Tsalenjikha ( ka, წალენჯიხის მუნიციპალიტეტი, ''Ċalenjixis municiṗaliṫeṫi'') is a district of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, in the region of

Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti ( Georgian: სამეგრელო-ზემო სვანეთი) is a region (Mkhare) in western Georgia with a population of 308,358 (2021) and a surface of . The region has Zugdidi as its administrative center, ...

. Its main town is

Tsalenjikha Tsalenjikha ( ka, წალენჯიხა, also transliterated as Tsalendjikha and Tzalenjikha) is a town in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region of western Georgia with the population of 3,847 (2014). It is located on the river Chanistsqali. Historic ...

. Tsalenjikha Municipality is located in the valleys of the

Enguri The Enguri ( ka, ენგური, tr, xmf, ინგირი, ingiri, ab, Егры, ''Egry'' russian: Ингури, ''Inguri'') is a river in western Georgia. It is long, and has a drainage basin of .Chanistskali rivers, the area is 646.7 km2, the population is 26,158 people (2014). The municipality includes 14 administrative units, including 2 cities

and Jvari.

History

Tsalenjikha, Megrelian "Tsendikha", Chanistskali Megrelian "Tsentskari" River and such names of the geographical point are confirmed by both Georgian and foreign sources. Tsalenjikha and its environs were the original settlement of western Georgian tribes. It is known from historical sources that the territory of the municipality was inhabited even when people used stone and bronze tools. Western Georgian tribes have been living on the territory of Tsalenjikha since that time. This is indicated by the names of this point and the river "Chelenjikha", "Tsendikha" Tsalenjikha. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Tsalenjikha was an important settlement, as evidenced by such a large and important church as the Church of the Transfiguration. From this time on, the importance of Tsalenjikha gradually increased so that by the 13th and 14th centuries it became the only residence of the

Dadiani The House of Dadiani ( ka, დადიანი ), later known as the House of Dadiani- Chikovani, was a Georgian family of nobles, dukes and princes, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Mingrelia. The House of Dadiani The ...

. Here they had a palace, utensils (treasures) and apparently a ancestral tomb as well. Such an increase in the importance of Tsalenjikha led to the relocation of one of the most important dioceses of Odisha to Tsalenjikha in the 14th century. The relocation of the episcopal center to Tsalenjikha led to large-scale construction, as well as the painting of the Tsalenjikha Church during the 14th century during the reign of Vamek Dadiani (1384–1396). Ak. Simon Janashia undoubtedly believes that 'Tseni' or 'Tsani' 'was one of the tribes of the Chanuri-Megrelian branch and not their own Zani'. (Tsen-Dikha) and the river that flowed into the castle (Tsen-water). Materials about Tsalenjikha's past are taken from Inga Lortkipanidze's book - Tsalenjikha Painting, by Simon Janashia and Shota Meskhia. In 2001, the village of

Lia Lia is a feminine given name. In the Spanish-speaking world, it is accented Lía. In America, the name may be a variant of Leah or Lea. Lia may be a diminutive of various names including Julia, Cecilia, Amelia, Talia, Cornelia, Ophelia, Rosal ...

was the site of the

Lia radiological accident The Lia radiological accident began on December 2, 2001, with the discovery of two orphan radiation sources near the Enguri Dam in Tsalenjikha District in the country of Georgia. Three villagers from were unknowingly exposed. All three men wer ...

Historical sites

Tsalenjikha Cathedral The Tsalenjikha Cathedral Church of the Transfiguration of Savior ( ka, წალენჯიხის მაცხოვრის ფერისცვალების საკათედრო ტაძარი, tr) is a medieval Georgian Or ...

* The ruins of Gamajistsikhe * Katskhara Fortress * Samikao Cave * Episcopal Church * Jagiri Castle * St. Barbara's Church * Uluria Castle * "Mamukia Tower" * "Dilakirse" fortress * The ruins of Skuri Castle * The ruins of Lesale Castle * Jgali conical tower * St. Nicholas Church in Jgali * Church of the All-Holy Mother of God on the Cross * Omune Castle-Tower

Politics

Tsalenjikha Municipal Assembly (

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

: წალენჯიხის საკრებულო) is a representative body in Tsalenjikha Municipality. The council assembles into session regularly, to consider subject matters such as code changes, utilities, taxes, city budget, oversight of Municipal government and more. Tsalenjikha Sakrebulo is elected every four year. The last election was held in

October 2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...

