| Revision as of 18:57, 26 August 2008 editSkybon (talk | contribs)Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers3,613 edits I presented the opposite source, so please YOU stop← Previous edit | Revision as of 19:06, 26 August 2008 edit undo83.89.16.138 (talk) RvNext edit → | ||
| Line 54: | Line 54: | ||
| Gori is close to the ] zone. It is connected to breakaway ]'s capital ] via a railroad spur which has been defunct since the early 1990s. In the 2000s, Georgia has increased military infrastructure in and around the city. Thus, the Central Military Hospital was relocated from Tbilisi to Gori and reequipped in October 2006.<ref>, October 4 2007.</ref> On ] ], Georgia’s second ]-standard military base to accommodate the ] of the Georgian Ground Forces was established at Gori.<ref>. Ministry of Defense of Georgia, January 18 2008.</ref> | Gori is close to the ] zone. It is connected to breakaway ]'s capital ] via a railroad spur which has been defunct since the early 1990s. In the 2000s, Georgia has increased military infrastructure in and around the city. Thus, the Central Military Hospital was relocated from Tbilisi to Gori and reequipped in October 2006.<ref>, October 4 2007.</ref> On ] ], Georgia’s second ]-standard military base to accommodate the ] of the Georgian Ground Forces was established at Gori.<ref>. Ministry of Defense of Georgia, January 18 2008.</ref> | ||
| In the ], the base came under aerial attack by the ] from the outset, and was abandoned between ] and ] ]. Residential districts of Gori were also hit by airstrikes on August 12, killing and injuring several civilians, including the Dutch journalist ].<ref>, ], 9 August 2008</ref><ref>, '']'', 10 Aug 2008</ref><ref>, ], August 14, 2008</ref> By ], the Georgian military and most residents had fled the city, which was then ] by Russian and South Ossetian separatist forces. | In the ], the base came under aerial attack by the ] from the outset, and was abandoned between ] and ] ]. Residential districts of Gori were also hit by airstrikes and cluster munition attacks on August 12, killing and injuring several civilians, including the Dutch journalist ].<ref>, ], 9 August 2008</ref><ref>, '']'', 10 Aug 2008</ref><ref>, ], August 14, 2008</ref> By ], the Georgian military and most residents had fled the city, which was then ] by Russian and South Ossetian separatist forces. | ||
| == Demographics == | == Demographics == | ||
Revision as of 19:06, 26 August 2008
For other uses, see Gori. Place in Shida Kartli, Georgia| Gori გორი | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Country |  Georgia |
| Mkhare | Shida Kartli |
| Elevation | 588 m (1,929 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 49,500 |
| Time zone | UTC+4 (GMT+4) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+5 (GMT+5) |
Gori (Georgian: გორი) is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the eponymous administrative district. The name is from Georgian gora 'heap, hill.' As of 2002, it had a population of 49,500.
Gori is the birthplace of Joseph Stalin.
The city was occupied by Russian troops during the 2008 South Ossetian War.
Geography and climate
Gori is located 76 kilometers (47 mi) west of Georgia's capital Tbilisi, at the confluence of the rivers Mtkvari and Greater Liakhvi, 588 meters (1,929 ft) above sea level. The climate is transitional from moderately warm steppe to moderately humid. Summer is usually hot. The average annual temperature is 10.9 °C (51.6 °F), minimal in January (−1.2 °C (29.8 °F)) and maximal in August (22.5 °C (72.5 °F)). The maximum precipitation falls in May (76 mm (3.0 in)) and minimum in August (34 mm (1.3 in)) and January (30 mm (1.2 in)).
History
The territory of Gori has been populated since the early Bronze Age. According to the medieval Georgian chronicles, the town of Gori was founded by King David IV (r. 1089-1125) who settled there the refugees from Armenia. However, the fortress of Gori (Goris-Tsikhe), appears to have been in use already in the 7th century, and archaeological evidence indicates the existence of an urban community in Classical Antiquity. In 1299, Gori was captured by the Alan tribesmen (proto-Ossetians) fleeing the Mongol conquest of their original homeland in the North Caucasus. The Georgian king George V recovered the town in 1320, pushing the Alans back over the Caucasus mountains.
