Ozurgeti ( ) is the capital of the western Georgian province of Guria. It was formerly known as Macharadze or Makharadze (named in honor of Filipp Makharadze). It is a regional center of tea and hazelnut processing. Ozurgeti is also administrative center of Ozurgeti District. Geography Ozurgeti is above sea level. Most of the town is located between the Bzhuzhi and Natanebi rivers. The Natanebi is a subterranean river in Ozurgeti, with a good deal of the city built on top of it, while the Bzhuzhi flows above ground. The city is bounded by hills in the north and south. Ozurgeti sits on a slope that was leveled into three broad terraces: The market district, containing bazaars and small shops, as well as a plaza overlooked by a statue of a mermaid, is on the lowermost level. Most of the city’s public buildings—including municipal buildings, the cinema, the theater, and museums—as well as parks, are on the middle terrace. The highest level contains mostly private housing. Climate The city has a humid subtropical climate, and experiences significant rainfall throughout the year. January is the coldest month and August is the hottest. Snow is rare and occurs primarily in January, February, and early March. History Ozurgeti was founded in the late Middle Ages, and is first mentioned by name in 1578 in the New Georgian Chronicles (ახალი ქართლის ცხოვრობა, akhali qartlis tskhovroba). It became the centre of Guria soon after, serving as an important centre for trade and the home of the rulers of the Principality of Guria. The later discovery of a hoard of 270 silver coins under the city, the "Ozurgeti Treasure," is testament to this. On December 14, 1846 Ozurgeti was designated as a city. At that time there were just over 300 residents, though the population grew as the city gained importance: by 1865 it had grown to over 700. It served as a strategic place for the course of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78). It was the fourth city in Georgia to have a legal printing press, which began in 1891. During the Russian Empire, the city was the administrative center of the Ozurgeti Uyezd of the Kutaisi Governorate. On December 26, 1923 a rail line had been established, connecting Ozurgeti with the rest of the country. It was renamed "Makharadze" on July 9, 1934, in honour of the Georgian Bolshevik Filipp Makharadze. It would revert to