Zestaponi
Encyclopedia
Zestafoni or Zestaponi is the capital of Zestaponi District
in Western Georgia
, which is part of Imereti
province.
It is an important industrial center, with a large ferro-alloy plant processing manganese ore from nearby Chiatura
.
Zestafoni is in the Kolkheti lowlands, a semi-tropical region with relatively cold winters averaging -4°C in January and hot summers averaging 24°C in August. The surrounding countryside is a wine-growing region.
Zestafoni lies two kilometers south of the small but ancient fortress town of Shorapani
, founded by Pharnavaz I of Iberia
in the 3rd century BC.
The town of Zestafoni is first mentioned in historical records in the 1560s. In the 1820s a Cossack army was posted in the town, which was then called "Kvirila" after the river that runs through it. In the 1920s the name was changed again to "Jugeli", after a famous revolutionary. Only later did the city regain its historical name.
are industrial centers.
The Zestafoni ferro-alloy plant processes raw manganese ore shipped by rail down the Kvirila valley from Chiatura, supplying 6% of world demand.
The largest ferroalloy plant in the country, in 1998 it produced 35,000 tonnes of silicomanganese and 11,000 tonnes of medium-carbon manganese alloy. This was well below its previous peak production of 110,000 tonnes of manganese-based alloys.
The British steel trading company Stemcor acquired the ferro-alloy plant in February 2006.
Two other plants in the Zestafoni / Shorapani area produce electrical products, aluminum and copper cable and wire. There were more plants in the Soviet era producing fireproof clay, marble and clothing, and processing grapes, but many have closed down.
The writer Boris Akunin
and philosopher Tengiz Tsereteli were born in Zestafoni.
The psychologist and philosopher Dimitri Uznadze
was born in the nearby village of Sakara in 1886.
Famous Georgian actors Shalva Ghambashidze, Ushangi Chkheidze, Sergo and Bukhuti Zakariadze were also born in Zestafoni.
Zestaponi District
Zestaponi is a district of Georgia, in the region of Imereti. The district covers a total area of 423 square kilometres and as of 2002 it had a population total of 76,208 people....
in Western Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, which is part of Imereti
Imereti
Imereti is a province in Georgia situated along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni river. It consists of the following Georgian administrative-territorial units:#Kutaisi #Baghdati region#Vani region#Zestafoni region...
province.
It is an important industrial center, with a large ferro-alloy plant processing manganese ore from nearby Chiatura
Chiatura
Chiatura is a city in the Imereti region of Western Georgia. In 1989, it had a population of about 30,000. It is inland, in a mountain valley on the banks of the Kvirila River, and since 1879 has been a major centre of manganese production in the Caucasus. There is a rail link to transport...
.
Zestafoni is in the Kolkheti lowlands, a semi-tropical region with relatively cold winters averaging -4°C in January and hot summers averaging 24°C in August. The surrounding countryside is a wine-growing region.
Zestafoni lies two kilometers south of the small but ancient fortress town of Shorapani
Shorapani
Shorapani is a small Georgian town, situated in the Zestaponi District, part of the region of Imereti. Founded in the 3rd century BC, it served as a residence of the eristavi of Argveti in the Antiquity and the early Middle Ages.Near the town are the ruins of a fortress, mentioned as Sarapana by...
, founded by Pharnavaz I of Iberia
Pharnavaz I of Iberia
Pharnavaz I was the first king of Kartli, an ancient Georgian kingdom known as Iberia to the Classical sources, who is credited by the medieval Georgian written tradition with founding the kingship of Kartli and the Parnavaziani dynasty...
in the 3rd century BC.
The town of Zestafoni is first mentioned in historical records in the 1560s. In the 1820s a Cossack army was posted in the town, which was then called "Kvirila" after the river that runs through it. In the 1920s the name was changed again to "Jugeli", after a famous revolutionary. Only later did the city regain its historical name.
Industry
The town of Zestafoni and the smaller neigboring town of ShorapaniShorapani
Shorapani is a small Georgian town, situated in the Zestaponi District, part of the region of Imereti. Founded in the 3rd century BC, it served as a residence of the eristavi of Argveti in the Antiquity and the early Middle Ages.Near the town are the ruins of a fortress, mentioned as Sarapana by...
are industrial centers.
The Zestafoni ferro-alloy plant processes raw manganese ore shipped by rail down the Kvirila valley from Chiatura, supplying 6% of world demand.
The largest ferroalloy plant in the country, in 1998 it produced 35,000 tonnes of silicomanganese and 11,000 tonnes of medium-carbon manganese alloy. This was well below its previous peak production of 110,000 tonnes of manganese-based alloys.
The British steel trading company Stemcor acquired the ferro-alloy plant in February 2006.
Two other plants in the Zestafoni / Shorapani area produce electrical products, aluminum and copper cable and wire. There were more plants in the Soviet era producing fireproof clay, marble and clothing, and processing grapes, but many have closed down.
Sports and culture
The local football club, FC Zestafoni, plays in the top league in Georgia and won the Georgian championship in the 2010-11 season. The local woman's basketball team is Champion of Georgia-2011.. The city's stadium was built by Zestafoni Ferro-alloy Plant in 1952 and since renovation has a capacity of 4,600.The writer Boris Akunin
Boris Akunin
Boris Akunin is the pen name of Grigory Shalvovich Chkhartishvili , a Russian writer. He is an essayist, literary translator and writer of detective fiction.-Life and career:...
and philosopher Tengiz Tsereteli were born in Zestafoni.
The psychologist and philosopher Dimitri Uznadze
Dimitri Uznadze
Dmitry Nikolaevich Uznadze was a famous Georgian psychologist, philosopher and public benefactor, founder of the Georgian scientific school of Psychology, co-founder of the Tbilisi State University , Academician and co-founder of the Georgian Academy of Sciences , Meritorious Science Worker of...
was born in the nearby village of Sakara in 1886.
Famous Georgian actors Shalva Ghambashidze, Ushangi Chkheidze, Sergo and Bukhuti Zakariadze were also born in Zestafoni.