Gori

Gori is a city in eastern Georgia and the administrative centre of the Shida Kartli region, set in the Mtkvari River valley about 85 km west of Tbilisi. It is best known as the birthplace of Joseph Stalin, but its place in Georgian history reaches back far further than the Soviet era.

The city's most prominent landmark is Gori Fortress, a medieval citadel on a rocky hill above the centre with foundations much older than its visible walls. Below it, Stalin Avenue and the Stalin Museum preserve the small house where Stalin was born, his armoured railway carriage and exhibits on his life.

Just outside Gori, the ancient rock-hewn town of Uplistsikhe is one of Georgia's most remarkable archaeological sites, with carved halls, streets and churches dating from the early first millennium BC. The nearby Ateni Sioni Church, a 7th-century stone church in the Ateni valley, is another highlight of the region.

Central Gori is compact and walkable, centred on Stalin Avenue with its shops, cafés and restaurants, while the city also serves as a regional hub for agriculture and food processing. Its position on the main highway and railway corridor between Tbilisi and western Georgia makes it an easy stop for travellers crossing the country.

Gori works well as a day trip from Tbilisi or a short overnight stay, combining Soviet-era history, medieval fortifications and one of the Caucasus's oldest cave settlements. Both business visitors and leisure travellers pass through for its historical sites and its role as a gateway to Shida Kartli.