Asureti (Elisabethtal)
Former German colony of Elisabethtal, founded in 1818 in Tetritskaro municipality, with white stone houses, an 1871 Lutheran church and Shala wine.
Asureti is a village in the green valley of the Asuretiskhevi river in Tetritskaro municipality, about 50 minutes' drive from Tbilisi. In 1818 German colonists settled here under a scheme backed by Tsar Alexander I and named their new home Elisabethtal, Elizabeth's Valley, after opening it on St Elizabeth's Day. The German families are long gone, but the village they built is still easy to read: rows of near-identical white houses of stone and clay, a Gothic Lutheran church from 1871, and an old German cemetery whose tombstones carry surnames from many parts of Germany.
The colonists were also winemakers. A farmer named Otto Schall is linked with the local grape Asuretuli Shala, and in 1931 a three-storey German-style cellar went up in the middle of the vineyards on the Algeti river; Shala wine was sold across Georgia and as far as Yerevan and Baku. A few local producers make it again today, so ask in the village about tastings. Asureti is quiet, and it makes a good half day or the goal of a long walk down from Kojori.
History
Elisabethtal was one of several German colonies founded in the South Caucasus in 1818, alongside Katharinenfeld, today's Bolnisi. The settlers farmed the valley, planted vineyards and in 1871 completed their Gothic Lutheran church. Their wine cellar of 1931 shows the colony still thriving in the early Soviet years. In 1941, after Germany invaded the Soviet Union, the German population was deported to Central Asia, and the village is now known by its Georgian name, Asureti.
What to see and do
- Walk past the white stone houses of the German colony
- See the 1871 Gothic Lutheran church
- Read the names in the old German cemetery
- Ask about tastings of Shala wine from the local grape
- Hike down to the village from Kojori
How to visit
Getting there
Asureti is about 50 minutes by car from central Tbilisi. Public transport is not practical, so come by car or taxi, or walk in from Kojori in the hills above.
When to go
May–October. Plan 1–2 hours here.
- The church and cemetery may be locked; ask locally who keeps the key.
- Most houses are lived in, so admire them from the street.
- Combine with Kojori and its fortress on the way.
- Carry cash for wine or snacks.
Asureti (Elisabethtal): FAQ
Is there a German village near Tbilisi?
Yes. Asureti, about 50 minutes from Tbilisi, began in 1818 as the German colony of Elisabethtal. Its stone houses, Lutheran church and cemetery survive.
What happened to the Germans of Asureti?
The Soviet authorities deported the German population to Central Asia in 1941. Their houses and church remained, and the village is now called Asureti.
Nearby places
Straight-line distance from Asureti (Elisabethtal).
