Sghnakh :: ARMENIAN LOCATIONS

40 Monuments

Georgia (Country) / Kakhet (Marz (Region)) / Sghnakh (District) / Sghnakh (District Centre)

Location

Sghnakh, the administrative centre of the district of the same name, is situated at the southeastern edge of the mountain chain of Gombor, 90 km east of Tbilisi.

Samvel Karapetian, Kakhet Armenians, Yerevan, 2004, p. 165. The original in Armenian.

Historical Introduction
18 c․

1840 y․

1886 y․

1990 y․

It is one of the two principal cities in East Georgia, the other being Telav. The oldest monuments and cultural strata, discovered in the territory of the present-day city so far, date back to the 18th century.

Zakaraya Parmen, The Ancient Cities and Forts in Georgia, Tbilisi, 1982, p. 90. The original in Russian.

19 c․

The initial period of the establishment of the Russian dominion in Kakhet (1801) marked unrest and instability in the Region, the general discontent often growing into an uprising. Thus, in 1812 the Georgians living in the vicinity of Sghnakh basely disarmed the soldiers of a small Russian regiment, stationed in one of the local barracks and slaughtered them mercilessly. In retaliation for it, the Russian Government administered savage punishment to the small number of Georgian city dwellers, who were obliged to leave Sghnakh within a short time for fear of persecution.

Archimandrite Hovhannes Arsharuny Ter-Ghazariants, A Description of the Caucasian Districts, “Bazmavep”, 1851, N 18, pp. 314-315. Cf. O. P. Markova, The Kakhet Revolt of 1812, “The Establishment of the Russian Rule in Caucasia”, edited by general-major Potto, vol. 12, Tiflis, 1901, pp. 75-83. The originals in Armenian and Russian respectively.

20 c․

In the first 2-3 decades of the Soviet rule, a number of important monuments of history and architecture were annihilated in Sghnakh. It was particularly the demolition of the city’s main church and belfry that inflicted a grave moral blow upon the Georgian-speaking Armenians. In 1976 a number of apartment buildings were set ablaze there.

Donara Mkhelidze, Sghnakh, “Zeglis Megobari”, N 65. The original in Georgian.

Scriptoria
1819 — 1841 yy․

1853 y․

Population
19 c․

In the early 19th century, Sghnakh Armenians formed an overwhelming majority in the city. Their number mostly grew in the following decades, but their growth rate was gradually slowed down in contrast to that of the Georgians who had mainly arrived from the adjacent villages.

Samvel Karapetian, Kakhet Armenians, Yerevan, 2004, p. 171. The original in Armenian.

18 c․

1852 y․

1818 y․

Name Origin

‘Sghnakh’ literally means ‘a fortification’, ‘a secure place’ or ‘haven’, which is illustrated by the following quotation, “ ’Sghnakh’ is translated as ‘haven’, the name deriving from a village of the same name, located in the Armenian district of Karabakh (Black Garden) and serving as a boundary between Russian Caucasia and Persia at present. It was founded by a group of Armenian fugitives who had arrived there, escaping the Persians’ persecution… .”

Garla Serena, Three Months in Kakhet, “Bazmavep”, 1883, p. 41. Also see I. Belkin, Articles on Sghnakh, “Kavkaz”, 1852, N 58, p. 212. The originals in Armenian and Russian respectively.

Repairs
1981 y․

Construction Activity
1849 y․

1881 y․

In 1881 a traveller wrote that Sghnakh “… extends on numerous hills, which render its communication with the outer world utterly difficult. The bumpy area makes the shortest walk in the streets extremely tiresome. The majority of the people are Armenian merchants who live and work in unison. The crooked streets represent a maze which claims to be a market, comprising only items, vital for everyday life. A great number of fine residences, belonging to some wealthy salesmen, can be seen on the hills… Most of the houses are built on top of one another, so that one man’s ceiling also serves as the other’s floor.”

Garla Serena, Three Months in Kakhet, “Bazmavep”, 1883, p. 42. The original in Armenian.

1884 y․

In 1884 an eye-witness described the city in the following way, “Sghnakh represents a typical Asian city with narrow, filthy streets, absolutely devoid of any pavements and parks… .”

David Soslani, Travelling Notes, “Novoye Obozreniye”, 1884, N 113, p. 3. The original in Russian.

Waterwork
1903 y․

In 1903 on the mayor’s initiative, the Municipal Department embarked upon the improvement of the roads leading to the city’s 3 main springs. It was especially the one to the Mamulovs’ spring that was in bad need of reconstruction.

“Kavkaz”, 1903, N 183. The original in Russian.

1909 y․

In 1909 an eye-witness wrote the following in connection with the introduction of the water supply system, “On 15 August, the solemn blessing ceremony of the water-pipe system was held, with the Municipal Boulevard decorated with flags. After the mass, the procession of the Russian clergy went to the square and blessed the water, followed by their Armenian counterparts. Mayor V. Yenikolopian made a speech, mentioning Sargis Ter-Grigorian, who had been the first to stress the necessity of having a water-supply system… .”

“Mshak”, 1912, N 192, p. 2. The original in Armenian.

Mayors
1905 — 1913 yy․

In 1905 Vardan Yenikolopian was elected mayor.

“Mshak”, 1913, N 183, p. 3. The original in Armenian.

1896 y․

1901 y․

1913 y․

1914 y․

Indeed, with the acquisition of the municipal status (1762), Sghnakh was governed by mayors, who were naturally Armenians, given the fact that the city was Armenian-inhabited. Unluckily, the available materials do not enable us to compile their comprehensive list, only the names of the mayors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries (comprising about a quarter-century) being known to us.

Samvel Karapetian, Kakhet Armenians, Yerevan, 2004, p. 170. The original in Armenian.

Estates

1872 y․

Mother Tongue

19 c․

1880 y․

1886 y․

1884 y․

1888 y․

1906 y․

Monuments
1849 y․

1903 y․

Type Photo
View General
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1992 yy․

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 1988 — 1992 yy․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1992 yy․

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1992 yy․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1992 yy․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 1988 — 1992 yy․

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 1988 — 1992 yy․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 1988 — 1992 yy․

Dates	Armenian Houses	Total (Armenians)	Georgian Houses	Total (Georgians)	Other Nationalities	Houses	Total	Notes	Source
1770	100
1806							1346
1835							3500
1849	700	3890	12	165		712
1851		4267		200			4467
1865		5857					9687
1868							9924
1874		5676		3588	1078		10342
1886		5854		4644	106		10604
1896							11895
1914							17690
1916		8968		8470	224		17662

Dates	Armenian Houses	Armenians (Male)	Armenians (Female)	Total (Armenians)	Notes	Source
1770	100
1818	368	945	838	1758
1822	375	1169	994	2163
1839	566	1788	1472	3260
1841		2034	1790	3824
1842	680	1823	1830	3653
1843	636	1849	1527	3376
1849	700	2062	1774	3836
1852		2221	1918	4139
1853		2177	1882	4059
1854		2231	1709	3940
1857		2251	2040	4291
1858		2290	2078	4368
1860		2376	2192	4568
1861		2483	2281	4764
1862		2591	2378	4969
1863		2689	2495	5184
1865		2780	2586	5366
1867		2973	2793	5766
1868		3074	2874	5948
1870				6301
1872		3408	3213	6621
1873		3484	3287	6771
1874		3579	3360	6939
1875		3600	3388	6988
1876		3633	3431	7064
1877		3611	3431	7042
1878		3639	3452	7091
1883		3810	3615	7425
1885		1730	1585	3315
1886				5854
1888		1866	1632	3498
1889		1884	1661	3545
1893	662	1851	1661	3512
1894	662	1870	1669	3539
1897		1995	2149	4144
1899	586	1740	1580	3320
1901		2152	2192	4344
1902		2172	2214	4396
1905		1898	1761	3659
1906		2362	1967	4329
1907				3291
1908	545	1309	1250	2559
1912		1428	1314	2742