Tsalenjikha
Encyclopedia
Tsalenjikha is a town in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
region of western Georgia
with the population of c. 8,900 (2002). It is located on the Chanis-Tsqali River. Historically, Tsalenjikha functioned as one of the residences of the Dadiani
princes of Mingrelia
and a bishopric seat with a medieval cathedral of the Savior
.
) or "the lower fortress" (A. Chikobava
).
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti is a region in western Georgia which includes the historical Georgian provinces of Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti and has Zugdidi as its capital.-Geography:...
region of western 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...
with the population of c. 8,900 (2002). It is located on the Chanis-Tsqali River. Historically, Tsalenjikha functioned as one of the residences of the Dadiani
Dadiani
Dadiani was a Georgian family of nobles, dukes and princes, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Samegrelo.- The House of Dadiani :...
princes of Mingrelia
Principality of Mingrelia
The Principality of Mingrelia was a historical state in Georgia ruled by the Dadiani dynasty. Established as an independent Principality in 1557 by Levan I Dadiani as a hereditary mtavari , it remained independent until it became subject to Imperial Russia in 1803...
and a bishopric seat with a medieval cathedral of the Savior
Tsalenjikha Cathedral
The Tsalenjikha Cathedral Church of the Transfiguration of Savior is a medieval Georgian Orthodox cathedral at the town of Tsalenjikha, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, Georgia....
.
Etymology
"Tsalenjikha" is a composite toponym, meaning in Mingrelain either "the fortress of Chan" (I. Kipchidze, S. JanashiaSimon Janashia
Simon Janashia was an outstanding Georgian historian and public benefactor, one of the founders and Academician of the Georgian Academy of Sciences , Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor....
) or "the lower fortress" (A. Chikobava
Arnold Chikobava
Arnold Stepanovich Chikobava was a Georgian linguist and philologist best known as for his contributions to the Caucasian studies as well as one of the most active critics of Nicholas Marr's controversial monogenetic "Japhetic" theory of language.Chikobava was born in the small village...
).