Author: Nino Skvortsova (Georgia)
Georgian Petersburg: the soul of the Caucasus on the banks of the Neva
Imperial St. Petersburg is unthinkable without its Georgian trace. A vibrant Caucasian thread was woven into its austere appearance thanks to the princes and poets who remained forever in the northern capital. How Georgia's aristocracy and cuisine conquered the frigid city and survived political storms—in our article.
Imperial Loyalty and Georgian Honor: The Beginning of the Journey
The history of the Georgian community in St. Petersburg began not with economic migration, but with great tragedy and a timely political choice. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Kingdom of Kart-Kakheti, exhausted by centuries of war with the Persians and Turks, faced a fateful choice. Salvation lay in the protection of Russia, a co-religionist. In 1783, the Treaty of Georgievsk was signed establishing a protectorate, and in 1801, Eastern Georgia became part of the Russian Empire.
The history of the Georgian community in St. Petersburg began not with economic migration, but with great tragedy and a timely political choice. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Kingdom of Kart-Kakheti, exhausted by centuries of war with the Persians and Turks, faced a fateful choice. Salvation lay in the protection of Russia, a co-religionist. In 1783, the Treaty of Georgievsk was signed establishing a protectorate, and in 1801, Eastern Georgia became part of the Russian Empire.
Following this, Georgian nobility flocked to the northern capital. For the empire, this was an act of loyalty and elite integration. For the Georgians, it was a complex mixture of hope for a better future, longing for lost independence, and the need to build careers in the new reality. Georgian princes (tavadi) and nobles entered military and civil service, enrolling their children in prestigious educational institutions such as the Page Corps and the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum.
It was during this period that the first Georgian "address" in St. Petersburg emerged: Sinadskaya Street (now Dekabristov Street). Georgian princes settled here: the Dadiani (Dadidovs), Bagrationi, Chavchavadze, Eristovs (Eristavi), and others. The houses on Sinadskaya Street became an island of Georgian life, where Georgian speech was heard, national dishes were prepared, and plans for the future within the great empire were made.
Military Glory and Georgian Blood
Georgians have written their names in gold letters into Russia's military annals. It's enough to recall the legendary commander, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration, a descendant of the Bagrationi royal dynasty. His name is an integral part of the pantheon of Russian military glory. But he was only the most prominent representative of a whole galaxy of military leaders. Among the first, though less well-known, was Archil Bagrationi, an associate of Russian Emperor Peter I, long before the full rapprochement with Russia.
Georgian officers fought bravely not only against Napoleon but also on the battlefields of other military campaigns of the empire. Their loyalty to their oath and military valor earned them respect and honor at the imperial court. This service was a common cause, erasing the boundaries between "ours" and "the newcomers," making Georgians full-fledged creators of the history of the Russian Empire.
Georgians have written their names in gold letters into Russia's military annals. It's enough to recall the legendary commander, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration, a descendant of the Bagrationi royal dynasty. His name is an integral part of the pantheon of Russian military glory. But he was only the most prominent representative of a whole galaxy of military leaders. Among the first, though less well-known, was Archil Bagrationi, an associate of Russian Emperor Peter I, long before the full rapprochement with Russia.
Georgian officers fought bravely not only against Napoleon but also on the battlefields of other military campaigns of the empire. Their loyalty to their oath and military valor earned them respect and honor at the imperial court. This service was a common cause, erasing the boundaries between "ours" and "the newcomers," making Georgians full-fledged creators of the history of the Russian Empire.
Frozen history in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra
The most tangible and legendary monument to the Georgian presence in St. Petersburg is the Georgian Church of the Holy Prince Gregory the First (the Enlightener) of Georgia in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. This small, almost toy-like church, lost among the Lavra's majestic cathedrals, preserves a unique history within its walls.
The church was built in 1805 with funds bequeathed by the Georgian royal house. Initially intended as a place of prayer for Georgians living in the capital, it soon became their final resting place. A unique Georgian princely cemetery was established in the crypt beneath the church and in the adjacent area.
The most tangible and legendary monument to the Georgian presence in St. Petersburg is the Georgian Church of the Holy Prince Gregory the First (the Enlightener) of Georgia in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. This small, almost toy-like church, lost among the Lavra's majestic cathedrals, preserves a unique history within its walls.
The church was built in 1805 with funds bequeathed by the Georgian royal house. Initially intended as a place of prayer for Georgians living in the capital, it soon became their final resting place. A unique Georgian princely cemetery was established in the crypt beneath the church and in the adjacent area.
It was a true "city of the dead" for the Georgian aristocracy.
The tombstones were made of the finest marble and adorned with epitaphs in Georgian. Unfortunately, during the Soviet era, the necropolis was brutally devastated. Most of the tombstones were destroyed, the crypts opened and looted. Today, only a few surviving monuments and the church itself, restored in the post-Soviet era, remain as reminders of its former grandeur. It is once again active and serves as a spiritual center for the city's Georgians.
