Stepantsminda
Encyclopedia
Stepantsminda is a small town in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti
region
of north-eastern Georgia
. Historically and ethnographically, the town is part of the Khevi
province. It is the center of the Kazbegi Municipality
.
.
at an elevation of 1,740 meters (5,710 feet) above sea level. Stepantsminda’s climate is moderately humid with relatively dry, cold winters and long and cool summers. The average annual temperature is 4.9 degrees Celsius. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of -5.2 degrees Celsius while July is the warmest month with an average temperature of 14.4 degrees Celsius. The absolute minimum recorded temperature is -34 degrees Celsius and the absolute maximum is 32 degrees Celsius. Stepantsminda’s average annual precipitation is 790 mm. (31.1 inches). The town is dominated by large mountains on all sides. The most notable mountain of the region, Mount Kazbek, lies immediately to the west of town. The second most prominent peak, Mt. Shani, rises to an elevation of 4,451 meters (14,600 feet) above sea level, 9 kilometers to the east of Stepantsminda. The town is located 10 kilometers to the south of the famous Darial Gorge
. http://mountainhouse.ge/http://mountainhouse.ge/
According to tradition, Stepantsminda, literally "Saint Stephan", was named so after a Georgian Orthodox
monk Stephan, who constructed a hermitage
at this location on what later became the Georgian Military Highway. It came under the control of a local feudal magnate, the Chopikashvili clan, who were in charge of collecting tolls on travelers in the area in the late 18th century. After the expansion of the Russian Empire
into the Kingdom of Georgia
in the early 19th century, the people of the region revolted against Russian rule. However, the local lord Gabriel Chopikashvili, son of Kazi-Beg, remained steadfast in his loyalty to Russia and helped to suppress the revolt. In return, he was promoted to officer in the Russian Army
. He adopted the surname Kazbegi
, and the village under his control was also frequently referred to as "Kazbegi". The name was officially changed to Kazbegi already under the Soviet rule in 1925. Gabriel Chopikashvili-Kazbegi's grandson was the famed Georgian writer Alexander Kazbegi
, who was born in this town. In 2006, the town reverted to its original name of Stepantsiminda.
mountains, and is a center for trekkers
and mountain climbing. Local attractions include the Alexander Kazbegi Museum and Ethnographic Museum in town, and the Gergeti Trinity Church
outside of town, as well as Mount Kazbegi itself and the alpine meadows and forests of the surrounding Kazbegi Nature Reserve.
The crossborder road is in mountain tunnel, so it is impossible to cross the border on foot. No information about possibility to cross the border by cycle.
Mtskheta-Mtianeti
Mtskheta-Mtianeti is a region in eastern Georgia comprising the town of Mtskheta, which serves as a regional capital, together with its district and the adjoining mountainous areas.- External links :...
region
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...
of north-eastern 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, the town is part of the Khevi
Khevi
Khevi is a small historical-geographic area in northeastern Georgia. It is included in the modern-day Kazbegi district, Mtskheta-Mtianeti region...
province. It is the center of the Kazbegi Municipality
Kazbegi Municipality
Qazbegi is a district of Georgia, in the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti.Population: 5,261 Area: 1,082 km²- External links :* , Statoids.com...
.
Etymology
Stepantsminda was named after a Georgian Orthodox monk named Stephan, who constructed a hermitage at this location on what later became the Georgian Military RoadGeorgian Military Road
The Georgian Military Road is the historic name for a major route through the Caucasus from Georgia to Russia. Alternative routes across the mountains include the Ossetian Military Road and the Transkam.-Route:...
.
