About

The capital and largest city of Georgia. In the English-speaking world, it was known as Tiflis until 1936. It covers an area of 504 km² and has a population of approximately 1.24 million as of 2023. The name Tbilisi is derived from the word for 'warm'. Founded in the 5th century, this ancient city is situated on the banks of the Mtkvari River. The Old Town of Tbilisi is characterized by its red-tiled roofs and historic architecture. Within the Old Town, an Armenian quarter centered around the Armenian Apostolic Church directly borders an Azerbaijani quarter centered around a mosque. Synagogues and Catholic cathedrals are also located near the Old Town. The Orthodox church building in the Narikala Fortress shows traces of having been converted from a mosque, similar to historical sites in Spain. Unlike Spain, while the Arabic prayers typical of mosques were completely removed, the unique ceiling structures of the mosque remain. Due to the fact that nearly 80% of the city's population was Muslim just before the Russian occupation, several other buildings converted from mosques into churches or other facilities can be found. The Old Town is famous for its sulfur baths and the Narikala Fortress cable car. Tbilisi's hot springs have been renowned as a healing destination since the days of Imperial Russia, and as a result, most of the foot traffic in the Old Town's baths consists of Eastern European tourists, including Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Russian Jews. Many small shops in the Old Town are also run by Russian-Georgians. Tourists might initially find it confusing to distinguish between Russians and Georgians, but it becomes clear after a day or two. According to reviews on TripAdvisor and Booking.com, some Western tourists who prefer to avoid Eastern Bloc crowds seem to shy away from the Tbilisi Old Town. Interestingly, there is a lake to the east grandiosely named the Tbilisi Sea, though it is not particularly large. As of 2014, the ethnic distribution was 89% Georgian, 4% Armenian, and 1% Russian. It is the birthplace of notable figures of Armenian descent such as Aram Khachaturian, Viktor Ambartsumian, and Sergei Parajanov. While Armenians made up the majority of the city's population until the early 19th century, Georgians now form the largest demographic. Travelers will encounter many Armenians and Azerbaijanis in the Old Town, while Russians are frequently found at tourist sites and department stores (where locals are rare). The Old Town has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2007. The city is home to the football club FC Dinamo Tbilisi. While the Georgian language and script might seem intimidating, Georgian citizens generally have excellent English skills and can understand broken English, so there is no need for concern. Most shops and public transport have large English signs, making navigation and shopping easy. The boulevard between Liberty Square Station and Shota Rustaveli Station is Tbilisi's main downtown area, packed with theaters. Currency exchange rates near subway stations are quite reasonable. Although theaters currently mostly stage works in Georgian, the Opera House—with its unique blend of Middle Eastern, Eastern European, and Western styles—is worth a visit just for the architecture. As the heart of Georgian cuisine, Tbilisi is a famous gourmet destination for Russian tourists; however, to a Korean palate, the bakeries near the subway and high-end restaurants may taste quite similar. Of course, even high-end restaurants are very affordable compared to Korea and serve generous portions, so they are worth visiting when you want to treat yourself.