The territory of tbilisi. Gamardzhobat, Tbilisi! Fascinating journey to the ancient capital of Georgia
Tbilisi is the largest city in Georgia, its capital. It is not easy to describe him - he has too many characteristics and epithets. This is a very ancient, beautiful, with a complicated history, surprisingly cozy city, lurking in itself a huge number of attractions and historical places.
The whole look of the city, its layout, architecture, cultural objects - this is a kind of mosaic, from which in parts you can collect a picture that is amazing in eclecticism and atmosphere.
City of contrasts and colors
There is not a single Georgian who would not be proud of the beauty and antiquity of his capital. It is believed that calculus of the history of Tbilisi begins in the 5th century A.D. and it was founded by King Vakhtang Gorgasali. The name, according to an ancient legend, came from the word “Tbili”, which in Georgian means “warm”. In ancient times, the territory of these places was covered with dense forest, in which the king hunted. One day, the game shot by the hunter fell into the water and literally cooked before his eyes.
Realizing the value of thermal springs and the advantageous geographical location of this amazing place, King Vakhtang I decided to found a city and give it the name Tbilisi - “warm spring”. Until mid-1936, he was called Tiflis, under this name appeared in Greek literature.
The place where it is located is also unusual - in fact, the capital stands at the intersection of Europe and Asia and the Kura River crosses its entire length. This determines the unique flavor of the city, an incredible mixture of styles, the proximity of European and Eastern traditions.
Today, the first thing that catches your eye is the urban landscape, represented by an incredible variety of facades of houses and buildings, often completely contradicting each other. The unique architecture is due to the fact that in different historical epochs the city was ruled by representatives of other states - Arabs, Tatars, Persians. In addition, according to the testimony of numerous historians and writers, in the 18th century, despite the fact that it was the capital of Georgia, they were the largest ethnic group in the city.
They accounted for more than 2/3 of the population of the city, and at the beginning of the 19th century their number was approaching 90%. This happened as a result of the defeat of the area and the extermination of its Georgian inhabitants by the Persian king Aga-Mohammed Khan in 1795. Another nationality, which constitutes a significant part of the population, at different times, up to 30%, were Russians.
And also here lived Azerbaijanis, Turks, Greeks,. Only from the middle of the XIX century, as a result of migration flows, the proportion of ethnic Georgians here began to increase steadily, and now makes up about 90% of the population.
All these circumstances could not but affect the appearance of the Georgian capital, because each time the city architecture was filled with new forms and elements inherent in the culture of the conquering people. For the history of the Georgian nation, these were most often difficult and even tragic pages. In 1795, the city was actually burned to the ground by the Iranians, by 1801 only a few streets remained from it.
The oldest artifacts of the Old Town
The antiquity and unique character of Tbilisi are visible even in the photo. But a lively walk along the countless picturesque streets of the Old City makes it possible to soak up the special mood and spirit that sets it apart from all other capitals of the world.
Old Tbilisi is called that part of the city that is within the surviving fragments of the walls of the Narikala fortress. The central part is Meydan Square. This is a real concentrate of the richest and most diverse, it is also called the “area of \u200b\u200bfive churches”, because in this area, among other things, the most important temples of the main religions are closely adjacent.
The most significant sights of Tbilisi:
- Narikala fortress is one of the symbols of the city. This is a defensive citadel, built on top of the rock of the Sololaksky Range and towering over the whole city. According to some reports, the fortress was built by the Persians even before the foundation of the city of Tiflis, long before the arrival of Vakhtang I. And the latest archaeological finds during excavations under the fortress indicate that there was a palace and baths at this place even earlier - in the I-II century A.D. .
The fortress was almost impregnable, it is believed that in the entire history of its existence, no one was able to take it by storm. Today, fragments of the walls of the fortress, descending to the Kura River, the Upper Fortress and the remains of the Lower City, whose bastions were destroyed in the 19th century, have been preserved.
- Sulfur baths are undoubtedly one of the most important and favorite attractions of the capital. Legends literally go about them, the most important of which is that Tbilisi appeared thanks to them. Now this oldest district is called "Abanotubani".
Structurally, sulfur baths almost completely repeat Roman baths, they do not have only rooms for heating water. They simply are not required - healing water that spills from under the ground can reach a temperature of 50-70 degrees Celsius!
In the Middle Ages, baths were built in the Persian tradition - with roofs resembling domes that have survived to this day. In the heyday of the bathhouse culture, their number exceeded 60 units, they worked around the clock and cost very modestly. The most famous surviving baths, which are still valid today, are the VIP Bath, Bath No. 5, the Royal Bath and the Orbelian Bath.
The healing process of visiting the bath consists in taking a hydrogen sulfide bath for the recommended 15-20 minutes, after which the attendants rub your body with a special hard gauntlet, and then massage using a pillowcase filled with soap balls. A very plentiful foam is formed, which not only cleanses the skin, but also gives a lot of pleasant sensations. After the procedures, rinse with hot water and, if desired, use the services of a classic oil massage.
- Church of St. Nicholas - is located inside the Narikala fortress on Mount Mtatsminda. The exact date of the construction of the Temple is not known for certain, it is considered that this is the XII century. By the middle of the XIX century, the church was completely destroyed. It began to be restored only after many years - by 2004. Only the old foundation was preserved.
- The 1818 Arzruni caravanserai is the oldest surviving building; it now houses the Tbilisi History Museum. Previously, there was a kind of inn there - with dozens of hotel rooms, stables, tavernas and shops.
- Sioni Cathedral - until recently, was the main temple of the capital, it contains the cross of St. Nino, with which she brought Christianity to Georgia. It began to be erected in the VI century, it was repeatedly destroyed by Muslim conquerors - Arabs in the VII century, Khorezmians in the XIII century, Persians in the XVI and XVII centuries. In addition, it was significantly damaged by an earthquake in 1668, and by a fire in 1795. The temple was restored and restored at different periods of history, and now it is an unusual combination of various modern and more ancient elements.
- Anchiskhati Temple - Temple of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the oldest temple in the city and the second oldest in all of Georgia. It was built in the middle of the 1st century AD, the son of Vakhtang I, Dacha Gorgasali. The temple survived the invasions of the Byzantines, Arabs, and Mongols without significant losses for their appearance. This can be explained by its low significance for the time. Several times it was renovated and some elements were completed on the orders of the Georgian patriarch Catholicos Domenius in 1675, and the years of Soviet rule in the 1960s.
- The Armenian churches Surb Gevork, Surb Gevork Mugni and the largest of them, Norashen - Armenian Gregorian Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin. It is assumed that Norashen was built around the XV-XVI century by the Armenian Sadat. Subsequently, it was also subjected to modifications several times, and to our time has preserved the architecture characteristic of the XVIII century.
Since the beginning of the 1990s, when the churches began to be returned to the communities before the collapse of the USSR, a serious conflict arose between this church between the Georgian Orthodox and Armenian Gregorian churches. Each of these denominations considers the temple to be its own and wants to take it to itself for services. At the moment, the issue is not resolved, the temple is not working, it is being renovated.
- The Juma Mosque is today the only Islamic temple built in the 18th century according to the sketch of the Italian architect Giovanni Skudieri. The mosque is not like any other in the world; it combines elements of the Gothic Revival and traditional oriental elements. Today, representatives of two Islamic directions come to pray in it - Shiites, and until 1996 they were separated from each other by a special screen.
- Two operating synagogues are the Akhaltsikhe synagogue, built on the money of Georgian Sephardic Jews from Akhaltsikhe. And the synagogue of Ashkenazi Jews, immigrants from Russia. Both of them were built in the late 19th-early 20th centuries.
To list all the temples and historically significant buildings on the territory of Meydan and the Old City is a difficult task. In addition to those designated by us, there is also a museum of Jewish culture, the Museum of History, Kolkhoz Square, Palace Square, Khlebnaya Square, Gudiashvili Square, Pushkin Square, St. George’s Church, Ashtag’s Fire Temple, the Monastery of 40 Sebastian Martyrs, the Holy Virgin’s Monastery Stephen’s Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem (Upper Betania), where according to legend, the mother of Vakhtang Gorgasali is buried.
In the old part of the city is also located Mother Kartli - a statue of Mother of Georgia, built in honor of the 1500th anniversary of Tbilisi, in 1958. The monument, 20 meters high, was originally wooden; after 5 years it was replaced with an aluminum version. After the collapse of the USSR, in the early 90s the statue was modernized, changing some details of the dress and headgear. Mother Georgia combines, indicated by a cup filled with wine for friends, and militancy for enemies, which is symbolized by the sword in her hand.
In this part of the city is also located Tbilisi National, created on the basis of the royal gardens in the middle of the 19th century. It covers an area of \u200b\u200babout 130 hectares, the Tsavkitsiscali River with a beautiful waterfall flows on its territory, 3 bridges are thrown across it.
Getting to the old town is very convenient by cable car. It is quite short, but it saves a lot of energy and energy for tourists and locals who decide to wander along the streets of Narikala and its environs. In addition, a truly breathtaking view of the city opens up from a bird's eye view; it is beautiful both day and night.
Street life of a hospitable capital
The streets of Tbilisi are full of people, small companies always sit at shops, hairdressers, in small cafes. The most important value for the locals is communication. Now the population is not more than 1.5 million people, but, despite the rather impressive figure, almost everyone in the city knows each other, or friends of each other. In general, this is a distinctive feature of Georgians - to be keenly interested in the lives of other people, and to be aware of all the events taking place.
This, incidentally, is partly due to the features of urban architecture. The entire old part of the capital still consists of the so-called "Italian courtyards" - we can say that this is the real heart of the city in which its pulse beats. People live in 2-3-storey private houses on several owners, built in the shape of a square.
Outside, only calm facades are visible, with finishes corresponding to the century in which they were built. There are wooden houses with carved balconies, there are brick houses, typical buildings of the XVIII-XIX centuries. But inside, these houses actually form a closed space, with only a gate and a common courtyard, in which life is in full swing.
The most important unifying factor is the sulfur baths of Tbilisi. In ancient times, they were the focus of all social life in the city. There were friendly gatherings, holidays, even bride's weddings. To find out all the news - you just had to come to the bathhouse.
In fact, little has changed in the mentality of Tbilisi today. They are still very sociable and friendly, with joy and sincerity will help you in any situation. The Russian language is very common here, they love tourists and guests, they will always readily tell you what sights to see, and often even go with you, abandoning all their affairs and spend the most interesting excursion for you personally.
New Tbilisi - a symbiosis of modernity and antiquity
The center of the capital today is very dynamic and modern - the exact opposite of the old narrow streets from the Old Town. One of the most grandiose structures is the Peace Bridge, built on the initiative of President Saakashvili according to the project of the Italian architect Michele de Lucca. The opinion of Tbilisi about this building was divided, some residents are unhappy with its too eccentric and unusual design.
Nevertheless, we must pay tribute - the bridge is very spectacular, especially at night, when it is illuminated by 30 thousand light bulbs and as if soars in the night air. Not far from the Peace Bridge is the Presidential Palace, also built on the initiative of Saakashvili. Nearby are the Theater of Music and Drama and the Exhibition Hall, decorated in the form of two giant pipes.
At the foot of the bridge in the city center lies the modern Rike Park, full of unusual sculptures and installations. The park has a lot of benches and seating for the most incredible shapes. It is nice to relax with the whole family - there are several comfortable and safe playgrounds, an amphitheater for performances by creative groups, a singing and dancing fountain with holograms. A stylish and laconic promenade, from which you can also get to the Peace Bridge, is also part of Rike Park.
Metro stations here also amaze with their modern look. The city acquired a subway under the USSR. The metro consists of two lines and 22 stations. Traveling by metro is one of the most economical and quickest ways to get to the area of \u200b\u200bTbilisi you need.
A lot of useful and interesting information not only about sights, places of rest and prices for various services, but also about how to get to the capital, you can learn from the program “Eagle and Reshka”, one of the releases of which was shot in this beautiful and ancient city.
Objects of culture and art in Tiflis
The museums of Tbilisi are a huge part of it. There are more than 60 of them, small and large, for every taste. Ethnographic, historical, archaeological, house museums, museums of painting and art, and many others.
If you are interested in buying antiques, vintage, painting, as well as objects of art and other rare things, you should definitely visit the Dry Bridge, which can be reached through Lesilidze Avenue. Here, eyes simply run up from the abundance of goods, and all this is piece, rare and sometimes very valuable.
The capital of Georgia is known for its ancient theatrical traditions; there are more than a dozen theaters themselves. Among them are the Georgian Academic Theater named after Marjanishvili, State Academic Theater named after Rustaveli, the oldest Armenian Drama Theater, which is more than 160 years old, the Opera and Ballet Theater, several drama theaters, and others.
Monuments cannot be counted, there are hundreds of them. Each year, the city is decorated with new monuments and sculptures. Among them, of course, the predominant monuments of outstanding public and cultural figures of Georgia from different eras - the founder of the city Vakhtang Gorgasali, the famous poet Shota Rustaveli, King David the Builder, as well as numerous writers, architects, artists,.
Many verses are composed about Tbilisi and many songs are sung, this city is saturated with soulfulness and melody. Any person who has visited this ancient beautiful city will be forever fascinated by its architecture, atmosphere, its character, warmth and dignity.
And at the same time, you don’t have to miss a minute here - Tbilisi is very multifaceted, it is always full of energy and is ready to open from the most unexpected sides. The night city will amaze you with millions of lights, in the light of which everything seems completely different, completely unlike daytime images. Walking here at night is very pleasant and completely safe. Numerous casinos, night clubs, restaurants that will amaze you are often located in old houses, this creates an incredible contrast of the ancient stone walls with streams of fashionable music and bright neon lights.
Be sure to plan a vacation in beautiful Georgia and be sure to visit its ancient capital, the most beautiful of cities. And then you will say “beloved Tbilisi” about this city, and you will certainly come back here to continue to discover its inexhaustible treasures.
How to get to Tbilisi, its environs and areas
The Georgian capital is very welcoming, locals love tourists and are willing to open their hearts to guests - a trip here will be unforgettable. You can get here from Russia in several ways - now regular flights to Tbilisi are made by airplanes and buses. If you drive your own car, you will need to cross the border at the Verkhny Lars checkpoint.
The outskirts of the city are also full of interesting places. For example, the famous city of Mtskheta, in which the main Orthodox shrine of Georgia, the Svetiskhoveli Temple is located, is only forty minutes from the capital. Each guest of the capital is obliged to visit this absolutely unique holy place.
Today it is not difficult to get from the capital to Kakheti - a region unique in its beauty, a center of agriculture and winemaking. From the moment of opening the Gombori Pass, the road from Tbilisi to Kakheti will take no more than 2.5-3 hours
And if you want the sea, then from the capital you can get to the Black Sea coast in 7-8 hours, to the main one - Batumi, or one of its suburbs.
In the heart of the Caucasus Mountains is the city of Tbilisi (until 1936 Tiflis) - the capital of the Republic of Georgia. It is quite difficult to find another capital of the state with the same ancient and rich history on the world map.
According to legend, the city was founded by King Vakhtang Gorgasali. While hunting, the king's falcon grabbed a pheasant and, under the weight of its burden, collapsed into a hot spring. Both birds were boiled in boiling water in no time. After the incident, the king ordered the city to be laid in this unusual place. But pragmatic archaeologists and historians refute this poetic version of the founding of the city and argue that Tbilisi has existed since the 4th century. AD, and this is long before the reign of King Gorgasali. But it remains an undoubted fact that the settlement in this place arose precisely thanks to the warm sulfuric springs, because in translation from Georgian “Tbili” means “warm”.
Tbilisi, like many capitals of the world, is not only the cultural and administrative center of its country, but also one of the largest industrial centers of Georgia. Here are the largest machine-building and metal-working factories in the republic: machine-tool, aviation them. Dimitrov, agricultural machinery, wine-making equipment, iron foundry, etc., as well as enterprises of light and food industries.
Thanks to its versatility, Tbilisi will provide a decent vacation, full of joy and positive emotions, to people of different ages and taste preferences.
Climate
Tbilisi stretches a long narrow strip along the river Chickens (Mtkvari) by Tbilisi Basin almost 30 km, going to the slopes of the nearby mountains. Here you can still feel the influence of the Black Sea, as the ridges of the Greater Caucasus go from west to east, so the climate in this part of Georgia is considered subtropical with long hot summers (air temperature can reach +40 ºС). Winters are mild with an average temperature of about +1 ºС, spring and autumn are warm and rainy. Most precipitation falls from April to June.
Nature
Natural beauty is the pride of the Georgian capital. From almost anywhere in the city you can admire the tops of the mountains, the river Mtkvarisparkling merrily in the sun and carrying its waters through the city. In the warmer months, Tbilisi is literally immersed in greenery and fragrant with the aroma of all kinds of flowers.
In the heart of the city is spread Tbilisi Botanical Garden. In the Middle Ages there were royal gardens, which, after Georgia became part of the Russian Empire, became state property and received the status of the Botanical Garden. A river flows through it Tsavkisisskalidividing the garden into two parts. Several picturesque bridges are thrown across the river, there is a forty-meter waterfall. Amazing plants brought here from all parts of the planet: from North America and Japan, Siberia and China, the Mediterranean and the Himalayas. There is a unique collection of medicinal Georgian plants.
Without going outside the city, you can visit the sea. In the north-east of Tbilisi, adjacent to the Tbilisi National Park, spread Tbilisi Seaor rather, the Tbilisi reservoir 9 km long, created in 1952.
Three kilometers from the city at an altitude of 800 m above sea level is a small Turtle Lakeformed by underground sources. You can get to it by cable car.
And, of course, speaking of the natural features of Tbilisi, one should mention the thermal springs, thanks to which the city appeared. Today this place is a quarter Abanotubani, there are world-famous baths, functioning since the XVI century.
sights
To visit all the most beautiful and interesting places in Tbilisi, you will need to come to this amazing city more than once, and, no doubt, everyone will find a place for their liking.
As a rule, sightseeing in Tbilisi begins with Old town, the historical center of the capital. All of it is built up with two- and three-story houses, twined with a vine. Each house has its own story, funny and sad, fabulous and completely true, which a local resident is ready to tell you with the readiness of a real guide.
In the Old Town on Mount Mtatsminda is located fortress Narikala ("Unapproachable Fortress"), which is considered the soul of Tbilisi. The mountain offers breathtaking views of the city.
From Narikala fortress, a hiking trail leads to the monument “ Kartlis Grandfather”, Which means“ Mother of Georgia ”. Then by a unique one of its kind betlemi Street past temples IX-X centuries. can go down to Zion Cathedralbuilt in the VI-VII centuries. AD The main Christian relic of Georgia, the cross of St. Nina, the enlightener of Georgia, is stored within its walls.
Anchiskhati - The oldest church in Tbilisi, built in the VI century. - got its name in honor of the Anchian icon, deeply respected by Georgian Christians. This is the only building that has been partially preserved almost since the founding of Tbilisi.
One of the main attractions of the city and its symbol is metekhi Temple, formerly the residence of Georgian kings.
Not far from the temple are the famous Tbilisi sulfur baths: Iraklievskaya, Kazennaya, Bebutovskaya and etc.
And, of course, it’s impossible not to look at the main street of the capital - shota Rustaveli Avenue (Georgian poet of the XII century.). Dozens of city sights are located on one street. This and National Museum of Georgia, and church of St. George (Kashueti), and Opera and Ballet Theatre, and much more.
Nutrition
On the streets of Tbilisi you can find restaurants with cuisine of many countries of the world: from Chinese and Indian to French and Italian. But, of course, nothing compares to a true Georgian restaurant in the heart of the country.
Georgian cuisine is replete with all kinds of dishes: ojahuri, khinkali, khachapuri, kuchmachi, phali, kubdari and other tasty, but not entirely clear names. Hospitable waiters will help to understand all their diversity and choose something exactly to your taste. Many restaurants sound national songs, dance groups perform.
Breakfast on the terrace of the restaurant In the shadow of Metekhi”, From where you can admire the Narikala fortress and the Old Town, will set the tourist in the right mood for a fruitful walk around the city. After starving, you can have a bite to eat at fast food restaurants " Shemoikhede Genatsvale". Khinkali lovers should definitely go to " Khinkali House"On Rustaveli Ave.
In addition to all kinds of restaurants, cafes and bars, you can easily sit, drink tea and "digest" everything you see in small teahouses, and on a hot day, be sure to treat yourself to the most delicious ice cream in the city in an institution Luca polare ("Polar bear").
Residence
Tbilisi hotels offer their guests rooms of various comforts and price categories (from 25 to 370 $ per day). Large hotels are Astoria, Holiday Inn, Grand Hotel, Betsy "s Hotel and etc.
More than 60 hostels are open today for tourists in Tbilisi. The cost of living there ranges from 8 to 25 $ per day.
You can also rent an apartment at any end of the city. The cost of renting apartments is from $ 35.
Fun and relaxation
Tbilisi has a huge number of museums and exhibition halls. The oldest Georgian art is the creation of cloisonne enamel jewelry. Museum of Art keeps the richest collection of these jewelry. The museum’s treasures also include the cross of Queen Tamara and the famous Anchian icon. A true repository of objects of Caucasian culture is State Museum of Georgia. Silk museum also attract the attention of anyone who knows how to appreciate the beautiful.
Tbilisi loves the theater. Musical performances of Tbilisi troupes are very popular all over the world.
With children you can go to aquapark or visit children's mziuri townwhere the frozen heroes of the works of Nodar Dumbadze live.
Night clubs ( Beatles Club, Roxanne, City Club etc.) and bars that work until the last client leaves, will conquer night lovers.
Purchases
In almost all major stores, hotels and restaurants in Tbilisi you can pay by credit card.
There are few supermarkets in the old part of the city, but in various corners of narrow winding streets there are nice little shops hiding bread, cheese, greens, wine for bottling and much more.
When leaving the city, do not forget about the need to stock up with all kinds of Georgian gifts for yourself and your loved ones. Cloisonne enamel jewelry can be bought at Rustaveli Ave., as in specialized stores ( Makhalaki, Presents and Souvenirs), in the halls of hotels Marriott and Radisson, and in an open market where you can bargain. Real Georgian wine is available in stores. Benjamin’sand Vinoteca. For paintings and souvenirs worth a trip to Dry bridge. The best spices, Georgian cheese, churchkhela and sauces are sold at " Desertion»The bazaar.
Transport
You can travel around Tbilisi by bus, minibus, metro and taxi.
Payment for a bus, minibus and metro is done using a special card - metromani. In buses and minibuses you can pay in cash, the cost per trip on any type of transport does not exceed $ 0.5.
The metro is open from 6 am to midnight.
The cost of a taxi should be agreed before the trip.
Airplanes from leading cities of the world arrive at Tbilisi airport.
Communication
Many hotels, restaurants and almost all hostels have free Wi-Fi. A number of Internet cafes are located on Rustaveli Ave. You can also purchase a card from one of the three mobile operators (Geocell, Beeline and Magti) operating in Georgia, and use the wireless Internet service from $ 12 to $ 18 for 1 GB of traffic.
You can call to any country in the world from Tbilisi from public telephones that work on cards, as well as from post offices.
Security
If you have any questions or difficulties, you should contact the patrol officer. The officer will politely and competently resolve the problem.
When traveling with your own car, you must strictly follow the rules of the road and the rules of city parking, you should not travel in the dark. The city has strict control over the observance of order on roads and streets, violators are subject to high fines.
Business climate
Convenient conditions for doing business in Georgia lead to an increase in investment income in the country and, in particular, in the development of the capital's economy. For example, Rezid Holding GMBH from Austria has invested in the construction of a multifunctional complex, which will consist of two skyscrapers that will house beauty salons, cafes, spa and fitness centers, swimming pools, etc.
Business in Tbilisi, as well as throughout Georgia, is subject to the following taxes: income tax (15%), personal income tax (25%), VAT (18%), property tax (tax rate is determined by local authorities) and land tax (from 0.2 to 0.3 $ per 1 m 2). Customs payments, depending on the category of goods, are 0%, 5% and 12% of the value of the goods.
The property
Today, the real estate market in Tbilisi is experiencing a real boom. The construction of the new quarter of the capital, “New Tbilisi”, begins, which will include five zones: residential, commercial, recreational, administrative and diplomatic.
The conditions for buying real estate for foreigners are maximally simplified in order to stimulate the flow of foreign capital into the country.
The price of housing in Tbilisi is from $ 900 to $ 2,000 per 1 m 2.
Tbilisi is a wonderful hospitable city, capable of giving everyone the most vivid impressions. The best way to get around here is to take walks. Only in this way, calmly and slowly, you can feel the color and originality of the city. For a trip over long distances, choose a taxi: in the person of a taxi driver you will receive both a driver and a wonderful guide who will advise you on which wine to buy, where to dine and where the most beautiful view of the city is.
Almost all signs in Tbilisi are written in Georgian, so to feel more comfortable in the city, you can learn the Georgian alphabet or at least make yourself a cheat sheet, and, of course, always remember that you can ask passers-by and employees for help the police.
In small shops and markets there is no way to pay by credit card, so it’s always worth keeping some of the money in cash in not very large bills.
Tbilisi is the capital and largest city of Georgia, which is about one and a half thousand years old. It is from here that most tourists begin their exploration of the country. A large number of museums, attractions that tell about the culture and history of the state, a myriad of cafes and restaurants are just a small part of what attracts hundreds of thousands of travelers every year. The districts of Tbilisi are distinguished by their uniqueness: each of them has its own raisin and gives a unique atmosphere. The developed transport network of the capital and the abundance of accommodation options allow tourists to organize a comfortable stay here and fully enjoy the Georgian flavor.
Old city
If you look at the areas of Tbilisi on the map, you will see a small area in the southwest of the capital. It is here that the famous Old Town is located - the center of concentration of most metropolitan attractions. This area marks the borders of ancient Tbilisi, which was fenced off from the outside world by fortress walls until 1795, when the Iranians attacked the capital and burned it to ashes.
Today in the Old Town you can observe only those cultural values \u200b\u200bof antiquity that were restored after decades of restoration work.
It is best to get here by metro: after landing at the Avlabari station, walk along Europe Square to the Kure River. When strolling around the area, be sure to visit the following attractions:
In addition, amazing Armenian churches, a mosque and three synagogues, reflecting the bright religious contrast of the capital, are concentrated in this area. If you are in doubt in which area of \u200b\u200bTbilisi it is better for a tourist to stay, we suggest you analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the Old City.
Vera
The Vera district in Tbilisi is considered relatively young, since it began to be built up only in the middle of the 19th century. For a long time it was a resort area, and today it has become one of the favorite tourist corners in Tbilisi. Vera is 18 km from the airport and offers many options for staying at hotels and apartments at affordable prices. There are a lot of interesting places here, which are best visited from the Rustaveli metro station. What to see in this area of \u200b\u200bTbilisi?
Museum of Elena Akhvlediani 
If you do not know where it is better to stay in Tbilisi, then the Vera region can be a worthy option. Consider its advantages and disadvantages.
pros
- Many mid-range hotels
- Calmly
- Close to metro
- Reasonable prices
Minuses
- Few attractions
- Small selection of restaurants
- May seem boring and uninteresting
Mtatsminda
If you plan to stay in the center of Tbilisi, but don’t know which area is better to choose, we recommend considering Mtatsminda. This is the most presentable part of the capital, where the most expensive hotels and are concentrated. The area is located 18 km from Tbilisi International Airport, and it is best to start traveling around it from the Freedom Square metro station. First of all it is worth visiting:
Shota Rustaveli Theater 
To understand where it is better to stay in Tbilisi, it is important to compare the advantages and disadvantages of its areas. What is the area of \u200b\u200bMtatsminda good for?
Related entries:
History of Tbilisi - This is a sequence of events on the territory of the city of Tbilisi from its inception in the V century to the present day. Approximately 1,500 years. This is really a big and eventful story, and it left a lot of traces. There are cities whose rich history exists in itself, without affecting modernity, but this is not so in Tbilisi. Much has changed in 1,500 years, much has died, and modern Tbilisi is 90% Soviet construction, but still there are some hints of the past - and there are a lot of these hints. We don’t know much - for example, we don’t know what Tbilisi looked like in the 10th century. But some conclusions can already be drawn about his condition in the 12th – 13th centuries.
Tbilisi to its foundation
Many cities of eastern Georgia were founded in the late Bronze Age, immediately after kart tribes settled on the plains from the Borjomi Gorge to the Gombor Range. But Tbilisi is an exception; it arose in the era of late antiquity. Someone definitely lived on its territory even before it was founded. 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 Metekh Rock in ancient times.
To its foundation, Tbilisi is just a narrow gorge. The Sololaksky ridge (a spur of the Trialeti ridge) stretches here to the east and abuts against the Kura River with its tip, on which Narikala fortress now stands. From the north, the foothills of the Caucasian ridge descend gently and one spur of this ridge - Mount Mahata - also abuts against a rocky river, known as Metekhskaya. Between the Metekhi rock and the Sololaksky ridge there is a narrow gorge through which the Kura River once broke through to the east. This is a kind of gate to the inner part of the country, and this gorge-gate was previously strengthened by the canyon of the Tsavkisistskali river. To go through this bottleneck, the traveler had to loop around the canyon, cross it in the area of \u200b\u200bthe modern entrance to the Botanical Garden, and then go around the mountain on which Narikala fortress stands. Therefore, the appearance of the city in such a strategically important place is understandable. Another thing is not clear: why did it arise so late.
