Geotourism Potential of Georgia, the Caucasus: History, Culture, Geology, Geotourist Routes and Geoparks (Geoheritage, Geoparks and Geotourism)

Georgia’s territory represents a real “natural geological laboratory,” exposing magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, ranging from the Neoproterozoic to the Quaternary. After a brief presentation of Georgia’s history and culture, the authors present the stratigraphy, rock types of individual tectonic zones of Georgia, their tectonic structure and paleotectonic reconstructions of the Caucasus. This book describes the three main geotourism routes of Georgia meticulously: 1. Tbilisi-Pasanauri-Kazbegi (along the Georgian Military Road), 2. Tbilisi-Zugdidi-Mestia-Ushguli and 3. Tbilisi-Khashuri-Vardzia, which cross different parts of Fold Systems of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus and Transcaucasian Intermountain area. The following potential geoparks are described in this book: 1. Sataplia dinosaur footprints together with Sataplia and Prometheus caves; 2. Tskaltubo resort-town and mineral water deposit; 3. Borjomi resort-town and mineral water deposit; 4. Kazbegi Quaternary volcanoes and Keli volcanic highland;5. Dariali Paleozoic granitoid massif; 6. Dmanisi hominids site and the Mashavera gorge basaltic flow; 7. Dashbashi canyon; 8.Uplistsikhe rock-cut town and Kvakhvreli cave complex; 9.Udabno - Upper Miocene marine and continental deposits and David Gareja monastery complex;10. Dedoplistskaro - Vashlovani protected areas and mud volcanoes. Georgia's territory represents a real "natural geological laboratory," exposing magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, ranging from the Neoproterozoic to the Quaternary. After a brief presentation of Georgia's history and culture, the authors present the stratigraphy, rock types of individual tectonic zones of Georgia, their tectonic structure and paleotectonic reconstructions of the Caucasus. This book describes the three main geotourism routes of Georgia meticulously: 1. Tbilisi-Pasanauri-Kazbegi (along the Georgian Military Road), 2. Tbilisi-Zugdidi-Mestia-Ushguli and 3. Tbilisi-Khashuri-Vardzia, which cross different parts of Fold Systems of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus and Transcaucasian Intermountain area. The following potential geoparks are described in this book: 1. Sataplia dinosaur footprints together with Sataplia and Prometheus caves; 2. Tskaltubo resort-town and mineral water deposit; 3. Borjomi resort-town and mineral water deposit; 4. Kazbegi Quaternary volcanoes and Keli volcanic highland;5. Dariali Paleozoic granitoid massif; 6. Dmanisi hominids site and the Mashavera gorge basaltic flow; 7. Dashbashi canyon; 8. Uplistsikhe rock-cut town and Kvakhvreli cave complex; 9. Udabno - Upper Miocene marine and continental deposits and David Gareja monastery complex;10. Dedoplistskaro - Vashlovani protected areas and mud volcanoes Front Matter ....Pages i-x Overview of the History and Culture of Georgia (Irakli Gamkrelidze, Avtandil Okrostsvaridze, Kakhaber Koiava, Ferando Maisadze)....Pages 1-10 Geological Structure of Georgia (Irakli Gamkrelidze, Avtandil Okrostsvaridze, Kakhaber Koiava, Ferando Maisadze)....Pages 11-24 Geotourist Routes of Georgia (Irakli Gamkrelidze, Avtandil Okrostsvaridze, Kakhaber Koiava, Ferando Maisadze)....Pages 25-55 Potential Geoparks of Georgia (Irakli Gamkrelidze, Avtandil Okrostsvaridze, Kakhaber Koiava, Ferando Maisadze)....Pages 57-81