Gantiadi

Gantiadi განთიადი (Georgian) Цандрыҧшь (Abkhaz) Tsandrypsh
Urban-type settlement
Basilica in Gantiadi (6th century AD) Basilica in Gantiadi (6th century AD)
Location in Abkhazia Location in Abkhazia
Gantiadi Location in Georgia
Coordinates:
Country	Georgia (Abkhazia)
District	Gagra
Government
• Mayor	Albert Tarkil
• First Deputy Mayor	Karapet Karagozyan
• Second Deputy Mayor	Grigori Kasparyan
Population (2011)
• Total	5,170
Time zone	MSK (UTC+3)

Gantiadi (Georgian: განთიადი [gɑntʰiɑdi]; Russian: Гантиади) or Tsandryphsh (Abkhaz: Цандрыҧшь; Russian: Цандрыпш), is an urban-type settlement on the Black Sea coast in Georgia in the Gagra District of Abkhazia, 5 km from the Russian border.

Name

File:Tsandripsh Basilika.jpg

Basilica

Gantiadi in historical times, was known as Sauchi (Russian: Саучи). Then, until 1944 as Yermolov, after the Russian general Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov. From 1944 until 1991, settlement was known as Gantiadi (Georgian: განთიადი, Russian: Гантиади), from the Georgian word for Dawn. After the 1992-93 war in Abkhazia Gantiadi was renamed as Tsandrypsh by de facto government, but name Gantiadi is still used informally among Abkhazians and widely in other languages. Name Tsandrypsh derives from the princely family Tsanba.

History

Gantiadi is said to be the historical capital of the principality of Saniga before the 6th century AD. It later became the capital of Sadzen.

Demographics

At the time of the 2011 Census, Gantiadi had a population of 5,170. Of these, 55.9% were Armenians, 19.6% Abkhaz, 18.4% Russians, 1.2% Ukrainians, 0.9% Georgians and 0.7% Greeks.

Main sights

Tsandryphsh houses 6th century Georgian Christian church. Joseph Stalin's personal residence is also located here.

External links

• De facto government's website of Gantiadi