Mestia ( ) is a highland townlet (daba) in northwest Georgia, at an elevation of in the Caucasus Mountains.

General information

Mestia is located in the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti province (mkhare), some northeast of the regional capital of Zugdidi. Mestia and the adjoining 132 villages form Mestia District (raioni). Its area is ; and its population is 9,316 (1,973 in the town itself), according to the 2014 Georgia census. It was granted the status of a townlet (Georgian: daba) in 1968.

Historically and ethnographically, Mestia has always been regarded a chief community of Zemo, or Upper Svaneti province. It was formerly known as Seti (სეტი). The population is mostly Svans, a cultural and linguistic subgroup of the Georgians. Despite its small size, the townlet was an important centre of Georgian culture for centuries and contains a number of medieval monuments, such as churches and forts, included in a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Mestia is served by the Queen Tamar Airport, which is operated by the state-owned company United Airports of Georgia since 2010.

thumb|Mestia to Ushguli trail. Second day from Zhabeshi to Adishi

Architecture and attractions

The townlet is dominated by stone defensive towers of a type seen in Ushguli and Mestia proper ("Svan towers"). A typical Svan fortified dwelling consisted of a tower, an adjacent house (machubi) and some other household structures encircled by a defensive wall.

Unique icons and manuscripts are kept in Mestia Historical-Ethnographic Museum. Mestia is also a centre of mountaineering tourism.

The town is the starting point for the popular Mestia-Ushguli trail. Most hikers complete this route in four days, sleeping in guesthouses or in local farmhouses.

thumb|1890 photo of the village of Mestia

Twin towns

  • San Gimignano, Italy <small>(since 1975)</small>

Born in Mestia

  • Mikheil Khergiani (1932–1969), a mountain climber

See also

  • Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
  • Tviberi Glacier
  • Administrative divisions of Georgia (country)
  • Lists of World Heritage Sites#Asia

References

  • Frescos and icons from Svaneti

Mestia is the host of the International Short and Mountain film festival.