This place is not just a cemetery, but a symbol of the integration of the Georgian elite into imperial space and, simultaneously, a symbol of longing for a lost homeland. They served Russia, but they wanted to be buried together, under the shadow of their native church, creating a piece of their sacred geography in a foreign land.
The tombstones were made of the finest marble and adorned with epitaphs in Georgian. Unfortunately, during the Soviet era, the necropolis was brutally devastated. Most of the tombstones were destroyed, the crypts opened and looted. Today, only a few surviving monuments and the church itself, restored in the post-Soviet era, remain as reminders of its former grandeur. It is once again active and serves as a spiritual center for the city's Georgians.
This place is not just a cemetery, but a symbol of the integration of the Georgian elite into imperial space and, simultaneously, a symbol of longing for a lost homeland. They served Russia, but they wanted to be buried together, under the shadow of their native church, creating a piece of their sacred geography in a foreign land.
Taste of the Sun: Georgian Cuisine as a Cultural Code
If the imperial elite brought politics and military affairs to St. Petersburg, and the Soviet intelligentsia brought poetry, then Georgian cuisine became the most democratic and widespread cultural export. During Soviet times, Georgia was the "all-Union granary" and a paragon of hospitality. The restaurants "Gruzia," "Aragvi," and "Kolkhida" in Leningrad were more than just eateries. They were portals to another, bright, warm, and festive world.
The aroma of freshly baked bread, cilantro, adjika, and shashlik became a symbol of happiness and prosperity for St. Petersburg residents. Khachapuri, satsivi, lobio, and pkhali—these dishes ceased to be simply foreign delicacies.
If the imperial elite brought politics and military affairs to St. Petersburg, and the Soviet intelligentsia brought poetry, then Georgian cuisine became the most democratic and widespread cultural export. During Soviet times, Georgia was the "all-Union granary" and a paragon of hospitality. The restaurants "Gruzia," "Aragvi," and "Kolkhida" in Leningrad were more than just eateries. They were portals to another, bright, warm, and festive world.
The aroma of freshly baked bread, cilantro, adjika, and shashlik became a symbol of happiness and prosperity for St. Petersburg residents. Khachapuri, satsivi, lobio, and pkhali—these dishes ceased to be simply foreign delicacies.
They have become a part of the everyday diet of St. Petersburg residents and a part of the city's culinary culture. The Georgian feast, with its toasts, wisdom, and special attitude toward guests, has become the standard for celebrating special occasions.
Today, this trend has only intensified. St. Petersburg is a city where there's a café or restaurant serving Georgian cuisine at every turn. From the affordable "Khinkali i Vino" and "Pro Khinkali" to the authentic "Khachapuri Mariko" or the legendary "Salkhino," Georgian cuisine is the most successful and beloved "trade point" between St. Petersburg and Georgia. It speaks volumes about Georgia, more than any guidebook—it speaks of generosity, warmth, and a love of life.
Today, this trend has only intensified. St. Petersburg is a city where there's a café or restaurant serving Georgian cuisine at every turn. From the affordable "Khinkali i Vino" and "Pro Khinkali" to the authentic "Khachapuri Mariko" or the legendary "Salkhino," Georgian cuisine is the most successful and beloved "trade point" between St. Petersburg and Georgia. It speaks volumes about Georgia, more than any guidebook—it speaks of generosity, warmth, and a love of life.
The soul that warms
What is the "Georgian spirit" of St. Petersburg? It's more than just a collection of restaurants, memorial plaques, and historical facts.
It's hospitality, transformed from a national trait into a citywide value; a yearning for sunshine, so resonant with St. Petersburg's melancholy, yet expressed not in despondency but in a vibrant, almost pagan love of life; the sounds of Georgian polyphony, songs from Soviet films, melodies of melancholy and joy that every St. Petersburg resident recognizes and loves; a unique sense of self-worth, respected in this always somewhat prim city.
Georgians have given St. Petersburg a part of their soul – ardent, proud, generous, and loyal. They haven't simply integrated into its multinational organism. They've become an essential part of it, without which the Northern Capital wouldn't be itself. Like an evergreen plant, they brought a piece of the eternal Georgian sun to the cold banks of the Neva, which continues to warm the city even in the most dank St. Petersburg rain.
What is the "Georgian spirit" of St. Petersburg? It's more than just a collection of restaurants, memorial plaques, and historical facts.
It's hospitality, transformed from a national trait into a citywide value; a yearning for sunshine, so resonant with St. Petersburg's melancholy, yet expressed not in despondency but in a vibrant, almost pagan love of life; the sounds of Georgian polyphony, songs from Soviet films, melodies of melancholy and joy that every St. Petersburg resident recognizes and loves; a unique sense of self-worth, respected in this always somewhat prim city.
Georgians have given St. Petersburg a part of their soul – ardent, proud, generous, and loyal. They haven't simply integrated into its multinational organism. They've become an essential part of it, without which the Northern Capital wouldn't be itself. Like an evergreen plant, they brought a piece of the eternal Georgian sun to the cold banks of the Neva, which continues to warm the city even in the most dank St. Petersburg rain.