Georgian Post

Georgian Post is the postal service in Georgia.

Georgian Post has a long history. It is a well-known fact that from the ancient time transmission of information was provided by "couriers" and "messengers" in Georgia, which was mentioned in "Kartlis Tskhovreba" several times. At the end of 19th century, important representative of the Georgian Economy Mentality, Ioane Batonishvili wrote rules of reform of the State structure, thinking that the arrangement of the post office stations would be necessary for people and profitable for the Treasury.

It was impossible to increase the exchange of items without post offices and he requested for establishment of Gregorian Post and foundation of the Post offices. He wrote:

The first Georgian mail transportation is related to the name of "Georgian Carriage". "Georgian Carriage" is currently exhibited in the Central Museum of Communication named "Popov" (Saint-Petersburg) with the ancient mail transportation facilities. The bulls harnessed in the Carriage carried the big postal parcels. Two Georgians were at the front of the Carriage. Transportation of mail sent by post with the Georgian Carriage attracted attention in different countries. In 1900, the book translated from German into Russian - "Technology and Industry" (volume X) provides the description of several unique samples of the Berlin Postal Museum. One of the catalogues of the "Popov" museum informs that in Chicago, at the exhibition of the World Postal Mail, held in 1893, the model of the Georgian Postal Carriage and the painting of postal mail transportation in Caucasus was displayed in the section of Russia. In Georgia the development of mail service was directly connected to the improvement of mail transportation through the Caucasus - from Georgia to Russia.

In 1804, transmission of mail between Vladikavkaz and Tbilisi was made available only via horse race.

In 1805, the first Postal Office was opened in Tbilisi.

In 1826, 120 horses were added for Postal Service.

Till 1832, some of the routes of Georgia Postal stations were the property of individuals but since 1836, the handing of the routes of the postal stations to the enterprise started.

In 1840, XII postal region was created and the regions of «Kartli-Imereti» and Kaspi have entered this region. In 1857 as per the request of the head of region (N. Kakhanov) the post office was opened in Tbilisi. Kakhanov had made several reforms in postal business during two months. It is very interesting, that the issue of "Stamp of Tbilisi" was connected to his name.

In 1862, building of 11 new stations between the Vladikavkaz and Tbilisi began.

In 1870 - the number of horses increased up to 652 in the postal stations of Tbilisi, Mtskheta, Dusheti, Phassanauri, Kazbegi, Larssi, Balta and Vladikavkaz. The progressive society of Georgia carefully paid attention to circulation of mail on the military road. At this case the activity of technical society of Russia for the development of mail circulation on the military road of Georgia was very important. Famous scientists and engineers in Georgia and Russia, Chairman of this section Mr. M. Garsevanishvili carried out a session on December 14, 1876, at which he provided the examples of mail delay from St. Petersburg, especially towards the directions of Kvishkheti and Kazbegi, because of snow and avalanche, for this case the leadership of eight region of the route circulation had contacted Petersburg with the propose, that if the delivery of mail in Tbilisi was delayed for 5 days, they had to send with the transit of Temur-Khan-Shura, Derbet, Baku, Elizavetopol, instead of 200 verst, 1211 verst.

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Wikipedia