Kutaisi

The city is situated along the Rioni River, where it flows from the Caucasus foothills into the lowlands. One of the oldest cities in the Transcaucasus, it has been the capital of successive Georgian kingdoms: Colchis, Iberia (Kartli), Abkhazia and Imeretia at different times. After the Russian conquest, Kutaisi became the provincial capital. During its turbulent history, it has been plundered frequently, notably by the Turks in 1691. On a hill above the city centre with narrow, winding streets are the ruins of the 11th century Kutaisi Cathedral, built by the Bogratids. Outside the city are the 12th-century Gelati Cathedral and Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, and the Sataplia Nature Reserve on the outskirts of the city, with its limestone caves and dinosaur fossils. Modern Kutaisi is an important industrial centre, producing trucks, pumps, mining machinery, textiles (especially silk), food and other consumer goods. There is a hydroelectric power station on the Rioni River.  Population (2016 data) 147 900.