Rustavi

Rustavi ( რუსთავი in Georgian, Рустави in Russian) is a 128,680 inhabitants city by river Kura, in the southeastern part of Georgia. It's the capital and biggest town of the administrative region of Kvemo Kartli, being the 4th largest city in the whole country too. It was dominated by the Rustavi Metallurgical Plant and the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 proved disastrous, causing the collapse of the local economy.  

How do I arrive to Rustavi?

  Rustavi isn't bad connected with other towns in Georgia and neighbouring countries. 

• Train: there are trains that reach Rustavi before arriving to Tbilisi, most of them coming from Azerbaijan.
• Bus: there are marshutkas from places like Tbilisi (aprox. 1 hour) or destinations in Azerbaijan. There are also buses to Davit Gareji Monastery Complex from Gardabani (aprox. 45 minutes) and from Tbilisi (aprox. 2.5 hours) from Apr to Nov.
• Car: if you rented a car, from Rustavi it can be reached Abastumani (aprox. 35 minutes), Tbilisi (aprox. 1 hour), Marneuli and Mtskheta (aprox. 1 hour 10 minutes), Tbilisi National Park (aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes), Davit Gareji Monastery Complex (aprox. 1 hour 20 minutes), Sighnaghi and Telavi (aprox. 1 hour 45 minutes) or Algeti National Park (aprox. 2 hours 10 minutes). It could also be reached from Qazax (aprox. 1.5 hours), Ağstafa (aprox. 1 hour 40 minutes), Tovuz (aprox. 2 hours), or Ganja (aprox. 3 hours 30 minutes) in Azerbaijan.
  

History

  In the Georgian Chronicles, the foundation of Rustavi is connected to Kartlos (eponymous ancestor of Georgians), being among those castles which opposed Alexander the Great's army (though it's proved that Alexander has never invaded Iberia). It could be assumed that Rustavi had been founded around in the 5th–4th centuries BC. During the reign of Vakhtang I of Iberia (5th century) Rustavi took an important part in the political life in Kingdom of Iberia. Then Rustavi belonged to Principality of Kakheti, whose ruler Kvirike III the Great would install a duke in Rustavi. After Kvirike's death, Kakheti (and therefore Rustavi) was temporarily annexed to the Kingdom of Georgia. After Seljukid invasions of Georgia, allied forces took Tbilisi and Rustavi and gave it to Emir of Tbilisi. During that time Rustavi saw decline but during the anti-Seljuk campaigns led by David IV, Rustavi played an essential role in securing Georgia's southern boundaries. The city was finally destroyed after Timur's invasion. Rustavi was rebuilt as a major industrial center during the Soviet era as part of Joseph Stalin's accelerated industrialization process (included on the Tbilisi-Baku railroad line), many people from all over Georgia came to work here, and it became a key industrial centre for the Transcaucasus region. The core of the industrial activity was the Rustavi Metallurgical Plant, to process iron ore from nearby Azerbaijan. German POWs who were captured in World War II were enlisted to build the city of Rustavi. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 proved disastrous for Rustavi, collapsing the economy of the city. Most of its industrial plants were shut down and 65% of the city's population became unemployed (bringing high crime and acute poverty).
 

What can I visit in Rustavi?

  The city isn't one of the top destinations in Georgia but it's still interesting to visit to get the full picture of the whole country. Rustavi has lost a lot of population since the fall of the Soviet Union and the city has some abandoned buildings and factories that could be explored in case of being curious (but always being very careful).

These are Rustavi's main attractions:

• Rustavi Steel Mill: industrial complex founded in 1948 as the first fully integrated metallurgical complex in the South Caucasus and today is still one of Georgia’s largest industrial enterprises. It produced steel, hot-rolled seamless pipes and various products made of pig iron, aluminium or iron. After the fall of the Soviet Union the production at the plant was stopped (and almost shut down in 1999), but today a major program of investment and re-structuring is on the way,  using new technologies and equipment.
  
• Rustavi City Hall: city hall with a new designed forecourt and the bronze orchestra group. It's in the middle of Kostava street. 
  
• Rustavi History Museum (10-18 Tue-Sun; 1₾/ 0.50₾  adults/ students): museum that houses objects discovered in archaeological expeditions in Rustavi and its historical area from 1800 BC up to the 18th century AD. Some of the objects on display are glassware, weapons; or bronze, silver and gold adornments.
  
• Park of Culture and Rest: park at the junction of old and new Rustavi that has the best recreation area of the city. It has an open anphitheater and a small artificial lake too.
• Rustavi Fortress: fortress that was first built in the 5th-8th centuries, being the only fortress in Georgia with frescoes. It was one of the fortresses built around Tbilisi to protect the capital.
  
• Rustavi Sioni Church: Georgian Orthodox church built between 2000 and 2011, whose architectural style is based on the Georgian church buildings from the 11th to 12th centuries according to traditional customs.
• Outside the center of Old Rustavi there's New Rustavi, a district full of Soviet-era architecture and parks. Its center is located around Friendship Square, where is located Shota Rustaveli Monument. It's a nice area to explore and discover some colourful Soviet architecture while having a walk or sit for a coffee. This part of the city has a WW2 memorial too.
  

Rustavi Metallurgical Plant Headquarters

Soviet architecture in New Rustavi

 

Red Bridge

Rustavi is the main way to connected Georgia with Azerbaijan. On that way the visitor can stop in some places such as Gardabani (გარდაბანი in Georgian, Qarayazı in Azeri), a 10,753 inhabitants town that is 13 km far from Rustavi. The importance of the former industrial town is due to its thermal power plant (that provides most of the energy of Tbilisi) and for being one of the main centers of the Azeri population in Georgia, as it can be seen on its market. In the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan it can be found a border crossing bridge over river Khrami, the Red Bridge. Its origin dates back to the 12th century, although most of its current red-brick structure is mostly from the 17th century.

Davit Gareji Monastery Complex

Rustavi is usually visited as a stop in the way from Tbilisi to one of the most remarkable historic sites of Georgia, Davit Gareji Monastery Complex (30 km far from Rustavi). This ancient and unique monastery complex uniqueness is surrounded by a semidesert landscape, the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan, and it's preserved in a neglected state. The site often causes peaceful diplomatic troubles between both countries because some parts of the complex are located in Azeri territory (around 166 km of the border aren't delimitated).  The complex was founded in the 6th century by David Garejeli, one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers, and it comprises about 15 monasteries spread over a wide area. Lavra Monastery has been restored since Soviet times (currently inhabited by monks again), with buildings from many periods. Inside the church you descend to a courtyard with the caves of Davit and his disciple Lukiane, and the 6th century cave church Peristsvaleba (where Davit’s tomb sits). Udabno Monastery consists on a series of cave-hewn chapels and, although many are ruins, some contain fascinating frescoes painted in the 10th to 13th centuries. The most impressing caves are the Annunciation Church (cave 42), and St. George’s Church (cave 41). From the top of the complex there are also great views of Kakhetia and Azerbaijan.

Where can I eat in Rustavi?

  Rustavi doesn't have a large culinary offer but there are still some places where eating in a good way like the cafe Askili [ასკილი] (Aleksandre Pushkin 2) or the Ukrainian restaurant Ukrainka (Rustavis Autobazroba).

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Posted in: Europe,Georgia

Tbilisi

Tbilisi (თბილისი in Georgian, Тбилиси in Russian, Թբիլիսի in Armenian formerly known as Tiflis) is a 1,171,100 inhabitants city and capital of Georgia in the banks of river Kura. This city is the most populated in Georgia (home of more than one in three of its citizens), being a vibrant and cosmopolitan city (having a reputation of being the most cosmopolitan city in the South Caucasus). Tbilisi can seem both crowded and chaotic, retaining a village-like feel with their narrow streets and small shops, while the Old Town is still redolent of an ancient Eurasian crossroads mixes with its hipster culture, its techno scene and modern air.

How do I arrive to Tbilisi?

  Tbilisi is the most important city in Georgia so there are many way to arrive there from all over the country and the neighbouring ones. 

• Plane: there are many international flights to Tbilisi International Airport (to cities such as Yerevan, Baku) and also national flights to Batumi every day. To go from the airport to the city there are buses (number 37, every 45 minutes), trains (aprox. 25 minutes), and taxis. It's 15 km east from the center of the city.
• Train: trains are mostly slower and less frequent than road transport, although may be more enjoyable. There are train routes from Tbilisi to all over the country, with routes to many destinations like these ones: Gori (aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes), Kutaisi (many daily trains; aprox. 5 hours 30 minutes), Batumi (many daily trains; aprox. 6 hours), or Zugdidi (many daily trains; aprox. 9 hours). The only international trains are sleepers to Baku (aprox. 12 hours) in Azerbaijan, to Yerevan (aprox. 11 hours) in Armenia, or Kars in Turkey.
• Bus: marshrutky (minibuses) are the main transport around Georgia. The city has frequent connections from different bus stations with all the cities of Georgia like Mtskheta (every 20 minutes; aprox. 30 minutes), Gori (every 40 minutes; aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes), Akhaltsikhe (every hour; aprox. 4 hours), Borjomi (every hour; aprox. 2.5 hours) in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, Zugdidi (every hour; aprox. 5 hours 30 minutes), Batumi (every hour; aprox. 6 hours) or Mestia (aprox. 9 hours).

  

  Tbilisi Metro
  

  As Georgia's capital city, Tbilisi has connections with other countries like Vanadzor (daily buses; aprox. 4 hours), Yerevan (every 2 hours; aprox. 6 hours) in Armenia, Baku (2 daily buses; aprox. 10 hours) in Azerbaijan, Istambul (more than 5 daily buses; aprox. 26 hours) in Turkey; Vladikavkaz (daily buses; aprox. 4 hours) and Moscow (more than 2 daily buses; aprox. 42 hours) in Russia, or Athens (daily buses; aprox. 42 hours) in Greece.
• Metro: Tbilisi Metro connects the most important parts of Tbilisi in 2 different lines, meeting at Sadguris Moedani [სადგურის მოედანი]. It works 6:00-00:00 everyday.
• Car: renting a car you can reach more destinations than with other means of transport. From Tbilisi you could arrive to Mtskheta (aprox. 40 minutes), Rustavi (aprox. 55 minutes), Tbilisi National Park (aprox. 1 hour) Gori (aprox. 1 hour 20 minutes), Telavi (aprox. 1 hour 50 minutes), Borjomi (aprox. 2 hours 30 minutes) in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, Akhaltsikhe (aprox. 3 hours 10 minutes), Stepansminda (aprox. 3 hours 30 minutes), Kutaisi (aprox. 3 hours 45 minutes), Zugdidi (aprox. 5 hours 10 minutes), or Batumi (aprox. 6 hours 10 minutes). Tbilisi can also be reached from Vanadzor (aprox. 3 hours 20 minutes) in Armenia, Ganja (aprox. 4 hours) in Azerbaijan, or from Tskhinvali (aprox. 2.5 hours) in the de facto Republic of South Ossetia.

Once in Tbilisi the best ways of moving in the city are using public transport. In the old city, bus, bike or just walking are the best ways to move, because they are usually pedestrian streets and most of the places are close ones from the others.

History

Tbilisi has been inhabited since the early Bronze Age and during the late Bronze Age to early Iron Age, it was the largest settlement in the Caucasus. According to legend, king Vakhtang I of Iberia went hunting in the heavily wooded region with a falcon that got injured and fell into a nearby hot spring, impressing king Vakhtang so he decided to clear the forest and build a city on the location. The successor of Vakhtang I, king Dachi of Iberia moved the capital of Iberia from Mtskheta to Tbilisi and began construction of the fortress wall. From the 6th century, Tbilisi grew at a steady pace due to the region's strategic location along important trade and travel routes between Europe and Asia. But became an object of rivalry among various powers: the Persians (until 627, when Tbilisi was sacked by the Byzantine) and Arab armies entered the town under Marwan II (736–738). The Arabs established an emirate centered in Tbilisi, keeping the Arab domination of Tbilisi until about 1050. In 1121 the troops of the King of Georgia, David IV of Georgia, besieged Tbilisi and he moved his residence from Kutaisi to Tbilisi and making it the capital of a unified Georgian State (inaugurating the Georgian Golden Age). Tbilisi became a regional power in the 12-13th centuries, being an important literary and a cultural center for Georgia and for the Eastern Orthodox world of the time. In 1226, Tbilisi was captured by the Khwarezmian Empire and in 1236 Georgia came under Mongol domination. In the 1320s, the Mongols retreated from Georgia and Tbilisi became the capital of an independent Georgian state once again. From the late 14th until the end of the 18th century, Tbilisi came under the rule of various foreign invaders once again (Tbilisi was invaded by the armies of Tamerlane in 1386 and by Jahan Shah in 1444). As early as the 1510s, Tbilisi (and the kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti) were made vassal territories of Safavid Iran. In 1801, the Russian Empire annexed the Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (whose capital was Tbilisi) and Tbilisi became the center of the Tbilisi Governorate. Russian Imperial administrators implemented a new European-style city plan and commissioned new buildings in Western styles. For much of the 19th century, Tbilisi's largest ethnic group was Armenian. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the city served as a location of the Transcaucasus interim government and the short-lived independent Transcaucasian Federation had its capital in Tbilisi. At this time, Tbilisi had roughly the same number of Armenians as Georgians. From 1918 to 1921 Tbilisi functioned as the capital of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, being later invaded by the Red Army invaded. Until 1936 Tbilisi functioned first as the capital city of the Transcaucasian SFSR (including Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia), and afterwards until 1991 as the capital of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. During Soviet rule, Tbilisi's population grew significantly, the city became more industrialized, and it also came to be an important political, social, and cultural centre of the Soviet Union. Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Tbilisi has experienced periods of significant instability and turmoil but from the Rose Revolution (2003) the city has experienced considerably more stability with decreasing crime rates, an improved economy, and a real estate boom. During the 2008 South Ossetia war, Tbilisi was hit by multiple Russian air attacks.

Tbilisi's top 10

If you have little or you just don't want to visit all Tbilisi, here's a list of the 10 places you can't miss in Tbilisi.

1. Anchiskhati Basilicia.
2. Narikala Fortress.
3. Museum of Georgia.
4. Metekhi Cathedral.
5. Cable Car of Tbilisi.
6. National Gallery of Georgia.
7. Tsminda Sameba Cathedral.
8. Abanotubani.
9. Tblisi Sioni Cathedral.
10. Kartlis Deda.

What can I visit in Tbilisi?

Tbilisi is one of the main sightseeing sites in Georgia and the whole Caucasus. Tbilisi Old Town is the most touristic and interesting area of the city, having been recently revamped. Abanotubani, district of Tbilisi that is known for its sulphuric baths where, according to a legend, Vakhtang Gorgasali’s falcon fell, leading to a discovery of the hot springs and to founding of the city. The districts of Rustaveli and Avlabari were developed in the 19th century and has plenty of nice buildings from those days; Vera, the quarter of the imperial officials in the 19th century,  and Vake, district founded in 1950s for the intelligentsia (then becoming the district of the rich, but also of intellectuals and artists). Some of the most important sites in Tbilisi are crossed or close to the avenue Shota Rustaveli, the street Baratashvili that arrives to the Freedom Square or Tavisuplebis, Rose Revolution Square or Vardebis Revolutsiis, the avenue Davit Aghmashenebeli, or the streets Mikheili Tsinamdzghvrishvili, Ivane Javakhishvili or Egnate Ninoshvili. There are some interesting festivals in Tbilisi such as Tbilisi Open Air, Tbilisi Jazz Festival or Tbilisoba.

These are Tbilisi's main attractions:

• Anchiskhati Basilica:

  

  Anchiskhati Basilica
  

  Georgian Orthodox three-nave basilica built in the 6th century by Dachi of Iberia, son of king Gorgasali. It's the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi and one of its loveliest. The basilica was damaged and rebuilt on several occasions from the 15th through 17th centuries due to wars between Georgia and the Persians and Turks. Its interior has weathered frescoes and walls of big stone blocks that have witnessed most of the history of Georgia. Most of its paintings date back to the 19th century, although the altarpiece was painted in 1683. It was named Anchiskhati because of hosting the icon of Anchi Cathedral in Klarjeti (Turkey) in the 17th century (currently located at Shalva Amiranashvili Art Museum of Tbilisi).

  

  Clock Tower
  

  Anchiskhati Choir (based out of the Anchiskhati Basilica) is the world's leading exponent of Georgian polyphonic choral music.
• Clock Tower: leaning clock tower built by puppet master Rezo Gabriadze during a renovation of his theatre in 2010, one of the most emblematic structures of old Tbilisi. On the hour an angel pops out of a door near the top and strikes the bell outside with a hammer. Below the clock, a screen opens and shows the circle of life (boy meets girl, marriage, childbirth and funeral).
• Surb Nshan Armenian Church: 18th century church built in 1711, and reconstructed in 1780. Currently it hosts no service after the fires of 2002 and 2012 and floods, being in a ruined state.
  
• Ghvtismshoblis Amaghlebis Catholic Cathedral:

  

  Ghvtismshoblis Amaghlebis
  Catholic Cathedral

  Neo-Gothic cathedral from the 19th century that is seat of the Latin Apostolic Administration of the Caucasus. It's located where the first Catholics settled in the 13th century (even becoming an episcopal seat). In 1937 the church was confiscated by the Soviets, but returned after Georgia regained independence in 1999.
• Jewish History Museum of Georgia (11-17): museum located in an early-20th century synagogue that shows the interrelation of Georgia and the Jews, hosting objects like Jewish ritual objects, Jewish woman wedding dresses or paintings of well-known artist Shalva Koboshvili. It was closed in 1951 on the wave of anti-Semitic movement that took place in the USSR, and reopened once the Soviet Union collapsed.
• Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral: Georgian Orthodox cathedral that was originally built in the 6th and 7th centuries, having been rebuilt many times until its current mainly 13th century outlook under David IV of Georgia.

  

  Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral
  

  The cathedral is a typical example of medieval Georgian church architecture of an inscribed cross-in-square design with projecting polygonal apses in the east façade. The façades are simple, with few decorations, although all 16 windows have carved ornamental frames; the murals and iconostasis by Grigory Gagarin differ from traditional Georgian tradition.The temple is of special significance for Georgians because it’s home to the Cross of St Nino which, according to legend, is made from vine branches bound with the saint’s own hair. The complex has two bell towers (one dating back to 1425 and restored in 1939 and the other Russian Neoclassical style, from 1812).
• Tbilisi History Museum (10-18 Tue-Sun; 5₾/ 0.5₾  adults/ people under 18): museum housed in an old caravanserai that shows the history of Tbilisi by displaying eclectic exhibits that range from ceramics, weapongs, musical instruments, coins, models and photos to high-society and folk costumes from the 19th century, or realistic mock-ups of period craft workshops. It has a small restaurant too.
• Norashen Armenian Church:

  

  Norashen Armenian Church and
  Jvaris Mama Georgian Church

  16th century church that belonged to the Armenian Orthodox Church until it was confiscated by the Soviet authorities in the 1930s (serving as a library). It has in its interior 19th century frescoes by Mkrtoum Hovnatanian that are well preserved. After the collapse of the Soviet Union it was claimed both by Armenian Orthodox Church and by the Georgian Orthodox Church, being currently closed (although it was restored in 2014 and removed Armenian gravestones were returned).
• Jvaris Mama Georgian Orthodox Church: small brick domed church with origin in the 5th century (therefore considered one of the oldest religious buildings in Tbilisi), rebuilt in the 16th century. Its interior is covered in recently restored frescoes from the 19th century in striking reds, golds and blues.

  

  Great Synagogue of Tbilisi
  

  
  
• Great Synagogue of Tbilisi: ecclectic synagogue built from 1895 to 1903 by Georgian Jews from Akhaltsikhe who migrated to Tbilisi in the late 19th century. It is the center of the Jewish community in Tbilisi and Georgia, used by Ashkenazi Jews and Sephardi Jews too.
  
• Meidan Bazaar: area where it's located the bustling main bazaar in Tbilisi, specially in Tsarist times. There’s a touristy market in the tunnel running under the main road where buying souvenirs.
  
• Kvemo Betlemis Georgian Orthodox Church:

  

  Domes of Kvemo Betlemis
  and Zemo Betlemis Churches
  

  former Armenian church that was rebuilt in the 1860s (though its origin goes back to the 14th century). It was given to the Georgian Orthodox Church in 1988 and all evidence of Armenian religious iconography was destroyed or removed and was replaced with Georgian ones.
• Zemo Betlemis Georgian Orthodox Church: 18th century church at the foot of Narikala Fortress. that It was orginally built as an Armenian temple under the catholicos Eghiazar and Alexander, placed under the control of the Georgian Orthodox Church after the fall of the Soviet Union (removing all the Armenian decoration signs). From here there are magnificent views of the city.
  
• Ateshgah of Tbilisi:

  

  Ateshgah of Tbilisi
  

  17th century Zoroastrian fire temple first built during the Sassanid Empire (one of the oldest religious buildings in the Georgia's capital). It was used by Zoroastrian Parsis merchants that passed through Tbilisi till the beginning of the 20th century. It consists on a strange cubic structure in brick covered with a glass roof but it can't be visited it (it's part of a private garden belonging to a family of Yazidi Kurds).
  
• St. Giorgi Georgian Orthodox Church in Kldisubani: 18th century church at the foot of the Narikala Fortress. It was built on the site of an ancient church built under king Vakhtang I of Iberia with the help of an Armenian merchant, one of the most important examples of Georgian-Armenian friendship and cooperation. Most of the traces of the Armenian history of the church were removed by the Georgian Orthodox Church shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union. Close to it, there's a bell tower with an uncommon shape and a green dome.
  
• St. Gevorg Armenian Apostolic Cathedral:

  

  Interior of St. Gevorg
  Armenian Cathedral
  

  large cathedral one of the two functioning Armenian churches in Tbilisi and cathedral of the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Orthodox Church. It was first founded in 1251, though the current structure dates back to the 18th century. It's built in brick, the outer walls are covered with stucco and its interior has colourful 18th century frescoes (restored by the Armenian diaspora in 2012). Here it's located the tomb of the Armenian poet Sayat Nova (part of king Erekle II’s court), killed here during the Persian invasion of 1795.
  
• MOMA Tbilisi (11-18 Wed-Mon; 10₾): museum of modern art founded by Zurab Tsereteli (Moscow-based Georgian who is one of Vladimir Putin’s favourite artists), placed in the the former Tbilisi Cadet Corps building. The permanent collection has sculptures and paintings on display, all with a common characteristic: grandiose, larger-than-life work found in many countries.

  

  MOMA Tbilisi
  

  The museum also hosts very good temporary exhibits (sometimes better than the permanent collection).
  
• G. Leonidze Museum of Georgian Literature (10-18 Tue-Sun; free): museum that works as a literature archive with the richest collection of the Georgian literature, mainly of last two centuries (such as Ilia Chavchavadze, Akaki Tsereteli, Galaktion Tabidze, Titsian Tabidze, and works of the Nobel Prize for Literature winner Boris Pasternak or Arthur Leist). It was supported by the poet Titsian Tabidze, together with the group of symbolist writers Tsisferyantselebi. It has no permanent exhibition but organises several temporary ones.
• National Gallery of Georgia

  

  A Fisherman
  by Niko Pirosmani
  

  (10-18 Tue-Sun; 12₾/ 0.5₾  adults/ students and people under 18): art gallery that keeps 30,000 exhibits of modern Georgian culture, including works of painting, graphics, decorative-applied arts and photography. The highlight of the museum is the wonderful hall with paintings by Niko Pirosmani, Georgia’s best-known painter, whose main topics are animal and feast scenes or lesser-known portraits and rural life ones. Some of his displayes canvases are A Fisherman or A Peasant Woman with Children Going to Fetch Water. The gallery has good selection of works of art by other top 20th century Georgian artists such as Lado Gudiashvili, Elene Akhvlediani and David Kakabadze. 
• Kashveti Georgian Orthodox Church: early-20th century church built by Leopold Bielefeld, based on the medieval Samtavisi Cathedral and with abse painted by one of the main Georgian painters, Lado Gudlashvili. Here it's supposed to be where Davit Gareja (one of Thirteen Assyrian Fathers who returned from the Middle East to spread Christianity in Georgia)

  

  Georgian National Youth Palace
  

  built a church in the 6th century.
  According to legend, a nun accused him of making her pregnant and he replied that if that were true, she’d give birth to a baby, and if not, to a stone, which duly happened.  
• Georgian National Youth Palace: palace erected in 1858 that was intended for the residence of the Imperial Viceroy of the Caucasus, where today collective events are organized for school children (headquarters of a typically post-Soviet institution). It's one of the most distinguished buildings in Russian Imperial style.
  
• Parliament of Georgia:

  

  Parliament of Georgia
  

  high-arched building that was constructed between 1938 and 1953 (inspired in some elements of traditional Georgian architecture) for the Georgian Soviet Republic and now is the meeting place of the Parliament of Georgia. Many momentous of the recent Georgian history took place here, including the deaths of 19 Georgian hunger strikers at the hands of Soviet troops (1989), and the Rose Revolution (2003). Mikheil Saakashvili moved the parliament of Georgia to Kutaisi in 2012, but it returned here in 2019. It can't be visited.
• Museum of Georgia

  

  Exhibitions at the
  Museum of Georgia

  (10-18 Tue-Sun; 15₾/ 0.5₾  adults/ students and people under 18): impressive museum that shows the history of Georgia and its principal archaeological findings. Its permanent exposition chronologically follows the development of Georgia from the Bronze Age to the early 20th century. Some of its most interesting features are medieval icons and goldsmith pieces, Shukhuti's mosaic (bath mosaic from the 4th-5th century) and a lapidary with one of the world’s richest collection of Urartian inscriptions. One of its highlights is the Archaeological Treasury, an area displaying pre-Christian gold, silver and precious-stone work from burials around the 3rd millennium BC in Georgia. Its most stunning ones are the are detailed gold adornments from Colchis (western Georgia) and Akhalgori hoard.

  

  Museum of Soviet Occupation
  

  On the ground floor it can be seen exhibits from Dmanisi, an archaeological site in southern Georgia where 1.8 million years old hominid skulls (Homo Ergaster) have been found, changing the mindset on early European humanity. On the top floor is located the Museum of Soviet Occupation, museum that teaches in detail how Soviet repression worked and the anti-occupational, national-liberation movement of Georgia. It also speaks about the short-lived independence (1918-1921) and the declaration of independence in 1991.
• Shalva Amiranashvili Art Museum of Georgia (11-17 Tue-Sun; 3₾/ 0.5₾  adults/ students and people under 18): museum of fine arts that contains a vast wealth of icons, crosses and jewellery from all over Georgia.

  

  Exhibitions at the
  Art Museum of Georgia
  

  The museum is located in a 19th century Neoclassical building (that housed a theological seminary in the Imperial Russian period) and has around 140,000 items of Georgian, Oriental, Russian, and other European art (such as The Procuress by Lucas Cranach the Elder). It hosts many of the most sacred objects of Georgia such as the little pectoral cross of Queen Tamar (the only known personal relic of the great monarch from the 12th century) or many paintings by Niko Pirosmani, a Georgian naïve artist. The Oriental is one of the largest in the post-Soviet countries, with pieces of Persian fine arts (particularly qajar art), several miniatures of Persian court artists, and portraits of shahs and noblemen.

  

  St. Mikhail of Tver
  Georgian Orthodox Church
  

  The museum often holds temporary exhibitions too. Unfortunately, it can only be entered with a guide (English available).  
• St. Mikhail of Tver Georgian Orthodox Church: Neo-Russian church built by Johann Dietzmann in 1913 in honor of the Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich Romanov. It was later transformed into a Georgian Orthodox church with Georgian icons, only keeping the Russian icon dedicated to Romanov family.
• Elene Akhvlediani House-Museum (11-18 Tue-Sun; 3₾/ 1₾  adults/ students and people under 18): small museum established in the home-studio of well-known artist Elene Akhvlediani, one of the founders of new Georgian art.

  

  Tbilisi City Hall
  

  It houses various collections such as works of Elene Akhvlediani (landscape paintings, graphics, and set designer works of different periods), and a collection of craft samples from Georgian regions that were collected by the artist.
  
• Ucha Japaridze House-Museum (11-18 Tue-Sun; 3₾/ 1₾  adults/ students and people under 18): small museum established in the home-studio of well-known painter, Ucha Japaridze. It houses paintings and graphics of the artist, photo and documentary materials about him and his life.
  
• Tbilisi City Hall: Neo-Moorish style building constructed by Alexandre Ozerov in 1882. Its tower was added in 1910 and the building was further enlarged in 1912.
  

  

  Mtatsminda Pantheon
  

• Mtatsminda Pantheon: necropolis where some of the most prominent writers, artists, scholars, and national heroes of Georgia are buried, established in 1929. The first celebrities to be buried here were the Russian writer Alexander Griboyedov and his wife Nino Chavchavadze. Other important celebrities are Ilia Chavchavadze, Galaktion Tabidze, Kote Marjanishvili, Lado GudIashvili, Simon Janashia, General Giorgi Kvinitadze, Zviad Gamsajurdia (first president of the Georgia after the independence of the USSR) or Stalin's mother (he didn't even travel for her funeral and sent Beria). It's located in the churchyard around Mama Daviti Church, a 19th century church in Neo-Medieval style.
  
• Project ArtBeat (11-19 Tue-Sun; free): gallery that is regarded as the leading contemporary art space in Georgia, focusing in local talent and giving shows to up-and-coming artists. It's a good idea to get in and have a look at the local art scene. They also have a mobile gallery, a shipping container displaying an exhibit by a changing individual artist, that travels around the country.
  
• Bidzina Ivanishvili Residence: enormous residence complex of Bidzina Ivanishvili (the richest man of Georgia, former prime minister and founder of the political party Georgian Dream) that is located in the west end of the Sololaki Ridge. The complex is worth $50 million and was designed for him by Mikhail Khazanov and Shin Takamatsu. It can’t be seen much of it but the distance, it looks a bit like a regional airport terminal (having its heliport).
• Botanical Gardens of Tbilisi

  

  Kartlis Deda
  

  (9-20 from Apr to Aug; 9-19 in Sep; 9-17 from Oct to Feb; 9-18 in Mar; 4₾/ 1₾  adults/ students and people under 18): huge botanical garden that is filled with trees and waterfalls, opened in 1845 on what had earlier been royal gardens (including a former Muslim cemetery too, some graves have been kept such as the one of the prominent Azerbaijani writer Mirza Fatali Akhundov). They are placed more than 1 km up the Tsavkisis-Tskali Gorge behind the cliffs of Narikala Fortress and are today beautifully kept, with a river running through them and having some wonderful views too.
  
• Kartlis Deda: 20m-tall aluminium statue built by Elguja Amashukeli in 1958 to celebrate the 1500th birthday of Tbilisi that represents Mother Georgia. On one hand it holds a sword and in the other a cup of wine in the other (metaphor for the Georgian character: welcoming friends and fighting off enemies). It's one of the symbols of Tbilisi.
  

  

  Narikala Fortress
  

• Narikala Fortress (9-21; free): fortress whose origin was Persian citadel from the 4th century, although most of the walls were built by Arab emirs in the 8th century. It was controlled by all the powers which controlled Tbilisi but in 1827 a huge explosion left the current picturesque ruins, with only its walls largely intact. It dominates the Old Town skyline and has superb views of Tbilisi. Inside the fortress is located St. Nikolozi Georgian Orthodox Church, built in the 1990s to substitue the previous 13th century church that has frescos showing scenes both from the Bible and history of Georgia.

  

  Jumah Mosque
  

  
  
• Jumah Mosque: red brick mosque that dates back to 1895, the only mosque in Tbilisi that survived the purge of Lavrenti Beria in the 1930s. Its architecture has Islamic and Neo-Gothic elements and the interior is beautifully frescoed and guests are welcome. Unusually, Shiite and Sunni Muslims pray together here.
• Metekhi Bridge: bridge located were the first bridge of the city was built. Foreign invaders used it as a place to convert Georgians forcibly into Islam. The current bridge was built in 1950, destroying the most beautiful mosque of Tbilisi.
  
• Metekhi Cathedral:

  

  Metekhi Cathedral

  Georgian Orthodox cross-cupola church that was built under king Demetrius II of Georgia in the 13th century, reconstructed many times since then. It's located on a strategic rocky outcrop above the Metekhi Bridge and here is where the king Vakhtang Gorgasali (also known as Vakhtang I of Iberia) built his palace and the first church when he made Tbilisi his capital in the 5th century. Lavrenti Beria intended to destroy the church as well a group of Georgian intellectuals led by Dimitri Shevardnadze opposed to it, and it was preserved. Beside it, there's an equestrian statue of king Vakhtang Gorgasali from the 1960s.
  
• Queen Darejan Palace:

  

  Views from Queen Darejan Palace
  

  palace that was built in 1776 for Queen Darejan, wife of the king Erekle II, partially rebuilt in the 19th century. After the exile of Queen Darejan the palace and the church were purchased by an exarch Theophylact, organising a monastery that was functioning until the arrival of the communist regime. A beautiful, decorative balcony attracts its attention and offers a beautiful view of Tbilisi.
  
• Ejmiatsin Armenian Apostolic Church: 18th century brick-church that was founded by Armenians from Echmiadzin (currently named Vagharshapat). Its structure is similar to most of the medieval Georgian and Armenian churches, although the influence of Neoclassicism can be seen in the decoration of the façades and in the interior.

  

  Bridge of Peace
  

  The painting of the hemisphere of the dome and the sail were done in the late-19th century.
  
• Bridge of Peace: bow-shaped pedestrian bridge over the Kura River by Michele De Lucchi that links Rike Park with Old town. This glass-and-steel construction is illuminated with numerous LEDs opened in 2010, is both the most eye-catching and love-it-or-hate-it structures that were built around Georgia during the Saakashvili years. Today it is a significant tourist attraction and one of the landmarks of Tbilisi.

  

  Rike Park and Concert Hall
  

• Rike Park: green expanse along the eastern riverbank of the Mtkvari that has winding paths, pools and fountains. Here it’s also the lower station of the cable car that takes you to Narikala Fortress. Within the park it can be found Rike Concert Hall & Exhibition Centre,a concert hall by the architect Massimiliano Fuksas consisting of two large tubular metallic structures. After Mikheil Saakashvili lost power, the construction was paused and the project remains unfinished today.
  
• Presidential Palace of Georgia:

  

  Presidential Palace of Georgia
  

  palace that was a Saakashvili-era prestige project that opened in 2009. Its main features are a Neoclassical portico and the glass dome. The palace is used just for ceremonies and is not open to visitors.
• St. Karapet Georgian Orthodox Church: church whose origin is believed to be around 1705 that used to belong to the Armenian Orthodox Church. The church once had doors decorated according to the Armenian tradition and a bell tower, removed after the church was reconsecrated by the Georgian Church in 1995.  
• Sts. Petre da Pavle Catholic Church:

  

  Sts. Petre da Pavle
  Catholic Church
  

  Neo-Baroque church built between 1870-77 on the initiative of Konstantine Zubalashvili, being the largest Catholic church in Georgia. Pope John Paul II celebrated mass here during his visit to Georgia in 1999. 
• Galaktion Tabidze House-Museum (10-18 Tue-Sun; 2₾/ 1₾/ 0.5₾  adults/ students and people under 18/ kids under 6): small museum situated in house where the famous Georgian poet Galaktion Tabidze lived in last years. There are photo materials, manuscripts and other documents which reflect Galaktion’s live and creative work.
  
• Church of St. Alexander Nevsky: Georgian Orthodox church built in 1864 in Neo-Russian style, sometimes referred as the Russian Church. It has mass both in Georgian and in Church Slavonic.
  

  

  Tsminda Sameba Cathedral
  

• Tsminda Sameba Cathedral: main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church (previous was Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral), constructed between 1995 and 2004 to commemorate 1,500 years of autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church and 2,000 years from the birth of Jesus. It's the third-tallest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the world and one of the largest religious buildings in the world by total area. Its style is a synthesis of traditional styles dominating the Georgian church architecture along history with influence of Byzantine architecture. The cathedral consists of nine chapels and its interior is largely bare but it contains many of Georgia’s most important icons. Its illumination makes it a gorgeous spot at night too.
• Museum of Cultural History of Georgia (10-17 Tue-Sun; 2₾/ 1₾/ 0.5₾  adults/ students and people under 18/ kids under 6): museum that houses rich materials which reflect history of old and contemporary Georgian theatre, music, cinema and choreography.

  

  Museum of Cultural
  History of Georgia
  

  Some of its highlights are samples of 17th century painting, Persian miniatures, Russian and Western European fine arts, manuscripts, costumes, memorial belongings, audio-video records, etc.
  
• Niko Pirosmani House-Museum (10-18 Tue-Sun; free): small museum located in the home where the Georgian painter Niko Pirosmanashvili lived last years his life that speaks about his life and career. It houses several copy of artist’s works, and personal things of artist too. 
  
• State Silk Museum (11-16 Tue-Sun; 5₾/ 2₾/ free  adults/ students and people under 18/ kids under 6):

  

  State Silk Museum
  

  surprising museum that has a very comprehensive exposition on the history of silk farming in Georgia and the whole Caucasus, exhibiting more than 500 varieties and species of cocoons, silkworm caterpillars and butterflies, as well as samples of mulberry plants, natural and synthetic dyes, a wide range of silk products and much more. It's located in a nice 1892 building by Alexander Shimkevich that was used as a silk station, and the museum has practical and theoretical courses and a huge library on the topic too. 
• Vake Park: park located in the district with the same name, opened in 1946 on a former wasteland and the largest green project in Tbilisi. It has a WW2 war memorial with a 28-m high sculpture of victory.
  
• Tbilisi Open-Air Museum of Ethnography

  

  Open-Air Museum of Ethnography

  (10-18 Tue-Sun; 5₾/ 0.5₾  adults/ students and people under 18): museum that displays examples of folk architecture and craftwork from various regions of Georgia, mostly consisting in wooden houses with traditional furnishings, rugs and utensils. The exhibition features the traditional darbazi-type and fiat-roofed stone houses from eastern Georgia, openwork wooden houses with gable roofs of straw or boards from western Georgia, watchtowers from the provinces of Khevsureti, Pshavi, and Svaneti; Megrelian and Imeretian wattle maize storages, Kakhetian wineries, and Kartlian water mills (and a 6th-7th century basilica from Tianeti). It's located on a hillside with good views, and makes for an enjoyable visit. 
• Kus Tba Lake: natural lake, also known as the Turtle Lake, in the nice hills that surround Tbilisi. From here the visitor can get nice views of Tbilisi and its suburbs. Another of the lakes in Tbilisi is Lisi Lake, a beautiful lake that is one of the favorite places of bathers and fishermen in Tbilisi.

  

  Tbilisi Sea
  

  Being here can make the visitor feel like being in the mountains, and it can be enjoyed Lisi Beach too.
  
• Tbilisi Sea: artificial reservoir that is close to the newest neighborhoods of Tbilisi are spreading. Its outlook is like the ones of lakes lost in the mountains, where the mounts from the Kartli Mountains in the Greater Caucasus can be seen. Locals come here for a bath in summer. By the Lake there's also the Chronicle of Georgia, an unfinished monument by Zurab Tsereteli that sits at the top of a large set of stairs and shows the history of Georgia.

Which activities can I do in Tbilisi?

Georgian National Opera House

Tbilisi has a wide and interesting cultural offer that doesn't envy any other European capital city. The threater, opera and ballet shows are mostly in Georgian. Some of the halls to enjoy such performances are Gabriadze Theatre (a marionette theater with awesome and moving plays), Georgian National Opera & Ballet Theatre (beautiful Neo-Moorish opera house from the 19th century specialised in opera, ballet and classical concerts), Tbilisi Concert Hall for music events, and Rustaveli Theatre, Neo-Rococo theatre that is famous for the Shakespeare productions of Robert Sturua. The nicest cinema in Tbilisi is Amirani [ამირანი] (Merab Kostava 36/1).

Royal Baths

When visiting Tbilisi the visitor shouldn't miss the opportunity to enjoy of of the city's sulphur baths, mostly located along the Old Town. Some of the most popular thermal baths in the city are Chreli Abano [ჭრელი აბანო] (Orbeliani Baths), Royal Baths [გოგირდის აბანოები] (Abano 5), Royal Bath House (Ioseb Grishashvili 8/1) and the hammam Gulo’s Thermal Spa (Ioseb Grishashvili 5).

 

Cable Car and views of Tbilisi

Both adults and children would enjoy Mtatsminda Park (9-23), an amusement park at the top of the mount with the same name. To arrive here visitors can ride the Funicular of Tbilisi (9-16; 3₾), a funicular that provides spectacular views of Tbilisi. But without any kind of doubts the most popular and incredible ride is done by the Cable Car of Tbilisi (11-23), which swings from the south end of Rike Park up to Narikala Fortress, high over the river Kura and Tbilisi Old Town.

 

Where can I buy in Tbilisi?

Tbilisi is a very good place to shop, keeping dozens of unique stores crowding its Old Town and Sololaki, while having markets, malls, souvenir shops, wine merchants, carpet specialists and local fashion brands too. 

Meidan Bazaar

Tbilisi keeps some of its former bazaars such as Meidan Bazaar, Bazroba (Mikheili Tsinamdzghvrishvili 196-200) or Desertirebis Bazaar [დეზერტირების ბაზარი] (Abastumani 5). To buy antiques the best idea is the best and most popular flea market, Dry Bridge Market [მშრალი ხიდი] (Martis Park 9). In Old Town the best ideas for crafworks are Caucasian Carpets Gallery [კავკასიური ხალიჩების გალერეა] (Erekle II 8) or Old Carpets (Kote Afkhazi 20), the souvenir shop Georgian Souvenirs (Shota Rustaveli 18), the English-bookshop Prospero’s Books (Shota Rustaveli 34), the bookshop Parnassus [პარნასი] (Ilia Chavchavadze 22) or the mapmaker Geoland [ჯეოლენდი] (Telegraph Dead End 3); for clothing shopping you may try the vintage O Moda Moda [მანო მოდა] (Petre Kavtaradze 1) and also have a look at Termitti [ტერმიტი] (Galaktion Tabidze 23) for leather products; to buy some food the most interesting alternatives are Aristaeus (Sioni) for Georgian cheeses, jams, honey and sauces. 
If you're looking for something bigger Tbilisi has a wide offer of malls and department stores too, like Galleria Tbilisi [გალერია თბილისი] (Shota Rustaveli 2/4) or Lilo Mall [ლილო მოლი] (Kakheti Highway 112), one of the largest in the whole Caucasus.

Where can I eat in Tbilisi?

Tbilisi has the best restaurants in Georgia and the visitor will eat superbly here, having options of traditional cooking, modern Georgian with an international twist or various other non-native cuisines. 

In case you have low budget some recommendations are the Ossetian Cafe Alani [ალანი] (Vakhtang Gorgasali 1), the popular cafe Linville [ლინვილი] (Kote Afkhazi 11), the cafe KGB [კგბ] (Erekle II 8/10), the Georgian bar Racha [რაჭა] (Mikheil Lermontovi 4); the Georgian restaurants Machakhela-Samikitno [სამიკიტნო მაჭახელა] (Pkhovi 2), Pasanauri [ფასანაური] (Alexander Griboedov 37), Klike’s Khinkali (Shio Chitadze 1) and the breakfast restaurant Kikliko (Mtskheta 28). If you want to spend a bit more, the medium price suggestions could be the restaurants Culinarium Khasheria (Abano 23), Alubali (Giorgi Akhvlediani 6), Dzveli Sakhli [ძველი სახლი] (Marjvena Sanapiro 3), Salobie Bia (Shota Rustaveli 17), Shavi Lomi [შავი ლომი] (Zurab Kvlividze 28) for Georgian dishes; the veggie Cafe Leila [ლეილა] (Ioane Shavteli 18), Cafe Stamba (Merab Kostava 14) for modern dishes; the cafes Sofia Melnikova’s Fantastic Douqan (Gia Chantuira 8) and Lolita [ლოლიტა] (Tamar Chovelidze 7), specially recommended for breakfasts.

Among international food restaurants these are some: and the French brasserie Tartine [ტარტინი] (Irakli Abashidze 22). High budget allows you to know and taste some of the following gastronomic experiences: Organique Josper Bar (Bambis Rigi 12), the Georgian restaurant Keto & Kote [ქეთო და კოტე] (Mikheil Zandukeli 3), the restaurant Café Littera (Ivane Machabeli 13), Café Gabriadze [გაბრიაძე] (Ioane Shavteli 13) or the Georgian restaurants Azarphesha (Pavle Ingorokva 2) and Barbarestan [ბარბარესთან] (Davit Aghmashenebeli 132); modern food choices like Tbilisi’s most iconic eatery, Purpur [პურპური] (Abo Tbileli 1). 

 

Bassiani techno club

Tbilisi has the most active nighlife in whole Georgia with clubs and wonderful venues running from cool artist collectives to cocktail lounges and wine bars. This is a list of recommended bars in Tbilisi: Drama Bar (Shota Rustaveli 37), Dedaena [დედაენა] (Dedaena Park), Warszawa (Aleksandr Pushkin 19), Dive Bar [დაივ ბარი] (Mari Brose), Pudel (Telliskivi 60a-5), TOPS (Soo 15) or Scotland Yard (Mere puiestee 6). As for wine bars, the best choices are Wine Buffet (Ovanes Tumaniani 15), Vino Underground (Galaktion Tabidze 15). The city has also a vast pubs and clubbing offer, with clubs like Bassiani [ბასიანი] (Akaki Tsereteli 2), KHIDI (President Heydar Aliyev Embankment), Café Gallery [კაფე გალერი] (Alexander Griboedov 34), the Irish pub Dublin [დუბლინი] (Giorgi Akhvlediani 8) or Mtkvarze [მტკვარზე] (Nikoloz Baratashvili Named Left Bank); cocktail bars such as Rooms Hotel Bar (Merab Kostava 14) or the cafe Black Cup x Valiko Bar (Galaktion Tabidze 24).
LGBT+ people aren't quite well-seen in Georgia but Tbilisi is by far the most tolerat city in the country with the community. There are still some bars popular in this community like Success Bar (Vashlovani 3).

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Posted in: Europe,Georgia