Journey along the Georgian military road: Ananuri fortress and Friendship Arch. Peoples' Friendship Arch in Kyiv: history and interesting facts Friendship Arch Georgia
And again Tbilisi. I can’t even believe that today is the last day in Georgia, it seems like a whole month has passed, not a week. Involuntarily, you begin to think about how we spend our time there ... at home, when every day is like Groundhog Day, when the week is like a big day in which you can’t remember if I greeted this person today and what I ate for breakfast in the morning. But, let's not talk about sad things, because ahead of us is an amazing journey along the Georgian military road with a visit to the sights along the way: the Ananuri fortress, Friendship Arch and mineral springs. Go…
To our surprise, the Ananuri castle-fortress turned out to be closer than expected, so, before reaching it, I thought that I could take the risk of driving to Kazbegi, and at the same time see all the sights along the way. It turns out that foreign tourists paid 15 GEL each, including stops at attractions along the way. Again, they didn’t take too much from us, even when we said that we would still go to the final station.
Attractions on the map
Ananuri castle-fortress
We crossed a large bridge and stopped near the castle.
Opening hours and cost
- Opening hours: from 10:00 to 18:00, seven days a week
- Visit cost: for free
What to see
Ananuri- a large castle-fortress on the shore Zhinvali reservoir. It stands right on Georgian military road, about 70 kilometers from Tbilisi. The main function of the castle was to block the river valley in a narrow place. Now only the citadel with towers has survived from the once great fortress, the temples were built later.
1. Towers. Ananuri has 5 towers. The most interesting are the pyramidal, which was built the very first in the entire castle (very similar to numerous ones) and the Sheupovari (Stubborn) tower. You can climb the last one, take a look at the entire Ananuri complex through the loopholes.
2. Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Inside, only a grave with a canopy, nothing else special.
3. Church of the Dormition. The main temple, on the walls of which you can see various kinds of bas-reliefs and inscriptions in Georgian. Inside, we were interested in such ancient frescoes of the holy fathers and a fragment from the “Scene of the Last Judgment”. Eh, I like everything original.
4. Bell tower. You can go to the bell tower, admire the next view of the Zhinvali reservoir.
5. Zhinvali reservoir. Already from the road you can see a beautiful reservoir, near which Ananuri stands on a hill. This is the Zhinvali reservoir, which provides water to Tbilisi. They say that the blue waters of Zhinvali hide an ancient city…
Ananuri castle-fortress held the defenses on the old road, which today is partially flooded by the Zhinvali reservoir, you can still drive south from the castle from half a kilometer along it, then it will go under water. We went down a little from the castle along the path, where on the way to the reservoir there is an abandoned temple in the thickets.
Another girl of oriental appearance rode with us. She sat in the front seat next to the driver. As far as I had enough knowledge in English, we were able to communicate with her and find out that she was from, traveled alone (this fact struck me the most), and was only three days in Georgia. I don’t know why I decided to write about her, probably because her independent journey somehow didn’t fit with her fragile appearance. There was something intriguingly curious about it, I sometimes hate these stupid language restrictions that make me get lost in assumptions and conjectures, not allowing me to fully paint a picture of a person just by talking to him.
Stop on the Georgian military road
The road on which we rolled is called Georgian military, and began to be built back in 1783, just at that time the Treaty of Georgievsk was signed between Russia and Georgia, but more on that below. They were driving the road almost a hundred years later. At one time, she played a huge role between the two countries.
Our next stop was a turn, on the side of which there were several shops selling souvenirs and churchkhela, on the left there is a pillar to the Georgian military leader who built the road we were now driving along.
Immediately I saw a wide drinking stream descending along a cascade of stone blocks. There we washed a package of figs, purchased back in the city.
On the other side of the road there was a sharp drop down, part of the highway even seemed to hang over this abyss, and right in front of my eyes a magnificent view of the mountains opened up, over the green peaks of which clouds were smoothly creeping. Below you could see a mountain river, wrapping its thin thread around the base of this mountain. Beauty…
Arch of Friendship of Peoples
My assumptions were justified. The peak point was the so-called Friendship Arch. Here we also made a halt, at such a height the wind was more ruthless, and while the rest of the tourists were running around with cameras, I went to the minibus to change my short shorts for pants.
