Abastumani

Georgia

Abastumani is a small town and climatic spa located in the Adigeni Municipality within the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia. Situated on the southern slopes of the Meskheti Range, it lies in the Otskhe river valley, approximately 25 kilometers northeast of Adigeni and 28 kilometers west of Akhaltsikhe. As of the 2014 census, the town had a population of 937 residents.

The area is notable for hosting the Georgian National Astrophysical Observatory. In February 2026, the Georgian government established a 52-kilometre-diameter no-fly zone over Abastumani, effective April 16, 2026. While officially intended to protect the observatory, reports have linked the closure to the private interests of Bidzina Ivanishvili, who has held extensive land holdings and a residence in the town since 2018.

Sources

  1. Abastumani