Imereti

This surprisingly green and unique region is situated in the western part of Georgia, occupying the mountain areas covered with dense forests in the middle reaches of the Rioni River. The area of the region is more than 6.5 thousand sq. km. It is inhabited by 533.000 people, the vast majority of the population are the ethnic Georgians who speak the Imereti dialect.

It consists of the following Georgian administrative-territorial units:

• Kutaisi (city)
• Baghdatis Municipality
• Vani Municipality
• Zestafoni Municipality
• Terjola Municipality
• Samtredia Municipality
• Sachkhere Municipality
• Tqibuli Municipality
• Chiatura Municipality
• Tsqaltubo Municipality
• Kharagauli Municipality
• Khoni Municipality

Even now you can hardly see the Imereti region without a trace of the past. Imereti has been Georgia’s cultural center for centuries. It was part of an ancient transit trade route called the Silk Road. It served as a transit link between Europe and Asia. Imereti is famous for its hospitality. Everyone knows Imereti khachapuri, mchadi, different kinds of beans, the most delicious Imeretian cheese, and also green pickled tkemali – which is a ‘visit card’ in foreign countries

Imereti region is famous for humid subtropical places, and alpine meadows that are 2850m high. The region is characterized by many health baths and a large number of mineral waters. Among the many historical sites, Gelati Monastery and Bagrati Cathedral have declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The main cities are Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Zestafoni, and Samtredia. The people of Imereti are distinguished for their hard work. They are fun and creative. On your way to Imereti, you will meet the people of Shrosha village who sell beautiful clay products. This is one of the oldest and most popular handicrafts in Georgia.

Mining, basic and consumer industries, tourism, and trade-related services are considered to be developed in Imereti.
Lack of human resources arises from various professions, such as welders, carpet makers, metallurgists, mechanical engineers, food technologists, and mechanical technicians.
Important cities and regional centers include Samtredia, Chiatura Manganese Production Center, Tkibuli – Coal Production Center, Zestafoni – Metal Production Center, Vani, Khoni and Sachkhere. Imereti is an agricultural region where mulberry and vines are well grown.

Imereti is also famous for its numerous karst caves. One of the most prominent in Europe is the Prometheus cave located in the Tskaltubo district. The cave consists of 17 halls and lots of beautiful cold lacquer-shaped stalactites, stalagmites, and fissures. You will also find waterfalls in stone and stone curtains.

Sataplia cave

The territory of Sataplia Reserve has a concentrated mass of natural attractions. The lime surface of beautiful karst caves with deep wells keeps numerous traces of carnivorous dinosaurs that lived here 60-70 million years ago. Galleries of the natural underground structures are decorated with the huge stalactites and stalagmites of different shapes. Not far from the caves, a prehistoric human site was discovered. The natural reserve is also worth visiting for the crater of an extinct volcano.

Bagrati and Gelati monastery

Among the numerous architectural monuments of Imereti, the most prominent is the partially ruined temple of Bagrati consecrated as early as 1003. No less interesting would be the visit to the Gelati Monastery dating back to the XI century. It is a true masterpiece of the medieval Georgian architecture.

The new motto of Imereti planting is the cultivation of Georgian vegetables using the latest European technologies. It is a Georgian-Dutch company located in western Georgia, and it benefits from EU support. Salad and cucumber are grown here with hydroponic farming. This is a modern method of agriculture; crops are infused with mineral nutrients in aqueous solution. The clever use of geothermal waters has become more effective in relation to the greenery in Imereti.