Racha

Racha is a hidden pearl of Georgia in the Greater Caucasus. This beautiful region has mountains over 4,000 metres high, large glaciers, impressive mountain lakes, numerous well-developed hiking trails and thousand-year-old cultural monuments with unique stone carvings.

The cuisine in Racha is varied and extremely tasty, the most famous, popular and expensive wine in Georgia is produced in Racha, traditional songs and dances from Racha are a treat for the eyes and the soul.

This special region in the north of Georgia is partly off the beaten track and little promoted, so visitors who want to see all of Georgia's tourist hotspots in 10 to 15 days never make it to Racha. However, Georgians appreciate the region and take their time to enjoy Racha and all it has to offer.

General Information

Racha is a historical-geographical region bordering two republics of the Russian Federation, North Ossetia and Kabardino-Balkaria.

Area: 2893 km²
Population: 25,000
Capital: Oni. Population: 2,650

Racha is a historical geographical region of Georgia, but administratively it is now part of the Racha-Lechkhumi-Lower Svaneti administrative region.

Cultural and natural highlights

Racha is best known for its magnificent landscape of mountain lakes, glaciers, pine forests and spas, but there are also some artistic masterpieces here that are world-renowned for their uniqueness and authenticity.

Natural highlights:

1. Udziro Lakes
2. Buba Glacier
3. Tbilisi Glacier
4. Notsara Valley
5. Shaori Lake
6. Gona village

Cultural monuments

1. Nikortsminda
2. Mravaldzali church
3. The church of Barakoni

Spas

1. Shovi
2. Utsera

Wines from Racha

In 1907, the first Georgian wine was presented at an international fair in Belgium and immediately won a gold medal. It was the red wine of Racha, which in time received several awards in Italy and France. At the beginning of the 20th century, the wine was called "Kipiani Red Wine" because it was made by Prince Kipiani, but later it was called Khvanchkara and became the most popular and at the same time the most expensive wine in the Soviet Union.

The secret of this wine lies in the limited distribution of the necessary grape varieties and, above all, in an elaborate vinification method. At the end of the 19th century, Prince Kipiani mixed 2 rare and late-ripening grape varieties from the Greater Caucasus, Aleksandrouli and Mujuretuli. After pressing, he fermented them in a traditional wine amphora (qvevri), first without and then with skins.

Although the fermentation process was not interrupted and the wine was fermented to the end, the result was a wine with a sweet and sweetish flavour. The wine was then transferred to another amphora (qwewri) and left to rest for 3 years.

Only by following the old method can you get the real "Kipiani wine", but this elaborate method was hardly used in the Soviet era, especially the storage was no longer done in the traditional qwewri but in steel tanks, but the wine still had a special taste that distinguished it from all other wines and it did not get an excellent reputation for nothing.

The wine has changed its name several times, but for several decades it has been known as Khvanchkara and is still very popular. Nowadays, attempts are being made to reintroduce the old method of vinification and if you have the patience and the opportunity to dig deep into your pocket, you will be served this very special wine.

Cuisine in Racha

The specialities of Racha are very well suited to regional red wines, as the cuisine is dominated by meat, especially smoked ham. However, there are also dishes in Racha that go very well with white wine.

Here are some popular dishes from the region:

1. Smoked ham
2. Shqmeruli - fried chicken marinated in garlic and milk sauce 
3. Ratchuli lobiani - baked bean bread with smoked ham

Traditions in Racha

Atangenoba - Day dedicated to the 4th century martyr Athenogenes.

The regional festival takes place every year on 10 November in the village of Glola, at the church of St George. A special liturgy is held and after the liturgy the whole community gathers in front of the church on the large field and celebrates the day with a feast, prayers and toasts. On this day, families bake special cheese rolls (kweri) and prepare other specialities, which are taken to the church and eaten together.

Schiooba - Feast of fertility and good harvest

Celebrated on the Thursday of the first week of Lent. On this day, each family places cheese bread, two eggs and some wine by the window. It is believed that St Shio passes by each house, enjoys the wine and home-made food and then blesses the family.

In general, the Georgian Orthodox Church remembers St Shio on this day and holds liturgies in his name.

Bosloba - the day of cattle breeding and prosperity

In Racha, cattle breeding and dairy products were often the only source of income. Livestock was so important that, many centuries ago, a special day was set aside to pray for the multiplication of animals and to protect them from misfortune. The day was celebrated in families on the Saturday before Lent began. 

Pudzeoba - regional folklore festival

The word Pudzeoba means "Day of Roots" and the idea behind it is to revive and preserve old traditional dances, songs and local customs. The aim of the festival is to bring the young generation, who no longer live in the original regions and villages but in the big cities, back to their home towns for a few days, so that they do not forget where they come from and keep in touch with their own roots.

Concerts of local folklore and traditional competitions are organised during the day. The festival has grown in popularity in recent years and is now held in different regions of Georgia.

Regional music and dance of Racha

Music and dance are an important and almost inseparable part of Racha. In contrast to other regions of Georgia, the songs and dances of Racha are less marked by struggle and strong patriotism, but rather simple and cheerful. As a foreigner, even if you don't understand the words of the local songs, you'll still be in a good mood and feel like dancing. The dance itself is usually performed in simple, rustic costumes. The best known Racha dance, accompanied by a local song, is the Giorguna.

Hiking routes in Racha

There are several beautiful walking routes in Racha. Most of them are not easy, but they are always signposted. Here is a small selection of the most popular walks in Racha:

1. Day hike from the spa town of Shovi to the Buba Glacier
2. Two-day trek from the village of Chiora via the Notsara Valley to Glola
3. Relatively difficult two-day hike from Glola to Shovi via the Udziro lakes.

German Christmas trees from Racha

For a number of years now, the seeds for Europe's favourite Christmas tree, the Nordmann fir, have been harvested in Georgia. Although the fir tree was not named after a Georgian, but rather after the Finnish biologist Alexander von Nordmann, who discovered it during a journey through Georgia in 1835 and gave it his own name.

The seeds of these giant fir trees, which can grow to a height of 60 metres, live for up to 500 years and have a trunk diameter of around 2 metres, grow mainly in Racha but can also be found in other parts of Georgia. 

History of Racha

The area of today's Racha was inhabited in the Stone Age. A Mesolithic settlement has been found in the village of Kvedi, and copper and arsenic mines dating from the Early Bronze Age have been discovered near the village of Gona.

In the early Christian period, the Principality of Takveri was established, encompassing areas including modern-day Racha. Until the 10th century, Takveri was an important part of the western Georgian kingdom of Egrisi, also known as Lazika.

At the end of the 10th century, after Georgia was united and the Bagrationi dynasty came to power, the dominions in the country were reorganised and the areas of power were redistributed, in this sense the Georgian king created a new dominion and called it - Racha.

The first prince of Racha was Rati, a member of the most powerful Georgian noble family - Baghvashi. The son of Rati was called Kakhaber and he laid the foundation for a new dynasty of princes in Racha, with the surname Kakhaberisdze.

The princes of Racha were loyal servants of the Georgian kings. They diligently collected taxes and provided troops in the event of war.

At the end of the 13th century, when Georgia was divided into two kingdoms, West and East Georgia, the princes of Racha became involved in a conspiracy against their own king, as a result of which the principality was dissolved and the prince and his family were severely punished.

In the 14th century, King Giorgi V reunited the country and re-established the principality of Racha, but the territory was no longer ruled by the original noble family, but by Charelisdze, Chkhetidze, and later by Tsulukidze, Kipiani and others.

The Principality of Racha was initially on the side of the united Georgia, but after the disintegration of Georgia into several kingdoms, the princes of Racha tried to establish their own independent Grand Principality, which led to its final dissolution in the 18th century and its incorporation into the neighbouring Grand Principality of Odischi (Samegrelo).

Interesting to know

In 2017, an airport was opened in the administrative region's capital, Ambrolauri, and you can fly directly to Racha from Natakhtari, 20 kilometres from Tbilisi.