Telav :: ARMENIAN LOCATIONS

1 c․ 58 Monuments

Georgia (Country) / Kakhet (Marz (Region)) / Telav (District) / Telav (City)

Location

Telav, the largest city in East Georgia, is the centre of the district of the same name. It is located in the centre of Kakhet, within 9 km from the right bank of the river Alazan, 60 km northeast of Tbilisi, at the northeastern foot of the wooded mountain chain of Tsivi-Gombor, on slightly steep mountain slopes at an altitude of 620-800 m above sea level.

Samvel Karapetian, Kakhet Armenians, Yerevan, 2004, pp. 60-61. The original in Armenian.

Historical Introduction
1104 y․

In 1104, when David the Builder founded the united Georgian Kingdom, Telav lost its status of capital, but it retained its large population, busy commercial life and splendour. In the 13th centuries, the city was subjected to the Mongol invasions. In the period between the mid-15th century and the 1760s, when Grem was the capital of the Kakhetian Kingdom, Telav was the second main city in the Region. In the aftermath of the Persian incursions in 1614 and 1616, Grem was exposed to depredation and was gradually abandoned, that converting Telav into a royal residence once again. In 1667 king Archil (Shah-Nazar Khan) officially moved the capital of Kakhet to Telav, where he built a royal palace.

King David II carried on the constructive activity in Telav, which remained the residence of the Kakhetian kings till 1801 when the Region as well as entire Georgia formed part of Russia.

Zakaraya Parmen, The Ancient Forts and Cities in Georgia, Tbilisi, 1982, pp. 29-34. The original in Russian.

20 c․

Before the establishment of the Soviet rule, Telav, which had the status of district town, was the centre of the district and then region of the same name.

Samvel Karapetian, Kakhet Armenians, Yerevan, 2004, p 61. The original in Armenian.

13 c․

15 c․

Telav has been inhabited since times immemorial: the ancient monuments discovered there date as far back as the Bronze Age. In the 1st century AD, Telav was already a densely-populated area, which turned into a city in the 8th-10th centuries. In 1014 it became the capital of the Kingdom of Kakhet-Heret.

Population
13 c․

18 c․

1900 y․

1849 y․

1881 y․

17 c․

1899 y․

1900 y․

19 — 20 cc․

1770 y․

1818 y․

Foundation
1039 y․

Name Origin

According to another version, the name of Telav derives from the Georgian word ‘tela’, i.e. ‘body’. The toponyms of Telovan and Telet are said to derive from the same root.

K. Gan, Geographical Names of Caucasia, “Kavkaz”, 1907, № 124, p. 3. The original in Russian.

An Armenian version etymologizes the word ‘Telav’ in the following way, “The local Armenians assert that the name derives from the Armenian phrase ‘te lav e’, i.e. ‘if it is fine’, which is connected with the following story. Kyurike the Great invited some Yelizavetpol Armenians to settle down in any place they liked. The latter agreed only on condition that the climate be favourable there. This has served as the basis for an allegation that Telav’s inhabitants were the Armenians, which is also confirmed by the existence of an Armenian church in the old fort… .”

Ye. Ambardanov, A Medical and Topographical Description of Telav District, “Kavkaz”, 1867, № 89, p. 433. The original in Russian.

The name of Telav is generally etymologized in several ways. According to a version, the city “… was so called for its extremely salubrious air: ‘telav’ is composed of the distorted Georgian phrase ‘teli-ava’, i.e. ‘salubrious air‘ ”.

Garla Serena, Three Months in Kakhet, "Bazmavep", 1883, p. 320. The original in Armenian.

Construction Activity
1877 y․

19 y․

Already in the mid-19th century, Telav was a well-built city, distinguished for its fine, comfortable apartment buildings. The following record illustrates this, “The houses are built in the style of European architecture. The inhabitants enjoy their dwellings with rich gardens attached… .”

Rostom-Bek Yerznkiants, Kakhet’s Telav City, “Meghu Hayastani”, 1861, № 21, p. 163. The original in Armenian.

Description

18 c․

Mother Tongue
19 c․

Monuments
19 c․

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

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative

Below we are presenting the available statistical data on the number of Telav's population:

Dates	Armenian Houses	Armenians (Male)	Armenians (Female)	Total (Armenians)	Notes	Source
1818	293	805	730	1535		National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 2569, pp. 1-10. The original in Armenian.
1822	310	926	843	1769
1839	490	1531	1348	2879		National Archives of Armenia, fund 332, list 1, file 866, p. 1. The original in Armenian.
1841		1477	1267	2744		National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3798, p. 359. The original in Armenian.
1842		1505	1277	2782		National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3802, pp. 41-42. The original in Armenian.
1843		1596	1354	2950
1844		1600	1360	2960
1845		1640	1398	3038
1847		1748	1764	3552
1849	600	1641	1481	3122
1852		1928	1685	3613
1853		1932	1820	3752
1854		1954	1853	3807
1857		2072	1929	4001
1858		2119	1981	4100
1860		2186	2030	4216
1861		2221	2052	4273
1862		2270	2108	4378
1863		2312	2128	4440
1864		2341	2138	4479
1865	789	2345	2159	4504
1867		2442	2278	4720
1870		2535	2404	4939
1873		2598	2442	5040
1874		2667	2486	5153
1875		2732	2538	5270
1876		2785	2577	5362
1877		2774	2556	5330
1878		2858	2612	5470
1880		2973	2733	5706
1881		3014	2764	5778
1882		3079	2830	5909
1883		3104	2873	5977
1885		3152	2984	6136
1887		3341	3085	6426
1888		3376	3143	6519
1889		3573	3276	6849
1890		3592	3301	6893
1891		3601	3319	6920
1892		3621	3333	6954
1893		3657	3371	7028
1894		3676	3376	7052
1897		3646	3341	6987
1898		2585	2341	4926
1899		2589	2432	5021
1900		2601	2446	5047
1901		2621	2482	5103
1902		2653	2497	5150
1905		2786	2575	5361
1906		2341	2156	4497
1907				5008
1908	822	2236	2137	4373
1910		2460	2319	4779
1912		2538	2398	4936

Dates	Armenians	Other Nationalities	Total	Notes	Source
1835	2680
1851	4006	1320	5326
1865			7240
1886	9182	2032	11214
1897			11810
1916	1062	2964	10026