Even at the airport in Tbilisi, it became clear that we had come to the right place: along with stamped passports, the border guard handed us an impressive bottle of wine. Then there were Svaneti, Khevi and Kakheti , but at the very end of our trip we managed to carve out a couple of days for the Georgian capital itself.
Prooflink. A post-flight stress reliever.
Tbilisi was founded in the 5th century by the king of Iberia, Vakhtang Gorgasali. The king was attracted to this place by thermal springs, which are still used for the benefit of citizens and guests of the capital in the famous Tbilisi sulfur baths (which we never got to), and the name “Tbilisi” is translated from Georgian as “warm spring”.
The city lies in the valley of the Mtkvari River (it is also in the Russian version of the Kura), surrounded by high hills. On one of them stands the Narikala Fortress - a layered cake of Arab, Mongolian and Georgian fortifications, destroyed by an earthquake in 1827.
You can climb up to the fortress by a fashionable recently opened cable car.
At the top it is worth climbing the ancient ruins.
And marvel at the harsh iron motherland. In Georgian it is called Kartlis Deda. In one hand Mother of Kartli holds a cup of wine for her friends, and in the other she holds a sword for her enemies.
The hill offers an excellent view of all the central districts of Tbilisi: the historical Abanotubani, Avlabari and Metekhi and the newer Vake.
Famous Tbilisi courtyards, top view:
Amazing Metekhi:
In the middle of the Armenian district of Avlabari rises the main Georgian new building and the local Cathedral of Christ the Savior - the new Cathedral of Ttsminda Sameba, the Holy Trinity.
Triangular domes of other churches stick out here and there everywhere.
Best of all, the surroundings are observed sitting on an ancient warm stone for a couple with a glass of Tvishi.
In addition to the fortress and the statue of Kartlis Deda, there is an old Botanical Garden on the Narikala hill (more precisely, behind the hill). It has a very neglected look, so somehow it didn’t get into the frame.
Behind the garden in an awesome building (a tree grows through a hole!) Some government agency is sitting. I already wrote that modern architecture is sweeping across Georgia by leaps and bounds, and Tbilisi is no exception. True, the rest of the examples are not so pretty for my taste.
Passports and birth certificates to Tbilisi residents, for example, are now issued in such a House of Justice, popularly known as “mushrooms”.
On another embankment in the city center, the construction of a new theater is nearing completion. In the background with a flag is the Presidential Palace, popularly known as the “egg”. In my opinion, it should be presented to Moscow, it will fit perfectly into the current architectural landscape.
Prooflink. A post-flight stress reliever.
Tbilisi was founded in the 5th century by the king of Iberia, Vakhtang Gorgasali. The king was attracted to this place by thermal springs, which are still used for the benefit of citizens and guests of the capital in the famous Tbilisi sulfur baths (which we never got to), and the name “Tbilisi” is translated from Georgian as “warm spring”.
Narikala
The city lies in the valley of the Mtkvari River (it is also in the Russian version of the Kura), surrounded by high hills. On one of them stands the Narikala Fortress - a layered cake of Arab, Mongolian and Georgian fortifications, destroyed by an earthquake in 1827.
You can climb up to the fortress by a fashionable recently opened cable car.
At the top it is worth climbing the ancient ruins.
And marvel at the harsh iron motherland. In Georgian it is called Kartlis Deda. In one hand Mother of Kartli holds a cup of wine for her friends, and in the other she holds a sword for her enemies.
The hill offers an excellent view of all the central districts of Tbilisi: the historical Abanotubani, Avlabari and Metekhi and the newer Vake.
Famous Tbilisi courtyards, top view:
Amazing Metekhi:
In the middle of the Armenian district of Avlabari rises the main Georgian new building and the local Cathedral of Christ the Savior - the new Cathedral of Ttsminda Sameba, the Holy Trinity.
Triangular domes of other churches stick out here and there everywhere.
Best of all, the surroundings are observed sitting on an ancient warm stone for a couple with a glass of Tvishi.
In addition to the fortress and the statue of Kartlis Deda, there is an old Botanical Garden on the Narikala hill (more precisely, behind the hill). It has a very neglected look, so somehow it didn’t get into the frame.
Tbilisi and modern architecture
Behind the garden in an awesome building (a tree grows through a hole!) Some government agency is sitting. I already wrote that modern architecture is sweeping across Georgia by leaps and bounds, and Tbilisi is no exception. True, the rest of the examples are not so pretty for my taste.
Passports and birth certificates to Tbilisi residents, for example, are now issued in such a House of Justice, popularly known as “mushrooms”.
Metehi
Since we are talking about bridges and Mtkvari, we cannot ignore the most picturesque district of Tbilisi - Metekhi. According to legend, the first palace of Vakhtang Gorgasali stood here on a high rock, and now there are mainly restaurants and hotels.
On the very crest of the rock stands the Assumption Church of the 13th century.
Old Tbilisi
Despite its obvious and bold tourist potential, Tbilisi is in no hurry to turn into a popular print. Old temples and courtyards with galleries are still in place, although in the oldest areas such as Abanotubani, a global reconstruction is already in full swing.
All this is done, of course, much more carefully and accurately than in Moscow, but it still comes out dead and plywood. It will be many more years before it all looks like a living city, and not a souvenir shop and a themed hotel. And most likely it won't.
In general, hurry up to see:
