Georgian Military Road
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42°30′15″N 44°27′14″E / 42.5042°N 44.4538°E
The Georgian Military Road or Georgian Military Highway[a] also known as Ghalghaï Military Road,[2][b] is the historic name for a major route through the Caucasus from Georgia to Russia. Alternative routes across the mountains include the Ossetian Military Road and the Transcaucasian Highway.
Route
The Georgian Military Road runs for 212 kilometres (132 mi) between
The 1914 edition of Baedeker's Russia describes the Georgian Military Road as 'one of the most beautiful mountain roads in the world', and mentions the fact that, as early as its date of publication, 'motor omnibuses of the Société française des transports automobiles du Caucase ply regularly from April 15 to Oct. 15th, [accomplishing] the journey in 10 hrs.'[4]
History
People have used this route since antiquity—both
After the
The Georgian Military Road played an important role in the economic development of
The Georgian Military Road today
The importance of the Georgian Military Road as a through route has diminished in recent years, primarily due to delays at the border crossing between Russia and Georgia, natural disasters such as landslides,[6] and the outright closure of the border crossing by Russia in 2006.
However, since 2013, when Russia finally agreed to re-open its side of the border as a result of Armenian demands, the road has once again become an important transport artery, mainly for trailer trucks linking Armenia and Russia.[7]
Various restrictions, however, remained (and still remain) in place, particularly for Georgian citizens, but by 2013 a representative of the Russian side of the border could tell the Interfax news agency that around three million people had passed through the
Currently (2024), the Georgian end of the Road is frequently clogged with trucks, apparently due to the length of time needed for vehicles transiting Georgia to be admitted into Russia.[9][10]
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
- European route E117
- S3 highway (Georgia)
Notes
- ^ Georgian: საქართველოს სამხედრო გზა; Ingush: ГIалгIай никъ, romanized: Ghalghai niqh,[1] Гуржий никъ, romanized: Gurzhiy niqh; Russian: Военно-Грузинская дорога, romanized: Voyenno-Gruzinskaya doroga; Ossetian: Арвыкомы фæндаг, romanized: Arvykomy fændag
- ^ Ingush: ГIалгIай никъ, romanized: Ghalghaï niq[1]
References
- Rosen, Roger. Georgia: A Sovereign Country of the Caucasus. Odyssey Publications: Hong Kong, 1999. ISBN 962-217-748-4
- ^ a b Сулейманов 1978, p. 8.
- ^ Яндаров А.Д. (1975). "Чах Ахриев. Жизнь и творчество (к 125-летию со дня рождения)". Вопросы философии. № 4 (in Russian). pp. 138–141.
- ^ The Times Atlas of the World, 13th ed. (2011)
- ^ "batsav | caucasian extracts from the 1914 baedeker guide to russia". www.batsav.com. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ Lord James Bryce, TransCaucasia and Ararat (London 1877), page 116
- ^ "Civil.Ge | One Dead, Several Missing in Dariali Landslide". old.civil.ge. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ "Homepage". Jamestown. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ staff, DFWatch (January 13, 2014). "Russia-Georgia border crossing will be open 24 hours". Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ ""Kilometer-long traffic jams at Upper Lars checkpoint", Vestnik Kavkaza, 28 June 2015". Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ "Armenia expeditor: Armenia should send emissary to Russia over traffic jam in Lars". news.am. June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
Bibliography
- Сулейманов, А.С. (1978). Топонимия Чечено-Ингушетии. II часть: Горная Ингушетия (юго-западная часть), Горная Чечня (центральная и юго-восточная части). Грозный: Чечено-Ингушское книжное изд-во. pp. 1–289.
External links
- Article on the Georgian Military Highway in Hidden Europe Mitchell, Laurence (2006) The High Road to the Caucasus: Exploring the Georgian Military Highway. Hidden Europe, 9, pp. 2–7 (July 2006) - in English.
- Article on the Georgian Military Highway in La Carretera Militar Georgiana - in Spanish.