Variani
ვარიანი | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 42°04′27″N 44°02′01″E / 42.07417°N 44.03361°E | |
Country | Georgia |
Region | Shida Kartli |
Municipality | Gori |
Elevation | 680 m (2,230 ft) |
Population (2014) | |
• Total | 1,469 |
Time zone | UTC+4 (Georgian Time) |
Variani (Georgian: ვარიანი) is a village in the Gori District of Shida Kartli, about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Gori. As of 2014, it had a population of 1,469.[1]
Variani is best known for being the birthplace of Iakob Gogebashvili and the location of the Iakob Gogebashvili House Museum,[2] being a border village to the South Ossetia disputed territory, and being occupied by Russian forces in the 2008 South Ossetia war[3] until 8 October 2008.[4]
In addition to Iakob Gogebashvili, who was born in Variani in 1841, the boxer Georgi Kandelaki who won the 1997 World Amateur Boxing Championships in the Superheavyweight category[5] and competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics, was born on 10 April 1971 in Variani.[6]