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Tbilisi – the capital and the largest city of Georgia, the political, economic and cultural center of the state. Tbilisi – a city full of architectural and historic monuments that share the Old Town and the Prospect de Constabuli, which contains the most interesting of them all.
The magnificent panorama of David – the Mt. The mountain is named for the icon who once lived in the cave of the Apostle Davyd of Georgia.
The earliest monument to the history of Tbilisi – the Ruin of the Fortress of Nariqal, remains to this day. Constructed in the 4th century, the fort was repeatedly erected and reconstructed, in the 8th century – by the Arabs, and in the 12th century – by the Moors, and was the most extensive fortification fortification of the Great Silk Road. Later, in the early 19th century, the fort was severely damaged by the earthquake and has not been restored since. On its territory is the Church of St. Nicholas of the 12th century. The church was completely restored in 1996 in accordance with the architectural tradition of the surrounding church. The interior of the church is richly decorated with frescoes depicting scenes of biblical mythology and Georgian history. Located on the very edge of the rocky bank of the Kura River, the temple was a fortress and seat of the Georgian rulers in the past. In the territory of the temple there is the mausoleum of the first Gruzian martyr, who was killed in the 5th century by her husband, a firebug. The church, repeatedly destroyed and then rebuilt, was severely damaged during the Mongol invasion and later the Persian invasion. In the mid-19th century the fortifications were dismantled and a prison was built on the site. Nowadays, the Metegy – a small, tall, brick building with a square cross-section, enclosed by a circular tower with a pinnacle roof – all that remained of the once-mighty fortress, which included a castle, a church and a monastery.
One of the most famous monuments in the Old City is the 7th-century Cathedral of St. John. It is currently the consecration of the Patriarch of Georgia, Catholicos of Georgia, and the current Cathedral of the Cathedra. The cross that brought the Holy Cross to the Georgian land, St. Innocent – the most precious shrine of Georgia, is kept in the Cathedral of Sion. It is made of two vine branches and, according to the legend, is translated by its own hair. In spite of the high cultural status of the cathedral, the exterior of the cathedral is very low-key and modest. Its exterior is very much like an austere Catholic church, with no unnecessary decorative elements. The only decoration of the cathedral – the tower, towering above its central part and crowned by an open-air dome.
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- Air quality: 150 US AQI Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.
- Tap water: No, not drinkable
- Religious government: Non-religious
- Population: 1,100,000 people
- GDP: $3,651 / year
- Foreigners can own real estate: Yes
- Power outlets: 230V50Hz
- Internet: 15 Mbps
- Best wireless: Geocell
- Pay without cash: Yes, cards OK almost everywhere
- Tipping: It is certainly not necessary or even expected, but if you are especially happy with your service, consider tipping a little extra. If you do not see a 10% charge, ask if it has been added. If it has not, you can leave a gratuity of around 10 to 15%.
- Apartments: Airbnb
- Hotels: Booking.com
- More hotels: Hotels.com
- Best coffee 24/7: Le Biscuit
- Best taxi: GG
- Best coworking space: Cospot
- Best short-haul air carrier: Atlasjet
- Best intl air carrier: Qatar
- Monthly costs for expat: $700
- Monthly costs for family: $900
- Monthly costs for local: $250
- Meal: $6
- Small Cola: $0.2
- Beer 1 Pint: $0.6
- Coffee: $0.5
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