History of Tbilisi- this is the sequence of events on the territory of the city of Tbilisi from its foundation in the 5th century to the present day. Approximately 1500 years. This is a really big and rich story, and it left behind many traces. There are cities whose rich history exists on its own, without affecting modernity, but this is not the case in Tbilisi. A lot has changed over 1500 years, a lot has died, and modern Tbilisi is 90% Soviet-built, but still there are some hints of the past left in it - and there are many of these hints. There is a lot we don’t know - for example, we don’t know what Tbilisi looked like in the 10th century. But it is already possible to draw some conclusions about its condition in the 12th - 13th centuries.
Tbilisi before its foundation
Many cities in eastern Georgia were founded during the Late Bronze Age, immediately after Kartian tribes settled on the plains from the Borjomi Gorge to the Gombori Range. But Tbilisi is an exception; it arose in the era of late antiquity. Someone definitely lived on its territory even before its founding. An ancient settlement was found in the Didube quarter and some settlements were excavated in the southern part of the Digomi region. There is an opinion that someone lived on the Metekhi rock in ancient times.
Tbilisi to its foundation is just a narrow gorge. The Sololaki ridge (a spur of the Trialeti ridge) stretches here to the east and abuts the Kura River at its tip, on which the Narikala fortress now stands. From the north, the foothills of the Caucasus Range gently descend and one spur of this range - Mount Mahata - also abuts the river with a rock known as Metekhi. Between the Metekhi rock and the Sololaki ridge there is a narrow gorge through which the Kura River once broke through to the east. This is a kind of gateway to the interior of the country, and this gorge-gate was previously strengthened by the canyon of the Tsavkisistskali River. To pass this narrow place, the traveler had to make a loop around the canyon, cross it in the area of the modern entrance to the Botanical Garden, and then go around the mountain on which the Narikala fortress stands. Therefore, the appearance of a city in such a strategically important place is quite understandable. Another thing is unclear: why it arose so late.
Founding of Tbilisi
It is believed that Tbilisi appeared in 458, during the reign of King Vakhtang Gorgasal. In addition to Tbilisi, Vakhtang founded several more cities, but all in Kakheti. History has not preserved the details. The chronicles write briefly: he built a city. The popular consciousness has retained a more vivid picture of what is happening: there is a well-known legend about how King Vakhtang hunted pheasant here and discovered sulfur springs. This story is so famous that it was even included in the bestseller of the early twentieth century, Kurban Said’s novel “Ali and Nino”:
Once upon a time, in ancient times, a certain padishah released his falcon into the sky. He pounces on the black grouse. The padishah waits, but the falcon still does not return. Then he begins to look for his bird and wanders into a small forest. And in this forest there is a sulfur spring. The padishah sees that both the falcon and the black grouse are drowning in the water. When the padishah saw this source, he immediately decided to found Tiflis on this place. The grouse bathhouse is here, and instead of a forest now stands Tiflis. Tiflis began with sulfur, and it will end with sulfur.
Bulat Okudzhava wrote a verse about this in 1988:
The predatory beast struggled and writhed under your arrow.
Eternal darkness came to my eyes.
The star lit up. The hunting day is over.
And then a pheasant appeared from the bushes.Oh, how brightly his plumage burned!
But the arrow sang and extinguished the fire...
And then, as if on the first night of creation,
"Let Tbilisi arise!" - you extended your hand.
This story has many visual implications. Near the sulfur baths there is now a statue of a falcon with a pheasant in its talons. The pheasant can be seen on the Tbilisi logo and on street hatches. The restaurant "Maidani" has a signature dish "Pheasant Gorgosali". In 1961, an equestrian statue of Vakhang Gorgasal was erected on the Meth rock, who, as it were, makes a decision on the founding of the city. The Gorgasali restaurant near the baths hints at the same events with its name.
Unfortunately, the dating of this event is somewhat arbitrary and we do not know against what historical background it happened. Therefore, it is difficult to imagine what exactly Vakhtang was thinking about when creating a new city. He could, for example, build it as a fortification on the approaches to Mtskheta. Or he could strengthen an already existing settlement that arose at the sulfur springs.
The first buildings of the new city apparently appeared on the rocky shore, on the cape between the Kura and Tsavkisistskali. Now on this site stands the Temple of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia, and on the site of the Tsavkisistskali Canyon stands Aliyev Square. In 2012, foundations were found near the temple of the martyrs, which were identified as the remains of the palace of King Vakhtang.
Name
Why was the city called "Tbilisi"? In its name it is easy to guess the word თბილი ( tbili) meaning "warm". But this is a late formed word; in Old Georgian it looked like ტფილი ( tpili), and the city was called Tpilisi. Moreover, this name dates back to the 19th century.
Coin from the era of Nicholas I with the inscription TPILISI
It is believed that the word TPILI comes from the proto-Kartvelian root TEP, which in turn comes from the Nostratic language, from which it also entered the Indo-European languages. Hence, by the way, the Slavic “Heat” and “Warmth”. So the initial letter “T” in the words “Warm” and “Tbilisi” is not a coincidence.
The name Tpilisi turned out to be unpronounceable for the Greeks, who do not have TP combinations in their language. They remade it for their convenience, inserting the letter “I”, and this is how the Greek “Tiflis” turned out. From Greek it came into Arabic, where it became “Tiflis”. A direct transformation of Tpilisi into Tiflis is unlikely, since Arabs have no problems pronouncing the sounds TP or TB. They still officially call the city Tbilisi (تبليسي). The name "Tiflis" remained in the Turkish language, which, like Greek, does not allow combinations of TB.
It is interesting that instead of the word “warm” they could take the word “hot” (tskheli) as a basis and the city would be called Tskhelisi. If Mingrelians or Laz lived here, he would have turned out to be Tubulsi. If the Svans had lived, Tebidsi would have turned out.
Dark Middle Ages
Vakhtang died in 502, and his kingdom died even earlier, synchronously with the overthrow of the Roman emperor Odoacer and the end of the history of the Ancient World. In those years, the Middle Ages began in Europe, and in Georgia - the dark era of the Persian occupation. Vakhtang was succeeded by his son Dachi or Darchil (522-534), who lived mainly in the Ujarma fortress. It was he who committed a historical act: he finally moved the capital from Mtskheta to Tbilisi. For what? Nobody remembers anymore. It is significant that he, in principle, did not live in Mtskheta. Maybe Mtskheta was destroyed by the Persians, or maybe there were too many Persian observers there.
Dachi also did something else important: he built in Tbilisi (or near Tbilisi) the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Anchiskhati), which to this day remains the oldest surviving building in the city. Little has been preserved from this temple: both the vaults and columns were rebuilt in later eras, and only the walls here and there are still the same ones that remember Tsar Dacha.
After Dacha, several more kings lived in Tbilisi: Bakur II, Farsman V, Farsman VI and Bakur III, but the latter lived in Ujarma, and at that time there was already a Persian garrison in Tbilisi. In 580, Bacur died and the Persians abolished royal power as such.
Just during the years of the crisis of royal power, the Assyrian fathers came to Iberia and settled near Mtskheta. From there they then dispersed throughout the country, and David, the future David of Gareji, settled in a cave on the mountain (Mtatsminda) near Tbilisi. Once a week he walked down the mountain along a path (now Besiki Street) to approximately the modern Marriott Hotel and from there he walked into the city for food. At this time, quite a lot of Persian-Zoroastrians already lived in Tbilisi. The conflict with them led to the well-known story of the trial of David and the appearance of the Kashveti temple on the site of the trial. After this, David went to Gareji, but his cave on the mountain and the spring near the cave remained sacred and revered places. And even the path to the cave itself became something of a pilgrimage path.
At this time, the endless Iranian-Byzantine wars dragged on and Iranian armies probably often passed through Tbilisi. In 591, the Byzantine-Iranian Peace Treaty (Treaty of Ctesiphon) was concluded. Part of Iberia with its capital in Mtskheta went to Byzantium, and part, with its capital in Tbilisi, went to Iran and became the center of Iberia controlled by Iran. It was probably at this time that a Zoroastrian temple appeared in Tbilisi, which has come down to us in a greatly rebuilt form and is known in the city as “Ateshga”.
Back in 588, Emperor Mauritius sent a certain Guram, a descendant of Vakhtang Gorgasal, as ruler to Iberia. Guram died in 590 and his son Stefanoz became the ruler, who ruled Iberius at the time of the conclusion of the Treaty of Ctesiphon. Probably his capital was Mtskheta, but then Stefanoz made friends with Iran and moved the capital back to Tbilisi. This man went down in history by building the famous Jvari Temple above Mtskheta.
Stephanoz's reorientation led to the invasion of the Byzantine army under the personal leadership of Emperor Heraclius II. The Khazar army came to the aid of the emperor, and the Persians sent a detachment of 1000 people to help Iberia. The Byzantines besieged Tbilisi and the siege lasted about two months. Then Heraclius went towards Iran, and the siege lasted for some time and eventually the city was taken. Stefanoz was removed, and Adarnase, a distant descendant of Vakhtang Gorgasal, was put in his place. He died in 642 and his son Stefanoz II became the ruler, under whom, in 645, the army of the Caliphate approached Tbilisi. The Arabs concluded a treaty of friendship with the city and left.
Capital of the emirate
The treaty of 645 made Iberia part of the Arab Caliphate. At first, kings still lived in Tbilisi and paid a small tax to the Arabs. This lasted until 735, when the Arabs suspected Georgia of collaborating with the Khazars, and Mervan the Deaf went through the country on a punitive expedition. Tbilisi was burned to the ground - this is the first recorded case of its complete burning. Mervan established the Tiflis Emirate in Transcaucasia and left. The kings still existed as pale shadows, imperceptible by history, until they disappeared in 775. Tiflis emirs began to rule the city. How exactly power passed from kings to emirs is unknown.
Under the Arabs, Tiflis became part of the Arab common economic space and rapidly grew into a large trading center. It became a large city with mosques, baths, palaces, madrassas and caravanserais. But the emirs decided to show separatism, and in 853 there was another punitive invasion. The commander Buga Al-Kabir turned the flourishing city into a heap of ashes. For the second time in its history.
Tbilisi remained the capital of the emir until the end of the 9th century, and throughout the 10th, and the entire 11th, and the beginning of the 12th. In the 10th century, the relics of Saint Shushanik were reburied on the Metekhi rock - right in the most prominent place in the Muslim city. Apparently, the Tbilisi Christian community had many rights. I wish I knew how much.
In 1795, the last destruction of Tbilisi took place: on September 12, the army of Agha Muhamad Khan, as punishment for the Georgian-Russian negotiations, razed the city to the ground. The stone buildings were almost undamaged, but all private buildings were burned to the ground. It took thirty years for the city to recover from this devastation.
Capital of Tiflis province
In 1802, the Georgian kingdom was liquidated and Tbilisi became the capital of the province and the main base of the Russian army. Since the anti-Russian uprisings did not reach Tbilisi, the situation in the city was stable. We started building something. Count Knorring, the first “chief in Georgia,” built the first simple house for the commander-in-chief. An arsenal and a gymnasium were built. In 1802, the fortress walls and towers began to be demolished, and so the modern streets of Pushkin and Dadiani began to form. In 1804, the royal baths were converted into a mint.
In 1807, there were already 16,000 people living in Tbilisi.
Tbilisi recovered very slowly after the defeat of 1795. The Russian administration built little. In 1816, General Ermolov demolished the royal Metekhi castle and began building a prison in its place. In 1824, the building of the Headquarters of the Caucasian Corps was built. In 1827, lightning struck the Narikala fortress and the explosion demolished the Church of St. Nicholas, built under Tamara, if not earlier. Local merchants were only able to build a large stone building by 1818: the Artsruni caravanserai.
In May 1829, Pushkin arrived in Tbilisi. It was something like the arrival of a fashion blogger to an as yet unpromoted resort. For the first time in Russian history, someone other than the military learned about Tbilisi. Pushkin lived in house No. 5 on Pushkin Street, in a house with windows overlooking the headquarters of the Caucasian Corps and could see the construction of the Zubalashvili caravanserai, which began in 1827. There seem to be no photographs of his house, but a drawing from around 1895 is known:
Capital of the Confederacy
In January 1918, the Bolsheviks dispersed the Constituent Assembly, which ultimately did not have time to decide the fate of Transcaucasia, so the entire region was left to its own devices. Transcaucasia became an independent federation, and Tbilisi became its capital. The Transcaucasian Sejm in the building of the Vorontsov Palace became something like the parliament of the new federal republic. Tbilisi maintained this status throughout January, February, March, April and May. The federation collapsed in May. On May 26, Georgia declared its independence. Tbilisi became the capital of the Georgian Republic. The pen with which the Declaration of Independence was signed is now on display in the National Museum.
On June 10, the German army, allied to the republic, entered Tbilisi. A joint Georgian-German parade took place on Rustaveli. On the same day, the Turks tried to break through to Tbilisi, but were stopped by the Germans. In December 1918 the Germans left, and in January 1919 the British army entered the city. But in July the British also left.
Visually, nothing changed in Tbilisi; events took place exclusively in the political sphere. In May 1920, the Bolsheviks decided to seize Georgia: on May 3, the Bolsheviks rebelled in Tbilisi and seized the officer school. But the war with Georgia was lost near Kiev: on May 7, the Poles took Kyiv and on the same day the Bolsheviks signed a peace treaty with Georgia. But this only delayed the war by one year.
Battle for Tbilisi
In February 1921, the Red Army entered Georgia from three sides, in particular from Baku in the direction of Tbilisi. On February 18, the 11th Army approached the outskirts of Tbilisi: on the left bank of the Kura to the village of Karadzhala and on the right to the village of Soganlug.
On February 19, the first attacks began in the area of Soganlug station and at the Shavnabad monastery. The left flank of the Red Army began to bypass the city from the west and attacked the Kojori Heights. All these attacks were repulsed. On February 24 - 25, a second offensive began with the involvement of tanks and aircraft. The defenders of Tbilisi managed to repel all attacks on the Kojori and Shavnabad Heights, but the Red Army detachments bypassed the Georgian positions further and further. On the night of February 25, Soviet tanks broke through to the Navtlug station.
On the morning of February 25, it was decided to surrender the city. Soviet armored trains entered the Tbiissky station. Infantry units occupied the Kojori Heights and entered the city, going down Sololakskaya Street to Freedom Square. On the same day, the Bolshevik government moved to Tbilisi from Shulaveri.
Capital of the republic
The first years of Soviet power changed little in Tbilisi. The Soviet leadership still gathered in the same Vorontsov Palace; the Metekhi prison remained a prison, except that it had more work. Until 1931, the Soviet Georgian leaders were not radical enough and they would all be shot in 1937. But in November 1931, Beria led Georgia, and here the appearance of Tbilisi began to change: so Tbilisi experienced not only Vorontsovization, but also “Berization.”
The last days of the Soviet era were remembered for an eerie disaster: on June 1, 1990, a break occurred on the cable car line (Rustaveli-Mtatsminda), the lower station was damaged, and one cabin fell on a residential building. About 20 people died.
On October 28, 1990, an epoch-making event occurred. In the elections to the Supreme Council, the Communist Party received only 64 seats out of 155. On November 14, Chairman of the Supreme Council Irakli Abashidze left his post and Zviad Gamsakhurdia was elected in his place. The Soviet era in Georgia has ended.
Dogwood flag
In November 1990, Zviad Gamsakhurdia became the president of the country, and for a whole year nothing happened in the history of the city, and then something terrible happened: in December 1991, the National Guard rebelled and besieged the president in the Parliament building. A month of fighting for parliament has begun. Almost all of the surrounding neighborhoods burned out. The Oriant Hotel burned down. The First Gymnasium burned to the ground. The Marriott also burned down. The House of Communications almost burned down. Miraculously, the Kashveti Temple survived, although it was covered with bullet marks. For several years after this, the city center was similar to Stalingrad after the surrender of Paulus.
On January 6, parliament fell. The Kitovani-Ioseliani-Sigua triumvirate came to power in Tbilisi. But a province rebelled against Tbilisi: in this case, Megrelia. This is how the split of Georgia into Tbilisi and the provinces began for the first time. This war on attenuation continues to this day. In this war, Tbilisi took the thankless role of the capital of the post-Soviet dictatorship. Megrelia rebelled in January, March and July 1992. And again in September 1993. Tbilisi won the first war with the province.
With this victory, the most eventless era in the history of the city began. Some things were rebuilt: for example, the Parliament, the Gymnasium and the Marriott. But everything else gradually collapsed. The restaurant on Mtatsminda closed and was completely abandoned. On June 21, 2000, the cable car became unusable due to a broken cable. The Adjara and Iveria hotels were given to refugees in 1995 and turned into terrible slum high-rise buildings.
In November 2003, Tbilisi's second war against the province began: protests against election violations began in the city. Residents of Megrelia and Imereti came to the aid of the protesters. The main protest rally took place at Freedom Square. A parallel loyalist rally gathered in front of the Houses of Parliament. On November 20, Shevardnadze fled from parliament. The province defeated Tbilisi. This event went down in history as "
Located on the banks of the Kura (Mtkvari) River. Population – 1,152,500 people (2010).
It got its name because of the warm sulfur springs (translated from Georgian “tbili” means “warm”).
Founded in the 5th century AD by Vakhtang Gorgasali, king of Iberia, and became the capital in the 6th century, Tbilisi is the most important financial, industrial, transport and cultural center of Georgia.
Its strategic location at the crossroads between Europe and Asia has repeatedly made Tbilisi a bone of contention between various forces in the Caucasus.
Story
The history of Tbilisi as the capital of Georgia begins around the 5th century. Over its 1,500-year history, Tbilisi has been an important cultural, political and economic center in the Caucasus. It was located at the crossroads of important trade routes and was occupied about twenty times by external enemies.
From 1918 to 1921 - the capital of the Georgian Democratic Republic.
In 1921 Georgia became Soviet, and Tbilisi became the capital of the Georgian SSR.
Since 1991, the capital of independent Georgia.
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Transport
Valid in Tbilisi metro. It was put into operation on January 11, 1966 and became the fourth in the USSR after Moscow, Leningrad and Kyiv.
Since 2000, when the last station opened at the moment, there have been 26.3 km of lines and 22 stations located on two lines - Akhmeteli-Varketilskaya and Saburtalinskaya.
In 2011, the Tbilisi metro became the first in the former USSR, where the names of stations are regularly announced, in addition to the state (Georgian), also in English.
Until 2006, the city had trolleybus and tram networks (now they are not working).
The main airport of Georgia is located in Tbilisi - Tbilisi International Airport.
The city is the most important railway junction of the Georgian Railway.
Sights of Tbilisi
In the south-eastern part of the city, on both banks of the Kura, there is its historical core - with narrow streets that have preserved the features of medieval buildings. It occupies approximately the territory that Tiflis occupied in the 12th century. The streets in this area are narrow, the buildings have retained the features of medieval buildings.
Here you can see the ruins of the Narikala citadel, completed in the 16th-17th centuries, the stone church of Anchiskhati, the Metekhi church, the Sioni Cathedral and the baths of King Rostom.
Although the term "Old Tbilisi" has long been used to refer to the historical part of the city, the district with this name was formed only in 2007 from streets and blocks previously included in three other districts of the city.
Anchiskhati(Anchiskhati Church) – Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the oldest church in Tbilisi that has survived to this day. It belongs to the Georgian Orthodox Church and dates back to the 6th century.
The church was destroyed and rebuilt several times from the 15th to the 17th centuries due to Georgia's wars with the Persians and Turks.
In Soviet times, the church was converted into a museum of handicrafts, and then it housed an art workshop. From 1958 to 1964, restoration work was carried out (under the leadership of the architect R. Gverdtsiteli), which returned the church to its 17th-century appearance. In 1989, the church became active again.
It was originally built from yellow tuff blocks; brick was used during the restoration in 1958-1964. The building has exits on three sides, but these days only the western exit is used. All icons date from the 19th century, except for the altarpiece, created by order of Catholicos Nikoloz VI (Amilakhvari) in 1683.
Metekhi(Metekhi) is a historical district of Tbilisi on a high cliff hanging over the bank of the Kura River. It is believed that the area was inhabited during the reign of Vakhtang Gorgasal, who built his palace here, and in the 8th century on the Metekhi rock, as legend says, he suffered the martyrdom of St. Abo Tbilissky. The modern name of the quarter appeared in the 12th century and means “neighborhood of the palace.”
The main attraction of Metekhi is the Assumption Church, picturesquely placed on the ridge of a rock, built in 1278-84 under King Demeter II. In the 19th century, the church was rebuilt as barracks for a Cossack regiment, and under Beria it was almost demolished (the artist Dmitry Shevardnadze paid with his life for protesting against its demolition). Since 1988, the church has been operating again (at one time, Zviad Gamsakhurdia went on a hunger strike, demanding the return of the temple to the Georgian Church).
In the 17th century, the area adjacent to the church was turned into a fortress, and the Shah Abbas Mosque appeared on the other side of the river. With the annexation of Georgia to Russia, the need for fortifications disappeared, and a prison was built in their place. Under Stalin, the prison was closed, but at the same time part of the old buildings of the quarter was demolished (which was motivated by the construction of a bridge across the Kura River). In 1961, the area in front of the temple was decorated with an equestrian statue of Vakhtang Gorgasal.
(Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral) is one of the main churches of Tbilisi, nicknamed in honor of Mount Zion and consecrated in the name of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It stands on the banks of the Kura River in the historical center of the city. Before the construction of the Tsminda Sameba Cathedral, the chair of the Georgian Catholicos was located here.
It was originally built in the sixth and seventh centuries, then destroyed several times.
In 1112, David IV the Builder, having freed Tbilisi from the Arabs, erected a new cathedral in the city, which was repeatedly destroyed and restored. Particularly significant work was required after the invasion of Jalal ad-Din Mankburna and the earthquake of 1668.
In September 1795, the cathedral was severely damaged by the invasion of Agha Mohammed Khan. The wooden choir and iconostasis were burned, the frescoes were covered with soot and soot. The cathedral was soon restored.
After restoration in 1980-1983, the Sioni Temple, despite its complex construction history, retained its medieval appearance. At a distance from the cathedral there are two bell towers - one is an ancient, three-tiered one, built in the 15th century, destroyed by the Persians and restored in the 20th century, the other is a typical example of Russian classicism (built in 1812).
The interior of the temple contains frescoes by the Russian artist G.G. Gagarin. The first place among the temple relics is occupied by the very ancient cross of St. Nino.
(Sameba Cathedral) - the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church; located in Tbilisi, on the hill of St. Ilya (left bank of the Kura). There are 13 altars in the cathedral; the lower church is in honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary; The belfry stands separately.
The height of the upper temple is 105.5 meters (without the dome cross 98 meters and the cross 7.5 meters); length from east to west – 77 meters, from north to south – 65 meters; total area - more than 5000 square meters.
The temple was founded on November 23, 1995; construction was carried out with donations from ordinary citizens and large businessmen. The first service in the cathedral under construction was held on December 25, 2002.
Narikala(Narikala fortress) is a fortress complex of various eras in Old Tbilisi. The exact time of the founding of the fortress is unknown, but in the 7th century it already existed and was called Shuris-Tsikhe.
Under David the Builder, the Arab fortress was strengthened and expanded. It is believed that the Mongols gave it its modern name. It acquired a look close to its modern one in the 17th-18th centuries, but the earthquake of 1827 caused irreparable damage to it.
In the 1990s. Attempts were made to restore Narikala; in particular, the church of St. Nicholas, which existed on the territory of the fortress in the 12th century.
Pantheon Mtatsminda(Mtatsminda Pantheon) is a necropolis in Tbilisi where many of Georgia's famous writers, artists, scientists and national heroes are buried. It is located in the area around the Church of St. David "Mamadaviti" on the slope of Mount Mtatsminda and was officially opened in 1929.
The first significant burial at this site was that of the famous Russian writer Alexander Griboyedov (1795-1829) and his wife Princess Nino Chavchavadze (1812-1857). The Pantheon was officially opened in 1929 on the 100th anniversary of the tragic death of Griboyedov in Iran. Since that time, many prominent Georgians have been buried or reburied here.
The cemetery is managed by the Tbilisi municipality and is one of the city's most famous landmarks.
Rustaveli Avenue(Rustaveli Avenue) is the central avenue of Tbilisi, named after the medieval Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli. The total length of the avenue, stretching from Freedom Square to Rustaveli Square, is about 1.5 km.
On the avenue there are a large number of government, public, cultural and commercial buildings, including the Parliament of Georgia, the Kashveti Church, the Georgian Academy of Sciences, the National Museum of Georgia, the Opera and Ballet Theater, the Shota Rustaveli Theater, the Tbilisi Russian Drama Theater named after A. S. Griboyedov and others. Plane trees are planted on both sides of the avenue.
The bloody events of 1989, as well as anti-government protests in 2007 and 2011, took place on Rustaveli Avenue.
Freedom Square(Freedom Square) – located in the central part of Tbilisi. The square houses the Tbilisi city administration, as well as the central branch of the Bank of Georgia and the Marriott Hotel.
The square has repeatedly become the site of mass protests, in particular during the Rose Revolution, as well as in Soviet times - for the independence of Georgia from the USSR.
During Soviet times, there was a monument to Lenin on the square. On November 23, 2006, the Freedom Monument created by Zurab Tsereteli was opened - a monument depicting St. George killing a dragon.
Bridge of Peace(The Bridge of Peace) is a pedestrian bridge on the Kura River in Tbilisi, located between the Metekhi and Baratashvili bridges. The bridge connects Irakli II Street and Rike Park.
The bridge consists of a 156-meter steel frame covered with glass. The entire structure rests on 4 powerful supports. You can get to the bridge from Irakli II Street and Rike Park, as well as from the embankment boulevards.
The bridge was built on the initiative of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. The customer was the Tbilisi City Hall. The bridge was officially opened on May 6, 2010.
(Tbilisi Botanical Garden) - located in the historical center of Tbilisi, south of the Sololaki ridge, in the valley of the Tsavkisistskali River.
The history of the Tbilisi Botanical Garden goes back about four hundred years. Georgian and world flora is widely represented in the garden (about 3,500 taxonomic units). There are three bridges across the Tsavkisistskali River on the territory of the botanical garden. Particularly noteworthy is the arched bridge over a large waterfall, built in 1914.
The main entrance to the botanical garden is located at the end of the botanical street at the base of the Narikala fortress. In 1909-1914, a tunnel was dug in the Sololaki ridge and a second entrance to the botanical garden was made from Lado Street
Asatiani. The tunnel was opened until 2004, then closed and converted into a nightclub.
Currently, the area of the botanical garden is 128 hectares.
- the capital and at the same time the largest city of Georgia, located on the banks of the Kura River in the Tbilisi Basin. A noisy, cheerful, faithful to traditions and at the same time actively developing city with one and a half million inhabitants - this is what the modern capital of Georgia looks like in the eyes of travelers.
Tbilisi is especially attractive due to its rich history, which dates back centuries. You can wander endlessly through the quarters of the old part of the city, inhaling the exciting aromas of national pastries and admiring the ancient architecture of the local buildings. Over more than one and a half thousand years of existence, Tbilisi has managed to acquire so many historical attractions and cultural heritage that they would be more than enough for several ordinary cities.
Video: Tbilisi
History of Tbilisi
Officially, the history of Tbilisi is usually counted from the 5th century. The city was founded by the king of Iberia Vakhtang Gorgasali. An ancient legend tells that during a hunt, the formidable monarch shot a pheasant. The dead bird fell into one of the thermal ponds and was boiled. This fact struck Gorgasali so much that he ordered to found a city on this place and call it Warm Spring (in the local dialect - Tbilisi). Historians are skeptical about this version, preferring to correlate the emergence of the fort with the ancient Roman era. During archaeological excavations in this area, the remains of ancient baths and mosaic fragments were found, indicating that the first settlements arose here in the first centuries of our era.
Since 626, Tbilisi was subject to regular invasions by Arab armies. Enemy troops robbed the local population and ravaged the city. Only in 1122, with the coming to power of King David the Builder, relative calm reigned in Georgia, which lasted a little more than a century. A short calm was again replaced by military invasions: for several centuries the city was alternately besieged by Arab, Mongol, and Turkish conquerors.
From 1801 to 1917 Georgia was part of the Russian Empire. During this period, Tbilisi gained long-awaited stability and the protection of a more powerful power. The city has grown significantly economically and has acquired numerous commercial and industrial enterprises. After the October Revolution. Tbilisi became the capital of independent Georgia, which it remained until 1926. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the city regained its former status as an administrative and cultural center.
Districts of Tbilisi: where tourists should go first
The Kura River is not only a geographical object, but also a water border that divides Tbilisi into two parts. Officially, the city is divided into districts: some of them are rich in various architectural monuments, and some are typical residential areas that are not popular with tourists.
The record holder for the number of attractions is the Old Town, also known as the historical center of the capital. By the way, it is on its territory that the legendary “sulfur baths” are located, which local residents are so proud of. From this part of Tbilisi it’s a stone’s throw to the area with the sonorous name Sololaki. The place is ideal for walking, during which you can admire the features of the local architecture. There is something to see in Avlabari. Historians suggest that it was from here that the construction of the future capital began. On the territory of the quarter are the Tsminda Sameba Cathedral, the palace of Queen Darejan and the ruins of an Armenian temple.
Another interesting area is Mtatsminda. There are few truly ancient buildings here, but there are plenty of entertainment venues, shops and restaurants. Chugureti will be of more interest to pilgrims who come to Tbilisi to pray and worship religious shrines. Most of the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches are located here. People usually go to Ortachala to visit the ruins of the former city wall and the Church of St. Nicholas.
Sights of Tbilisi
The vast majority of tourist routes begin from the Old Town (Qala). It is divided into two parts: Zamokala - Upper Town and Kvemokala - Lower Town. Today this is the most romantic district of Tbilisi, which has preserved its ancient monuments and is not disfigured by modern faceless buildings. Narrow streets paved with bricks, clay houses entwined with grapes, impregnable walls of the castle of Queen Darejan - all these are integral features of the historical character of the quarter. It is in the Old Town that the subtle spirit of the mysterious East hovers. Arabic motifs are evident in architectural bas-reliefs and ancient frescoes, carpet patterns and aromas of dishes generously seasoned with tart spices...