The foundation 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. The story has not preserved details. Chronicles write briefly: built a city. The popular consciousness has preserved 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 even entered the bestseller of the early twentieth century, the novel by Kurban Said "Ali and Nino":
Once in ancient times, a certain padish released his falcon into the sky. He attacks the black grouse. The padishah is waiting, but the falcon is not returning. Then he begins to look for his bird and wanders into a small forest. And in this forest a sulfuric spring beats. He sees the ladies that both the falcon and the black grouse are drowning in water. As the padishas saw this source, he immediately decided to establish Tiflis on this place. The grouse bath is here, and instead of the forest now stands Tiflis. Tiflis began with sulfur; it will end with sulfur.
Bulat Okudzhava in 1988 wrote about this verse:
A predatory beast under your arrow fought and writhed.
Everlasting darkness approached the eyes.
The star caught fire. The hunting day is over.
And then a pheasant appeared from the bushes.Oh, how brightly his plumage burned!
But the arrow started singing - 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. At the sulfur baths there is now a statue of a falcon with a pheasant in its claws. The pheasant can be seen on the Tbilisi logo and on street hatches. The Maidani restaurant has the signature dish Pheasant Gorgosali. In 1961, an equestrian statue of Vakhang Gorgasal was placed on the Metkh rock, which, as it were, makes a decision on the foundation of the city. Restaurant "Gorgasali" in the baths with its name hints at the events.
Unfortunately, the dating of this event is somewhat arbitrary and we do not know on what historical background this happened. Therefore, it is difficult to imagine what exactly Vakhtang was thinking about, creating a new city. He could, for example, build it as a fortification on the approaches to Mtskheta. And he could strengthen the already existing settlement that arose at sulfur sources.
The first buildings of the new city appeared, apparently, on a rocky shore, on a cape between Kura and Tsavkisistskali. Now on this place stands the temple of the Forty Sebastian Martyrs, and on the site of the canyon Tsavkisistskali Aliyev's square is green. In 2012, foundations were found near the temple of the martyrs, which were identified as the remains of the palace of King Vakhtang.
Title
Why was the city called "Tbilisi"? In its name it is easy to guess the word თბი (ი ( beat) meaning "warm." But this is a late-formed word, in Old Georgian it looked like ტფილი ( drank), and the city was called Tpilisi. Moreover, this name is found in the XIX century.
Coin of the era of Nicholas I with the inscription TPILISI
It is believed that the word TPILI comes from the proto-Cartelian root of TEP, which in turn comes from the Nostratic language, from which it also fell into the Indo-European. Hence, by the way, the Slavic “Stoke” and “Heat”. So the initial letter "T" in the words "Warm" and "Tbilisi" is not a coincidence.
The name Tpilisi was unpronounceable for the Greeks who have no TP combinations in their language. They redid it for their convenience, inserting the letter "And", and so it turned out the Greek "Tiflis." From Greek, it fell into Arabic, where it turned into Tiflis. The direct transformation of Tpilisi into Tiflis is unlikely, since the Arabs have no problems pronouncing the sounds of TP or TB. They now officially name the city of Tbilisi (تبليسي). The name "Tiflis" remains in the Turkish language, which also, like Greek, does not allow combinations of TB.
Interestingly, instead of the word “warm”, they could take as a basis the word “hot” (Tskheli) and the city would be called Tskhelish. And if megrels or manholes lived here, he would have turned out to be Tubulsi. And if the Svans would live, it would be Tebidsi.
Dark Middle Ages
Vakhtang died in 502, and his kingdom perished even earlier, at the same time as the deposition 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 fortress of Ujarma. It was he who committed the historic act: he finally transferred the capital from Mtskheta to Tbilisi. What for? No one remembers. 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 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 arches and columns were rebuilt in the late eras, and only the walls in some places are still the same ones that remember the Tsar Dacha.
After the Summer residence, several more kings lived in Tbilisi: Bakur II, Farsman V, Farsman VI and Bakur III, but the latter lived in Ujarma, and the Persian garrison was already standing in Tbilisi at that time. In 580, Bakur died, and the Persians abolished royal power as such.
Just in the years of the crisis of tsarist rule, Assyrian fathers came to Iberia and settled near Mtskheta. From there they later dispersed throughout the country, and David, the future David of Gareja, settled in a cave on the mountain (Mtatsminda) near Tbilisi. Once a week, he went down the mountain along a trail (now Besiki Street), approximately to the modern Marriott Hotel, and from there the city went for groceries. At that time, quite a lot of Zoroastrian Persians lived in Tbilisi. The conflict with them led to a well-known story of the trial of David and the appearance of the Kashveti temple on the court site. After that, 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 has become something of a pilgrimage path.
At that time, endless Iran-Byzantine wars dragged on and the Iranian armies probably often passed through Tbilisi. In 591, the Byzantine-Iranian Peace Treaty (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. Probably, it was at this time in Tbilisi that the Zoroastrian temple appeared, which came to us in a strongly remodeled form and is known in the city as "Ateshga".
As early as 588, the Emperor of Mauritius sent to Iberia the ruler of a certain Guram, a descendant of Vakhtang Gorgasal. Guram died in 590 and his son Stefanoz became ruler, and Iberius ruled at the time of the conclusion of the Ctesiphon Treaty. Mtskheta was probably his capital, but then Stefanoz made friends with Iran and moved the capital back to Tbilisi. This man made history by building the famous Jvari temple over Mtskheta.
The reorientation of Stefanoz 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 a force of 1,000 people sent to the aid of Iberia. The Byzantines besieged Tbilisi and the siege lasted about two months. Then Heraclius went towards Iran, and the siege lasted for some more time and as a result the city was taken. Stefanoz was removed, in his place they put Adarnas, a distant descendant of Vakhtang Gorgasal. He died in 642 and his son Stefanoz II became ruler in which, in 645, the army of the Caliphate approached Tbilisi. The Arabs concluded a friendship agreement with the city and left.
Capital of the emirate
The 645 treaty made Iberia part of the Arab Caliphate. At first, tsars still lived in Tbilisi, who paid a small tax to the Arabs. This lasted until 735, when the Arabs suspected Georgia in cooperation with the Khazars, and Mervan Glukhoy went through the country with 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 in pale, history-insensitive shadows until they disappeared in 775. Tiflis emirs began to rule the city. How exactly the power passed from kings to emirs is unknown.
Under Arabs, Tiflis became part of the Arab single economic space and rapidly grew into a large shopping center. It has become 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. Bug commander Al-Kabir turned a flourishing city into a pile of ashes. The second time in its history.
Tbilisi remained the capital of the emirate until the end of the 9th century, and all of X, and all of XI, and the beginning of XII. In the 10th century, the relics of St. Shushanik were reburied on Metekh Rock - right to the most prominent place in the Muslim city. It can be seen that the Tbilisi Christian community had many rights. Know how much.
The last destruction of Tbilisi took place in 1795: on September 12, the army of the Aga-Muhamad Khan, as a punishment for the Georgian-Russian negotiations, razed the city to the ground. Stone buildings were hardly affected, but the entire private building burned to the ground. From this ruin the city was recovering after thirty years.
The capital of Tiflis province
In 1802, the Georgian kingdom was liquidated and Tbilisi turned into the capital of the province and the main base of the Russian army. Since anti-Russian uprisings did not reach Tbilisi, the situation in the city was stable. We started to build something. Earl Knorring, the first "chief of Georgia" built the first simple house for the commander in chief. They built an arsenal and a gymnasium. In 1802, the walls and towers began to be demolished, so the modern streets of Pushkin and Dadiani began to form. In 1804, the royal baths were converted into a mint.
In 1807, 16,000 people lived in Tbilisi.
Tbilisi was recovering very slowly after the defeat of 1795. The Russian administration did not build much. In 1816, General Ermolov demolished the Tsar Metekh Castle and began to build 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 temple of St. Nicholas, built under Tamar, if not earlier, to the base. Only in 1818 local merchants were able to build a large stone building: Artsruni caravanserai.
In May 1829, Pushkin arrived in Tbilisi. It was a bit like a fashion blogger coming to a still untwisted resort. For the first time in Russian history, someone other than the military found out about Tbilisi. Pushkin lived in house number 5 on Pushkin Street, in a house with windows to the headquarters of the Caucasian corps and could see the construction of the Zubalashvili caravanserai, which began in 1827. There seems to be no photographs of his house, but a drawing is known around 1895:
Confederation Capital
In January 1918, the Bolsheviks dispersed the Constituent Assembly, which in the end did not have time to decide the fate of Transcaucasia, so the whole region was left to its own devices. Transcaucasia turned into an independent federation, and Tbilisi turned into its capital. The Transcaucasian Sejm in the building of the Vorontsov Palace has become something of a parliament of the new federal republic. Tbilisi maintained this status throughout January, February, March, April and May. In May, the federation broke up. On May 26, Georgia declared its independence. Tbilisi has become the capital of the Republic of Georgia. The pen that signed the Declaration of Independence is now on display at the National Museum.
On June 10, the German Republic entered the Union Republic of Tbilisi. A joint Georgian-German parade was held 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 left.
Visually, nothing has changed in Tbilisi, the events took place exclusively in the political sphere. In May 1920, the Bolsheviks decided to capture Georgia: on May 3, in Tbilisi, the Bolsheviks rebelled and captured an officer school. But the war with Georgia was lost near Kiev: on May 7, the Poles took Kiev and on the same day the Bolsheviks signed a peace treaty with Georgia. But this only delayed the war for one year.
Battle of 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 River, 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 \u200b\u200bthe 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 Kodjor heights. All these attacks were repelled. On February 24-25, a second offensive began, involving tanks and aircraft. The defenders of Tbilisi managed to repel all attacks on the Kodzhor and Shavnabad heights, but the Red Army detachments bypassed 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 Tbisi station. The infantry units occupied the Kodjor Heights and entered the city, descending along Sololakskaya Street in Freedom Square. On the same day, the Bolshevik government from Shulaveri moved to Tbilisi.
Capital of the republic
The first years of Soviet power changed little in Tbilisi. The Soviet leadership gathered all in the same Vorontsov Palace, Metekh Prison remained a prison and unless it increased work. The Soviet Georgian leaders until 1931 were not radical enough and they would be shot all in 1937. But in November 1931, Beria led Georgia, and here Tbilisi’s appearance began to change: so Tbilisi survived not only Vorontsovization, but also “bereization”.
The last days of the Soviet era were remembered by a terrible catastrophe: on June 1, 1990, there was a break on the line of the cable car (Rustaveli-Mtatsminda), the lower station was damaged, and one cabin fell on a residential building. Killed about 20 people.
On October 28, 1990, a landmark event took place. In the elections to the Supreme Council, the Communist Party received only 64 seats out of 155. On November 14, Supreme Council Chairman Irakli Abashidze resigned and Zviad Gamsakhurdia was elected in his place. The Soviet era in Georgia is over.
Dogwood flag
In November 1990, Zviad Gamsakhurdia became president of the country, and nothing happened in the history of the city for a year, and then a terrible thing happened: in December 1991, the National Guard rebelled and besieged the president in the Parliament building. The month of parliament fighting began. Nearby neighborhoods burned out almost everything. Hotel Oriant burned down. The First Gymnasium burned to the ground. Burned and the "Marriott". Almost burned "House of Communications." Miraculously, the Kashveti temple stood, although it was covered with traces of bullets. A few years after this, the city center looked like Stalingrad after the surrender of Paulus.
On January 6, parliament fell. The triumvirate of Kitovani-Ioseliani-Sigua came to power in Tbilisi. But a province was rebelled against Tbilisi: in this case, Megrelia. So the first split of Georgia into Tbilisi and the province began. This war of attenuation continues to this day. Tbilisi in this war took the ungrateful role of the capital of the post-Soviet dictatorship. Megrelia rose in rebellion in January, March, and July 1992. And again in September 1993. Tbilisi won the first war with the province.
With this victory began the most unprecedented era in the history of the city. Something was rebuilt: for example, Parliament, Gymnasium and Marriott. But everything else gradually collapsed. The restaurant on Mtatsminda was closed and completely abandoned. On June 21, 2000, the cable car became unusable due to a cable break. The Adzharia and Iveria hotels were given to refugees in 1995 and turned into terrible slum skyscrapers.
In November 2003, the second war of Tbilisi against the province began: protests against election irregularities began in the city. Residents of Megrelia and Imereti came to the aid of the protesters. The main protest rally was held on Freedom Square. A parallel rally of loyalists gathered in front of the parliament. On November 20, Shevardnadze fled from parliament. The province defeated Tbilisi. This event went down in history as "
If you just started planning your trip to Tbilisi, then the quickest list above is just a meaningless set of letters for you. Below is a photo and description of each place.
If you don’t want to understand the intricacies of Tbilisi streets, you can book an excursion. The guide will take you to the most interesting corners of the city, and also tell you about them along the way.
Tbilisi landmarks, day 1
Abanotubani
Sulfur baths district in TbilisiCoordinates: 41.688233, 44.811047
Abanotubani is a quarter in the center of Tbilisi, famous for its complex of sulfur baths. According to legend, King Vakhtang Gorgasali hunted a pheasant in the area and found a hot spring. To celebrate, I decided to build a city around the source and move the capital from here. So Tbilisi was born.
The area of \u200b\u200bsulfur baths is usually offered to finish the walk to take a steam bath in the bath after a busy day.
Reviews about the baths are different, decide for yourself whether you want it, for starters you can just look at the round roofs and drink pomegranate juice in the square of Heydar Aliyev.
Hot water in this place rises from the bowels of the earth from a depth of 2500 meters. They say it is good for the skin.
In the baths there are common rooms for 3-4 GEL per hour (75-100 rubles) and private rooms with pools from 30 to 150 GEL (750-3700 r) depending on the bath, mekise services (massage or scrub) - from 10 GEL (250 r).
Canyon with a waterfall in the center of Tbilisi
Rock houses and spiral staircase to the city 
Waterfall in the center of Tbilisi Coordinates: 41.68674, 44.80903
Behind the sulfur baths begins the gorge Legvtahevi. We get along the Tsavkisistskali river (try to pronounce) to the end and see a waterfall right in the center of Tbilisi.
Vakhtang Gorgasali Square
Georgian Khinkali in Samikitno Coordinates: 41.689829, 44.808903
All the ways lead to Vakhtang Gorgasali Square (aka Meydan or Maidan). Here we have the inscription I love Tbilisi.
