Every year the capital of Georgia is visited by tourists from different countries who are very impressed by the area. So what interesting things can every guest of the city learn for himself and what kind of population of Tbilisi can you meet on its streets?
A bit of historical information
Tbilisi is the oldest city, not only in Georgia, but in the whole world. Archaeologists have found that the first settlements on the territory of the modern city appeared in the 4th century AD.
But the first mention of Tbilisi as a city dates back to 479. Since that moment, the territory of the current capital of Georgia was inhabited by various peoples with their own culture. Such colorfulness is reflected in the modern appearance of the city.
Until 1936, the city was called - Tiflis, but only in Russian colloquial speech. The locals called it Tpilisi. This name comes from the location of warm sulfur springs on the territory, and from the Georgian "tbili" means "warm".
Legend associated with the name
How the city got its current name, the nationallegend. According to it, initially the territory of modern Tbilisi was completely covered with forests, in which there were many wild animals and birds. And one day the ruling at that time (5th century AD) monarch Vakhtang Gorgasal shot a pheasant, which fell into a sulfur spring and boiled. This led to the discovery of healing hot springs, near which Vakhtang Gorgasal ordered the foundation of the city.
In the modern city, at the location of the sulfur places, there is a quarter of baths.
Territorial location
The heart of Georgia is located on the banks of the picturesque Kura River. It covers an area of 726 square kilometers and is the largest city in the country. It borders on other Georgian cities - Gardabani and Mtskheta.
Number of citizens
At the time of the 2016 census, the population of Tbilisi was 1,082,000 people, which is 1/3 of the total population of the entire country.
Ethnic composition of Tbilisi
The population of Tbilisi is very colorful. This is not a place where exclusively indigenous people live.
According to sociological data, the picture of residents is as follows:
- the bulk are people of Georgian nationality - 85%;
- 7, 5% - Armenians;
- Russian population in Tbilisi is 3%;
- Kurds - 1.7%;
- Azerbaijanis – 1%;
- Ossetians - 0.9%;
- Greeks - 0.35%;
- Ukrainians - 0.3%;
- Jews - 0.2%.
Based onfrom such a multinational composition, religious diversity is also formed. The vast majority of the population, which includes Georgians, Russians, Ukrainians and Greeks, preaches Christianity, Armenians adhere to Gregorian Christianity. Islam is less widespread, its supporters are Kurds and Azerbaijanis.
Besides this, there are other religious views in Tbilisi: Baptism, Lutheranism, Judaism.
Interesting places in Tbilisi
Tbilisi needs to go around the whole, because almost every street has some kind of attraction. If there is not much time for a sightseeing tour, then you can limit yourself to the following objects.
"Sulfur Baths" are the main attraction of the capital. It was the sulfur springs, according to local legend, that became the reason for the founding of the city. Another main reason for the pilgrimage of tourists to these places is the healing effect of these sources.
This area is considered the oldest in the city. The main feature of the baths is that they do not have a room for heating water. This is not an oversight of the builders, they are simply not needed, since the water temperature in these sources can reach 60 degrees.
The bath building is a building with a domed roof, which was built on the motif of Persian buildings. Once baths were very popular and worked around the clock, and their number was 60 buildings.
Currently, there are only a few baths in Tbilisi:VIP, "№52", "Royal bath".
An excellent place for a family vacation is Bombora Park, which is located in the city center, on Mount David (another name is Mtatsminda). This mountain is a symbol of the city, which offers a wonderful panoramic view of all Tbilisi.
On the approach to the hill (on the slope) the Church of St. David was built, the construction of which dates back to the 19th century. When climbing to the very top, you will meet a TV tower, the height of which is 277.4 meters.
But the main attraction is Bombra Park. It has an observation deck that offers a complete view of the city. Surprise with their bizarre forms of houses and castles. But tourists pay special attention to attractions that are presented in several versions: children's, extreme, family, as well as a game village.
Norashen is an Armenian Gregorian church built in the 15th-16th century. But over time, its original appearance has changed, so now tourists can contemplate the style of architecture of the XVIII century.
Besides Norashen, there are several more Armenian churches in Tbilisi. The most famous are Surb Gevork and Surb Gevork Mughni.
Rustaveli Avenue is a street that is central in the Georgian capital, and is also considered one of the main ones. It got its name in honor of the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli.
If you want to see the wholebustle of the city and real Tbilisi life, then you should definitely visit Rustaveli Avenue. It is here that all cultural, commercial and historical sites are concentrated: theaters, museums, various shops, cafes, including open-air cafes, hotels, the main city road. The whole city is concentrated here.
The length of the avenue is about 1.5 km. On one side the avenue ends with Freedom Square, on the other - Rustaveli Square, on which a monument to the poet is erected.
This is only a hundredth part of what can be seen in Tbilisi. The city is full of all kinds of buildings: temples of different faiths, museums with various expositions, old houses in contrast with modern ones. A day is not enough to see everything.
Industrial value
The city is also of industrial importance not only for Georgia, but for the whole world. The main industry enterprise is mechanical engineering, metal processing, food industry.
Several existing factories have been built in the city: for the construction of electric locomotives, aviation them. Dimitrova, for the production of agricultural machinery, machine tool, production of equipment for winemaking, instrument-making, iron foundry, electric car repair.
The food industry is represented by the production of vintage wine and cognac drinks, sparkling wines, tobacco, butter, bakery products, dairy products. The city is also famous for the production of silk, woolen and knitted fabrics. The production of haberdashery, clothing and footwear is well established. There are also furniture factories in Tbilisi, the production of building materials, a plant for the manufacture of ceramic products, and a pharmacy. In addition to production structures, the scientific sphere is developing well in the capital of Georgia.
Conclusion
The population of Tbilisi is quite diverse. The sights of this city will not leave indifferent any tourist.
The city is full of interesting objects that have historical, religious, cultural significance for the population. The central avenues and quiet streets paved with stone carry a lot of interesting things for travelers. Nature lovers will appreciate the beauty and majesty of the local forests and mountain slopes.
