The Ilia Chavchavadze monument stands in Kutaisi and is dedicated to the 19th-century writer, publicist, translator, and public figure, known in Georgia as the "Father of the Fatherland." In 1987, the Georgian Orthodox Church canonized him as Saint Righteous Ilia.
Chavchavadze's connection to Kutaisi came through government service: in 1864, he was sent to the Kutaisi Governorate as an official in charge of peasant reform, to resolve relations between landowners and peasants after the abolition of serfdom.
Read the blog about how a peasant reform official became a saint
👑 Personality and Connections
- Writer, publicist, translator, and public figure of the 19th century (1837–1907)
- His contemporaries called him the "uncrowned king," while his descendants called him the "father of the fatherland."
- He was canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church in 1987.
- He was killed in 1907 on the road from Tbilisi to Saguramo.
📜 History and Facts
- In 1864, he was sent to the Kutaisi Governorate as an official in charge of peasant reform.
- He dealt with relations between landowners and peasants after the abolition of serfdom.
- Later, he headed the Society for the Spread of Literacy Among the Georgian Population.
🧭 Where is it and how to get there
- Zviad Gamsakhurdia Avenue, Kutaisi
💰 Free or paid
- Free tour
- Open 24 hours
