Borjomi

History of the Borjomi resort

In the Middle Ages the territory of today's Borjomi was part of the Tori region, the fortifications built here protected strategically important crossroads diverging from here to the western, eastern and southern provinces of Georgia. Some fortresses, such as "Gogia", "Petre" and "Sali", have survived to this day and continue to stand above the gorge. From the 16th to the 19th century the lands belonged to the princely family Avalishvili, and the first mention of the toponym "Borjomi" is found in the records of the 10th years of the 19th century, the official year of discovery of the legendary mineral water is considered 1829.

However, it should be mentioned that the healing properties of the water were first discovered hundreds of years ago, as evidenced by the stone bathing huts discovered during archaeological excavations, which date back approximately to the I-III centuries AD. The rediscovery of mineral springs, which is typical for such situations, happened absolutely by accident: soldiers of Kherson grenadier regiment, stationed in Borjomi, found a natural font with warm water near a river, bathed in it and felt its healing properties on their skin. Soon soldiers began coming here for treatment, in the 1830s active construction of bathhouses and residential buildings began, in the 1940s bathhouses became accessible not only to the military but also to civilians. After a while, Count Vorontsov, fascinated by the local beauty and healing power of mineral water, made Borjomi as his summer residence. The warm climate, springs of healing water, and endless forests turned Borjomi into a favorite summer resort of the aristocracy, for which the city was nicknamed the "Pearl of the Caucasus". In the 90s of the XIX century, Mikhail Vorontsov's son, Nicholas, during his reign, built a park and a palace in Likani.

Red Army troops invaded into Georgia in the year 1921 and seized all the mansions and palaces of the aristocrats, turning them into spa hotels for the Communist Party's top brass. In spite of this and a severe flood in 1968, Borjomi as a resort was constantly growing and developing throughout the Soviet era. The first decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union was a declining time for the resort, but by the beginning of the third millennium, through the efforts of public and private investment, the crisis was overcome and the infrastructure was restored. In 2005, the central park and the city's open-air thermal pools were completely restored.

Attractions in Borjomi

The old park was abandoned for a long time and only in 2005 was renovated. The park is an alley about a kilometer long, stretching along the Borjomula River, flanked by all kinds of attractions, playgrounds, food tents and sculptures. All roads and paths of the park lead guests to the spring of mineral water, which is easily recognized by its protecting blue pavilion with a glass roof. The entrance to the park is paid, but the cost of the ticket is symbolic - 2 GEL (50 rubles/20 grzywnas/65 eurocents), for children under 8 years old the entrance is free. You can drink water for free, to fill up containers of less than 1 liter - also for free, in containers of larger capacity - for additional payment, but there is no sense in it, as microelements quickly volatilize and it becomes more profitable to buy bottled "Borjomi". The water in the spring is warm and has the same composition as the bottled water, but it smells more of hydrogen sulfide.

If you walk 500 meters from the buvette in the direction of the mountain, you will see a beautiful waterfall, partially hidden from view by trees. There you will also find a monument to Prometheus. At the very end of the park begins an unpaved path that leads visitors to a beautiful pine forest, and after 2 kilometers this path leads to the outdoor sulfur pools: a children's pool, an adult swimming pool, and the hottest one, where you just lie down. The entrance fee is 5 GEL, the water temperature in the pools ranges from 32°C to 38°C, you must bring your own bathrobes, slippers and towels.

Cableway

We deliberately kept silent about the cable car in the previous paragraph, but we will talk about it separately. The cost of the cable car is 5 GEL one way (respectively 10 round trip, no discount). The lower station of the cable car is near the entrance to the central park, from where guests are taken up to the mountain plateau of Borjomi at a height of 1000 meters above sea level. In summer the cable car runs from 10 am to 8 pm, in winter - until 6 pm. At the top there is a Ferris wheel + from there you can quickly ride quad bikes to the sulfur pools, of course, also for a fee. We recommend to go back down on foot (if weather permits): you can take a lot of beautiful photos, admire the scenery and the mountain air.

House of Mirza Riza Khan (Firuz)

Next to the central park, on April 9 Street, is the most recognizable building of the resort, the Mirza Riza Khan House. The stone building with carved balconies and a roof decorated with turquoise stones was built in 1892 for a Persian consul; the two-story mansion is called "Firuza" (turquoise) in the city. Many people call the beautiful blue building as a symbol of Borjomi.

Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park

One of the largest national parks in Europe, its area is 85,083 hectares, which exceeds 1% of the total area of Georgia. Of these, just over 18,000 hectares are a protected area, inaccessible to the public. On the territory of the park there are temperate and humid subtropical climatic belts, the altitude difference is 1400 meters, more than 80% of the area is covered by forests, there are many small rivers and streams, ponds and waterfalls - this explains the amazing richness of flora and fauna: natural areas are home to more than 1200 plant species, more than 60 species of animals, 30 species of amphibians and reptiles, more than 200 species of birds. Many representatives of animal and plant species are rare and even endangered, listed in the Red Book. The park is also rich in architectural and historical monuments of the XVIII-XX centuries, there are many hiking trails of varying difficulty and length, there are rental points of tourist equipment. Entrance to the park is free, but for your own safety you must register at the entrance. For a quick introduction you will be offered a 3-hour tour, but there are trails up to 54 kilometers long!

Borjomi Local Lore Museum

The Borjomi Local Lore Museum is one of the oldest museums in the country - it occupies the building of the imperial chancellery of the late 19th century, and opened its doors to its first visitors back in 1926. On the first floor guests are welcomed with an exhibition, which tells about the history of the region and archaeological finds made here. Going up to the second floor, you will see a collection of personal belongings and household items from the Romanov Palace, as well as comprehensive documentation with photographs related to the discovery and development of local mineral springs. A model of the town, made of papier-mache at the beginning of the last century, deserves special attention.

On the outskirts of Borjomi, in the village of Likani, construction of the residence began in 1892 by decree of Nicholas Romanov. For three years, architect Leontius Benois managed the construction of the palace, designing it in an original Moorish style with Eastern motifs. The peculiarity of the palace is the invariable coolness and dryness in the rooms and halls, despite the hot and humid climate of the Caucasus. The Likani Palace is also unique because the first hydroelectric power station in the Russian Empire was built for its electrification on the Kura River. In 2019 or 2020, the restoration of the palace should be completed, after which it will gradually be converted into a museum.

Fortresses of Petre, Gogia, Sali and Atskuri

Opposite the Romanov Palace, on a rock, there are the remains of the once great fortress of Petre, which served as the castle of the princely family Avalishvili in the Middle Ages. The exact date of its construction is unknown, but the castle-fortress has already celebrated its 500th anniversary! To the north-west of Borjomi there are fortresses Gogia and Sali, which also protected the entrance to the gorge, they were built during the epoch of feudalism (between X and XIV centuries). On the right bank of the Kura River is the city-fortress of Atskuri, the first written mention of which dates back to the IX century. Inside this town, the half-destroyed walls of the Atskuri temple with ancient frescoes have been preserved. If you visit the fortresses, pay attention that from one fortress you can always see one or two neighboring ones - this way of building fortifications allowed to transmit quickly the signals about the attack on the gorge.

After a series of procedures, walks and excursions, it is a sad time to leave the beloved resort and go home, where you want to take a piece of Borjomi as a souvenir. Besides a couple of bottles of genuine Georgian water "Borjomi", you can bring to your friends, relatives, colleagues and loved ones: wine, chacha, lemonades, cheeses, spices and sauces, traditional Borjomi cone jam (not only delicious, but also useful for immunity and respiratory system) and other sweets, tea, jewelry and standard useless trinkets like magnets, cups, costume jewelry and other.