Telavi (Georgia)

Telavi (Georgia) ... Georgia's eastern province of Kakheti. Its population consists of some 28.000 inhabitants. The city is located on foot-hills Tsiv-Gombori Range on the height of 850m above the sea level. First archeological findings from Telavi date back from Bronze Age. According to historical data, one of the first accounts of Telavi was documented in the 2nd century AD, by Greek geographer Ptolemeus, who mentions the name Teleda (a reference to Telavi). Telavi began to transform into a fairly important and large political and administrative center in the 8th century, AD. Interesting information on Telavi is provided in the records by an Arab geographer Al Mukadis of the 10th century, who mentions Telavi along with such important cities of that time's Caucasus as Tbilisi, Shamkhor, Ganja, Shemakha and Shirvan. Speaking about the population of Telavi, Al Mukamdis points out that for the most part is consisted of Christians.