Georgian Alphabet - UNESCO World Cultural Heritage
Georgian Alphabet - UNESCO World Cultural Heritage
In Batumi, Ajara, stands the "Alphabet Tower," a tribute to the Georgian alphabet and one of the city's most remarkable architectural landmarks, beloved by tourists. The 130-meter-tall structure resembles a DNA cell's structure, but do you know why? The unique alphabet represents the genetic code of Georgians, as the Georgian alphabet is among the world's oldest scripts.
As one of the most ancient complete alphabetic systems globally, the Georgian alphabet boasts written monuments dating back to the 5th century. There are well-founded theories suggesting that Georgians possessed written language even earlier than the 5th century. Numerous references in ancient Greco-Roman sources indicate that Georgians (Kolkhs) had a writing system in the pre-Christian era. Such accounts are provided by historians like Pergamon (2nd century) and Rhodesian (4th century).
Throughout its history, the Georgian alphabet has evolved through three stages: 1. Asomatruli or round, 2. Nuskhuri, and 3. Mkhedruli. Each stage exhibits a distinct graphic style, and the alphabet's primary strength lies in its letter-sign corresponding to each sound.
Owing to these characteristics, UNESCO acknowledged the "living culture of 3 types of Georgian alphabet" as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity on November 30, 2016. The Intergovernmental Committee endorsed Georgia's submitted nomination, deeming it fully compliant with the Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage's criteria.
Given this context, it's hardly surprising that Batumi, a prominent city in Georgia and the Ajara region, boasts an Alphabet Tower. This edifice offers stunning panoramic views of the city, mountains, and sea. Annabi Tower features a 360-degree rotating restaurant that completes a full rotation in 1 hour or 40 minutes, a panoramic bar, and a space for business meetings.
It's likely that you're already aware of the 33 letters in the Georgian alphabet, so let me share an intriguing story with you: when visiting Ajara, you can explore this extraordinary region according to the alphabet – commencing with the letter "A" and culminating with the letter "H". The Department of Tourism and Resorts of Ajara has implemented a project to help you acquaint yourself with the region's tourist attractions via the alphabet. The project-campaign is aptly named - #GettoknowTheAlphabet.