Arch of Friendship Narodov was staged in 1983 in honor of the 200th anniversary of the Treaty of Georgievsk on the annexation of Georgia to Russia. An amazing monument to the Soviet era, illustrating the entire history of Georgia on a huge mosaic panel.
It was necessary to see with what pride and warmth our driver spoke about that moment in history, it seemed as if he had been there himself, I clearly caught the notes of sadness in his voice. If the rest of the travelers understood Russian or Georgian, then I am more than sure that the Georgian would also tell them this story with the same emotional expression.
The arch also serves as a semicircular observation deck. To be honest, I didn't feel comfortable approaching the edge, since the most extreme part is almost hanging in the air.
Yes, the landscapes here are unforgettable, at the moment I don’t have enough vocabulary to describe it in full. Sometimes it's really better to see once. Wow, those little white dots on the opposite hill are curly lambs.
From the realization of one thing that I am at the level of the clouds, I was already enthusiastically breathless.
Mineral springs
After the pass, we began to descend, however, this did not affect the steepness of the turns at all. The next stop was near the mineral spring, which ran down the hill straight to the road. Where the source left its mark, a white-orange hard surface formed on the slope. The water tasted better than our Nizhneivkinskaya, and did not smell like rotten eggs.
Next to the road, I noticed a short tunnel built right up against the mountain. I thought for a long time why he was here, until I guessed to ask the driver.
The Georgian said that in winter the roads here are covered with snowdrifts about 6 meters high, such short tunnels save the situation, further along the way they met more often.
Mount Kazbek, final stop
Soon a snow-white peak appeared behind the green hill. Mount Kazbek. We need to pause here...
The driver, at the beginning of the journey, boasted to us of a photograph of this beauty from the phone. There were only a few minutes left to (Stepantsminda), but I will talk about this in the next article, because there really is SOMETHING to tell, get ready to read an interesting article on how to overcome a steep mountain 4 km long on foot in half an hour.
A lot of interesting monuments offers its guests to see the capital of Ukraine - the city of Kyiv. The Peoples' Friendship Arch is one of them. This is a rather impressive monument of the Soviet era, the attitude towards which the people of Kiev are very ambiguous.
Khreshchaty Park - the green heart of the capital
This green pearl is located in the central part of Kyiv, on the picturesque slopes of the Dnieper. Initially (up to a year) the garden was called Merchant, and under Soviet rule - Pioneer.
Today Khreshchaty Park covers an area of 12 hectares. It retained its layout from the first third of the 19th century. In this park there are several famous institutions and attractions, in particular, the Water Museum, the Academic Puppet Theater, the National Philharmonic. The Arch of Friendship of Peoples (Kyiv) is also located here. You can see a photo of this famous monument below.
The monument is visible from different parts of the city and is the dominant feature of the right bank of Kyiv.
Arch of Friendship of Peoples: how to get there?
Finding a monument is not difficult at all. Right in the center of Kyiv is the Arch of Friendship of Peoples. The address of the structure is as follows: Vladimirsky descent, 2.
How to get to Arka? To do this, you need to get to the metro station "Independence Square", and then walk to the European Square (several hundred meters to the north). After that, you need to enter Khreshchaty Park, in the depths of which there is a wide square with a monument.
Near the Arch there is an observation deck - a grandiose amphitheater, from which a wonderful view of Kyiv opens: Podil, and the Left Bank.
A little about Pereyaslav Rada
The installation of this monument is closely connected with one important event in the history of Ukraine - the so-called Pereyaslav Rada.
As you know, in 1648 the People's War of Liberation began in Ukraine under the leadership of Bohdan Khmelnytsky. Within five years, the hetman managed to rescue most of modern Ukraine from Polish oppression. However, the newly formed territory was sandwiched between three powerful states of that time - the Ottoman Empire, the Commonwealth and Muscovy. Bogdan Khmelnitsky was forced to enter into an alliance with one of them. And he chose the latter option.
