During the Soviet era, the city of Gori was best known as the birthplace of Joseph Stalin. Today, you can still visit the modest house where his family once lived — preserved as part of the Stalin Museum. Interestingly, Gori remains the only city where a square still bears Stalin’s name, both during Soviet times and now.
But Gori’s story runs much deeper than the 20th century. We’ll climb to the ruins of GorisTsikhe Fortress, dramatically perched on a rocky hill in the heart of the city. In fact, the city’s name is believed to come from the word
“goraki” — meaning “rock” or “cliff.”
Though Gori was first mentioned in historical records in the 7th century, archaeological finds show evidence of urban settlements here dating back to the Early Bronze Age — over 3,000 years BCE.
- 🧗 Note: Prepare for a bit of uphill walking on uneven, rocky terrain. The walking portion of the tour is approximately 2 km.