ancient names: Aea/Aia, Kutatisi, Kutaïssi, Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti, 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.Kutaisi is located along both banks of the Rioni River. At an elevation of 125-300 meters (410-984 feet) above sea level, to the east and north-east, Kutaisi is bounded by the Northern Imereti Foothills, to the north by the Samgurali Range, and to the west and south by the Colchis Plain.Former capitol of the ancient Kingdom of Colchis as early as the second millennium BCE. Jason and the Argonauts and their legendary journey to Colchis may have had Kutaisi/Aia as the final destination of the Argonauts and residence of King Aeëtes. From 975 to1122, Kutaisi was the capitol of the united Kingdom of Georgia, and15th century-1810, capitol of the Imeretian Kingdom. In 1508, the city was captured the Ottoman Empire. In 1810 Csarist Russia occupied the land making Kutaisi the guberniya capitol, including much of western Georgia. Before independence in 1991 and the country's economic collapse, Kutaisi was a major industrial center. Today, many have left to work abroad. [February 2009]
Cemetery: