Tbilisi

The historic city:

The oldest, most fascinating and also most interesting part of Tbilisi is the old city, also known as Kala. Under the old fortress Narikala, built in the 4th century, which rises high above the historic center, lies an old working-class district with small alleys, hidden courtyards, romantic squares and eur-asian houses with old wooden and iron made balconies, where the laundry hangs to dry and children playing soccer with a leaky ball.

Churches, bath-houses, countless cathedrals but also a mosque, synagogue and a botanical garden can be found here in this multi-ethnic part of the city. 

Rustaveli is the new city that lies just next the old historical town but with its own character. It contains for example the main boulevard that runs through the capital and is flanked by the most expensive hotels, banks and well-known chain stores. Interesting buildings here include the Parliament building with in front of it it’s waterfalls and large Roman-style pillars and the Georgian National Museum.

At the end of the district is the cozy Vere park where you can relax at the end of the afternoon and drink a cold beer and chat with locals. 

Mtsketha:

The city Mstketha lies a stone's throw from the capital of Tbilisi. It was the old capital (of East Georgia) from the 3rd century BC. until the 5th century AD.

The city name has a magical sound for many Georgians and is the spiritual heart of the country with the most important and oldest churches in the country. Where the rivers Mtkvari and Aragvi meet each other, Christianity was realized no later than in the year of 327.

You can’t miss the Svetitskhoveli that towers out of the city. In this cathedral many important ceremonies are held for the Georgian Orthodox Church. Surrounded by a high stone wall, legend goes that the Robe of Christ is buried beneath the building. The cathedral itself is one of the most beautiful in the country with fantastic frescoes, paintings and a beautiful altar. Within walking distance on a high ledge just outside the city is the Jvari church; this must be the holiest of all for the Georgians - the view is breathtaking, the interior is stylish but oppressive and bald.

The city was founded in the 5th century BC. by Vachtang I Gorgasali, king of Iberia (Kartli). It is much more likely that the city was already there in the 4th century BC. but no written evidence is there to prove it. Probably people used the hotsprings already for centuries before the city was officially founded.

The name of the city is therefore derived from the Georgian word “hot” or “warm”, Tpili. In the year 368 the old Georgian king retook the current Tbilisi from the Persians and exchanged the city Meshteka as capital. The city has been the capital of several Georgian states, but is also often occupied by foreign rulers, including by Arabs and the Turks. The first conquered the city in 645 and would stay here for about four centuries. In 1122 the famous "David the builder" conquered the city and united several states in the country "Georgia" and made Tblisi the capital.

Under his descendant, Queen "Tamar", the country experienced its golden age and Tbilisi became a multi-ethnic city with about 80,000 inhabitants. It became known for its production of weapons, jewelry, leather and silk clothing. The century was roughly disrupted by the arrival of the Mongolian horde that invaded the country in 1235. The plague followed, followed by the conquering "Tamerlane" (or Timur), which destroyed the city in 1386, which was followed by the invading Persians who conquered the city in 1540. 

In the year 1762 when Persian domination weakened the country, Erekle II became king of a united Eastern Georgia. Erekle was protected by the Russians who recalled their army because of the war against the Turks. The Persians swore revenge and wiped out Tbilisi in 1795 altogether. Thousands of Georgians were killed and the city was completely on fire. In 1801 Tiflis came under the authority of the Russian Empire. From the beginning of the 19th century the city began to grow economically and politically. The buildings in the city were given a more European style. New roads and railways were built to connect Tiflis with other important Russian cities. After the 1850s, Tbilisi reappeared as an important cultural and trade center.

The Capital of Georgia

After the Russian Revolution, Georgia was independent for a short time, with Tiflis as its capital. In 1921 the Red Army invaded Georgia. Tiflis then became the capital of the Trans-Caucasian Federation, and later of the Soviet Republic of Georgia, which was part of the Soviet Union. In 1936 the name was changed to Tbilisi. During Russian rule, the sense of independence began to grow in Tbilisi, resulting in a hunger strike on Parliament's sidewalks in 1989. The Russians intervened and found 20 hunger strikers dead. In 1991, Tbilisi became the capital of the independent republic of Georgia, which again led to large demonstrations and riots.

The country turned into chaos and corruption - in 1993, thousands of refugees from Abkhazia blended the city. While a number of people became very rich, the city collapsed in crime and misery. In 2003 the "rose" Revolution followed and the government worked hard to prevent corruption; foreign investors and tourists also came back and Tbilisi seems to be on the right track again.