In 1654, in Pereyaslav (now - the city of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky), a meeting of two negotiating groups, Ukrainian and Moscow, took place. Evaluation of the results of this meeting still causes a lot of discussion among historians. After all, on the one hand, Ukraine was able to secede from Poland, but on the other hand, it gradually lost its autonomy, finally falling under the influence of the Russian Empire.
Arch of Friendship of Peoples: the history of the monument
It is curious that today it is impossible to find in the documents the exact date of the official opening of the monument. The Arch of Friendship of Peoples in Kyiv was built in 1982. It is believed that this event was timed to coincide with the celebration of the 1500th anniversary of the city. At the opening ceremony of the monument, Vladimir Shcherbitsky himself, the head of the Communist Party of the Ukrainian SSR at that time, spoke.
Work on this gigantic complex lasted about four years! The arch was opened in autumn, on the eve of the 65th anniversary of the October Revolution, and immediately became a very popular place among Kyivans and guests of the capital.
The structure and symbolism of the monument
The main element of the gigantic composition is a monument consisting of two sculptures of workers - a Russian and a Ukrainian, who are held in their hands. It is made of bronze and titanium alloy according to the project of Alexander Skoblikov. The height of this monument is 6.2 meters. It symbolizes the fact of the reunification of Ukraine and Russia.
Nearby is a stele with a multi-figure composition, carved in a block of pink granite. It is dedicated, in fact, to the events of the Pereyaslav Council of 1654. The stele depicts the Ukrainian hetman, Russian ambassador Vasily Buturlin, as well as other participants in the negotiation process.
Two sculptural compositions are connected by a huge arch, symbolizing the unity of the two Slavic peoples. It is 30 meters high and 70 meters long.
Interestingly, the architect A. Skoblikov, who worked on the sculptural composition of the Arch, is also the author of the memorial complex of the Great Patriotic War in Kyiv.
One fascinating legend is also associated with the Kyiv Arch of Friendship of Peoples, according to which the structure actually has a rounded shape. The lower part (arc) of the entire structure is allegedly hidden underground on the Dnieper slopes.
Arch of Friendship today
Of course, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, this monument lost its original meaning and relevance. And after the aggravation of Russian-Ukrainian relations in 2014, many Kievans began to treat him negatively.
So, the letters of the inscription “In commemoration of the reunification of Ukraine with Russia” disappeared from the pedestal of the sculptural monument. However, the inscription, as it turned out, was well read even without them. Therefore, soon it was painted with yellow-blue paint and covered with the words “Glory to Ukraine!”. In addition, the nose of the sculpture of Vasily Buturlin was recently recaptured.
In the spring of 2015, the Ministry announced the possibility of dismantling the Arch. However, as the minister clarified, the solution of this issue is exclusively within the competence of the Kyiv authorities.
But in spite of everything, the arch of Friendship of Peoples continues to be a fairly popular object on the map of Kyiv. Do not bypass this monument and foreign tourists. The Arch of Friendship is especially beautiful in the evening, when it is illuminated with all the colors of the rainbow.
Arch of Friendship in Kazbegi (eng. Friendship Arch in Kazbegi) was built along with an observation deck back in 1983 in honor of the bicentenary of the Georgievsky tract and in the name of friendship between the Russian and Georgian peoples. The Treaty of Georgievsk is an agreement dated 1783 between the Russian Empire and Eastern Georgia on the protectorate of the former over the latter.
The Arch of Friendship of Peoples is the inspiration of the famous sculptor Tsereteli, it was built at an altitude of 2384 meters in the Kazbegi region, on the Cross Pass near the Georgian Military Highway, next to the Gudauri ski resort and is a mosaic panel that was very popular among sculptors of that era.
In response to this, in Moscow, on Tishinskaya Square, a response monument was erected, also by Zurab Tsereteli, in the form of a column, on which the letters of the Georgian and Russian alphabets are depicted, intertwined into the words "Brotherhood", "Unity", "Labor", "Peace ". Its official name is "Friendship Forever", but its inhabitants also call it "Shampur" or "Tree of Language".
