Batumi, with its large port and commercial center, is also the last stop of the Transcaucasian Railway and the Baku oil pipeline. It is situated some 20 km (12 mi) from the Turkish border, in a subtropical zone, rich in agricultural produce such as citrus fruit and tea. Industries include shipbuilding, food processing, and light manufacturing.

History

Early history

From 1010, it was governed by the eristavi (viceroy) of the king of Georgia. In the late 14th century, after the disintegration of the Georgian kingdom, Batumi passed to the princes (mtavari) of Guria, a western Georgian principality under the nominal sovereignty of the kings of Imereti. A curious incident occurred in 1444 when the Burgundian flotilla, after a failed crusade against the Ottoman Empire, penetrated the Black Sea and engaged in piracy along its eastern coastline until the Burgundians under the knight Geoffroy de Thoisy were ambushed during their landing raid at the port of Vaty as Europeans then knew Batumi. De Thoisy was taken captive and released through the mediation of the emperor John IV of Trebizond.

In the 15th century, in the reign of the prince Kakhaber Gurieli, the Ottoman Turks occupied the town and its district, but did not hold them. They returned in force a century later after the decisive defeat which they inflicted on the Georgian and Imeretian armies at Sokhoista. Batumi was recaptured, first by the prince Rostom Gurieli in 1564, who lost it soon afterwards, and again in 1609 by Mamia Gurieli. Since 1627 Batumi was part of the Ottoman Empire. With the Turkish conquest the Islamisation of the Adjara region, hitherto Christian began. It was completed by the end of the 18th century. Under the Turks, Batumi, a large fortified town (2,000 inhabitants in 1807 and more than 5,000 in 1877) was already an active port, the principal centre of the Transcaucasian slave-trade.

Imperial Russian rule

Notable people

Gallery

References

External links

Category:Batumi Category:Populated places in Georgia (country) Category:Ancient Greek cities Category:Adjara Category:Pontus Category:Port cities in Europe Category:Port cities in Asia Category:Black Sea Category:Greek colonies in Georgia (country)

Biography

Early life

Nizharadze was born in Tbilisi and started singing from an early age, something that was encouraged by her mother. She studied piano and vocals in the Tbilisi State Conservatory, graduated with honors, and later continued her studies at the theatre of Arts GITIS, Moscow. She also graduated with honors from the Gnessin State Musical College, Moscow. She has a younger brother.

Music career

Later on at age 11 she performed “Sous le ciel de Paris” at the French Embassy , where she was noticed by journalist Bernard Pivot who invited her to his program on TV5.

When she reached 17 years old, Nizharadze had won several international young singer's contests, including the "Bravo, Bravissimo!" competition in Mini La Scala (Italy), "Crystal Note" (Moscow, Russia), "Crystal Fur-tree" (Borjomi, Georgia). She participated in several festivals in Russia, Turkey, Italy, Latvia and Georgia.

Later, she took the leading parts in the musicals “The Wedding Of The Jays” and ”Romeo and Juliet”. Living in Moscow at that moment she started gaining international recognition as a singer.

In 2004 she got a main part in Gerard Presgurvic's musical (Original Russian Version, Operetta Theatre, leading cast). In 2005, she reached the final in the New Wave Festival in Jūrmala, Latvia.

In 2008, Nizharadze gave up her career in Russia and returned to Georgia as a consequence of the war between the two countries, and started a career in Georgia.

Eurovision Song Contest 2010

2010: After Eurovision

Awards and achievements

Roles

Albums

References

External links

Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2010 Category:Georgian actors Category:Georgian pop singers Category:Georgian singers Category:People from Tbilisi