manuscripts, and printed books.
, Israel
. Fitchburg
, Massachusetts
, USA.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti is a region in northwestern Georgia which includes the historical provinces of Racha, Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti . It covers an area of 4,954 km² and has a population of 50,969 . It is the most sparsely populated region in the country...
region (mkhare
Mkhare
Mkhare is a subdivision in the country of Georgia. It is usually translated as region.The country is divided, according to the Presidential decrees from 1994 to 1996, into regions on a provisional basis until the secessionist conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia are resolved...
), Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. Historically and ethnographically, it is part of Racha
Racha
Racha is a highland area in western Georgia, located in the upper Rioni river valley and hemmed in by the Greater Caucasus mountains...
, a historic highland province in western Georgia. The town also serves as an administrative center of the Oni district
Oni District
Oni is a district of Georgia, in the region of Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti. Its main town is Oni.Population: 9,277 Area: 1,712 km²- External links :* , Statoids.com...
(raioni).
Oni is situated in a deep gorge on the left bank of Rioni River
Rioni River
The Rioni or Rion River is the main river of western Georgia. It originates in the Caucasus Mountains, in the region of Racha and flows west to the Black Sea, entering it north of the city of Poti...
, some 830 m above sea level and 210 km northwest of Georgia’s capital Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
.
History
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
. Archaeology revealed the artifacts of Colchian culture
Colchian culture
Colchian culture is a late Bronze Age and Iron Age culture of the western Caucasus, mostly in western Georgia. It was partially succeeded by the Koban culture in northern and central Caucasus....
, particularly a collection of Colchian coins dating back to the 6th-3rd centuries BC. Oni is first chronicled in the 15th century, though a legend has it that the town was founded by the 2nd BC king Pharnajom of Iberia
Farnadjom of Iberia
P'arnajom or P'arnajob was a king of Iberia from 109 to 90 BC, the fourth in the P'arnavaziani line. He is known exclusively from the royal list included in the medieval Georgian chronicles....
. Located on the crossroads from Northern Caucasus, Kartli
Kartli
Kartli is a historical region in central-to-eastern Georgia traversed by the river Mtkvari , on which Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, is situated. Known to the Classical authors as Iberia, Kartli played a crucial role in ethnic and political consolidation of the Georgians in the Middle Ages...
(central Georgia), Imereti
Imereti
Imereti is a province in Georgia situated along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni river. It consists of the following Georgian administrative-territorial units:#Kutaisi #Baghdati region#Vani region#Zestafoni region...
(western Georgia) and Lower Rach’a, Oni developed into a typical late medieval commercial town and was contested between the kings of Imereti
Kingdom of Imereti
The Kingdom of Imereti was established in 1455 by a member of the house of Bagration when the Kingdom of Georgia was dissolved into rival kingdoms. Before that time, Imereti was considered a separate kingdom within the Kingdom of Georgia, to which a cadet branch of the Bagration royal family held...
and the princes of Rach’a. The town was absorbed by Imperial Russia in 1810, and made it, in 1846 a center of the Rach’a district. During the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, the town was united with a number of surrounding villages into the Oni district, which is currently administered as a part of the Racha-Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti region.
In recent decades Oni has suffered from earthquake
1991 Racha earthquake
The 1991 Racha earthquake occurred in the province of Racha, Georgia at 9:12 UTC on 29 April. Centered on the districts of Oni and Ambrolauri on the southern foothills of the Greater Caucasus mountains, it killed 270, left approximately 100,000 homeless and caused severe damage, including to...
s and a series of avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
s. A particularly severe earthquake
1991 Racha earthquake
The 1991 Racha earthquake occurred in the province of Racha, Georgia at 9:12 UTC on 29 April. Centered on the districts of Oni and Ambrolauri on the southern foothills of the Greater Caucasus mountains, it killed 270, left approximately 100,000 homeless and caused severe damage, including to...
occurred on 29 April 1991. The earthquake's magnitude was measured at 6.9 on the Richter scale
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
, the most powerful ever recorded in the Caucasus Mountains, and caused significant damage to the infrastructure of Oni.
Georgian Jews
The Georgian Jews are from the nation of Georgia, in the Caucasus...
community , Georgia’s third largest, after those of Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
and Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
. There is a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
in Oni built in the 1880s by polish architect and the builders were greek jews from Thessaloniki.
Oni and its environs house a number of historical monuments, including the ruins of medieval forts and Georgian Orthodox churches. A popular spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
, Shovi
Shovi
Shovi is a mountain climatic and health resort on the south slopes of the main Caucasus ridge in the region of Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Georgia, known for its carbonated water.- External links :...
, and Utsera are located some 15-30 km from Oni, on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus
Greater Caucasus
Greater Caucasus , sometimes translated as "Caucasus Major", "Big Caucasus" or "Large Caucasus") is the major mountain range of the Caucasus Mountains....
mountains. The Racha Regional Museum, located in Oni, has an impressive collection of 14000 unique artifacts from the fields of archeology, ethnography, numismatics, natural history, fine art, historical documents, manuscripts, and printed books.
Twin towns — Sister cities
BeershebaBeersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Fitchburg
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, USA.