Gardabani: history, sights and housing

History and character

For a long time this was a small village, Karayazi; a Tiflis–Baku railway station opened here in 1883. It took its present name in 1947 and became a town in 1969. Growth is tied to the Tbilisi thermal power plant 3 km west: the population rose from 9,131 (1970) to 17,176 (1989), then fell to 11,858 (2002).

In 2014 the town was about 63% Azerbaijani and 30% Georgian, with a small Assyrian community (around 300 people).

What to see

David Gareja is often linked with Gardabani, but sources place the complex in Sagarejo Municipality (Kakheti), 60–70 km from Tbilisi; part of it lies on the Azerbaijani border, so check access. In and around Gardabani:

• Gardabani Managed Reserve (34.84 km², since 1996) — floodplain forest on the left bank of the Mtkvari; 135 bird and 26 mammal species.
• Kumisi Lake — a reservoir of 5.4 km² at 475 m; Wikipedia says over 100,000 migrating birds stop here.
• Martkopi monastery and the Church of the Virgin Mary in Norio — churches of the municipality; I found no detailed descriptions.

Life and economy

Gardabani is the centre of Georgia's thermal power: Gardabani-1 (230 MW), the country's first combined-cycle plant, opened in 2015 and Gardabani-2 in 2020. The rest of the municipal economy is construction, services and farming, mainly grain and vegetables. Highway Sh66 links the town to Rustavi and the Vakhtangisi border crossing. I found no festivals in the sources.

Housing market: what is known and what is not

There is no public price data for Gardabani and no description of its housing types. Rely on current listings and a local agent's estimate. The purchase procedure is on the "How buying works" and "Property taxes" pages. Check in advance:

• where the house stands relative to power plants and industrial zones;
• whether plot boundaries match the documents and reality;
• what comparable houses nearby are actually asking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: Wikipedia (en): Gardabani · Wikipedia (ru): Gardabani · Wikipedia (en): Gardabani Municipality · Wikipedia (en): Gardabani Managed Reserve · Wikipedia (en): Kumisi Lake · Wikipedia (en): David Gareja monastery complex · CityPopulation.de (Geostat census 2024): cities of Georgia

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Before you buy

Rules that apply across Georgia, whichever city you pick: