A new monument dedicated to King Erekle II has unveiled in Samgori Park along the Kakheti Highway in Tbilisi’s Isani district, the result of a joint initiative by Tbilisi City Hall and the Ministry of Culture.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, and Minister of Culture Tinatin Rukhadze. Speaking at the event, Kaladze described the occasion as a moment of national pride.
“Today we are honoring the great Georgian king, Erekle II, in our capital. This monument stands as a message to our children and future generations that Georgia is eternal, rich in history, faith, culture, and values—legacies brought forth by our ancestors through struggle, nation-building, and wise leadership. Erecting this monument in the heart of Tbilisi symbolises the strength of our nation and our peaceful future,” Kaladze said.
He emphasized that the monument was created from a sketch by the renowned artist Merab Merabishvili, whose works include the famous statue of Erekle II in Telavi. Kaladze thanked the Prime Minister for supporting the project, as well as the Ministry of Culture and the team of sculptors and architects who brought it to life.
Heraclius II (Erekle II, 1720–1798) was the penultimate king of the united eastern Georgian kingdoms of Kakheti and Kartli. A skilled ruler, he unified eastern Georgia, pursued modernization, and placed the kingdom under Russian protection in 1783, though it failed to shield Georgia from a devastating Persian invasion in 1795.
