Today, I return to the story of interesting places in the ancient Georgian capital. This time, we will take a stroll through the district known as the Old Town or Old Tbilisi. This place is rich in interesting architectural landmarks. One of its undeniable advantages is that everyone can create a unique route to explore the area independently.
Old Tbilisi: Location
According to online maps, the district is located in the southern part of the city, on the right bank of the Kura River. I started my walk from the side of the Metekhi Church. However, you can choose any starting point and, for example, head in a different direction.
Not far from the borders of the Old Town, there are two metro stations: "Avlabari" to the east and "Liberty Square" to the west.
Stroll through Old Tbilisi
Many travelers come to the Old Town to experience the authentic atmosphere of the ancient city and capture a few unique photos. Here, there are no typical Soviet panel buildings; the architecture of the area consists mainly of low-rise residential buildings, predominantly from the 19th century. Articles about the city mention that Old Tbilisi, with its narrow streets, has preserved the features of medieval construction.
Over time, the Georgian capital expanded in the northern direction, while in Old Tbilisi, many ancient architectural landmarks were preserved. During my walk, I saw only a few of them: the Narikala Fortress (4th century), the Jvari's Mama's Church (16th–19th centuries), St. Virgin Mary temple of Norashen (15th–18th centuries) and the Anchiskhati Basilica (6th century) churches. Online sources state that the latter is the oldest surviving church in the city.
In the Old Town, there are also non-historical landmarks. One of them is the building of the Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theater. The complex is remarkable for its unusual tower with numerous diverse details. While preparing this material, I found many other interesting places on online maps located here.
If, during your stroll through the area, you venture off the main roads and turn into small streets, you will be rewarded with wonderful views of cozy Georgian courtyards and various balconies of residential houses.
The Old Tbilisi district is an excellent choice for budget-conscious travelers. Here, you can spend a lot of time, take interesting photos, and not spend a single lari. For those who didn't budget for dining out, there are network stores with reasonable prices for groceries.
Next time, I will tell you about one of the churches mentioned in this article; it's called Jvari's Mama's Church.
Have a nice trip!
