The Mongol raids of the 14th century led to it being abandoned. At one point, there were some 6,000 people living here. Today, along with our group, were also several groups of Polish tourists. Our mobile academy guide to the site was writer Archil Kikodze, who was happy to debunk a few heroic national myths.
Lunch was provided by Chapidon Winery in Garikula village, which was recently set up by Jaba Mujiri. A former professional footballer, playing in leagues in Georgia and Iran, he explained that when he first decided to be a winemaker, he knew nothing, taking some courses and learning on the job. The winery is alongside Art Villa Garikula, and the name ‘Chapidon’ was proposed by the artist Karaman Kutateladze, who has been restoring the art villa.
Following this the group visited the nearby Marshallian Palace. This is a two-story structure in a dating from the early 19th century, built on a hill overlooking the village of Garikula, the village of Akhalkalaki and the rivers Tedzami and Mtkvari. Craftsmen were invited from Persia and over a ten year period, decorating the walls of the palace. The three rooms and the balcony on the upper floor are in Persian style, with a ceiling glazed with mirrors. The walls were painted with rose cones and nightingales. The original owner of the land was Davit Tarkhnishvili, the marshal of the nobility of Gori Mazra. After the Soviet takeover of Georgia, the building went through different uses. For a time it was a cultural centre and even a theatre; many famous Georgian writers and poets visited it. At one point during the Second World War, it was used as a dog training school, dogs being trained in anti-tank operations by the Red Army. It was also used as a farm. The Ministry of Culture gave the palace to the Academy of Arts at one point, and for many years it was used as a summer school. The group were shown round the building by the current owner, Irakli Machabeli, a descendent of the original family, who came back into possession of the property several years ago.
Text and photos by Brendan Jackson