Abanotubani is a place worth visiting, if not for the purpose of treatment, then at least for the sake of mental relaxation. Tbilisi sulfur springs have been known since the 16th century. Over time, the underground springs were covered with stone domes made in the Arabic style. So the healing springs turned into health baths.
Rustaveli Avenue
Rustaveli Avenue is not the oldest, but it has become a legendary place in Tbilisi, which definitely should not be missed. The one and a half kilometer avenue planted with plane trees is decorated with a fountain, next to which it is easy to find a monument to Pushkin, as well as the building of the Rustaveli Theater. There is also the National Museum of Georgia, which is worth a visit because of its scandalous and controversial exhibition dedicated to the “Soviet occupation”.
Walking along Rustaveli Avenue you can look into the Vorontsov Palace. An elegant white building in the Renaissance style appeared here in 1868 and was originally intended for the Tsar's governor in the Caucasus. By the way, the last resident of the palace was Stalin’s mother, Ekaterina Dzhugashvili.
Another interesting object on Rustaveli Avenue is the Melik-Azaryants apartment building. The gigantic structure was built before the revolution and was equipped with the latest technology. The basement floors of the house housed cozy coffee shops and entertainment venues. From the wall bas-reliefs of the building one can trace the tragic events in the life of the owner. For example, the plaster wreaths on the façade are reminiscent of the death of a rich man’s beloved daughter. The fate of Melik-Azaryants himself is sad. After the October Revolution, the building was nationalized, and the former owner was given a tiny closet in it. Today, this luxurious symbol of Tbilisi is gradually falling into disrepair. This is especially noticeable if you look at the house from the yard.
The avenue ends at Freedom Square. The place is famous for the fact that it is here that all sorts of political battles take place from time to time. If you are visiting the city for the first time, it would be a good idea to take a look at the former city hall building. It houses a tourist information center where you can get the necessary information about local attractions and a map of Tbilisi.
The most ancient Orthodox church in Tbilisi that has survived to this day is the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Anchiskhati is the second name). The laconic, austere building, designed in the form of a basilica with three naves, was destroyed and rebuilt many times. The most ancient part of the interior decoration of the temple is the altarpiece, which was created in 1683.
Metekhi
One of the oldest settlements on the territory of modern Tbilisi is located on the banks of the Kura River, on a steep, sheer cliff. The Metekhi region originated under the first Georgian king Vakhtang Gorgasal, who erected his residence in this very place. In those immemorial times, the very word “metekhi” was used to describe the area around the palace.
For several centuries, the main decoration of the quarter was the Metekhi Church of the Mother of God. According to legend, Queen Tamara herself came here to pray. The church faced a difficult fate: in the 19th century, the building was given over to soldiers' barracks. The Soviet period also contributed to the destruction. The last internal partitions of the church were demolished already in 1974, and an experimental theater was located in the building itself. Only in 1988 the temple was completely restored and returned to the Orthodox Church.
Narikala Fortress
It is still unknown exactly when this large-scale fortress complex arose on Mount Mtsatminda. What is clear is that already in the 4th century. the walls of the Shuris-Tsikhe fortification (the first name of the structure) successfully held back the onslaught of enemy troops. For almost one and a half thousand years, the fortress was periodically occupied by either Arab or Mongol armies, which could not but affect the appearance of the buildings. Today travelers can see only remnants of Narikala's former grandeur. Unfortunately, most of the fortifications have been irretrievably lost. But on its territory, the Church of St. Nicholas, built in the 12th century, has been completely reconstructed.
Georgian Betania
Founded in the 11th century, the Betania Monastery is one of the most successful examples of Georgian temple architecture. The building has been amazingly preserved in its original form. What’s interesting is that the monastery remained active even during the Soviet era, although officially the monks were listed as caretakers of the church museum. You need to go to Betania to look at the ancient frescoes, icons and unique carved decorations of the altar of the monastery church.
The majestic temple appeared on the banks of the Kura River in the 6th century, receiving its name in honor of Mount Zion. Subsequently, the church building was destroyed by the Arab army, after which it was rebuilt. The Zion Cathedral houses one of the main shrines of the Georgian Orthodox Church - the cross of St. Nina.
The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the tallest temple in the country and the national symbol of modern Georgia, is located in the Avlabari region. This is a new building in Tbilisi, around which scandalous rumors still persist. There is an opinion that the temple was erected on the site of an ancient Armenian cemetery. The territory of the ancient necropolis was cemented, and the remains and tombstones were simply disposed of.
The first church on the site of the modern temple appeared in the 6th century. Six centuries later, the first cathedral was built here, named in honor of St. George, who in the middle of the 18th century. replaced by a new building. Today's temple is the result of restoration work in 1910. The inside of the building is decorated with unique fresco paintings.
Caravanserai Atsruni
The oldest “shopping center” in Tbilisi was built in 1818. It housed more than two dozen shops, as well as numerous warehouses. Today, in the building of the caravanserai there is a modest museum exhibition that introduces guests to the history of the city. The rest of the area, as before, is occupied by retail outlets.
Botanical Garden
A reserve with rare and exotic plant species appeared in Tbilisi at the end of the 19th century. Today the garden area is 128 hectares, on which more than three and a half thousand representatives of the world of flora grow. There are convenient paths on its territory, and there are several artificial reservoirs. Those who wish can take a break and relax on the benches located in different parts of this unique park.
A 156-meter suspension bridge over the Kura River connects the Old City with the areas of modern Tbilisi. In the evenings, incredible transformations occur with the structure. A multi-level lighting system turns the building into a fantastic installation, shimmering with a million colorful lights.
Food and drinks: what to try in Tbilisi and where to do it best
Hiking, trips, excursions and outdoor recreation - all this satisfies cultural hunger, but, unfortunately, does not fill the stomach. But local cafes cope well with this problem. Traditional dishes of Tbilisi, which can be ordered in any establishment, from a tiny eatery to a high-status restaurant, are khachapuri and khinkali flatbread.
There are many catering outlets in the Georgian capital, but not all of them deserve the authority of visitors. Among the locals, for example, the Kakhelebi restaurant is very popular. The small establishment is famous for its aromatic pastries and huge portions. Don’t be confused by the fact that the restaurant is quite small: the food here is excellent. Celebrities also like to visit Kakhelebi, so don’t be surprised if a “face from the cover” flashes at the next table. Excellent national cuisine and an amazing atmosphere await travelers at Gabriadze Cafe.
You can try traditional Georgian dishes prepared according to 19th century recipes at Barbarestan. The establishment is interesting for its authentic interior and high quality service. For a pleasant pastime, it is recommended to go to Tsiskvili. The restaurant with an interesting menu, intricate interior and rich entertainment program is located away from the city center, on Beliashvili Street.
Having lunch in a Tbilisi restaurant and not ordering wine is a sign of bad manners, especially since the wines here are truly wonderful. And if the drink is also served in a clay bottle, you can assume that you have chosen the right establishment. Although it is better to get acquainted with the local wine list in special cellars, like “Vinoground” or g.Vino. You can eat “cheap and cheerful” in the so-called dukhans - small taverns that the residents of Tbilisi themselves adore. You shouldn’t expect a special atmosphere from such establishments, but here you can try real home cooking: simple and satisfying.
An option for those who want not only delicacies, but also live communication is the Deserter Market. Stroll around the grocery aisles, gaze at the delicious pyramids of churchkhela, mountains of candied fruits, cheeses, nuts and spices, and then buy what you like. By the way, it’s not forbidden to try a product “by heart” and bargain, so don’t be shy!
Shopping
Rarely will a tourist allow himself to return from a trip without gifts and souvenirs, especially since it is incredibly difficult to refuse shopping in Tbilisi. For standard shopping, large shopping centers, for example, East Point or Tbilisi Mall, are suitable. There are enough boutiques of European brands in the city. Their prices are usually inflated, so it is worth shopping only during seasonal sales.
Those who are interested in authentic souvenirs can take a stroll through the flea market near the Dry Bridge. It’s easy to get hold of unusual interior items, antique icons or ancient Georgian daggers (which in fact may not be that old). An interesting souvenir shop is located on Rustaveli Street. The quality of the goods in the shop differs significantly from market “analogues”, as do the prices.
You shouldn't leave Tbilisi without taking a couple of bottles of wine with you. To avoid possible disappointments, buy the drink in specialized stores, some of which are located on the street. Leselidze. Lovers of national jewelry are recommended to visit the Tbilisi Gold Exchange. This is where you can find the famous minankari. Well, for those who are concerned about searching for an original carpet, the direct route is to Caucasian Carpets Gallery.
Where to stay in Tbilisi
The issue of housing in Tbilisi is easily resolved. If your travel budget is unlimited, then you can afford a luxurious holiday in five-star hotels such as Ambassadori, Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi, Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel. A standard double room will cost from 415 to 540 GEL/day. For those looking for more modest offers, three-star options await you: Flamingo Group Hotel, Rustaveli Hotel, Diamond Hotel. The cost of a double room in such places ranges from 62-125 GEL. Those who like reasonable savings will have to choose hostels and guest houses, like Envoy Hostel, Guest House Chubini, Blue Palm, etc.
Sometimes travelers prefer not to waste time searching for a suitable hotel and simply rent housing from the local population (an entire apartment or a room). This option has its advantages: you can always bargain with the owner of the house and lower the price a little.
When choosing a place to stay, it is worth considering that in Tbilisi, as in any other tourist place, the most expensive housing is located in the historical center of the city. Sometimes the price of a hotel room even includes a beautiful view from the balcony. At the same time, a room with windows facing the courtyard will cost significantly less.
Transport
Tbilisi has its own metro, which has two lines. To use its services, you will have to get a Metromoney smart card and, if necessary, top up its balance. The second common type of local transport is buses and minibuses. You can board the first ones at official stops, but minibuses will have to be stopped by yourself, with a wave of your hand. The main thing is to have time to do this in advance, before the car rushes past you.
In Tbilisi, the names of all bus stops and metro stations are written strictly in Georgian, without Russian transcription. So, when going on an independent trip around the city, it is better to check the route with local residents. The second option is to first learn the Georgian alphabet.
An option for those who can afford to fork out a little is a taxi. By the way, it is not customary here to equip your car with a meter, so it is better to agree on payment in advance. Feel free to bargain and argue: most of the drivers are local residents who simply earn extra money as a private driver.
Travelers who do not want to depend on city transport can rent a car. The service is provided by several rental companies (Geo Rent Car, Avis, Hertz, Luxury Car Rental), whose offices are located at the airport, as well as in large hotels. On average, renting a car will cost from 116 GEL. By the way, traffic jams in Tbilisi are a common phenomenon, and parking is mostly paid (2-3 GEL/day).
To get acquainted with the picturesque views from Mount Mtatsminda, it is better to take the funicular. This vehicle appeared in Tbilisi back in 1903 and is a unique landmark of the city.
How to get there
There are two ways to get to the capital of Georgia - by plane and by bus. Tbilisi is connected to Moscow by regular direct flights from Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo. Transportation is carried out by Georgian Airways, Aeroflot and S7. On average, the flight takes just over two and a half hours.
Connecting flights (with transfers) are offered by Russian S7, Latvian Air Baltic, Greek Ellinair and Belarusian Belavia. You can go to Tbilisi not only from Moscow, but also from St. Petersburg. Departures from the Northern capital are carried out by Aeroflot, LOT Polish Airlines, Belavia and S7. Travel time is 6 hours or more.
Once a week a bus leaves from Moscow to Tbilisi. The trip takes about 36 hours excluding stops.
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However, the soul of Tbilisi inhabits the Old Town. Walking along it, you will feel the charm of quiet squares and sun-drenched alleys, admire picturesque houses with terraces covered with grapes, see ancient monasteries and ruins of ancient buildings. Having visited Tbilisi at least once, it is impossible not to leave a piece of your soul here, and this city will certainly remain in your memory forever.
How to get to Tbilisi
Today, Tbilisi can only be reached from Russian cities by plane or bus (in the warm season) - both train and ferry connections via Batumi have been discontinued. You can find inexpensive tickets to Tbilisi using the form below. All planes arrive at Tbilisi International Airport.
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Transfers in Tbilisi
Show transfers from Tbilisi| Tbilisi | from 902 p. | |||
| Tbilisi Airport | Tbilisi | from 1224 p. | ||
| Mtskheta | Tbilisi | from 1675 p. | ||
| Red Bridge | Tbilisi | from 2835 p. | ||
| Marneuli | Tbilisi | from 2835 p. | ||
| Gudauri | Tbilisi | from 3994 p. | ||
| Sighnaghi | Tbilisi | from 4059 p. | ||
| Lopota Telavi | Tbilisi | from 4059 p. | ||
| Telavi | Tbilisi | from 4187 p. | ||
| Napareuli | Tbilisi | from 4445 p. | ||
| Heretiskari | Tbilisi | from 4445 p. | ||
| Ganisi | Tbilisi | from 4509 p. | ||
| Stepantsminda | Tbilisi | from 4832 p. | ||
| Sno | Tbilisi | from 4832 p. | ||
| Borjomi | Tbilisi | from 4832 p. | ||
| Bakuriani | Tbilisi | from 5605 p. | ||
| Eniseli | Tbilisi | from 5669 p. | ||
| Surami | Tbilisi | from 5669 p. | ||
| Sevan | Tbilisi | from 6442 p. | ||
| Kutaisi | Tbilisi | from 6442 p. | ||
| Kutaisi | Tbilisi | from 6764 p. | ||
| Gyumri Shirak Airport | Tbilisi | from 6893 p. | ||
| Gyumri | Tbilisi | from 6893 p. | ||
| Yerevan Airport “Zvartnots” | Tbilisi | from 7280 p. | ||
| Ganja | Tbilisi | from 7280 p. | ||
| Tsakhkadzor | Tbilisi | from 7280 p. | ||
| Yerevan | Tbilisi | from 7280 p. | ||
| Akhaltsikhe | Tbilisi | from 7280 p. | ||
| Chkalovka | Tbilisi | from 7280 p. | ||
| Dilijan | Tbilisi | from 7280 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | from 7280 p. | |||
| Naftalan | Tbilisi | from 7988 p. | ||
| Tskaltubo | Tbilisi | from 8053 p. | ||
| By the river | Tbilisi | from 8053 p. | ||
| Sairme | Tbilisi | from 8053 p. | ||
| Vardzia | Tbilisi | from 8890 p. | ||
| Makhinjauri | Tbilisi | from 8890 p. | ||
| Kobuleti | Tbilisi | from 8890 p. | ||
| Gogasheni | Tbilisi | from 9148 p. | ||
| Batumi railway station Central | Tbilisi | from 9277 p. | ||
| Zugdidi | Tbilisi | from 9277 p. | ||
| Batumi | Tbilisi | from 9277 p. | ||
| Batumi Airport "Chorokh" | Tbilisi | from 9277 p. | ||
| Gonio | Tbilisi | from 9663 p. | ||
| Kvariati | Tbilisi | from 11274 p. | ||
| Anaklia | Tbilisi | from 11274 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | from 12047 p. | |||
| Sheki | Tbilisi | from 12111 p. | ||
| Vanadzor | Tbilisi | from 12111 p. | ||
| Tapatah | Tbilisi | from 12111 p. | ||
| Gabala | Tbilisi | from 16105 p. | ||
| Baku | Tbilisi | from 17716 p. | ||
| Omalo | Tbilisi | from 35174 p. |
| Tbilisi | Tbilisi Railway Station | from 902 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Tbilisi Airport | from 1224 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Mtskheta | from 1675 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Red Bridge | from 2835 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Marneuli | from 2835 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Gudauri | from 3994 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Sighnaghi | from 4059 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Lopota Telavi | from 4059 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Telavi | from 4187 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Napareuli | from 4445 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Heretiskari | from 4445 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Ganisi | from 4509 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Stepantsminda | from 4832 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Sno | from 4832 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Borjomi | from 4832 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Bakuriani | from 5605 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Eniseli | from 5669 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Surami | from 5669 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Kutaisi | from 6442 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Sevan | from 6442 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Kutaisi | from 6764 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Gyumri Shirak Airport | from 6893 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Gyumri | from 6893 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Yerevan Airport “Zvartnots” | from 7280 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Yerevan | from 7280 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Tsakhkadzor | from 7280 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Chkalovka | from 7280 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Ganja | from 7280 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Akhaltsikhe | from 7280 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Dilijan | from 7280 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Yerevan Railway Station | from 7280 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Naftalan | from 7988 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | By the river | from 8053 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Tskaltubo | from 8053 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Sairme | from 8053 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Vardzia | from 8890 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Kobuleti | from 8890 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Makhinjauri | from 8890 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Gogasheni | from 9148 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Batumi railway station Central | from 9277 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Zugdidi | from 9277 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Batumi Airport "Chorokh" | from 9277 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Batumi | from 9277 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Gonio | from 9663 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Kvariati | from 11274 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Anaklia | from 11274 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Baku Airport named after Heydar Aliyev | from 12047 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Sheki | from 12111 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Tapatah | from 12111 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Vanadzor | from 12111 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Mineralnye Vody Airport | from 16105 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Mineral water | from 16105 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Gabala | from 16105 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Baku | from 17716 p. | ||
| Tbilisi | Omalo | from 35174 p. |
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Climate and weather in Tbilisi
Weather forecast
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Weather in Tbilisi by month
| Temperature day, °C |
Temperature at night, °C |
Quantity precipitation, mm |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 2 | 16.3 | |
| 8 | 4 | 12.8 | |
| — | — | 38.4 | |
| — | — | 33.1 | |
| — | — | 46.5 | |
| — | — | 24.4 | |
| 31 | 24 | 20.3 | |
| 27 | 22 | 32.9 | |
| 24 | 19 | 20.1 | |
| 18 | 14 | 31.9 | |
| 10 | 7 | 26.2 | |
| 6 | 4 | 14.8 |
Reviews by month
| January 7 February 4 March 40 | April 25 May 35 June 27 | July 25 August 18 September 47 | October 28 November 5 December 5 |
Transport
Upon arrival in Tbilisi, tourists can move around the city in several ways: by metro, by bus, by taxi or on their own by renting a car. It will be much easier for guests of the Georgian capital to find their way if they visit the website of the Tbilisi transport company Ttc.com.ge. Here you can view the bus schedule, learn about their routes, see the metro map and find out how much specific transport services cost.
This is not just a historical center, but the soul of the city, so I recommend you go here first.
Old Tbilisi is a very small area, but don’t think that you will have time to explore everything in a couple of hours. It is so rich that you can safely spend the whole day walking along its narrow and winding streets. It is here that all the main attractions are located, such as the Narikala fortress, Freedom Square, sulfur baths, Sioni Cathedral, the medieval churches of Metekhi and Anchiskhati, the puppet theater and many other interesting places.
How the city appeared
Tbilisi was founded by King Vakhtang Gorgasal in the 5th century AD. e., and in the 6th century it already became the capital of Georgia. At that time, the city was surrounded by a fortress wall, fragments of which can still be found on its streets. The wall ran along the embankment, along the current Baratashvili Avenue, st. Pushkin, through Freedom Square on the street. Dadiani, climbed the Sololaki ridge, there it adjoined the Narikala fortress, and then descended again to the embankment. It was built to protect the city and its inhabitants. A diagram of the former location of the fortress wall, as well as the boundaries of the old city, can be seen on the map. Everything that was inside this ring is Old Tbilisi, which will be discussed further.
Streets of Old Tbilisi
It was in this area that the first streets and buildings appeared. Here began the history of the city of Tbilisi, in which I have been happily living for a year now and invite everyone to come and walk through these wonderful places. The streets are mostly narrow and winding, retaining the features of medieval buildings.
The entire area is a complex network of streets and alleys, where they merge, end, lead to dead ends, force you to find yourself in completely unexpected places and sometimes resemble real labyrinths. Just take a look at the map and you'll see what I'm talking about.
Wandering through them is a great pleasure and a whole adventure every time. It's always difficult to predict where they might lead. There are several main streets in the old city that are easy to navigate and convenient to move around. That’s exactly what I’ll tell you about.
St. Kote Abkhazi (formerly Leselizde)
The main and longest street of the old city, which diagonally crosses it almost from beginning to end. It starts from Freedom Square and stretches to Vakhtang Gorgasali Square (another name is “Tatar Meydan”). Once upon a time, this street had shopping arcades and workshops on both sides. It was the center of the trade and craft life of the city and was called the “Armenian Bazaar”.
In Soviet times, it was renamed in honor of General Konstantin Leselizde, and in 2006 to the street. Kote Abkhazia. The last time was not very successful, and the name did not stick. So all local residents, including taxi drivers, know her as Leselidze. By the way, his monument stands in a small park approximately in the middle of the street.
The spirit of trade in this place has survived to this day. You, of course, will no longer buy a cow or horse here, but if you are looking for souvenirs, wine, churchkhela, or want to change currency, then you have come to the right place. In addition to shops, on Leselizda you will find cafes, restaurants, wine shops and hotels. Keep in mind that the street is touristy and so are the prices. All the same things can be found cheaper, but in more remote parts of the city. In general, the street is very busy, there are always a lot of people and something going on.
St. Shardeni, st. Bambis Rigi, st. Rkinis Rigi
These are the most “cafe and restaurant” streets in the city. In addition to cafes, you can find nightclubs, fashion boutiques of modern Georgian designers, jewelry stores and galleries. All of them are located between the street. Leselidze, the embankment of the Kura River and form a network of pedestrian streets.
It's very easy to reach them. You need to turn off Leselidze Street, walk through the cozy Sioni Square (admire the monument to the famous Georgian actress Sofiko Chiaureli there) and go to the intersection of four streets, in the center of which sits a very interesting bronze sculpture of a toastmaster with a horn in his hands. This is a copy of an ancient archaeological find, which proves that the tradition of drinking wine from a horn in Georgia was back in the 7th century BC!
Having held onto the Toastmaster's horn for good luck, you can move on, and here you will have to make a difficult choice. Because your eyes run wild and your legs don’t know which way to go. Stand next to the toastmaster and look in the same direction as the monument.
So, you have a choice: turn right onto the famous Shardeni, go straight to the Cotton Rows and meet the concrete Parajanov flying out of the wall, or turn left towards the ancient Sioni Temple. You can also go through a narrow gap between the houses called Green Row. Take a closer look, it's hard to notice at first.
