Signagi სიღნაღი |
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Signagi as seen from a nearby hill
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Location in Georgia | |
Coordinates: 41°36′55″N 45°54′46″E / 41.61528°N 45.91278°E | |
Country | Georgia (country) |
Province | Kakheti |
Area | |
• Total | 2,978 km2 (1,150 sq mi) |
Elevation | 836 m (2,743 ft) |
Lowest elevation | 720 m (2,360 ft) |
Population (2002) | |
• Total | 2,146 |
Time zone | EET |
• Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+4) |
Postal code | 4200 |
Area code(s) | +995 99 |
Website | www.signagi.com.ge |
Signagi (Georgian: სიღნაღი, Sighnaghi) is a town in Georgia's easternmost region of Kakheti and the administrative center of the Signagi Municipality. Although it is one of Georgia's smallest towns, Signagi serves as a popular tourist destination due to its location at the heart of Georgia's wine-growing regions, as well as its picturesque landscapes, pastel houses and narrow, cobblestone streets. Located on a steep hill, Signagi overlooks the vast Alazani Valley, with the Caucasus Mountains visible at a distance.
Signagi is located in the Kakheti region of Georgia, settled since the Paleolithic period. Signagi as a settlement is first recorded in the early 18th century. In 1762, King Heraclius II of Georgia sponsored the construction of the town and erected a fortress to defend the area from marauding attacks by Dagestan tribesmen.
As of the 1770 census, Signagi was settled by 100 families, chiefly craftsmen and merchants. When Georgia was annexed by Imperial Russia in 1801, Signagi (Signakh) was officially granted town status and became a centre of Signakh uyezd (Russian: Сигнахский уезд) within Tiflis Governorate in 1802. In 1812, Signak joined the rebellion with the rest of Kakheti against the Russian rule. During the Caucasian War, the town "was considered an important point on account of its proximity to" Dagestan.
The town quickly rose in its size and population and became an agricultural center under the Soviet Union. The severe economic crisis in post-Soviet Georgia heavily affected the town, but a major reconstruction project recently launched by the Government of Georgia and co-funded by several international organizations intends to address an increasing tourist interest and modernize infrastructure.