Abastumani

Abastumani sits at around thirteen hundred metres in a wooded valley in Samtskhe, and it was developed from the late nineteenth century as a climate resort, on the argument that its still, dry mountain air helped tuberculosis patients; sanatoriums, a bathhouse and villas were built, and a small church with paintings by Mikhail Nesterov stands among them. On the ridge above, the Georgian national astrophysical observatory was founded in 1932, one of the first mountain observatories in the region, chosen for the clarity and stillness of the air, and its domes can be visited on arranged tours. Much of the old resort infrastructure is faded, and the forest around it is the main attraction now.

History

In medieval Georgia the area was part of the district of Odzrkhe, named after a fortress whose ruins survive near the town; in the 16th century it fell to the Ottoman Empire and was deserted, though local people still came for its hot springs. Under Russian rule a short-lived German colony called Friedenthal appeared here in 1842, and in the 1850s the place was resettled under the patronage of the Viceroy of the Caucasus, Mikhail Vorontsov, taking the name Abbas-Tuman from a nearby village and becoming known for its climate and thermal waters. Its growth as a resort is linked above all with Grand Duke George Alexandrovich, who retired here because of ill health, it became an urban-type settlement in 1926, and its tourist facilities have been renovated since the mid-2000s (Wikipedia, Abastumani).

The main sights

• The astrophysical observatory - domes on the ridge above the town.
• Nineteenth-century sanatoriums - the buildings of the climate resort.
• The church with Nesterov paintings - the decorated interior in the valley.
• Pine forest around the valley - the woods the resort was built for.

When to go

May to October; the observatory works best on clear nights and visits are arranged in advance. A day. Many resort buildings are closed or derelict.

Good to know

Much of the old resort is decayed and some buildings are unsafe. Observatory visits must be arranged ahead and are not always available. Facilities in the town are limited. The road up is winding.

Nearby

Zarzma monastery is down the valley; Akhaltsikhe lies east.

Key facts