But that's not all, there was also a third exposition - "Ties of Friendship", which was installed in the capital of Georgia at the exit to the Georgian Military Highway and consisted of two rings that personified the fate of the people of Russia and Georgia, which were connected by a large metal knot with gilding. Inside all this was a scroll of the Georgievsky tract, made of metal. In 1991, at the initiative of the first President of Georgia, 3rd Gamsakhurdia viaad, the monument was destroyed by blowing up. Unfortunately, I was not able to find a photograph of that time with the image of another creation of the famous Georgian sculptor.
Description of the arch
The Arch of Friendship of Peoples is visible from afar, when you drive from Russia towards Tbilisi and vice versa - you can’t miss it in any way, because. it stands right next to the Georgian Military Highway.
Well, miss the opportunity to stay there for 15-20 minutes, because admiring the mosaic panels is not the only attractive feature of this attraction.
The main reason why you should stop at this place is the opportunity to purchase national knitted hats and hats from local merchants. Joke, of course. But if you pass by, you will not consider the grandeur of the surrounding mountains and you will not be able to stand on the balcony above the abyss and see the peaceful flow of the Aragvi River somewhere below, at a distance of more than two kilometers from your feet.
At the bottom of the gorge you can see a small lake with turquoise water.
On the opposite side of the Arch of Friendship of Peoples, balconies literally hang over the abyss, and if you jump on them, you can get a little adrenaline rush.
But if you really need adrenaline and extreme photos, then this desire can be fulfilled right on the spot. If you stand facing the arch, then you need to go under its right angle to go beyond it. There you will see a path that goes a little to the right. After going down a bit, you will come to this place:
And you can take pictures like this:
As you can see in the photo, there is also a second pebble, where you are already hovering over the abyss, but this position will be quite enough for the majority.
It is worth going there only to people who are not afraid of heights in comfortable shoes and in good weather, i.е. in winter, in rain and mud, you should not go there, because. the path to this place is very steep and if you slip, the consequences can be catastrophic.
But if everything is fine with the weather, then walking these couple of meters is not a problem, the main thing is to calculate your strength and weather conditions adequately.
By the way, during the ski season, some daredevils go down off the Gudauri slopes directly to the monument on their boards and skis, although you will have to return about four kilometers by ride or taxi.
On this, the inspection of this historical monument of culture can be completed and continue the journey into the depths of Georgia, towards the Ananuri fortress. If you are coming from Russia by car and got here in inclement weather, then don't be discouraged, on the way back you will take the same road and you will have one more chance to stop here for a photo shoot.
My tourist review
I liked the Peoples' Friendship Arch in Georgia. I am not a fan of Soviet-era mosaic panels, but the Cross Pass on which it was erected, these balconies over a precipice 2384 meters high, are really impressive. Fascinating photos can be taken by both extreme sports lovers and people who prefer to live without an increase in adrenaline in the blood.
Helpful information
- Coordinates for Navitel: N 42°29"32", E 44°27"9"
- Coordinates for Yandex Maps and Google Maps: 42.492257, 44.452668
- The entrance is free.
- Opening hours: around the clock, seven days a week and holidays.
How to get to the Arch of Friendship of Peoples
The easiest way to get there is for tourists traveling in Georgia by car, who travel from Russia to Georgia and vice versa. These people in any case will pass by this place, but to be sure, you can drive the coordinates into the navigator.
From Tbilisi you can get by minibus, which runs to Gudauri or Kazbegi. Both of these minibuses depart from the bus station, which is located at the Didube metro station. The journey will take approximately 2 hours. Try to come and take a seat in a fixed-route taxi in advance, preferably an hour and a half, especially for late flights.
A minibus runs to Kazbegi hourly, starting from 8 am to 5-6 pm, depending on the season. On it you can drive directly to your destination and it will cost you ~ 3-4 $.
