ALONG THE WAVES OF MY MEMORY

Located 25 kilometers from Tbilisi, in the city of Mtskheta, one of the oldest burials has been preserved. The tomb, in which a mother and child were buried, dates back to the 1st century AD. Apparently, they were from a wealthy family, as rich golden ornaments were found with them. Their names could not be established, but their memory remains. People want to remember their loved ones, but time erases names and leaves only monuments. Old cemeteries are a part of the history of the city, country, and people. They are demolished and replaced with houses, parks, but those that remain can tell amazing stories. Fortunately, in Tbilisi, ancient slabs and obelisks have been preserved, and a tour of these places will not disturb the sleep of the departed, but will revive memories of them. Tbilisi has always been a center of attraction for outstanding people, so we have several pantheons of remarkable people of the past era.

The Pantheon of Armenian Artists at Khodjivank

Once a large Armenian cemetery began to be crowded since 1937, but the monuments and graves were preserved, transferred nearby, and turned into a pantheon. Here are buried Ovanes Tumanyan, Raffi, Gabriel Sundukyan, and others. These people lived and created in Tbilisi, they left their mark on this ancient colorful city.

The Pantheon of Azerbaijani Public and Creative Figures

Azerbaijani thinkers of the past have left no less of a mark on the city's life. The poet Mirza Shafi Vazeh, the playwright Mirza Fatali Akhundov, and others forever linked their destiny with this city. Their pantheon is located in the Botanical Garden, on the site of an old Muslim cemetery.

The Pantheon on Mtatsminda Mountain and Other Memorials

Georgian cultural figures have their own pantheon on Mount Mtatsminda in Tbilisi. These are the people who created Georgian culture, and their stories can be endlessly told, as each of them lived a often difficult, but colorful life. There is also the grave of A.S. Griboedov and his wife Nino Chavchavadze. Their story of love and life should be told right there, next to the tomb in the shadow of the St. David's Church.

Two very interesting cemeteries belong to the Jewish community of the city. One is three hundred years old, the other is more recent - from the 19th century. The grandmother of the former Prime Minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon, rests in the second one. In the 1990s, he visited her grave.

Another interesting cemetery where revolutionaries and activists of the first half of the 20th century are buried is Maharadze, Tskhakaya, Kamo.

Translation: The old Kukiya cemetery impresses with its ancient monuments and the stories associated with them. It is where the unfortunate muse of Munch and Strindberg - Dagny Juel - is buried, but that's already a separate detective story.