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Symblos

Municipal Emblem of the self-governing city of Batumi

The azure field of the Emblem’s shield is crossed by the silver line from the right to the left. There is a little shield located in the centre of the shield that is divided into two parts in a wavy manner; first part- three gold coins on a purple field. The second part represents a silver field.

Above the emblem a  three – merlon civil gold crown of a castle formIn the background of the emblem’s shield two crosswise gold anchors are represented.

An azure ribbon goes along the emblem shield and below it. On the silver field of it the motto “Batumi” is engraved.

 Municipal  Flag of the self-governing city of Batumi

The blue proportion of the flag 2/3 is horizontally divided by three white belts. There is a little part of Batumi Emblem shield which is divided into two parts in a wavy manner; first part- three gold coins on a purple field, The second part represents a silver field.

History

Primary information about Batumi appeared in works of the fourth century B.C. Greek philosopher Aristotle. He named the city situated by the Black Sea in Colcha -‘Batusi’. The same name was known for Roman writer Plinius Senior and Greek geographer Phlavius Ariane. ‘Batusi’ is a Greek word and means ‘deep’. Indeed, Batumi, after Sevastopole, has the deepest and the most convenient harbour.
 
Archaeological activities performed at the entrance of the city, within the territory of the Korolistskali river, declared that people were inhabited there in the first-second millennium B.C. and had close trade relations to neighbours. The hill called Tamari Citadel was considered the center of Batumi.  That was economic and cultural center in the Korolistskali gorge. 

In the second century A.D. there was the Roman garrison in the reign of Emperor Adriane in Batumi. In the fifth century King Vakhtang Gogrgasali joined it to his estate.
In the sixth, seventh, eighth centuries Governors of Egrisi and Abkhazia governed Batumi and its lands. There was the village-type settlement around the Batumi castle in the feudal epoch.
 
Epoch of Ottomans domination

After unification of the Georgian nation and establishment of Georgia’s Kingdom Klarjeti included the city and entire Adjara and was governed by a nobleman.
 
Afterwards lands of Batumi were owned by the Gurielis’ patrimony. At the end of the XV century in the reign of Kakhaber Gurieli Turks achieved to capture those territories. But soon Rostom Gurieli banished them from the Georgian lands. Turks seized Lazeti and nearby territories after his death (1564). They built fortress in Battogan, present Batumi. In 1609 Mamia Gurieli destroyed Turkish armies.     
   
Nevertheless Turks captured Lazeti and Batumi again at the end of the XVII century. They turned Batumi into a main city of Liva (Sandjaqi). Sadjaqi of Batumi included lands from the Chorokhi-Adjaristsqali creek to Tsikhisdziri. After the Ottomans’ domination Mohammedanism strengthened in Adjara.
 
In 1873 Batumi was the main city of Lazeti, which was governed by the head of Sandjaqi- Mutesarif. He obeyed Trabzon Vale (Governor-General).
 
Return to Borders of Georgia
 
From the beginning of the XIX century the Russian Empire started annexation of Georgia and bit by bit its borders getting close to Adjara. In 1877-78, during the Russia-Ottoman war, interests of Russia and occupied Georgian nation coincided in a certain extant. Emancipation ancient lands from the yoke of Ottomans were of the utmost importance.
 
Establishment of troops began actively in Kartli, Imereti, Kakheti, Samegrelo and Guria. Under the flag of Russia more than thirty thousands of Georgians struggled in the Russia-Ottoman war. March 3, 1878 in San Stephano  the belligerents signed a peace treaty. The Ottoman Empire paid monetary contribution together with certain territories. Inter alias, historic Georgian lands Kola-Artaani, Shavshet- Imerxevi, Artanuji, Olthisi, Taoskari, Machakheli, part of Lazistan and Adjara. 

At the Congress of Berlin (June 13 – July 13, 1878), taking into account a revision of San Stephano peace treaty, Russia managed to maintain main territorial acquirement. In this way Adjara was returned to Mother- Georgia.
 
In August 25, 1878 under the guidance of General Sviatipolk Mirski the Army of Russia entered  Batumi and at the ceremony of reception – accompany on so called Azizie square accepted city key from Devrish Pasha.
 
Three okrugs: Batumi, Artvini and Adjara were united in Batumi region. Batumi was declared ‘Porto- Franco’. The idea belonged to England, which demanded the city to be declared ‘Porto Franco’ and achieved this on the Berlin congress.  
 
Status of ‘Porto- Franco’ brought certain goodness to Batumi. Since   Batumi has been extended significantly and bit by bit turned into a modern European city. Though social conditions of local inhabitants worsened. National industry couldn’t compete with surplus European goods. At the same time other defects appeared – contraband, bribery and so on. The given situation was one of the main reasons, which encouraged banishment of inhabitants in Turkey (so called Muhajirianizm). ‘Porto-Franco’ was abolished in 1886.
    
June 12, 1883 on the base of the decision of Russian Emperor’s State Council Batumi region was canceled and joined to Kutaisi province. Concerning position of assistant to Military Governor was confirmed. Assistant to the Governor governed directly Batumi okrug.
  
There was no self-governance that hampered its normal development. In 1885 inhabitants of Batumi appealed to the head of the Caucasus civil part.         

In 1885 about 90 inhabitants made an appeal to the head of Caucasus civil authorities, to award Batumi status of municipal self-governance. 28 April, 1888 Batumi was awarded status of self- governance. The same year election of voters’ deliberative assembly was held.
From 1903 Batumi region was separated from Kutaisi Province.  

At the beginning of the XX century Batumi and the whole southwestern Georgia was one of the prosperous regions according to economics with developed city economy. Batumi as the thick municipal center, with its first class port, played the leading role in the trade of Caucasus and middle Asia transit trade. Before the world war the first Batumi had got the face of an European city that was the result of progressive activity of self-governance and purposeful use of city incomes. 

The latest past

One of the painful leaves from the history of Georgia is 1924 year – rebellions in different regions of Georgia against the Russian conquerors. Participants of anti-Soviet activities have been judged and shot without any preliminary investigation. Among them was an active participant of the battle for liberation Batumi from Ottomans-  Major-General Giorgi Purtseladze, who held the post of the head of fortification staff.

After entering the Soviet borders Adjara was awarded status of autonomy, as if for the difference in religion. Batumi city and its inhabitants got used with the socialist life style. Batumians took active part in the World War the Second. Out of 12258 soldiers called up, 4728 haven’t come back.
 
After beginning the national-liberation movements of Georgia in 1989-91 years and reestablishment of independence of Georgia in may 26. 1991,  Adjara was governed by Aslan Abashidze. “The Rose Revolution” of Georgia (2003) was followed by logical overthrowing of the separatist regime of Abashidze In May 2004.   

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