Kartlis Deda

Wine in One Hand, Sword in Another

This twenty meter aluminum statue, situated next to the Narikala Fortress on Sololaki Hill, is known as Mother Georgia.

Tour guide, Dachi told me that the statue was built by Russia/Soviet Union. His thoughts on her is that he thinks she looks like a strong, hard-working Russian woman.  What is Georgian about her, he said, is that she represents the Georgian character of holding in one hand – wine – to welcome her friends, her guests.  In the other hand she holds a sword to protect herself from enemies.

With Georgia’s independence, locals wanted the statue taken down because of its affiliation with Russia.  But it has become such an icon, a tourist attraction that it will not be taken down.

If you look closely, you’ll see repaired bullet holes where she’s been shot at by those Georgians who don’t like Russia.

S, 🇬🇪