Editing Telavi (section)

==Heritage==
Telavi and its surroundings are rich in historical, architectural and natural monuments. The most important heritage monuments preserved within the city limits include:
* ''Dzveli Galavani'' ('Old Walls') – fortress of the first Kakhetian kings (9th–10th centuries)
* Church of the St. Mary (16th century)
* Church of the Holy Trinity (6th century)
* Fortress ''[[Batonis Tsikhe]]'' ('Fortress of Master') built in the 17th century; one of the only well-preserved medieval royal palaces in Georgia
* ''Korchibashishvilebis Tsikhe'' – castle of the local noblemen named Korchibashishvilis (16th–18th century)
* ''Akhvakhishvilebis Tsikhe'' – castle of the local noblemen named Vakhvakhishvilis (18th century)

[[File:Telavi - Bauernmarkt 02.JPG|thumb|right|300px|Open market of Telavi city]]
Telavi is the only city in Georgia where four fortification monuments from four historical periods remain relatively intact. Due to this reason, architects, scholars and art historians consider Telavi as the most "medieval" city in the country. Another curious sight in Telavi is a 900-year-old [[plane tree]] which is {{cvt|40|m}} high and {{cvt|11|m}} around the trunk.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://georgiatoday.ge/news/2781/900-Year-Old-Plane-Tree-to-Be-Rehabilitated|title=900 Year Old Plane Tree to Be Rehabilitated| work= Georgia Today|access-date=16 July 2017}}</ref> Other notable landmarks around Telavi include the [[Alaverdi Cathedral]] (11th century), the second highest cathedral in Georgia after the newly built [[Tbilisi Sameba Cathedral]]; the [[Ikalto|Ikalto Academy]] (8th-12th centuries–), where the famous Georgian writer [[Shota Rustaveli]] studied; the Church of St. George (dedicated to the patron saint of Georgia, where it is said that there are 365 churches named [[St. George]]); ruins of the city and castle of [[Gremi]] (the former capital of Kakheti during the 15th–17th centuries); [[Shuamta]], a complex made of three churches of different periods—6th, 7th and 8th centuries—in a highland forest; [[Akhali Shuamta]] ('New Shuamta'), the monastery close to [[Old Shuamta|Dzveli Shuamta]] ('Old Shuamta'), built in the 16th century; the stunning [[Tsinandali Park|Tsinandali Gardens]] (the residential Palace of Noblemen Chavchavadzes family); and many others.

===Armenian heritage of Telavi===
The former Armenian population had a rich cultural life, some of which remains to this day, and some of which is lost.<ref name="Armenians in Kakheti">{{cite book |last1=Karapetyan |first1=Samvel |title=The Armenians in Kakhet |date=2004 |publisher=Gitutyun |location=Yerevan |isbn=580800585X |pages=224+24 |url=https://raa-am.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ՀԱՅԵՐԸ-ԿԱԽԵԹՈՒՄ.pdf |ref=armkakh}}</ref>

* Avag (Mother) St. George Church – called {{transliteration|hy|Surb Gevorg}} in Armenian, located in the heart of the old city. The bell tower was built in 1829. In 1861 permission was requested to build a dome (gmbet) on the church. By early 1923 the church was closed, and the bell tower was demolished on April 19, 1924. In May of the same year the gavit was also demolished, along with the serf walls on the western and southern sides.<ref name="Armenians in Kakheti" />
* Surb Karapet Church – built in 1797. By 1818 it was already not used anymore.<ref name="Armenians in Kakheti" />
* Dzvelgalavani Surb Gevorg Church – date of construction is unknown, but there are records that it was already built between 1798 and 1800, and that it was renovated in 1852 at a cost of 1,500 manet. Still stands. In poor condition.<ref name="Armenians in Kakheti" />
* Surb Astvatsatsin ('Holy Mother of God'). Located in the old Armenian cemetery. There are records of it already existing by 1840, which means it was built at some point prior. In 1879, 4000 rubles were spent to build a dome (''gmbet'') on the church. On the night of December 10, 1894, the church was robbed, leading to protective walls being built around it. Still stands, and functions as a Georgian Church now.<ref name="Armenians in Kakheti" />
* Surb Yerordutyun Church. There are no known records about the construction, but there are records of it beginning in the 1800s. It was closed in 1923.
* Surb Tovmas Chapel. Built of wood from 1882 to 1885 at a cost of 280 rubles. Closed in 1923. Still stands.<ref name="Armenians in Kakheti" />