a town of Russian Transcaucasia, in the government of Tiflis, 63 m. N.E. of the town of Tiflis, on the river Alazan and at an altitude of 2420 ft. Pop. (1897) 11,810, chiefly Armenians (9000) and Georgians (2000). Telav is a very old town, founded in 893, and until 1797 it was the capital of Kakhetia, and has ruins of old forts. In the neighbourhood are the Ikaltoi monastery (6th century), the Shuanty monastery (16th century), and the originally 10th century Alaverdi church, visited by many pilgrims. Wine is exported.