Mestia

Mestia

მესტია
Mestia მესტია
Townlet
	UTC+4 (Georgian Time)
Climate	Dfb

Mestia (

townlet (daba) in northwest Georgia, at an elevation of 1,500 metres (4,921 feet) in the Caucasus Mountains

.

General information

Mestia is located in the

raioni

). Its area is 3,044 square kilometres (1,175 sq mi); and its population is 9,316 (1,973 in the town itself), according to the 2014 Georgia census. It was granted the status of a townlet (Georgian: daba) in 1968.

Historically and ethnographically, Mestia has always been regarded a chief community of Zemo, or Upper

Svans, a cultural and linguistic subgroup of the Georgians. Despite its small size, the townlet was an important centre of Georgian culture for centuries and contains a number of medieval monuments, such as churches and forts, included in a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

.

Mestia is served by the Queen Tamar Airport, which is operated by the state-owned company United Airports of Georgia since 2010.

Architecture and attractions

The townlet is dominated by stone defensive towers of a type seen in Ushguli and Mestia proper ("Svan towers"). A typical Svan fortified dwelling consisted of a tower, an adjacent house (machubi) and some other household structures encircled by a defensive wall.

Unique icons and manuscripts are kept in Mestia Historical-Ethnographic Museum. Mestia is also a centre of mountaineering tourism.

The town is the starting point for the popular Mestia-Ushguli trail. Most hikers complete this route in four days, sleeping in guesthouses or in local farmhouses.^[3]

Twin towns

San Gimignano, Italy (since 1975)^{[citation needed]}

Born in Mestia

Mikheil Khergiani
(1932–1969), a mountain climber

References

^ "Population Census 2014". www.geostat.ge. National Statistics Office of Georgia. November 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
^ "Mestia climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Mestia weather averages - Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
^ "Mestia to Ushguli Trek (a complete guide)". www.caucasus-trekking.com. Retrieved 2023-10-17.

External links

Mestia travel guide from Wikivoyage
(in German) Frescos and icons from Svaneti
Mestia Georgia Hillskiing

43°02′44″N 42°43′47″E / 43.04556°N 42.72972°E / 43.04556; 42.72972

Mestia is the host of the International Short and Mountain film festival.

[Census_2014-1] "Population Census 2014". www.geostat.ge. National Statistics Office of Georgia. November 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2021.

[2] "Mestia climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Mestia weather averages - Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org. Retrieved 2021-12-25.

[3] "Mestia to Ushguli Trek (a complete guide)". www.caucasus-trekking.com. Retrieved 2023-10-17.

[2]

[3]

Cities, towns and townlets in Georgia
Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia	Sukhumi Akhali Atoni Gagra Gali Gudauta Ochamchire Tkvarcheli Bichvinta Gantiadi Gulripshi Leselidze Miusera
Autonomous Republic of Adjara	Batumi Kobuleti Chakvi Keda Khulo Ochkhamuri Shuakhevi
Guria	Ozurgeti Lanchkhuti Chokhatauri Bakhmaro Gomismta Laituri Naruja Kveda Nasakirali Ureki
Imereti	Kutaisi Baghdati Chiatura Khoni Sachkhere Samtredia Terjola Tkibuli Tsqaltubo Vani Zestaponi Kharagauli
Kakheti	Telavi Akhmeta Dedoplistsqaro Gurjaani Kvareli Lagodekhi Sagarejo Sighnaghi Tsnori
Mtskheta-Mtianeti	Mtskheta Dusheti Akhalgori Pasanauri Sioni Stepantsminda Tianeti Zhinvali
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti	Zugdidi Abasha Jvari Khobi Martvili Poti Senaki Tsalenjikha Chkhorotsqu Mestia
Samtskhe-Javakheti	Akhaltsikhe Akhalkalaki Borjomi Ninotsminda Vale Abastumani Adigeni Aspindza Bakuriani Tsagveri
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti	Ambrolauri Oni Tsageri Lentekhi Kvaisa
Kvemo Kartli	Rustavi Bolnisi Gardabani Dmanisi Tetritsqaro Marneuli Tsalka Bediani Kazreti Khramhesi Manglisi Tamarisi Trialeti
Shida Kartli	Gori Kaspi Kareli Tskhinvali Khashuri Agara Java Surami Kornisi
Cities with local government	Tbilisi Batumi Kutaisi Poti Rustavi
Capital city	Tbilisi