Dedaena Park and Mtkvari River Promenade

Why is it significant?

Stroll along the pleasant riverbank pathways of Dedaena Park, a verdant public sanctuary dedicated to the Georgian mother tongue.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Stroll along the pleasant riverbank pathways of Dedaena Park, a verdant public sanctuary dedicated to the Georgian mother tongue. The name Dedaena translates directly to Mother Language, honoring the revered primary school primer published in 1876 by pioneering educator Iakob Gogebashvili that taught generations of Georgian children to read their unique 33-letter alphabet. At the park center stands the expressive bronze Monument to the Mother Tongue, sculpted in 1983 by Elguja Amashukeli, depicting a youth reaching toward the heavens in intellectual illumination.

Notice the graceful weeping willows trailing their delicate green branches into the swirling waters of the Mtkvari River along the granite embankment. The park is equipped with wide wooden sun decks, book swap boxes, and a vibrant public skatepark where local youth gather in the afternoons. Look along the water's edge to observe the massive stone piers of the adjacent bridges, engineered to withstand powerful springtime mountain floods that sweep down from the Trialeti highlands.

On April 14, 1978, Dedaena Park became the historic staging ground for one of the most remarkable peaceful protests in Soviet history. Over one hundred thousand Georgian students, university professors, and citizens marched here to protest a proposed Soviet constitutional amendment that would have stripped the Georgian language of its official state status. Faced with unwavering civic courage, Moscow backed down and preserved Georgian as the official state language, an extraordinary victory commemorated every April 14 as Mother Language Day.

River breezes bring refreshing coolness on warm afternoons, rustling gently through the sycamore canopy while painters set up outdoor easels along the stone parapet. The atmosphere blends youthful athletic energy with profound historical patriotism and peaceful reflection. Dedaena Park stands as a living celebration of the linguistic pride, cultural tenacity, and intellectual heritage that define the Georgian nation.

Cross the historic Saarbrucken Bridge over the river to arrive at Saarbrucken Square.