Geography and climate
The town is located along the banks of the Thergi River, 157 kilometres (97.6 mi) to the north of TbilisiTbilisi
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...
at an elevation of 1,740 meters (5,710 feet) above sea level. Stepantsminda’s climate is moderately humid with relatively dry, cold winters and long and cool summers. The average annual temperature is 4.9 degrees Celsius. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of -5.2 degrees Celsius while July is the warmest month with an average temperature of 14.4 degrees Celsius. The absolute minimum recorded temperature is -34 degrees Celsius and the absolute maximum is 32 degrees Celsius. Stepantsminda’s average annual precipitation is 790 mm. (31.1 inches). The town is dominated by large mountains on all sides. The most notable mountain of the region, Mount Kazbek, lies immediately to the west of town. The second most prominent peak, Mt. Shani, rises to an elevation of 4,451 meters (14,600 feet) above sea level, 9 kilometers to the east of Stepantsminda. The town is located 10 kilometers to the south of the famous Darial Gorge
Darial Gorge
The Darial Gorge is the gorge on the border between Russia and Georgia. It is at the east base of Mount Kazbek, pierced by the river Terek for a distance of 8 metres between vertical walls of rock and is located South of present-day...
. http://mountainhouse.ge/http://mountainhouse.ge/
History
Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church
The Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church is an autocephalous part of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Since the 4th century AD, Georgian Orthodoxy has been the state religion of Georgia, and it remains the country's largest religious institution....
monk Stephan, who constructed a hermitage
Hermitage (religious retreat)
Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
at this location on what later became the Georgian Military Highway. It came under the control of a local feudal magnate, the Chopikashvili clan, who were in charge of collecting tolls on travelers in the area in the late 18th century. After the expansion of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
into the Kingdom of Georgia
Kingdom of Georgia
The Kingdom of Georgia was a medieval monarchy established in AD 978 by Bagrat III.It flourished during the 11th and 12th centuries, the so-called "golden age" of the history of Georgia. It fell to the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, but managed to re-assert sovereignty by 1327...
in the early 19th century, the people of the region revolted against Russian rule. However, the local lord Gabriel Chopikashvili, son of Kazi-Beg, remained steadfast in his loyalty to Russia and helped to suppress the revolt. In return, he was promoted to officer in the Russian Army
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
. He adopted the surname Kazbegi
Kazbegi family
The Kazbegi , originally known as Chopikashvili , was an influential clan from the northeastern highland Georgian district of Khevi....
, and the village under his control was also frequently referred to as "Kazbegi". The name was officially changed to Kazbegi already under the Soviet rule in 1925. Gabriel Chopikashvili-Kazbegi's grandson was the famed Georgian writer Alexander Kazbegi
Alexander Kazbegi
Alexander Kazbegi was a Georgian writer, famous for his 1883 novel The Patricide.Kazbegi was the great grandson of Kazibek Chopikashvili, a local feudal magnate who was in charge of collecting tolls on the Georgian Military Highway...
, who was born in this town. In 2006, the town reverted to its original name of Stepantsiminda.
Landmarks
Stepantsiminda is known for its scenic location in the Greater CaucasusGreater Caucasus
Greater Caucasus , sometimes translated as "Caucasus Major", "Big Caucasus" or "Large Caucasus") is the major mountain range of the Caucasus Mountains....
mountains, and is a center for trekkers
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and mountain climbing. Local attractions include the Alexander Kazbegi Museum and Ethnographic Museum in town, and the Gergeti Trinity Church
Gergeti Trinity Church
Gergeti Trinity Church is a popular name for Holy Trinity Church near the village of Gergeti in the Georgia. The church is situated on the right bank of the river Chkheri , at an elevation of 2170 meters, under Mount Kazbegi.The Gergeti Trinity Church was built in the 14th century, and is the...
outside of town, as well as Mount Kazbegi itself and the alpine meadows and forests of the surrounding Kazbegi Nature Reserve.
Border crossing point to Russia
There is Georgian part "Kazbegi" of border crossing point to Russian Federation "Kazbegi" - "Verchni Lars". The crossing was opened 01.03.2010. It works: winter period (01-NOV - 28-FEB) from 07 am till 07pm, summer period (01-MAR - 31-OCT) from 06 am till 10pm. The customs is multilateral, for all citizens of the World.The crossborder road is in mountain tunnel, so it is impossible to cross the border on foot. No information about possibility to cross the border by cycle.
External links
- Kazbegi Municipality. Mtskheta-Mtianeti Regional Administration website