Chronicle of Georgia

About this place

A monumental memorial on Keeni Hill by the reservoir known as the Tbilisi Sea in the north of the city, also called the History Memorial of Georgia or «Matiane». The Georgian sculptor Zurab Tsereteli created it in 1985, and it was never fully finished. It stands at the top of a long flight of steps, looking over the city and the lake in several directions. It is made up of sixteen bronze pillars between thirty and thirty-five metres tall. The upper halves depict Georgia's kings, queens and heroes, and the lower halves scenes from the life of Christ, a visual narrative of the country's history and faith. Beside the pillars stand the grapevine cross, symbol of St Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia, and a small chapel. The site gives wide views over the Tbilisi Sea, a large reservoir, the northern districts and the distant mountains. Visiting is free and the site is open, but it is far from the centre, so a taxi is easiest, fifteen to thirty minutes depending on traffic. The steps are long and the hilltop is exposed to wind and sun; the hour before sunset is best.