Exploring Tbilisi: Top Sights to Visit

Discover the Charm of Tbilisi

Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, offers a mix of history, culture, and modernity. People often find themselves enchanted by its unique blend of old and new. Walking through the city, you will notice the rich tapestry of influences from Europe and Asia.

Explore the Old Town

The Old Town, or Dzveli Tbilisi, is a must-visit area. Here, narrow cobblestone streets lead to historic buildings. People can explore ancient churches, like the Anchiskhati Basilica, which dates back to the 6th century.

Visitors can also find the sulfur baths in this area. These baths have been a part of Tbilisi's culture for centuries. Bathhouses like Orbeliani offer a relaxing experience with their traditional architecture.

Visit the Narikala Fortress

Narikala Fortress stands as a symbol of Tbilisi's history. It offers stunning views of the city. People can reach the fortress by walking or taking a cable car from Rike Park. The fortress dates back to the 4th century, providing a glimpse into the city's past.

Stroll Along Rustaveli Avenue

Rustaveli Avenue is one of Tbilisi's main streets. This area is perfect for those who enjoy shopping, dining, and cultural experiences. The avenue is home to the Georgian National Museum and the Opera House.

People can also enjoy a variety of cafes and restaurants. These spots offer local cuisine and international dishes, catering to diverse tastes.

Experience the Modern Side of Tbilisi

While Tbilisi is rich in history, it also embraces modernity. The Bridge of Peace is a striking example of contemporary architecture. This pedestrian bridge connects the Old Town with Rike Park.

Visitors can also explore the modern art scene. Tbilisi has several galleries showcasing local and international artists. These spaces highlight the dynamic and evolving culture of the city.

Enjoy the Local Cuisine

Georgian cuisine is a highlight for many visitors. People can try dishes like khinkali, which are dumplings filled with meat or cheese. Another popular dish is khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread.

Wine enthusiasts will find Georgia's wine culture fascinating. The country is one of the oldest wine regions in the world. Many restaurants offer tastings of local wines, providing a delightful experience.

Tbilisi is a city that captivates its visitors. From its historic sites to its modern attractions, there's something for everyone. Exploring Tbilisi offers a chance to experience the warmth and hospitality of Georgia.

The Holy Trinity Cathedral

The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi commonly known as Sameba is the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church located in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Constructed between 1995 and 2004, it is the third-tallest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the world and one of the largest religious buildings in the world by total area. Sameba is a synthesis of traditional styles dominating the Georgian church architecture at various stages in history and has some Byzantine undertones.

Kartlis Deda

Kartlis Deda - Mother of a Kartli or Mother of a Georgian - is a monument in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi.The statue was erected on the top of Sololaki hill in 1958, the year Tbilisi celebrated its 1500th anniversary. Prominent Georgian sculptor Elguja Amashukeli designed the twenty-metre aluminium figure of a woman in Georgian national dress. She symbolizes the Georgian national character: in her left hand she holds a bowl of wine to greet those who come as friends, and in her right hand is a sword for those who come as enemies

Metekhi

Metekhi is a historic neighborhood of Tbilisi, Georgia, located on the elevated cliff that overlooks the Mtkvari river. The neighborhood is home to the eponymous Metekhi Church of Assumption.

The district was one of the earliest inhabited areas on the city’s territory. According to traditional accounts, King Vakhtang I Gorgasali erected here a church and a fort which served also as a king’s residence; hence comes the name Metekhi which dates back to the 12th century and literally means “the area around the palace”. Tradition holds that it was also a site where the 5th-century martyr lady Saint Shushanik was buried. Legend has it also that the Metekhi cliff was a site of the martyrdom of Habo (8th century), Tbilisi’s patron saint. A small church in his honor is now under construction at the foot of the cliff.

Dry Bridge

Dry Bridge - is extraordinary flea market will keep you entertained for hours. There is a mesmerising assortment of antiques, jewellery and bric-a-brac on sale. In the tough days of Perestroika and the early years of independence, the Dry Bridge is where hard-up citizens of Tbilisi would come to sell their possessions in order to make a little cash. For some people that is still the case today, though for others this is their main business. Everything is laid out on the ground, often carefully arranged on on sheets of material, other times it is a haphazard collection. One person might be trying to sell you twenty-year-old batteries or an old toothbrush, while their neighbour will be touting antique amber and silver jewellery. If you want to buy anything remember to haggle. Prices may be inflated, especially for tourists. Open daily if the weather is good, from 10:00 - 17:00. At weekends there are usually more sellers, but more tourists too.  

Turtle Lake

Turtle Lake is a direct English translation of Kus Tba a small lake at the outskirts of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, so named due to the perceived abundance of turtles living in these places. The other, less frequently used name of this lake is K'ork'i

Turtle Lake is located on the wooded northern slope of Mtatsminda Mount at elevation of 686.7 m above sea level and fed by a small river Varazis-Khevi, a tributary to the Mtkvari (Kura). The area of surface is 0.034 km², while the catchment area is 0.4 km². Maximal depth is 2.6 m.

The Turtle Lake area is designed as a recreational zone and is frequented by the Tbilisians on weekends. It is also a place where festivals and concerts are held. It can be reached either via a road or an aerial tramway leading from Tbilisi’s Vake Municipality - this began operating once more in October 2016, is open from 8:00 until 22:00 and costs 1 lari in each direction. West to the lake is the Open Air Museum of Ethnography, a large exhibition of Georgia’s folk architecture

Air Museum of Ethnography

The Giorgi Chitaia Open Air Museum of Ethnography is an open-air museum in Tbilisi, Georgia, displaying the examples of folk architecture and craftwork from various regions of the country. The museum is named after Giorgi Chitaia, a Georgian ethnographer, who founded the museum on April 27, 1966. Since December 30, 2004, it has been administered as part of the Georgian National Museum.

The museum is located west to Turtle Lake on a hill overlooking the Vake district, Tbilisi. It is essentially a historic village populated by buildings moved there from all main territorial subdivisions of Georgia. The museum occupies 52 hectares of land and is arranged in eleven zones, displaying around 70 buildings and more than 8,000 items. 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 mountainous provinces of Khevsureti, Pshavi, and Svaneti, Megrelian and Imeretian wattle maize storages, Kakhetian wineries (marani), and Kartlian water mills as well as a collection of traditional household articles such as distaffs, knitting-frames, chums, clothes, carpets, pottery and furniture. There are also an early Christian "Sioni" basilica from Tianeti and a 6th-7th century familial burial vault with sarcophagus.

Freedom Square

Freedom Square formerly known as Erivan (or Erivanskaya) or Pashkevich-Erivanskaya Square under Imperial Russia and Lenin Square under the Soviet Union, is located in the center of Tbilisi at the eastern end of Rustaveli Avenue.

The square was originally named after Ivan Paskevich, the Count of Erivan, a Ukrainian general of the Russian Imperial Army, who earned his title in honor of his conquest of Erivan (present-day Yerevan) for the Russian Empire. Under the Soviet Union, the square was renamed, first "Beria Square", and then "Lenin Square".[2] The location was first named Freedom Square in 1918, during the foundation of the First Georgian Republic following the collapse of the Russian Empire.

Freedom Square was the site of the 1907 Tiflis bank robbery. Freedom Square has also been the site of various mass demonstrations including those for Georgia's independence (from the Soviet Union), the Rose Revolution, and others. In 2005 Freedom Square was the location where U.S. President George W. Bush and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili addressed a crowd of around 100,000 people in celebration of the 60th anniversary marking the end of World War II. During this event, Georgian-Armenian Vladimir Arutyunian threw a live grenade at President Bush while he was speaking in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate him.

Chronicle of Georgia Sculptor

Chronicle of Georgia was created by Zurab Tsereteli, a famous Georgian sculptor, painter and architect who resides in Moscow. Although most of Tsereteli’s works are found in Russia and the country of Georgia, the West became familiar with his creations through the Tear of Grief sculpture, presented as an official gift to the United States from the Russian government to commemorate the victims of the September 11 attacks. Tear of Grief memorial now stands on the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor in New Jersey.

Birth of the New World, also known as The Statue of Columbus, is another well-known monument of Zurab Tsereteli. Standing at 110 meters, this bronze sculpture in Arecibo, Puerto Rico is the tallest statue in the western hemisphere. Closer to home, Tsereteli is known as the sculptor of St. George Statue in Tbilisi, which he gifted to the Georgian people in honor of the nation’s independence.

Chronicle of Georgia is one of Tsereteli’s lesser-known masterpieces. Sculpted in the 1980s, it remains partially incomplete to this day yet is nevertheless valued for its beauty and cultural significance.