The most popular among these streets is Chardeni, which is sometimes compared to the streets of Paris. It is named after the French traveler and writer Jean Chardin, who visited Tbilisi in 1672 and left a description of it. You can also get to it from Gorgasali Square (Meydan). In some places it is so narrow that it is difficult to squeeze between all this heap of tables and decorations. The street got its old name – Dark Rows – because of the arches that blocked out the sunlight. There were rows of merchants and artisans there. The neighboring Vatnaya Street is so called because there were rows of merchants selling cotton wool, fabrics and yarn.
st. Sioni
The entrance to it is all from the same intersection where the toastmaster sits. The old name is Oruzheynaya Street, because in past centuries gunsmiths lived here. It was also known for the main money changers located here, which replaced modern banks, and the only post office in the city. The street received its current name in honor of the Zion Cathedral, which is located right there. Next to the cathedral there is a 3-story building of the Tbilisi History Museum. And a little further there is a very colorful store with traditional handmade carpets. If you find yourself in Sioni and want to have a snack, I recommend stopping by the bakery. This basement room with an inconspicuous sign in Georgian and divine pastries is located right next to the park. I always buy Georgian national bread “shoti” and lobiani here.
st. Irakli II
Another cozy pedestrian cafe-gallery street, which you can get to from Sioni or turn off from Leselidze. It differs from Shardeni by the presence of live music in the evenings and the absence of nightclubs. I note that it is Irakli II who leads to the famous glass bridge of Friendship.
st. Ioana Shavteli
No less beautiful and unique street than all those described above. You can get there from the street. Irakli II, if you go straight, without turning onto the glass bridge, or enter from Baratashvili Avenue. On this street there is the residence of the Patriarch of Georgia, a store with jewelry made from the well-known Georgian cloisonne enamel, several very cozy cafes, hostels and the legendary tower of the Rezo Gabriadze puppet theater. Often during the day you can find artists selling paintings here. And it is also here that the oldest building in Tbilisi that has survived to this day is located - the Anchiskhati Church. I recommend that you plan your route so that you arrive at the theater at 12.00 or 19.00. You will be able to see how the door opens in the tower and a small puppet show “Circle of Life” is played out.
Nikoloz Baratashvili Ave.
On this avenue the old city ends and the Mtatsminda district of later development begins. Once upon a time, instead of a street, there was a Sololaki ravine, which was also a fortress moat to strengthen the defense. Then it was filled up and Fortress Boulevard appeared, which was later renamed Mukhranskaya Street. It led to the Mukhrani Bridge. The bridge was dismantled in 1966, a new one was erected and named after the famous Georgian poet Baratashvili. Following him, the name of the street also changed, which by that time had been greatly expanded and turned into an avenue. And at the same time they found the remains of the fortress wall. The wall was reconstructed and built to its intended height. If you look at it carefully, you can clearly see the original, preserved part of the wall and its newly erected part. You can fantasize a little and imagine how it went around the entire old Tbilisi and protected residents from endless enemy raids. In addition to the fortress wall, on this street you can find houses with beautiful carved balconies and many interesting sculptures: a monument to the philosopher Ioan Petrizzi, the architect Shota Kavlashvili (who, in fact, restored this entire street), a janitor from a painting by Niko Pirosmani, a lantern lighter, a sculptural group, dancing Berikaoba. An important practical function of an avenue is that it is a logistics hub. This is the final stop for many buses and you can go to almost anywhere in the city. And on the other side of the avenue there is a small spontaneous market, where there are always very reasonable prices for fruits and churchkhela.
st. Pushkin
It starts at Freedom Square and smoothly flows into Baratashvili Ave. Like the avenue, it is the border between the old city and the Mtatsminda district, and on it you can also find the remains of a fortress wall. It was named in honor of Alexander Sergeevich, because he lived here in 1829 in house No. 5, which unfortunately has not survived. This is a very short street, but you can also find several interesting and useful establishments on it. For example, a souvenir shop, several cafes, a bar popular among local and non-local youth, and also a store with an interesting selection of cheeses. A small square on this street is also named after Pushkin, where you can go to the information center, drink water from the fountain or buy something from second-hand booksellers.
st. Shalva Dadiani
A small street leading from Freedom Square to the street. Asatiani. It will interest those who like to eat tasty and cheap food. First, we go to the intersection with Lermontov Street, here is the famous “Racha” dukhan. The room with round brick ceilings resembles either a wine cellar or a castle basement. From the room with tables you can watch through the windows what is happening in the kitchen. The menu is in Georgian, but do not hesitate to ask the luxurious and buxom barmaid what they are serving today. The next must-visit establishment is the khinkal restaurant “Veliaminov”. They say that it was here that the main khinkal of the city was located. The secret is that there are three establishments on the street with the same name “Veliaminov” and they are all located next door. Check out all three and stay in the one with the most locals. Even if all the tables are occupied, it is better to wait. Because this will probably be the same khinkal one. In addition to the places already listed, on Dadiani you will find several more cafes, karaoke, a small art museum and a shop with antique books.
st. Botanical
Starts from the embankment in the Abanotubani quarter, very close to the sulfur baths. A leads to the main entrance to the Botanical Garden, hence its name. You can also climb the Narikala fortress along this street if you turn right towards the end. And if you turn left near the mosque, you can wander through the narrow and cozy labyrinths of this quarter and even go out onto a spiral staircase descending into the canyon leading to the waterfall. Botanicheskaya Street is one of the first streets in the city. It is likely that it appeared back in the 5th century, because The development of the city began right from here, from the Abanotubani region.
What's the picwatch
Of course, the sights that abound in the old town area. Climb the Narikala Fortress for a breathtaking view of the entire old part. Walk along the stone roofs of the sulfur baths, walk to the waterfall through a real gorge. Take a break from the bustle of the city in the botanical garden. Take a look at the ancient temples and cathedrals, there are a lot of them: Sioni, Anchiskhati, Metekhi, the Church of St. Nicholas on the territory of Narikala, Upper and Lower Bethlehem temples. And right there in the old city, within a 5-minute walk from each other, you can find a Muslim mosque, a synagogue and an Armenian temple. Walk through two main, but completely different squares of the old city: Freedom Square and Vakhtang Gorgasali Square.
Things to do
Walk, walk and walk again. Along ancient streets, public gardens, squares, hills, gorges. Look into every courtyard and front door, pay attention to the bas-reliefs of buildings, stucco molding, wooden doors, spiral staircases and carved balconies. They are all unique and inimitable. And when you get tired, stop to try famous Georgian dishes in one of the cozy cafes. They are concentrated on Leselidze, Shardeni, Irakli II, Dadiani streets, near the sulfur baths, on Meydan.
And now it’s time to go buy wine on Leselidze Street. Last time I counted as many as 12 (!) wine shops here, where they will not only tell you everything about Georgian wine, but will also conduct a free tasting. And finally, you can buy souvenirs and gifts right there on Leselidze or Gorgasala Square. You can also go looking for them in the underground Meidan Bazaar, which is located under the square.
- Follow the metal circles with the image of a pheasant (the symbol of Tbilisi) embedded in the asphalt every few meters. These are specially compiled tourist routes, they will not let you get lost and miss something interesting.
- Wear only comfortable shoes when walking. Fashionable heels are best left at home for a more appropriate occasion. The area is hilly, most of the streets are paved with paving stones.
- If you are still tired and decide to take a taxi, in the old city it should cost about $1 (2-3 lari). Taxi drivers in, as throughout the world, are enterprising people. Therefore, they may well ask you $10 or more. Feel free to say “ara-ara. Sami lari,” which translates to “no, no. Three lari." Or just go to the next car.
- Don't hesitate to reach out to people. If you need to go somewhere, find something, buy good tomatoes, or find out anything, put a smartphone with Google in your pocket and feel free to ask passers-by. There is a high chance of not only getting a lot more useful information, but also making good friends. Very friendly people with a broad soul live in Georgia. You should check this out for yourself.
- About the language barrier. In principle, there is none. We can say that the following rule applies: people over 25 speak Russian, because... learned it at school, people under 25 speak English. This rule is not without exceptions, of course, but in general it works. I have been living quite comfortably in Georgia for a year now without knowing Georgian.
- Be carefull. It’s easy to fall in love with Georgia and want to stay here forever.
I wish you a great time in old Tbilisi, getting to know, feel and love this place just like I do.