Monument to 18th century Kakhetian King Erekle II to be built in Tbilisi, says PM

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday announced a decision to erect a monument to Erekle II, a monarch of the Bagrationi dynasty who reigned as the King of Kakheti between 1744-1762 and of Kartli and Kakheti kingdom between 1762-1798.

The monument will be built on the Kakheti Highway, near the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi, the Prime Minister told the Government meeting earlier today.

Kobakhidze said the initiative aimed to honour the “significant role” played by the King in “preserving Georgia's Christian identity“, which he said was “an integral part” of the country's “European identity“.

The Prime Minister emphasised the duty of the Government to “pay due respect to the history of Georgia and all its heroes“, particularly those who contributed to “preserving the national and religious identity of the country“.

He said a sketch by Merab Merabishvili, an artist and sculptor, would be used for the design of the monument, which will be placed near a park currently undergoing rehabilitation as part of a Tbilisi City Hall project.