GAGRA, PITSUNDA AND THE VALLEY OF THE BZIB ,Asiatic Russia,Antique Map

1890s HISTORICAL MAP CHART SHOWING TERRAIN, TOPOGRAPHY, ENVIRONS FROM THE MAP OF THE RUSSIAN STAFF

Gagra is a city in the Abkhazia region of western Georgia, sprawling for 5 km on the northeast coast of the Black Sea, at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains. Its subtropical climate made Gagra a popular health resort in Imperial Russian and Soviet times. The city was established as a Greek colony called Triglite, inhabited by Greeks and aboriginal Abkhazians. It came under the control of the kingdom of Pontus in the 1st century BC before being absorbed by the Roman Empire, which renamed the city as Nitika. Its geographical position led the Romans to fortify the city, which was repeatedly attacked by Goths and other invaders. After the fall of Rome, its successor, the Byzantine Empire, took control of the city. Along with the rest of Abkhazia, Gagra was incorporated into the Georgian kingdom of Imereti from the 9th century onwards. It became a major trading settlement in which Genoan and Venetian merchants were prominent, trading in the city's main exports - wood, honey, wax and slaves. The name "Gagra" appears for the first time on a map of 1308 made by the Italian Pietro Visconti, which is now in the Library of Saint Mark in Venice. In the 16th century, Gagra and the rest of Abkhazia was conquered by the Ottoman Empire. The western merchants were expelled and the city entered a prolonged period of decline, with much of the local population fleeing into the mountains. By the 18th century the city had been reduced to little more than a village surrounded by forests and disease-ridden swamps. Its fortunes were restored in the 19th century when the Russian Empire expanded into the region, annexing Abkhazia. The swamps were drained and the town was rebuilt around a new military hospital. Its population, however, was still small: in 1866, a census recorded that 336 men and 280 women, mostly local families or army officers and their dependents, lived in Gagra. The town suffered badly in the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-1878, when Turkish troops invaded, destroyed the town and expelled the local population. Russia won the war, however, and rebuilt Gagra again. After the war, the town was "discovered" by Prince Peter of Oldenburg, a member of the Russian royalty. He saw the potential of the region's subtropical climate and decided to build a high-class resort there. Having raised a large sum of money from the government, he built himself a palace there and constructed a number of other buildings in an eclectic variety of styles from around Europe. A park was laid out with tropical trees and even parrots and monkeys imported to give it an exotic feel. Despite the expensive work, the resort was not initially a success, although it did later attract a growing number of foreign tourists visiting on cruises of the Black Sea. Pitsunda (Georgian: Bichvinta) is a resort town in Abkhazia, situated on the shore of the Black Sea 25 km south from Gagra. The town was founded by the Greeks in the 5th century B.C. as a trade colony Pitiunt. Excavations unearthed remains of three 4th-century churches and a bath with superb mosaic floors. The former "Great Pityus" harbour is now a mere lake within the town. In the 6th century, the town was the capital of Egrisi Kingdom. Saint John Chrysostom was exiled there and died near the shore in 407. An archbishopric of Pitiunt was instituted in 541. In the 13th century, the area was taken over by the Genoese merchants, who called it Pezonda. The principal historical monument of Pitsunda is a large cathedral of the 10th century. It contains vestiges of wall-painting from the 13th and the 16th centuries. There are many hotels for Russian tourists, who frequent the area in summertime.

1890s Wood Engraving, Antique Map

Approximate Overall Size: 7 X 10 1/2 inches

CONDITION: Book Plate INTEXT MAP - Excellent Condition. Beautiful with excellent detail. There is Text on Front and Back Side.