It is better to find out the schedule of the Tbilisi-Gudauri minibus on the spot, because. it also floats with the seasons. Its cost will be similar, but it does not reach the monument for about 3.5 kilometers, so you will either have to throw a couple of lari to the driver to take it, or ride a ride or stomp on foot.
Excursions
It is best to take a tour of the sights of the Georgian Military Highway from Tbilisi, because. this route fits perfectly into one day, which significantly saves your finances and rest time. In terms of prices, they have minimal differences, which are formed rather from the “deservedness” of the guide, so I recommend choosing an excursion based on its program. Do not delay with a pre-order, there are not many really good guides, and even fewer who speak Russian well and their tours are booked long before visiting Georgia. I propose to get acquainted with an extensive good guide at a lower price, and a well-deserved guide, albeit a little more expensive.
The Arch of Friendship of Peoples is located in the very center of Kyiv. The opening of the sculpture was timed to coincide with the 1500th anniversary of Kyiv and took place in 1982. The address of the Arch of Friendship of Peoples in Kyiv is Khreschaty Park.
Story
The monument Arch of Friendship of Peoples is a symbol of the reunification of two states - Ukraine and Russia. Work on the construction of the structure lasted about four years. It was planned to complete it by the anniversary of the formation of the USSR - December 30, 1922. This explains the phrase "Constructed in the year of the 60th anniversary of the formation of the USSR." But in the end, the grand opening of the monument took place earlier, on the eve of the anniversary of the October Revolution. Then one could still see the inscription “In commemoration of the reunification of Ukraine with Russia” on it.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Arch of Friendship of Peoples has undergone some changes. The monument became irrelevant, and someone removed the last word of the phrase, as a result of which the inscription "To commemorate the reunification of Ukraine" remained. After some time, it was completely eliminated. Its presence is evidenced only by traces of letters. The second inscription first lost the last two letters, and began to look like “Constructed in the year of the 60th anniversary of the SS”. Over time, it was also removed.
The popular names of the monument are unflattering: yoke or kaidan (translated from Ukrainian as “bond”). Today there are talks about its dismantling.
The construction of the arch in Khreshchaty Park
Previously, Khreshchaty Park was called Merchants' Park. It was a favorite place of the Kyiv intelligentsia - people loved to walk here and spend time in secular conversations. In the center of the park, one could observe a figured flower bed, on which a statue of the ancient side of the arts of Apollo flaunts, in his hands he held a lyre. Nearby there was a summer stage, where various concerts were held. Over time, instead of the stage, the Arch of Friendship of Peoples was installed.
Description
The Arch of Friendship of Peoples includes three components:
- Bronze sculpture of two workers.
- Scene of the Pereyaslav Council.
- The arch itself is in the shape of a large rainbow.
In the center of the composition there is a statue of the Russian ambassador Vasily Buturlin and hetman Bogdan Khmelnitsky. The Pereyaslav Rada scene is carved from granite and symbolizes the signing of a historically significant agreement on the unification of Russia and Ukraine.
The six-meter composition of two workers - representatives of both peoples - is made of granite, metal and bronze. They stand with their shoulders to each other and raise the ribbon with the Order of Friendship of Peoples. Both sculptural groups are connected by an arch in the form of a rainbow - a symbol of the unity of peoples. Immediately behind the monument is a magnificent observation deck. Once on it, you can enjoy beautiful views of the Dnieper and its Left Bank. At night, the Arch is lit up with bright lights.
Arch of Friendship of Peoples for tourists
The Arch of Friendship of Peoples remains a very important part of the capital of Ukraine. This is one of the most favorite places for meeting lovers. Young people love it because here you can relax with friends. Tourists coming to Kyiv are actively photographed against the backdrop of the Arch. The monument attracts attention with its observation deck, which offers an excellent view of the left bank of Kyiv. Near the Arch of Friendship of Peoples there is an amphitheater.
How to get to the Arch of Friendship of Peoples
In many cities of Russia and the world there are monuments dedicated to Friendship. They all look different, but have the same meaning. This is also installed on the territory of Georgia. On the Georgian Military Highway there is a monument symbolizing the friendly relations between Russians and Georgians - this is the “Arch of Friendship of Peoples”.
