Editing Telavi (section)

==History==
The first archaeological findings from Telavi date back to the [[Bronze Age]]. One of the earliest surviving accounts of Telavi is from the 2nd century [[AD]], by [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] geographer [[Claudius Ptolemaeus]], 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. Interesting information on Telavi is provided in the records by an Arab geographer, [[Al-Muqaddasi]] of the 10th century, who mentions Telavi along with such important cities of that time's Caucasus as [[Tbilisi]], [[Shamkhor]], [[Ganja, Azerbaijan|Ganja]], [[Shemakha]] and [[Shirvan]]. Speaking about the population of Telavi, Al-Muqaddasi points out that for the most part it consisted of [[Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church|Christians]].

[[File:Ikalto-2008-01.jpg|thumb|250px|left|[[Ikalto]] (c. 800)]]
From the 10th to the 12th centuries, Telavi served as the capital of the [[Kingdom of Kakheti]] and later [[Kingdom of Kakhet-Hereti]]. During the Golden Era of the Georgian State (12th–13th centuries), Telavi turned into one of the most important political and economic centers of the [[Kingdom of Georgia|Georgian State]]. After the disintegration of the united Georgian Kingdom in the 15th century, the role of Telavi started to decline and the city eventually became an ordinary town of trade and crafts. Telavi regained its political importance in the 17th century when it became a capital of the kingdom of [[Kakheti]]. By 1762, it turned into the second capital (after Tbilisi) of the united [[Eastern Georgia (country)|Eastern Georgia]]n Kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti. The reign of King [[Erekle II]], who was born and died in this city, was a special epoch in the history of Telavi. During this period from 1744 to 1798, it grew into a strategic and cultural centre. Erakle II established there a theological [[seminary]] and founded a theatre. Erekle II's reforms touched upon all aspects of life in the country. They changed fundamentally the political, economical and cultural orientation of Kartli-Kakheti and, subsequently of the whole Georgia. His name became a symbol of freedom and national independence of the Georgian people. Erakle II is still called affectionately "Patara Kakhi" ('Little Kakhetian'), and his heroic deeds are described in folk literature.

===Russian rule===
[[File:Telavimainstreet.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Streets of Telavi city]]
In 1801, after the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti was annexed by the [[Russian Empire]], Telavi lost its status as a capital. In the 19th century, the city was the administrative center of the [[Telavi uezd]] within the [[Tiflis Governorate]]. During that period, the economy of the city was mainly composed of [[Light industry|small-scale industries]] ([[leather painting]], pottery production, [[viniculture|wine-making]], etc.), commerce and agriculture. The town's population was about 12,000 in the end of the 19th century (including about 9,000 [[Armenians]] and 2,000 ethnic [[Georgians]]).<ref>{{cite encyclopedia| encyclopedia= Энциклопедия Брокгауза и Ефрона ([[Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary]])| url= http://www.vehi.net/brokgauz/ |title= Телав| trans-title= Telav| language= ka}}</ref>