. Tsalenjikha was one of only seven municipalities where ruling

Georgian Dream Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia ( ka, ქართული ოცნება – დემოკრატიული საქართველო, ''Kartuli ocneba – Demok’rat’iuli Sakartvelo'') is a social democratic political ...

party failed to gain a majority. After several attempts, the opposition parties UNM,

For Georgia For Georgia ( ka, საქართველოსთვის}, ''Sakartvelostvis'') is a political party in Georgia founded by former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. The presentation of the party was held on May 29, 2021. History Gio ...

and

Lelo LELO is a Swedish company that designs and sells upmarket sex toys. Products are massed produced in Suzhou Industrial Park, China. Lelo may also refer to: * ''Lelo'' (newspaper), a Georgian language sports newspaper * Lelo, a style of Georgian ...

agreed on a chairman of the Sakrebulo, four weeks after neighboring municipality

Chkhorotsqu Chkhorotsqu ( ka, ჩხოროწყუ, Mingrelian for "nine springs") is a townlet in western Georgia, located in the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and functioning as the administrative center of the homonymous district. Its population was ...

did the same.

Results in local election

;Municipal Assembly ;Mayor

Municipal Assembly 2017-2021

Notable natives

Meliton Kantaria Meliton Varlamis dze Kantaria or Kantariya ( ka, მელიტონ ქანთარია, russian: Мелитон Варламович Кантария; 5 October 1920 – 27 December 1993) was a Georgian sergeant of the Soviet Army credite ...

(1920 – 1993) – was a

n sergeant of the

Soviet Army uk, Радянська армія , image = File:Communist star with golden border and red rims.svg , alt = , caption = Emblem of the Soviet Army , start_date ...

credited with having hoisted a Soviet

flag A flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design empl ...

over the Reichstag on 30 April 1945. *

Terenti Graneli Terenti Kvirkvelia ( ka, ტერენტი კვირკველია), well known with his pen-name Terenti Graneli ( ka, ტერენტი გრანელი) (1897–1934) was a noted Georgian poet. Born in Tsalenjikha, he w ...

(1897 – 1934) – was a noted Georgian poet. *

Aneta Dadeshkeliani Aneta Dadiani-Dadeshkeliani (1872–1922) was a Georgian poet, educator and social reformer. Her poetry was published in contemporary journals. Together with her husband, Jansug Dadeshkeliani, she strove to improve the lives of the peasantry. She ...

(1872–1922) – was a Georgian poet, educator and social reformer. *

Nikoloz Shengelaia Nikoloz Shengelaia ( ka, ნიკოლოზ შენგელაია, russian: Николай Михайлович Шенгелая; Obudzhi, Tsalenjikha District – Tbilisi, 4 January 1943) was a Soviet Georgian film director. Nikoloz ...

(1903 – 1943) - was a Soviet Georgian film director. * Leo Kiacheli (1884 – 1963) – was a Georgian novelist, short story writer, and journalist. *

Badri Kvaratskhelia Badri Kvaratskhelia ( ka, ბადრი კვარაცხელია, tr; born 15 February 1965) is a former footballer. Born in the Georgian SSR, he represented the Azerbaijan national team internationally. Playing career In early 1990 ...

(b. 1965) – a former Georgian footballer. * Givi Kvaratskhelia (b. 1979) – a retired Georgian footballer. *

Georgi Tsurtsumia Georgi Tsurtsumia (born October 29, 1980 in Tsalenjikha, Georgian SSR) is a Kazakh wrestler who competed in the Men's Greco-Roman 120 kg at the 2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Α ...

(b. 1980) – a wrestler who competed in the Men's Greco-Roman 120 kg at the

2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...

and won the silver medal. *

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ( ka, ხვიჩა კვარაცხელია, tr; born 12 February 2001) is a Georgian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Serie A club Napoli and the Georgia national team. Club career Early car ...

(b. 2001) – is a Georgian professional footballer who plays as a winger for the Italian

Serie A The Serie A (), also called Serie A TIM for national sponsorship with TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and the winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Coppa ...

side

S.S.C. Napoli Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, commonly referred to as Napoli (), is an Football in Italy, Italian professional Association football, football List of football clubs in Italy, club based in the city of Naples ( it, Napoli, nap, Napule), Camp ...

and the Georgia national team.

References

External links

Districts of Georgia
Statoids.com {{Districts of Georgia Municipalities of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti