The capital of Georgia, the city of Tbilisi, is a mandatory point of visit to this country. Here you can fully feel the charm of the ancient traditions of hospitality, as well as see wonderful sights. Tbilisi can also be called a balneological resort, thanks to the sulfur baths, which are located at the foot of the Narikala fortress.
To explore Tbilisi, it is best to plan at least two full days. If you also want to visit museums and exhibitions in the new quarters of the city, then it will take three days. The city of Tbilisi is located among the hills, so in many places there are wonderful viewing points with views of the old quarters.
Attractions of Tbilisi
The sights of the Old Town of Tbilisi are located on both banks of the Kura River. The sightseeing is best to start near the Metekhi Temple. This is the oldest temple in Tbilisi, founded by King Vakhtang I Gorgasal in the 5th century. The temple, built in the 13th century, has survived to this day. Next to Metekhi, the walls of the Darejan Palace rise (it is also called the Sachino Palace).
The palace was built in 1776 in the form of an impregnable medieval fortress, since at that time Georgia was constantly attacked by mountaineers, as well as Iran and Turkey. At the foot of these attractions is a wonderful Rike Park. It is connected to the old town by the glass Bridge of Peace, but to continue the tour, it is best to climb to the top of the Narikala fortress by cable car.
Narikala Fortress is one of the most famous sights of Tbilisi. It was founded by the Persians, but significantly expanded and strengthened when the Georgian princes made Tbilisi their capital. The Narikala fortress reached its greatest size under King David the Builder.
From Narikala Fortress, go down the steep slopes of Sulalaki Hill to the old town. The Old City of Tbilisi cannot be perceived as a place where just different attractions are located. It is a single whole. The charm of the old quarter lies in the houses on the slopes of the hill with a chaotic location.
A feature of Georgian architecture is the huge wooden balconies, which are decorated with beautiful wood carvings. Going down to the Metekhi Bridge, go to the ancient district of Sulfur Baths Abanotubani. Thanks to them, Tbilisi can be called a Balneological resort.
History of Tbilisi
Until the 5th century, the capital of Georgia was the city of Mtskheta. There, Tsar Mirian III one of the first in the world declared Christianity the state religion in 326. There are also the oldest Christian churches in Georgia: the Sveti Tskhoveli Temple and the Jvari Monastery.
King Vakhtang I Gorgasal in 458 decided to move the capital from Mtskheta to Tbilisi. He restored the ancient Persian fortress of Narikala, and built his palace on the opposite shore. Here he founded the first temple of Tbilisi – Metekhi. Despite the frequent invasions of enemies, the Metekhi Temple has remained unchanged since the 13th century.
There were two reasons for the movement of the Georgian capital to Tbilisi. The first reason: this is a powerful fortress of Narikala, which rises above the Kura on the impregnable Sulalak hill. It allowed to control an important route of the Silk Road in Transcaucasia. The second reason was the sulfur springs at the foot of the Narikala fortress. They were marked even on the maps of Ancient Rome. Sulfur springs had healing power.