"Friendship" was opened in 1983, on the 200th anniversary of the conclusion of the agreement (Georgievsky Treaty) between the two countries. The creator of this masterpiece is the famous Georgian sculptor Zurab Tsereteli. The horizontal arch is installed at an altitude of more than 2000 meters above sea level and is located on the Cross Pass, in Georgia, next to the Gudauri ski base.
What does Friendship Arch look like?
The arch is made in the form of a semicircular observation deck with several balconies. Travelers passing along the road are sure to stop here for a few minutes to admire the amazing views of the mountain landscapes. Balconies hanging right over the abyss help to feel all the beauty and grandeur of Georgian nature.
You can see how the rivers and the Terek flow below, as well as a small turquoise lake at the bottom of the gorge. This is an artificial lake of the local fishery. In the distance, you can sometimes see a herd of sheep in the form of small white dots. Just a kilometer from the diorama, the Cross Pass is clearly visible in front of it. You can also see the round mountain of Miketi with clouds floating above it.
Inside, the "Arch of Friendship of Peoples" in Georgia is decorated with a huge mosaic panel, which depicts important events in Georgian history. Bright and colorful paintings can be viewed for a very long time, they will be of interest even to those who are not very impressed with the mosaic technique. In the center of the artistic composition is a poem by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli, written in 2 languages: Russian and Georgian. It is dedicated to friendship and fidelity and symbolizes the warm relations between Russia and Georgia.
In the arch itself and nearby, there are merchants of national souvenirs everywhere. Here you can take amazing photos with mountains in the background. Extreme tourists like to arrange photo shoots right on the stones hanging in the gorge.
In summer, paragliders often fly over this place. After all, from a bird's eye view, the landscape looks even more amazing. The views here are beautiful not only in summer, but also in any season of the year.
On the Internet, you can easily find photographs of this popular tourist attraction in winter, spring and autumn. Each season gives it its own unique look. The magic of this place by the road fascinates many. It is breathtaking from the grandeur of the towering mountains and the depth of the abyss. The sea of adrenaline and emotions is guaranteed! Tourists, instead of the planned stop of 10 minutes, spend more than an hour at the arch and leave with dozens of amazing photos.
How to get to the monument
The "Arch of Friendship" is visible from afar when you drive along the Russia-Tbilisi road, so you can't miss it. The route itself is not only the shortest road between the two countries (208 km), but also one of the most beautiful roads in Georgia with many attractions. You can get to the monument from Tbilisi, as well as from any other Georgian city by minibus, taxi or hitchhiking. You need to leave by minibus going to Gudauri or Kazbegi.
Important! The cost of the Tbilisi-Kazbegi bus ticket will be $3-4. Minibuses run all day and leave almost every hour, which is very convenient. The bus from the same does not reach directly to the monument 3.5 kilometers, which is why you have to walk or get on a ride. You can also get to the arch as part of an excursion group visiting several sights in Georgia at once.
Russian response to Georgia
In Russia, in response to the “Friendship of Peoples” monument opened in Georgia, in the same 1983 a monument was erected, the author of which was also the sculptor Tsereteli. It is located in Moscow on Tishinskaya Square. The monument is a stone column on which the letters of the Russian and Georgian languages form the words: "brotherhood", "unity", "labor" and "peace". Officially, the monument is called "Friendship Forever", but Muscovites nicknamed it "Skewer" or "Tree of Language".
During the existence of Russian-Georgian relations, the peoples of Russia and Georgia have experienced different times: conflicts, periods of tension and alienation. This was especially evident in 2008 during the military operations of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in the struggle for their own independence.
Today, the "Arch of Friendship of Peoples" is already over 30 years old, and the structure has already gradually begun to collapse, as well as relations between once friendly countries. But I really want to believe that this beautiful landmark will also continue to decorate the road connecting the two powers in many hundreds of years. And let our great-grandchildren, once here, remember not military conflicts, but real friendship based on mutual understanding, trust and hospitality.
