Funeral home in Krtsanisi - 24/7 funeral services from Ortachala to Ponichala

Krtsanisi on the map: old Tbilisi down to the southern outskirts

Administratively, Krtsanisi district is made up of several very different parts. In the north are Abanotubani and Kala with its historic quarters - Betlemi, Zemo Ubani and Kvemo Ubani, Legvtakhevi, Petkhaini. Following the Kura (Mtkvari) river downstream you come to Kharpukhi and Ortachala, and then to Krtsanisi proper, which in feudal times was a separate village: the famous battle of Krtsanisi was fought on the Krtsanisi field in 1795. Furthest south lies Ponichala, on the highway towards Rustavi.

That is why the operator asks for the quarter first and the street second. A dead end in Kala and a tower block in Ponichala call for different equipment and a different number of people, and we clarify this before the crew sets off.

Three kinds of housing and what each one changes

Old houses with balconies

In Kala and Abanotubani many people live in two-storey houses with wooden balconies, stone staircases and shared inner courtyards. The lanes are steep and tight for a vehicle, so the hearse stops at the nearest square or through road, and the crew covers the final stretch carrying the coffin. The inside staircase in such a house often turns so sharply that the route for the coffin has to be tried out in advance.

Tower blocks in Ortachala and Ponichala

The high-rise blocks in Ponichala were put up in the early 1970s for workers at the nearby factories, and they are almost impossible to tell apart. The lift in these buildings is often small, so the coffin has to be carried down the stairs by four or six people. On the plus side, there is enough room between the blocks to put up a tent in the yard, with the neighbours' agreement.

Detached houses with plots on the outskirts

In Krtsanisi and on the outer streets of Ponichala there are many one- and two-storey private houses with gates, a vine or a garden. In such families the farewell almost always takes place at home, with guests received in the yard. Some streets have an uneven surface and in places the road climbs, so before arriving the driver phones to ask where it is easiest and safest to park.

A tent in the yard: farewell at the family's own threshold

For a family in a private house the most natural arrangement looks like this: the deceased lies in the largest room, and in the yard stands a funeral tent where people gather to offer their condolences. It shelters them from rain and sun, and in a spacious yard it comfortably holds around fifty people. A tent costs from 250 GEL, depending on its size and lighting.

We put it up and take it down ourselves: usually the evening before or on the first morning of the farewell, and we remove it the day after the funeral, once the memorial meal in the yard is over too. If the plot slopes or is taken up by a garden, we choose the spot together with the owners, close to the gate, so guests can easily walk through to the house.

Tables and chairs for the yard

A memorial table in the yard and seating for guests under the tent need far more furniture than a household usually owns. That is what our table and chair rental is for: one set seats ten guests and costs 60 GEL. Four sets are enough for forty people; sixty will need six. We handle delivery and collection, and we bring the furniture together with the tent so the vehicle does not have to come into the yard twice.

A refrigerated coffin at home for a two- or three-day farewell

By Georgian custom the farewell often lasts two or three days, and throughout that time the body has to be properly preserved, especially in summer. For this we install a refrigerated coffin at home for 80 GEL per day. It plugs into an ordinary socket and runs almost silently, so the night vigil beside the coffin is not disturbed in any way.

In old houses in the historic part, the wiring is sometimes worn out, so before plugging in the crew checks whether the circuit can take the load and, if needed, runs a separate cable. On the outskirts the power sometimes goes off, and in that case we ask the family to let us know straight away, so the temperature is never left unchecked.

A funeral hall outside the district

Krtsanisi district has none of our halls, and we say so openly. If saying goodbye at home will not work - the flat is cramped, the staircase is narrow or a great many guests are expected - the nearest option we offer is our hall towards Isani and Samgori. It holds about a hundred people, and a hall for the memorial meal operates in the same courtyard. Hire of our halls starts from 300 GEL per day.

Many families combine the two: on the first day the deceased stays at home, among relatives and close neighbours, while the last night and the farewell take place in the hall, which is easier for guests from the other end of the city to reach. Our own hearse does the transfers there and back.

Heading south: suburbs and villages beyond the city

The southern part of the district borders the roads out of Tbilisi. The road to Rustavi runs through Ponichala, and from Krtsanisi a street climbs the hillside towards Shindisi. If the family wishes to bury their loved one outside the city, in their home village, the procession does not need to fight its way through the traffic of the centre.

For a journey like this we use our hearse: within the city it costs from 150 GEL, and we calculate the price of an out-of-town route during the call and tell the family in advance. Village cemeteries all have their own ways: in some places the community digs the grave, in others relatives ask us to send our grave diggers.

Choosing a cemetery from Krtsanisi

When the burial is in the city, most families turn to the large Tbilisi cemeteries. Mukhatgverdi, the cemetery with the most new plots, lies on the northern edge of the city on the road to Mtskheta - practically at the opposite end of town from Krtsanisi. In that case we time the departure so the procession misses the morning and evening rush hours.

If the family has an ancestral grave in another city cemetery, the coordinator looks into what opening it involves. Preparing a grave in a new plot starts at 400 GEL; the exact amount depends on the soil and the position of the plot. The cemetery charge is separate and paid against a receipt.

The memorial meal: in the yard or in a restaurant

Where the meal is held in a private yard, the memorial table (the Georgian "kelekhi") is often prepared by relatives and neighbours themselves, while we bring the furniture, the tent and the tableware. This is noticeably cheaper, although it asks a lot of the family at a time when their strength is already stretched thin.

If you would rather hand the cooking and serving over to others, we offer a memorial meal in a restaurant. There are three menu levels, at 35, 45 and 60 GEL for each guest. For forty people, say, that comes to 1,400, 1,800 or 2,400 GEL. We pick a restaurant that spares guests a detour after the cemetery.

Crew from Vake: within forty minutes

Our office and vehicles are based at 10 Zakaria Paliashvili Street in Vake. The crew usually reaches Krtsanisi district in about forty minutes, and at night often sooner. For the narrow lanes of the old town and houses on the slope, the driver phones while still on the road so the gate or entrance can be opened in advance.

The first hours: what the family does and what we take on

1. If the death happened at home, the family first calls an ambulance or the family doctor, who confirms the death.
2. Then they phone us: the operator notes the quarter, street and a landmark, and asks whether it is a private house or a flat.
3. The crew prepares the deceased, installs the refrigerated coffin and chooses the room for the farewell together with the family.
4. The same day the coordinator sends an estimate, and one of our staff starts on the paperwork.
5. The next day we put up the tent and furniture, and the family begins receiving those who come with condolences.

When part of the family lives abroad

In many Krtsanisi families, relatives work abroad, and it is often they who make the key decisions and cover the costs. In that case the coordinator deals with them directly: he forwards the estimate and photographs by message, and agrees the choice of coffin, tent and memorial menu over a video call. Payment can be made in instalments.

If a relative is planning to fly in, we set the day of the funeral around their flight, and the refrigerated coffin reliably preserves the body for the whole time. For those who cannot come, at the family's request we take separate photographs so they can share the moments of farewell even from far away.

Price guide for the district

Sample costing: a two-day farewell in the yard

Take a case that is typical for Krtsanisi: a private house with a plot, a two-day farewell, around forty guests, a memorial meal in the yard prepared by the family and neighbours, and burial in a new grave.

• budget package: 1,200 GEL;
• tent in the yard: 250 GEL;
• refrigerated coffin for two days at 80 GEL: 160 GEL;
• four sets of tables and chairs: 240 GEL;
• grave preparation: from 400 GEL.

That comes to about 2,250 GEL, plus the cemetery fee and the food for the memorial table. If for the same forty guests you order the meal in a restaurant with the middle menu, 1,800 GEL is added to the total, though the family is spared setting the table itself.

Weather and season for a farewell in the yard

In summer the southern outskirts can be very hot, so we position the tent so the midday sun does not shine straight in, and put the refrigerated coffin in the coolest room of the house. In winter and in the autumn rains we lower the side walls of the tent and suggest the family prepares hot tea and coffee for guests. If the yard is muddy, we lay boards or a walkway at the entrance.

Neighbours and the old customs of the quarter

In the old quarters and in the private-house areas of Krtsanisi, neighbours still pitch in actively: someone brings out chairs, someone cooks, someone stays the night with the family. Our crew respects this custom and does not try to take everything into its own hands unless the family wants it to. What matters is that on the day of the funeral everyone knows their task, and the coordinator draws up this division of roles with the relatives the evening before.

Services in other parts of the city

If relatives live in another district and are still choosing where to hold the farewell, the Tbilisi districts page shows where we have halls and how each part of the city differs.

Frequently asked questions