〠 Machahela (Samikitno) - a popular cafe on the square, 2 floors and a balcony with a view. I used to advise him, because it was tasty and cheap. Now it’s completely gone bad. The portions are small, wait a long time, the food is tasteless. Can drink citric lemonade on the balcony, but it’s better in another place.
Chardeni Street
Beginning of Shardeni Street Coordinates: 41.690333, 44.808641
Pedestrian short street of old Tbilisi with cafes, restaurants and hookahs. It got its name in honor of the French traveler who was in Tbilisi.
In summer, it loses its charm due to crowds of tourists. If you don’t see her, you won’t lose much, but you can go see it. The prices in the cafe on Shardeni are high.
Metekhi Church
Rise to the church Coordinates: 41.690102, 44.811155
We leave from Shardeni, cross the river over the bridge and climb to the observation deck to the Metekhi church (there the king Gorgasali is on a horse).
From the observation deck we see the Narikala fortress and the houses of the old city - in 10 minutes we will already be upstairs.
Peristsvaleb Monastery and Darejan Palace
Coordinates: 41.691675, 44.812271
On the territory of the Sachino Palace (aka Darejan) now there is a small convent.
This place is located on a rock next to the Metekhi church. From the walls there is a pleasant view of the city (Europe Square, Peace Bridge, old Tbilisi), and they also have a chic round balcony.
Europe Square and cable car
Cableway Park Rike - Narikala Coordinates: 41.692011, 44.810719
Cable Car Hours: 11.00-23.00
We cross the road to Europe Square. We see the beautiful Rike park, but we will return here later. Our goal now is the lower cableway station.
Narikala Fortress
Coordinates: 41.688044, 44.808498
From the upper station of the cable car, follow the sign and climb to Narikala fortress. This defensive structure at the end of the Sololaki Range was built more than 1,500 years ago.
Entrance to the fortress is free, the views of Tbilisi are wonderful both during the day and at sunset, when they turn on the backlight. The highest point is near the cross above the fortress, we go there.
You can get to Narikalu not only by cable car, but also on foot, climbing a mountain along a cobbled street from Meydan Square.
There is also a staircase leading from the Botanical Garden to the western wall of the fortress. From this staircase there is a beautiful view of the Tabori temple and the Abanotubani district.
Statue of Mother Kartli
Coordinates: 41.688214, 44.804565
From the Narikala Fortress, we walk to the Mother Georgia statue, stop on the observation deck along the road.
The Monument to Mother Kartli was built on the top of Sololaksky Hill 60 years ago in honor of the 1500th anniversary of Tbilisi.
At first the statue was wooden, then - aluminum, in the 90s it was replaced by the one that towers above Tbilisi today.
Mother Kartli holds a sword in her right hand to meet those who came with the war, and in her left - a cup of wine for guests who came in peace.
Stairs to Sololaki
Coordinates: 41.688597, 44.804299
From the statue, Kartli’s mother descends the stairs to the old Sololaki district, periodically stopping at the observation deck. Here it seems that you can reach the roofs of Tbilisi churches with your hand.
Sololaki
Residential building in Sololaki Going down the stairs, we get to Betlemi Street in the Sololaki area.
Sololaki is a once elite district in the very center of Tbilisi, whose active development has been going on since the end of the 19th century. Now most of the buildings, which are over 100 years old, are in poor condition and, if admirable, they are mixed with sadness.
I am glad that there are scaffolding - there is a hope that Sololaki will restore.
It is better to walk around the Sololaki area with a guide (for example, praise) to find out the history of the houses and people who built them.
On your own, without knowing the details, you will see just old houses. The doors of some of them are hidden by breathtakingly beautiful front doors.
〠 In Sololaki there are several cult cafes at once. For example, Pur Pur (cool interior), Rachinsky Dukhan (basement serving delicious champignons on ketsi)
Front Kaleidoscope
Coordinates: 41.689937, 44.805739
A sign hangs on the building Gallery 27
The front door is open with Mon to Sun from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Old wooden a private housein the Sololaki area, remarkable both in itself and in its front door with stained glass windows. Magical place.
It is better to come in the morning in sunny weather, when patterns cover the entire floor. After lunch, the drawings are not so bright, but still beautiful. Inside a gift shop.
Frida Kahlo in Tbilisi
This summer instagram photos of Tbilisi with a portrait of Frida Kahlo began to flicker quite often on Instagram.
People ask where to look, where to run.
An image of a Mexican artist can be found on the wall in the entrance of Check Point Hotel in Sololaki.
Coordinates: 41.689005, 44.806361
Freedom Square
Coordinates: 41.693419, 44.801507
Freedom Square is noisy and busy, here Tbilisi is completely different.
We do not stop and go down the street of Pushkin, we look at the masonry left from ancient times.
Shavteni and Gabriadze Theater
We see a monument to the lamplighter and a sculpture of dancing Georgians ( 41.696677, 44.806714 ).
If you wish, you can go to the Baratashvili bridge. There are sculptures on it, as well as a view of the House of Justice (the National Bank of Georgia).
If we don’t go to the bridge, then immediately turn onto chavteni street, coordinates: 41.696031, 44.806571 .
Here puppet theater Rezo Gabriadze, hostels, cafes, ripe grapes hanging overhead (autumn).
Pay attention to the tower of the theater. Every hour a golden-winged angel appears from the painted doors and knocks on the bell with a hammer.
Daily at 12.00 and 19.00 You can see a mini-performance in the tower - "Life Cycle".
〠 The cafe on the ground floor of the theater is often advised to visit. Prices are high for Tbilisi, and donut tea is available elsewhere. IMHO, you can safely skip the cafe.
Tickets for performances (in Georgian with subtitles) in the puppet theater cost from 10 to 30 GEL ($ 4-12) you can see the repertoire and order in advance on the theater website
Bridge of peace
Peace Bridge in Tbilisi Coordinates: 41.693065, 44.808319
We reach the pedestrian Peace Bridge, we go along it to the Rike park.
The bridge of Peace was designed by an Italian architect, built during the time of Saakashvili, but this bright glass structure still annoys some citizens.
The new authorities even intended to demolish the Peace bridge, but they did not realize their idea (it’s good!)
Rike Park
Rike Park, Presidential Palace and two trumpets Coordinates: 41.694100, 44.809518
Rike Park is pleasant all year round. There are playgrounds, benches, walkways. The area is completely pedestrian.
If you want to see flowering bushes in early spring or late autumn, when Tbilisi looks bare, you can go here - there are always some greens and flowers in the park.
And here is a monument to Ronald Reagan. The 40th US president sits on a bench and looks at the Presidential Palace. You can sit nearby.
Two pipes in Tbilisi
It seems like pretty pipes, right? Right under the President’s palace you can see the “chicken thighs” - a futuristic cultural complex that was built long ago, but was never opened to visitors.
Just today, one intolerant woman wrote a comment about pipes on my blog: “This is some kind of ugliness built by Saakashvili, which has still not become a theater, or something like that.”
In general, not everyone likes the building; people have a different sense of perception of beauty. My opinion does not coincide with the opinion of the author of the comment.
Presidential Palace
The president’s palace was also built under Saakashvili. Onlookers are not allowed into the territory, but you can look at the building while walking around Rike Park.
Lookout over Rike
View from the views over Rike Park Coordinates: 41.693126, 44.811551
We walk around the Rike park, climb the stairs to the observation deck.
〠 Near the observation deck there is Cafe Flowers (pink house with white stairs). Here you can order wine with cheese and enjoy the views of Rike Park and Mount Mtatsminda. A glass of wine - from 7 GEL ($ 3), a bottle - from 23 GEL ($ 10).
Monument to Mimino
Monument Mimino work Tsereteli at the Avlabari metro Coordinates: 41.69187, 44.81564
At the Avlabari metro station there is a monument to the heroes of Mimino. The author - Zurab Tsereteli. On the way to Sameba’s temple, we taxi to the monument to our beloved heroes (for someone not very beloved).
Tsminda Sameba Cathedral
Coordinates: 41.697516, 44.816543
Holy Trinity Church - the main cathedral of Tbilisi, is visible from anywhere.
The history of the construction of the cathedral on the site of the former Armenian cemetery is rather scandalous (the Armenian diaspora was against it, they can be understood).
The cathedral is interesting both in appearance and in its interior decoration. Firstly, the building is gigantic, and secondly, real gems can be found on the icons.
〠 There is a cafe on the territory Lagidze water - here, delicious creamy lemonade and Adjarian khachapuri are almost the same as in Adjara (almost, but not like that - they make it tastier in Batumi, but lemonade is really delicious).
Leselidze
The route of the first day does not feature the tourist street Kote Abkhazi (she Leselidze) This is the longest street passing through the whole old Tbilisi from Freedom Square to Maidan.
You will get to Leselidze in any case, even if you do not plan to do this, because all the roads of the old city one way or another lead here.
Route in Tbilisi on day 2
We learned what to see in Tbilisi in one day, and now more about the second day. Today we look into the “Tbilisi Europe” and go for a walk along the avenues along the route:
Tbilisi sights on the map:
Avenue of David Agmashenebeli
Agmashenebeli Avenue On the second day, you can arrive at the metro station Marjanishvili and walk along David Agmashenebeli Avenue to the Dry Bridge.
〠 Near Marjanishvili you can eat the most delicious ice cream in the city in a cafe Luca polare behind 5 GEL (2 $ / 130 r)
Near the metro Mardzhanishvili is now a fashionable place - Fabrika Tbilisi. Something like a Moscow Bottle. This is a large hostel in a former garment factory. You can live (there are common rooms and private rooms), or you can just spend the evening swinging in a hammock with a cup of coffee.
Now back to the street. Avenue Agmashenebeli recently ennobled, part of it is a pedestrian. Here are street musicians, dozens of cafes, shops, restored old houses. In summer, festivals and festivities take place. An analogue of Moscow Arbat and a “piece of Europe” in the center of Tbilisi.
Many people call this area Turkish, because Turkish restaurants and hookahs prevail here. The prices are not low, the exchange rate is unprofitable (suddenly decide to change), but walking along a pedestrian street is definitely worth it.
It is especially nice here in the evening when the lights are turned on, and cafes are filled with vacationers. Happy is also good.
In the metro area Marjanishvili there are several decent inexpensive hotels and hostels, I recommend reading about how to understand in which area of \u200b\u200bthe city it is more convenient to rent a house.
Dry bridge
Coordinates: 41.701123, 44.802914
Flea market Tbilisi. The range of products offered in recent years is rather strange. They mostly sell junk. You can buy someone’s worn boots or disposable slippers with the emblem of the Sheraton Hotel.
Sometimes there is a chance to find something interesting: souvenirs, handmade toys, old coins, dishes. It’s not worth going to the Dry Bridge on purpose, but if you pass by, you can take a look.
Rustaveli Avenue
Figures below along the houses are arranged Through the square on April 9 we exit to Shota Rustaveli Avenue. This is the main avenue of Tbilisi. Here and there near the houses there are bronze figures, do not miss.
You can reach the end to the Rustaveli metro station, look at the monumental buildings of the Soviet era and the large bicycle at the beginning of the avenue.
There are several theaters and museums on Rustaveli, but I’m not special on them, so I won’t mislead you, recommending a specific one of them. For me, Tbilisi is still not museums, but city streets, people, music and food.
Mount Mtatsminda
Mount Mtatsminda Funicular Coordinates: 41.695393, 44.791808
In Tbilisi there is a funicular to Mount Mtatsminda. For a trip you need to buy a non-refundable card for 2 GEL (50 r) and pay 2.5 GEL for rising to one side (at night 3.5 GEL).
To visit Mtatsminda or not is everyone's personal business. I love this place and every time I visit Tbilisi, my legs themselves are brought here. Looking at your favorite city from the mountains is especially nice on a hot day or at sunset.
The minus of the funicular is that the car does not go until a sufficient number of people gather in it.
On the mountain there is an amusement park: a Ferris wheel, a television tower, attractions for children, viewing with a view of the city. When the heat in summer in Tbilisi is hellish, Mtatsminda is rather cool and comfortable.
Here is the temple and graves of Alexander Griboedov, the mother of Stalin. A total of 48 graves of poets, dancers, writers, artists, scientists.
Pantheon on Mount Mtatsminda Where to go?
In the afternoon, if you wish, you can go to Vake Park, ride a cable car and take a walk near Turtle Lake. If not, then leave the entertainment data the next day or next year ?!
Route in Tbilisi for 3 days
What else to see in Tbilisi when it seems that you have seen everything?
For the first two days we saw a lot, it’s time to get out of the center. Today we have on our agenda the natural attractions of Tbilisi and the purchase of souvenirs, if you suddenly need to.
Route 1: Vake Park and Turtle Lake
Vake Park
Route 2: Lake Lisi and UFO
Service building 112 in Tbilisi We go for a walk and relax on Lake Lisi. In the summer there are a lot of people, there is a well-equipped pebble beach. Lounger - 4 GEL, bicycles for rent 10 GEL (there is a bike path around the lake).
Along the way, do not forget to call in to look at the "Flying Saucer" service 112
The Emergency Response Center in Tbilisi is something like 911 in the USA. Joint assistance service: police, fire, ambulance.
People are calling on urgent matters, including to report how they saw a flying saucer in the area.
The coordinates of the "plate": 41.737818, 44.755711
Located on Mukhran Machavariani Street, 1.5 km from Lake Lisi.
Route 3: Tbilisi Sea
Georgian History Monument on the Tbilisi Sea 
Tbilisi sea club A popular vacation spot for citizens. Of course, this is not the sea, but a reservoir, but in the summer on the Tbilisi Sea it is full of people, since it is the largest body of water in the city.
There are aquaparkgoogle Gino paradise (30 GEL on weekdays 40 GEL on the weekend).
You can go to see the “History of Georgia” memorial by Tsereteli (a huge monument), take a walk along the sea or relax there.
Option 4: Botanical Garden and Tabori Temple
Tbilisi Botanical Garden If we are in love with the center of Tbilisi and never want to leave it, then we continue the study of not the most popular attractions.
We buy khachapuri with lemonade and go on a picnic, so that later we will go down again to the Sololaki area and visit the next couple of front doors.
Or after the garden we put on comfortable shoes and go up to see from above which Tbilisi is really small, cozy and charming.
Route 5
Churchkhela with hazelnuts - a great souvenir Even on this day you can go for churchkhela, cheese, souvenirs.
In the same place, nearby, go to get the products from cloisonne enamel minacari to the Golden Exchange (metro station Sadguris moedani, Vokzalnaya Square, lower floor of the Tbilisi train station).
Delicious khinkali and comfortable shoes for you!
Your Mila Demenkova