With the downfall of the medieval Georgian kingdom, Gori – strategically located at the crossroads of major transit routes – was frequently targeted by foreign invaders, and changed its masters on several occasions. It was first taken and sacked by Uzun Hassan of the Ak Koyunlu in 1477, followed by Tahmasp I of Persia in the mid-16th century. By the end of that century, Gori passed to the Ottomans and became their major outpost in Georgia until being recovered by the Georgians under Simon I of Kartli after heavy fighting in 1599. The town was once again garrisoned by the Persians under Shah Abbas I in 1614.
Following successive occupations by the Ottomans (1723-35) and Persians (1735-40s), Gori returned to the Georgian control under the kings Teimuraz II and Erekle II whose efforts helped to advance economy and culture in the town. Following the Russian annexation of Georgia, Gori was granted the status of a town within the Tiflis Governorate in 1801. It grew in size and population throughout the 19th century, but was destroyed in the 1920 earthquake. An important industrial center in Soviet times, Gori suffered from an economic collapse and the outflow of population during the years of a post-Soviet crisis of the 1990s.
Gori is close to the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone. It is connected to breakaway South Ossetia's capital Tskhinvali via a railroad spur which has been defunct since the early 1990s. In the 2000s, Georgia has increased military infrastructure in and around the city. Thus, the Central Military Hospital was relocated from Tbilisi to Gori and reequipped in October 2006. On January 18 2008, Georgia’s second NATO-standard military base to accommodate the 1st Infantry Brigade of the Georgian Ground Forces was established at Gori.
In the 2008 South Ossetian War, the base came under aerial attack by the Russian Air Force from the outset, and was abandoned between August 9 and August 12 2008. Residential districts of Gori were also hit by airstrikes and cluster munition attacks on August 12, killing and injuring several civilians, including the Dutch journalist Stan Storimans. By August 11, the Georgian military and most residents had fled the city, which was then captured and occupied by Russian and South Ossetian separatist forces.
Demographics
| Year | 1865 | 1897 | 1914 | 1977 | 1989 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,100 | 10,500 | 25,700 | 54,100 | 68,924 | 49,522 |
Landmarks
Gori and its environs house several notable cultural and historical landmarks. Although for many foreigners Gori is principally known as the birthplace of Joseph Stalin, in Georgian historical memory the city has long been associated with its citadel, the Goris-Tsikhe, which is built on a cliffy hill overlooking the central part of the modern city. On another hill stands the 18th century St. George's church of Gorijvari, a popular place of pilgrimage. The ancient rock-hewn town of Uplistsikhe and the 7th century Ateni Sioni Church are located not far from Gori.
Stalin's association with the city is emphasized by the Joseph Stalin Museum in downtown Gori and the Stalin monument in front of the City Hall, one of the few such monuments to survive Khrushchev's de-Stalinization program. The monument was a source of controversy in a newly independent Georgia in the 1990s, but the post-communist government acceded to the Gori citizens’ request and left the statue untouched.
References
- E.M. Pospelov, Geograficheskie nazvaniya mira (Moscow, 1998), p. 121.
- Georgia Today: "Georgian Armed Forces modernize infrastructure", October 4 2007.
- New military base in Gori. Ministry of Defense of Georgia, January 18 2008.
- Russian jets attack Georgian town, BBC News, 9 August 2008
- Georgia conflict: Screams of the injured rise from residential streets, The Telegraph, 10 Aug 2008
- Russia/Georgia: Investigate Civilian Deaths: High Toll from Attacks on Populated Areas, Human Rights Watch, August 14, 2008
- Template:Ge icon Kakabadze, V., Gvasalia, J., Gagoshidze I., Menabde, L., Zakaria, P. (1978), გორი ("Gori"). Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia, vol. 3, p. 226. Tbilisi.
- Georgia Census 2002. State Statistics Department. Accessed on February 26 2008.
- Will Lasky. Selling Stalin. Georgian Business Magazine, Issue 4, August 2007.
- Salome Asatiani. Great Terror: In Stalin's Birthplace, Forgiving And Forgetting. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, August 14, 2007.
External links
41°58′N 44°06′E / 41.967°N 44.100°E / 41.967; 44.100
Categories:
