Tbilisi თბილისი
Flag Seal
Tbilisi თბილისი Location of Tbilisi in Georgia
Coordinates: 41°43′0″N 44°47′0″E / 41.71667, 44.78333
Country	Georgia
Established	c. 450 A. The flag of Tbilisi, capital of Georgia is a rectangular while banner with a blue Nordic -type cross outlined in amber that extends to edges of the flag The emblem of the City of Tbilisi, Georgia, was designed in the late 1980s and reconfirmed as an official seal of the city on June 8, 2005. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Circa (often abbreviated c, ca, ca or cca and sometimes Italicized to show it is Latin) means "about" D.
Government
- Mayor	Giorgi (Gigi) Ugulava
Area
- City	726 km² (280. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Giorgi "Gigi" Ugulava (გიგი უგულავა (born August 15, 1975) is a Georgian politician and the current Mayor of Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 3 sq mi)
Elevation	380-770 m (-2,146 ft)
Population (2005)
- City	1,093,000
- Metro	1,345,293
Time zone	GMT (UTC+4)
- Summer (DST)	GMT (UTC)
Website: www.tbilisi.gov.ge

Tbilisi (IPA: [ˌtbiˈliːsi], in Georgian: თბილისი), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mtkvari (Kura) River. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT) is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London UTC+4 time zone is used as Moscow Summer Time Iraq Summer Time Azerbaijan Time Single zone countries Daylight saving time ( DST Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT) is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London Georgian (ka ქართული ენა kartuli ena) is the Official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus. Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between See Kura for other rivers called Kura Kura ( Turkish: Kura, Azerbaijani: Kür, Georgian: მტკვარი Tbilisi is sometimes called Tiflis (or Tifflis), which is its Medieval non-native name. The city covers an area of 726 km² (280. 3 square miles) and has 1,093,000 inhabitants.

Founded in the 5th century AD by Vakhtang Gorgasali, the Georgian King of Kartli (Iberia), and made into a capital in the 6th century, Tbilisi is a significant industrial, social, and cultural center. Saint King Vakhtang I Gorgasali (440 &ndash 502 ვახტანგ I გორგასალი) was the Georgian king ( mepe) of Kartli ( Kartli (ქართლი is the largest and most populated province of Eastern Georgia. This article is about the people of ancient Georgia For the Iberians of ancient Iberian Peninsula see Iberians. For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" Definition In the absence of agreement about its meaning the term "social" is used in many different senses referring among other things to attitudes Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic The city is also emerging as an important transit route for global energy and trade projects. Located strategically at the crossroads between Europe and Asia and lying along the historic Silk Road routes, Tbilisi has often been the point of contention between various rivaling powers and empires. The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the The history of the city can be seen by its architecture, where the Haussmannized Rustaveli avenue and downtown are blended with the narrower streets of the medieval Narikala district. Georges-Eugène Haussmann ( March 27, 1809 &ndash January 11, 1891) who called himself Baron Haussmann, was a French Narikala is an ancient fortress overlooking Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, and the Kura river

The demographics of the city is diverse and historically it has been home to peoples from different cultures, religions and ethnicities. Despite being overwhelmingly Orthodox Christian, Tbilisi is one of the few places in the world where a synagogue and a mosque are located next to each other, in the ancient Bath district several hundred meters from the Metekhi Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Abanotubani (აბანოთუბანი literally "bath district" is the ancient district of Tbilisi, Georgia, known for its Sulfuric Metekhi (Metechi Georgian: მეტეხი is a historic district of Tbilisi, Georgia, located on the elevated cliff that overlooks the Mtkvari In recent times, Tbilisi has become known for the peaceful Rose Revolution, which took place around Freedom Square and nearby locations after the contested parliamentary elections of 2003 led to the resignation of the Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze. The "Revolution of Roses quot (often translated into English as the Rose Revolution) (ვარდების რევოლუცია - vardebis Freedom Square ( Georgian: "თავისუფლების მოედანი" Tavisuplebis moedani, tavɪsʊplɛbɪs mɔɛdanɪ formerly known A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. Eduard Amvrosiyevich Shevardnadze (ედუარდ შევარდნაძე ɛduɑrd ʃɛvɑrdnɑdzɛ (born 25 January 1928 in Mamati, Lanchkhuti

Tbilisi has one international airport. Tbilisi International Airport (თბილისის საერთაშორისო აეროპორტი is the main international airport in Georgia, Notable tourist destinations include Tbilisi Sameba Cathedral, Freedom Square, Sioni Cathedral, Metekhi, Narikala, Parliament of Georgia, Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre, Anchiskhati Basilica, Mtatsminda (Holy Mountain), Kashveti Church along with the National and Historic Museums of Georgia and numbers of art galleries. The Tbilisi Holy Trinity Cathedral commonly known as Sameba (სამება for Trinity) is the main Georgian Orthodox Christian Cathedral Freedom Square may refer to Freedom Square, Miami, Florida, United States Freedom Square Tbilisi, Georgia The "Sioni" Cathedral of the Dormition (სიონი (ტაძარი is a Georgian Orthodox Cathedral in Tbilisi, the capital Metekhi (Metechi Georgian: მეტეხი is a historic district of Tbilisi, Georgia, located on the elevated cliff that overlooks the Mtkvari Narikala is an ancient fortress overlooking Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, and the Kura river Parliament of Georgia (საქართველოს პარლამენტი is the supreme Legislature of Georgia. Rustaveli Avenue - (formerly known as Golovin Street) is an avenue in central Tbilisi named after the Medieval Georgian Poet, Tbilisi State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre is situated on Rustaveli Avenue, in the center of Tbilisi, Georgia. The Anchiskhati Basilica of St Mary (ანჩისხატი is the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi, Georgia. The Kashveti Church of St George (ქაშვეთის წმინდა გიორგის სახელობის ტაძარი is a Georgian Orthodox Tbilisi is the home of famous artists. The city life was immortalized in their art by Niko Pirosmani and Lado Gudiashvili. Niko Pirosmanashvili (generally known internationally as Niko Pirosmani) (ნიკო ფიროსმანაშვილი May 5, 1862 -1918 was Lado Gudiashvili (Georgian ლადო გუდიაშვილი ( 1896 &ndash 1980) was a 20th century Georgian painter

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early history 1.2 Tbilisi becomes a capital 1.3 Foreign domination 1.4 Tbilisi as the capital of a unified Georgian state 1.5 Mongol domination and the following period of instability 1.6 Tbilisi under Russian control 1.7 Independence: 1918–1921 1.8 Under the Communist Government 1.9 After the break-up of the Soviet Union 2 Politics and Administration 2.1 Mayors of Tbilisi 3 Transportation 4 Geography 4.1 Location 4.2 Climate 5 People and culture 5.1 Demographics 5.2 Religion 5.3 Sports 5.4 Media 5.5 Architecture 5.6 Periodic events 5.7 Landmarks 6 Miscellaneous 6.1 Pronunciation 7 Education 8 Sister cities 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

History

Main article: History of Tbilisi

Early history

According to an old legend, the present-day territory of Tbilisi was covered by forests as late as 458 AD. The history of Tbilisi, as the capital of Georgia, dates back to the late 5th century AD One widely accepted variant of the legend of Tbilisi's founding states that King Vakhtang I Gorgasali of Georgia went hunting in the heavily wooded region with a falcon (sometimes the falcon is either substituted by a hawk or other small birds of prey in the legend). Saint King Vakhtang I Gorgasali (440 &ndash 502 ვახტანგ I გორგასალი) was the Georgian king ( mepe) of Kartli ( Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between A falcon (fɔlkən or fælkən is any Species of raptor in the Genus Falco. The term hawk can be used in several ways In strict usage in Europe and Asia, to mean any of the Species in the Subfamily Birds of prey are Birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing using their keen senses especially vision The King's falcon allegedly caught/injured a pheasant during the hunt, after which both birds fell into a nearby hot spring and died (from the burns received in the hot water). A falcon (fɔlkən or fælkən is any Species of raptor in the Genus Falco. Pheasants are a group of large Birds in the order Galliformes. A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated Groundwater from the earth's crust. King Vakhtang became so impressed with the hot springs that he decided to cut down the forest and build a city on the location. The name Tbilisi derives from the Old Georgian word "Tpili", meaning warm. Georgian (ka ქართული ენა kartuli ena) is the Official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus. The name Tbili or Tbilisi ("warm location") therefore was given to the city because of the area's numerous sulfuric hot springs that came out of the ground. Sulfur or sulphur (ˈsʌlfɚ see spelling below) is the Chemical element that has the Atomic number 16 A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated Groundwater from the earth's crust.

Archaeological studies of the region have revealed that the territory of Tbilisi was settled by humans as early as the 4th millennium B. Rustaveli Avenue - (formerly known as Golovin Street) is an avenue in central Tbilisi named after the Medieval Georgian Poet, C. The earliest actual (recorded) accounts of settlement of the location come from the second half of the 4th century A. D, when a fortress was built during King Varaz-Bakur's reign. Towards the end of the 4th century the fortress fell into the hands of the Persians after which the location fell back into the hands of the Kings of Kartli (Georgia) by the middle of the 5th century A. layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox Kartli (ქართლი is the largest and most populated province of Eastern Georgia. D. King Vakhtang I Gorgasali (reigned in the middle and latter halves of the 5th century) who is largely credited for founding Tbilisi was actually responsible for reviving and building up the city and not founding it. Saint King Vakhtang I Gorgasali (440 &ndash 502 ვახტანგ I გორგასალი) was the Georgian king ( mepe) of Kartli ( The present-day location of the area which Gorgasali seems to have built up is spread out around the Metekhi cliff and the latter-day Abanot-Ubani neighborhood. Metekhi (Metechi Georgian: მეტეხი is a historic district of Tbilisi, Georgia, located on the elevated cliff that overlooks the Mtkvari

Tbilisi becomes a capital

King Dachi I Ujarmeli (beginning of the 6th century A. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Jean Chardin, born Jean-Baptiste Chardin, also known as Sir John Chardin, ( November 16, 1643 &ndash January 5, 1713 Dach'i (დაჩი also Darchi დარჩი or Darchil დარჩილი of the Chosroid Dynasty, was the king of Iberia ( Kartli, eastern D. ), who was the successor of Vakhtang I Gorgasali, moved the capital from Mtskheta to Tbilisi according to the will left by his father. Saint King Vakhtang I Gorgasali (440 &ndash 502 ვახტანგ I გორგასალი) was the Georgian king ( mepe) of Kartli ( Mtskheta (მცხეთა one of the oldest cities of the country of Georgia (in Kartli province of Eastern Georgia is located approximately 20 kilometers northeast It must be mentioned that Tbilisi was not the capital of a unified Georgian state at that time (therefore did not include the territory of Colchis) and was only the capital of Eastern Georgia/Iberia. In ancient Geography, Colchis or Kolchis ( Georgian and Laz: კოლხეთი k'olxeti; Greek:, Kolchís Eastern Georgia commonly refers to the Eastern part of the nation of Georgia, which in historic times included the kingdom of Iberia in the Caucasus This article is about the people of ancient Georgia For the Iberians of ancient Iberian Peninsula see Iberians. During his reign, King Dachi I was also responsible for finishing the construction of the fortress wall that lined the city's new boundaries. Beginning from the 6th century, Tbilisi started to grow at a steady pace due to the region's favorable and strategic location which placed the city along important trade and travel routes between Europe and Asia.

Foreign domination

Tbilisi's favorable and strategic location did not necessarily bode well for its existence as Eastern Georgia's/Iberia's capital. Eastern Georgia commonly refers to the Eastern part of the nation of Georgia, which in historic times included the kingdom of Iberia in the Caucasus This article is about the people of ancient Georgia For the Iberians of ancient Iberian Peninsula see Iberians. Located strategically in the heart of the Caucasus between Europe and Asia, Tbilisi became an object of rivalry between the region's various powers such as Persia, The Byzantine Empire, Arabia, and the Seljuk Turks. The Caucasus ( also referred to as North Caucasus) is a geopolitical region located between Europe Asia & Middle East The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in The cultural development of the city was therefore heavily dependent on who ruled the city at various times. Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic Even though Tbilisi (and Eastern Georgia in general) was able to maintain a certain degree of autonomy from its conquerors, the foreign domination of the city began in the latter half of the 6th century and lasted well into the 10th century A. D.

From 570-580 A. D. , the Persians took over Tbilisi and ruled it for about a decade. layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox In the year 627 A. D. , Tbilisi was sacked by the Byzantine/Khazar armies and later from 736-738, Arab armies entered the town under Marwan II Ibn-Muhammad. The Third Perso-Turkic War was the third and final conflict between the Sassanian Empire and the Western Turkic Khaganate. "Kazar" redirects here for the Marvel Comics character see Ka-Zar; for the village in Azerbaijan see Xəzər. Marwan ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan or Marwan II (688-750 (Arabic مروان بن محمد بن مروان بن الحكم was an Umayyad Caliph who ruled After this point, the Arabs established an emirate in Tbilisi. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Emirs of Tbilisi ruled over the parts of today’s eastern Georgia from their base in the city of Tbilisi, from 736 to 1080 (nominally It must be noted that the Arab domination brought a certain order to the region and introduced a more formal/modernized judicial system into Georgia. Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between In 764, Tbilisi was once again sacked by the Khazars, which was still under Arab control. "Kazar" redirects here for the Marvel Comics character see Ka-Zar; for the village in Azerbaijan see Xəzər. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding In the year 853 A. D. , the armies of Arab leader Bugha Al-Turki (Bugha the Turk) invaded Tbilisi in order to establish a Caliphate. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history The Arab domination of Tbilisi continued until about 1050 A. D, because local Georgians were unsuccessful in their drive to expel the Arabs. In 1068, the city was once again sacked, only this time by the Seljuk Turks under Sultan Alp Arslan. The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings Alp Arslan (1029 &ndash December 15, 1072) was the second sultan of the Seljuk dynasty and great-grandson of Seljuk, the Eponym of

Tbilisi as the capital of a unified Georgian state

In 1122, after heavy fighting with the Seljuks that involved at least 60,000 Georgians and up to 300,000 Turks, the troops of the King of Georgia David the Builder entered Tbilisi. The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in The Georgians (ქართველები kartvelebi) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus, the oldest group of the The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between David IV, also known as David II or David III, or David the Builder ( Georgian: დავით აღმაშენებელი After the battles for Tbilisi concluded, David moved his residence from Kutaisi (Western Georgia) to Tbilisi, making it the capital of a unified Georgian State. Kutaisi (ქუთაისი ancient names Aea / Aia, Kutatisi, Kutaïssi) is Georgia 's second largest city and the capital of the From 12-13th centuries, Tbilisi became a dominant regional power with a thriving economy (with well-developed trade and skilled labour) and a well-established social system/structure. By the end of the 12th century (A. D. ), the population of Tbilisi had reached 80,000. The city also became an important literary and a cultural center not only for Georgia but for the larger civilized world as well. Literature is the Art of written works Literally translated the word means "acquaintance with letters" (from Latin littera letter Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between A Civilization is a society in which large numbers of people share a variety of common elements During Queen Tamar's reign, Shota Rustaveli worked in Tbilisi while writing his legendary epic poem, The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Tamar (თამარი also transliterated as T'amar Thamar or Tamara ( c Shota Rustaveli (შოთა რუსთაველი 1160 - ? was a Georgian poet of the 12th century, and the greatest classic of Georgian secular literature The Knight in the Panther's Skin ( Georgian: ვეფხისტყაოსანი transliterated as Vepkhist'q'aosani) is an Epic poem This period is often referred to as "Georgia's Golden Age"^[1] or the Georgian Renaissance ^[2]. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere

Mongol domination and the following period of instability

Tbilisi's "Golden Age" did not last for more than a century. In 1236 A. D. , after suffering crushing defeats to the Mongols, Georgia came under Mongol domination. Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between The medieval kingdom of Georgia first clashed with the advancing Mongol armies in 1220. The nation itself maintained a form of semi-independence and did not lose its statehood, but Tbilisi was strongly influenced by the Mongols for the next century both politically and culturally. In the 1320s, the Mongols were forcefully expelled from Georgia and Tbilisi became the capital of an independent Georgian state once again. An outbreak of the plague struck the city in 1366. The Black Death, or the Black Plague, was one of the deadliest Pandemics in human history widely thought to have been caused by a bacterium named Yersinia

From the late 14th until the end of the 18th century, Tbilisi came under the rule of various foreign invaders once again and on several occasions was completely burnt to the ground. In 1386, Tbilisi was invaded by the armies of Tamerlane (Timur). Georgia, a Christian kingdom in the Caucasus, was subjected between 1386 and 1404 to several disastrous invasions by the Turco-Mongol Timur also written Emir Timur or Amir Temur ( Chagatai: تیمور - Tēmōr " Iron " (1336 – 19 February 1405 among In 1444, the city was invaded and destroyed by Jahan Shah (the Shah of the town of Tabriz in Persia). Muzaffar al-Din Jahan Shah ibn Yusuf (died 1467 (Ottoman Turkish جهان شاه was the leader of the Kara Koyunlu Turkmen tribal federation in Azerbaijan and Tabriz ( تبریز, تبریز) is the largest city in northwestern Iran. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia From 1477 to 1478 the city was held by the Ak Koyunlu tribesmen of Uzun Hassan. The Ak Koyunlu or Aq Qoyunlu, also called the White Sheep Turkomans ( Turkmen: Akgoýunly, Azeri: Ağqoyunlu, Uzun Hassan ( 1423 - January 6, 1478) ( Ottoman Turkish: اوزون حسن, Uzun Həsən where uzun means tall) In 1522 A. D. , Tbilisi came under Persian control but was later freed in 1524 by King David X of Georgia. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia David X ( Georgian: დავით X Davit X) (1482-1526 was a king of the Georgian kingdom of Kartli from 1505 to 1525 Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between During this period, many parts of Tbilisi were reconstructed and rebuilt. From the 17-18th centuries, Tbilisi once again became the object of rivalry only this time between the Ottoman Turks and Persia. The Ottoman Turks were the subdivision of the Ottoman Muslim Millet that dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia King Erekle II of Georgia tried on several occasions, successfully, to free Tbilisi from Persian rule but in the end Tbilisi was burnt to the ground in 1795 by Shah Agha-Mohammad Khan. Erekle II (ერეკლე II ( November 7, 1720, or October 7, 1721 to [[Cyril Toumanoff|C Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Muḥammad Khān Qājār (1742-1797 (‎&lrm was the chief of the Qajar tribe At this point, sensing that Georgia could not hold up against Persia alone, Erekle sought the help of Russia. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending

Tbilisi under Russian control

In 1801, after the Georgian kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti joined the Russian Empire, Tbilisi became the center of the Tbilisi Governorate (Gubernia). Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov (Михаи́л Ю́рьевич Ле́рмонтов) ( –) a Russian Romantic Writer and Poet, sometimes The Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (1762-1798 was created in 1762 by the unification of two eastern Georgian kingdoms which had existed independently since the disintegration of The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya From the beginning of the 19th century Tbilisi started to grow economically and politically. New buildings mainly of European style were erected throughout the town. New roads and railroads were built to connect Tbilisi to other important cities in Russia and other parts of the Transcaucasus (locally) such as Batumi, Poti, Baku, and Yerevan. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The South Caucasus is a mountainous geopolitical area of south-central Eurasia, also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Transcaucasus. Batumi (ბათუმი formerly Batum or Batoum) is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and Capital of Adjara, an Autonomous Poti (ფოთი is a Port city in Georgia, located on the eastern Black Sea coast in the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Baku (Bakı sometimes known as Baqy, Baky, Baki or Bakü, is the capital the largest city and the largest port of Azerbaijan Yerevan (Երևան Երեւան or Երեվան ˌjɛrəˈvɑːn sometimes written as Erevan, Iravan, Erewan, Ayrivan, and Erivan By the 1850s Tbilisi once again emerged as a major trade and a cultural center. The likes of Ilia Chavchavadze, Akaki Tsereteli, Iakob Gogebashvili, Alexander Griboedov and many other statesmen, poets, and artists all found their home in Tbilisi. St Ilia the Righteous, born Prince Ilia Ch’avch’avadze, known as Ilia Ch’avch’avadze (ილია ჭავჭავაძე ( &ndash) was a Prince Ak'ak'i Tsereteli (აკაკი წერეთელი June 9, 1840 - January 26, 1915) was a prominent Georgian poet and Iakob Gogebashvili (იაკობ გოგებაშვილი ( October 15, 1840 – June 1, 1912) was a Georgian educator Alexander Sergeyevich Griboyedov (Александр Сергеевич Грибоедов alternative transcription Griboedov ( January 15, 1795 – February

The city was visited on numerous occasions by and was the object of affection of Alexander Pushkin, Leo Tolstoy, Mikhail Lermontov, the Romanov Family and others. Leo Tolstoy, or Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy ( –) (Лев Никола́евич Толсто́й, was a Russian Writer widely regarded Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov (Михаи́л Ю́рьевич Ле́рмонтов) ( –) a Russian Romantic Writer and Poet, sometimes The House of Romanov (Рома́нов rʌˈmanəf was the second and last imperial Dynasty of Russia, which ruled the country from 1613 to 1917 The Romanov Family established their residence (in Transcaucasia) on Golovin Street (Present-day Rustaveli Avenue). The House of Romanov (Рома́нов rʌˈmanəf was the second and last imperial Dynasty of Russia, which ruled the country from 1613 to 1917 The South Caucasus is a mountainous geopolitical area of south-central Eurasia, also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Transcaucasus. Rustaveli Avenue - (formerly known as Golovin Street) is an avenue in central Tbilisi named after the Medieval Georgian Poet, Rustaveli Avenue - (formerly known as Golovin Street) is an avenue in central Tbilisi named after the Medieval Georgian Poet,

Throughout the century, the political, economic and cultural role of Tbilisi with its ethnic, confessional and cultural diversity (Armenians, Georgians and Russians comprised 38. The Armenians (Հայեր Hayer) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus and in the Armenian Highlands A large The Georgians (ქართველები kartvelebi) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus, the oldest group of the The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries 1, 26. 3 and 24. 8 percent of the population respectively in 1897^[3]) was significant not only for Georgia but for the whole Caucasus. Hence, Tbilisi took on a different look. It acquired different architectural monuments and the attributes of an international city, as well as its own urban folklore and language, and the specific Tbilisuri (literally, belonging to Tbilisi) culture.

Independence: 1918–1921

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the city served as a location of the Transcaucasus interim government which established, in the spring of 1918, the short-lived independent Transcaucasian Federation with the capital in Tbilisi. Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar See also Russian Revolution (1905 The Russian Revolution of 1916 refers to a series of popular revolutions in Russia, and the events surrounding them The South Caucasus is a mountainous geopolitical area of south-central Eurasia, also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Transcaucasus. The Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (TDFR Закавказская демократическая Федеративная Республика (ЗКДФР Zakavkazskaya It was here, in the former Caucasus Vice royal Palace, where the independence of three Transcaucasian nations – Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan – was declared on May 26 to 28 1918. Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Since then, Tbilisi functioned as the capital of the Democratic Republic of Georgia until 25 February 1921. The Democratic Republic of Georgia ( DRG; Georgian: საქართველოს დემოკრატიული რესპუბლიკა Sakartvelos Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar From 1918 to 1919 the city was also consecutively home to a German and British military headquarters. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Under the national government, Tbilisi turned into the first Caucasian University City after the Tbilisi State University was founded in 1918, a long-time dream of the Georgians banned by the Imperial Russian authorities for several decades. Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili State University, better known as Tbilisi State University ( TSU) (თბილისის ივანე ჯავახიშვილის The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya ^[4] On 25 February 1921, the Bolshevist Russian 11th Red Army invaded ^[5][6] Tbilisi after bitter fighting at the outskirts of the city and declared Soviet rule. Bolshevist Russia or Bolshevik Russia is a common term for the Bolshevik side in the Russian Civil War, or more specifically the Russian The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya

Under the Communist Government

In 1921, the Democratic Republic of Georgia was occupied by the Soviet Bolshevik forces from Russia, and until 1991 Tbilisi functioned first as the capital city of the Transcaucasian SFSR (which included Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia), and later as the capital of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. The Democratic Republic of Georgia ( DRG; Georgian: საქართველოს დემოკრატიული რესპუბლიკა Sakartvelos The Red Army invasion of Georgia also known as the Soviet-Georgian War ( February 15 – March 17 1921) was a military campaign by the Soviet A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (Հայաստանի Խորհրդային Սոցիալիստական Հանրապետություն Azerbaijani: Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between The Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (საქართველოს საბჭოთასოციალისტური რესპუბლიკა During the Soviet rule, Tbilisi's population grew significantly, the city became more industrialized and came to be an important political, social, and cultural center of the Soviet Union. A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 In 1980, the city housed the first state-sanctioned rock festival in the USSR. The "Spring Rhythms Tbilisi-80" (Весенние ритмы

Tbilisi witnessed mass anti-Russian demonstrations in 1956, (in protest against the anti-Stalin policies of Khrushchev), 1978 and 1989, which concluded with bloody crackdowns on the first and the last occasions. The March 9 massacre in Tbilisi 1956 was a crackdown of peaceful demonstrators in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union by Soviet troops Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (April 17 1894 – September 11 1971 served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 following The April 9 tragedy refers to the events in Tbilisi, Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic on April 9, 1989, when an Anti-Soviet demonstration

After the break-up of the Soviet Union

Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Tbilisi has experienced periods of significant instability and turmoil. The Soviet Union 's collapse into independent nations began early in 1985 After a brief Civil War which the city endured for two weeks from December 1991 – January 1992 (when pro-Gamsakhurdia and Opposition forces clashed with each other), Tbilisi became the scene of frequent armed confronations between various mafia clans and illegal business entrepreneurs. Zviad Gamsakhurdia ( Georgian: ზვიად გამსახურდია, ( March 31, 1939 — December 31, 1993 Russian Mafia ( Русская мафия, Russkaya Mafiya) Red Mob ( Красная мафия Krasnaya Mafiya) or Even during the Shevardnadze Era (1993-2003), crime and corruption became rampant at most levels of society. Eduard Amvrosiyevich Shevardnadze (ედუარდ შევარდნაძე ɛduɑrd ʃɛvɑrdnɑdzɛ (born 25 January 1928 in Mamati, Lanchkhuti Many segments of society became impoverished due to a lack of employment which was caused by the crumbling economy. Economics is the social science that studies the production distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Average citizens of Tbilisi started to become increasingly disillusioned with the existing quality of life in the city (and in the nation in general). Mass protests took place in November 2003 after falsified parliamentary elections forced more than 100,000 people into the streets and concluded with the Rose Revolution. The "Revolution of Roses quot (often translated into English as the Rose Revolution) (ვარდების რევოლუცია - vardebis Since 2003, Tbilisi has experienced considerably more stability, decreasing crime rates and improving economy.

Politics and Administration

The status of Tbilisi, as the nation’s capital, is defined by the Article 10 in the Constitution of Georgia (1995) and the Law on Georgia’s Capital – Tbilisi (February 20, 1998). Events 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a Dowry payment Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) ^[7]

Tbilisi is governed by the Tbilisi Assembly (Sakrebulo) and the Tbilisi City Hall (Meria). The Tbilisi Sakrebulo (თბილისის საკრებულო tbilisis sakrebulo) is a representative body in the city government of Tbilisi, Tbilisi City Hall (თბილისის მერია t'bilisis meria) is a clock-towered edifice situated in the southern side of Freedom Square (in Georgian The City Assembly gets elected once every four years. The mayor gets elected by the City Assembly. The current Mayor of Tbilisi is Giorgi (Gigi) Ugulava and the Chairman of the Tbilisi City Assembly is Zaal Begashvili. The Mayor of Tbilisi is an elected politician in Tbilisi. The official office of the Mayor of Tbilisi is located in the Tbilisi City Hall. Giorgi "Gigi" Ugulava (გიგი უგულავა (born August 15, 1975) is a Georgian politician and the current Mayor of

Administratively, the city is divided into raions (districts), which have their own units of central and local government with jurisdiction over a limited scope of affairs. For the manufactured regenerated fiber see Rayon A raion (or rayon) (райо́н ra'jon rayon раён რაიონი Districts are a type of Administrative division, in some countries managed by a Local government. This subdivision was established under Soviet rule in the 1930s, following the general subdivision of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had several kinds of subnational entities Republics of the Soviet Union Autonomous republics of the Soviet Union Since Georgia regained independence, the raion system was modified and reshuffled. According to the latest revision, Tbilisi raions include:

• Dzveli Tbilisi (ძველი თბილისი)
• Vake-Saburtalo (ვაკე-საბურთალო)
• Didube-Chugureti (დიდუბე-ჩუღურეთი)
• Gldani-Nadzaladevi (გლდანი-ნაძალადევი)
• Isani-Samgori (ისანი-სამგორი)
• Didgori (დიდგორი )

Most of the raions are named after respective historical neighborhoods of the city. Old Tbilisi (ძველი თბილისი dzveli t'bilisi) is an administrative district ( Raioni) in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. The citizens of Tbilisi widely recognize a system of the smaller non-formal historical neighborhoods. Such neighborhoods are several, however, constituting a kind of hierarchy, since most of them have lost their distinctive topographic limits. The natural first level of subdivision of the city is into the Right Bank and the Left Bank of the Mtkvari. The names of the oldest neighborhoods go back to the early Middle Ages, and sometimes pose a great linguistic interest. The newest whole-built developments bear chiefly residential marketing names.

Mayors of Tbilisi

• Otar Litanishvili 1992–1993
• Konstantine Gabashvili 1993
• Nikoloz Lekishvili 1993–1995
• Badri Shoshitaishvili 1995–1998
• Ivane (Vano) Zodelava 1998–2004
• Zurab Tchiaberashvili 2004–2005
• Giorgi (Gigi) Ugulava 2005–inc

Transportation

There are different types of transportation in Tbilisi, the most popular of which are the yellow buses, that were transported from the Netherlands by the new government of Georgia. Freedom Square ( Georgian: "თავისუფლების მოედანი" Tavisuplebis moedani, tavɪsʊplɛbɪs mɔɛdanɪ formerly known Badri Shoshitaishvili is a Georgian Politician. He served as the mayor of Tblisi between 1995 and 1998. Zurab Tchiaberashvili is a Georgian political rights activist politician philosopher and journalist Giorgi "Gigi" Ugulava (გიგი უგულავა (born August 15, 1975) is a Georgian politician and the current Mayor of The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Tbilisi is also served by the Tbilisi Metro, that has been functioning since 1966 . The Tbilisi Metro (თბილისის მეტროპოლიტენი Tbilisis Metropoliteni; in the Soviet times also Тбилисское Метро There used to be Tram Lines in Tbilisi, that were built in the Soviet Period, but currently they are cancelled. A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. In addition, there are many taxi companies. The city is served by Tbilisi International Airport. Tbilisi International Airport (თბილისის საერთაშორისო აეროპორტი is the main international airport in Georgia,

Geography

Location

Tbilisi is located in the South Caucasus at 41° 43' North Latitude and 44° 47' East Longitude. The city is situated in East Georgia on both banks of the Mtkvari River. See Kura for other rivers called Kura Kura ( Turkish: Kura, Azerbaijani: Kür, Georgian: მტკვარი The elevation of the city ranges from 380-770 meters above sea level (1246-1968 ft)and possesses the shape of an amphitheatre surrounded by mountains on three sides. To the north, Tbilisi is bounded by the Saguramo Range, to the east and south-east by the Iori Plain, to the south and west by various endings (sub-ranges) of the Trialeti Range. Trialeti Range is an east-west mountain range of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the central part of Georgia.

The relief of Tbilisi is quite complex. The part of the city which lies on the left bank of the Mtkvari (Kura) River extends for more than 30km (19 miles) from the Avchala District to River Lochini.

The part of the city which lies on the right side of the Mtkvari River on the other hand is built along the foothills of the Trialeti Range, the slopes of which in many cases descend all the way to the edges of the river Mtkvari. Trialeti Range is an east-west mountain range of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the central part of Georgia. The mountains, therefore, are a significant barrier to urban development on the right bank of the Mtkvari River. This type of a geographic environment creates pockets of very densely developed areas while other parts of the city are left undeveloped due to the complex topographic relief.

North of the city is a large reservoir (commonly known as the Tbilisi Sea) fed by irrigation canals.

Climate

The climate of Tbilisi is transitional from humid subtropical to relatively mild continental. Turtle Lake is a direct English translation of Kus Tba (კუს ტბა a small lake at the outskirts of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia The city's climate is influenced both by dry (Central Asian/Siberian) air masses from the east and humid subtropical (Atlantic/Black Sea) air masses from the west. Tbilisi experiences relatively cold winters and hot summers. Because the city is bounded on most sides by mountain ranges, the close proximity to large bodies of water (Black and Caspian Seas) and the fact that the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range (further to the north) blocks the intrusion of cold air masses from Russia, Tbilisi has a relatively mild micro-climate compared to other cities that possess a similar continental climate along the same latitudes. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending

The average annual temperature in Tbilisi is 12. 7 degrees Celsius. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 0. 9 degrees Celsius. July is the hottest month with an average temperature of 24. 4 degrees Celsius. The absolute minimum recorded temperature is -23 degrees Celsius and the absolute maximum is 40 degrees Celsius. Average annual precipitation is 568 mm (22. 4 inches). May is the wettest month (90 mm) while January is the driest (20 mm). Snow may fall on average for 15-25 days per year. The surrounding mountains often trap the clouds within and around the city mainly during the Spring and Autumn months, resulting in prolonged rainy and/or cloudy weather. Northwesterly winds dominate in most parts of Tbilisi throughout the year. Southeasterly winds are common as well.

Weather averages for Tbilisi
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	19. 5 (67)	22. 4 (72)	28. 7 (84)	34. 3 (94)	34. 9 (95)	38. 7 (102)	40. 0 (104)	40. 3 (105)	37. 9 (100)	33. 3 (92)	27. 2 (81)	24. 0 (75)	40. 3 (105)
Average high °C (°F)	6. 0 (43)	7. 4 (45)	12. 1 (54)	18. 2 (65)	23. 4 (74)	27. 5 (82)	30. 8 (87)	30. 8 (87)	26. 0 (79)	19. 8 (68)	12. 9 (55)	7. 5 (46)	18. 7 (66)
Average low °C (°F)	-2. 2 (28)	-0. 9 (30)	2. 4 (36)	7. 4 (45)	12. 2 (54)	15. 7 (60)	19. 0 (66)	18. 6 (65)	14. 7 (58)	9. 2 (49)	4. 1 (39)	-0. 2 (32)	8. 4 (47)
Record low °C (°F)	-24. 4 (-12)	-14. 8 (5)	-12. 8 (9)	-4. 8 (23)	1. 0 (34)	6. 3 (43)	9. 3 (49)	8. 9 (48)	0. 8 (33)	-6. 4 (20)	-7. 1 (19)	-20. 5 (-5)	-24. 4 (-12)
Precipitation mm (inches)	19 (0. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric 7)	27 (1. 1)	36 (1. 4)	57 (2. 2)	93 (3. 7)	78 (3. 1)	52 (2)	39 (1. 5)	46 (1. 8)	46 (1. 8)	40 (1. 6)	26 (1)	559 (22)
Source: Pogoda. ru. net[8] 8. 09. 2007

People and culture

Demographics

Tbilisi is a multicultural city. The term multiculturalism generally refers to a state of racial, cultural and ethnic diversity within the Demographics of a specified The city is home to more than 100 different ethnic groups. Around 80% of the population is ethnically Georgian, with significant populations of other ethnic groups which includes Russians, Armenians, and Azeris. The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries The Armenians (Հայեր Hayer) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus and in the Armenian Highlands A large The Azerbaijanis are an Ethnic group mainly in the Republic of Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran. Along with the above mentioned groups, Tbilisi is also home to various other ethnic groups including Ossetians, Abkhazians, Ukrainians, Greeks, Jews, Estonians, Germans, Kurds, Assyrians, and others. The Ossetians (ирæттæ irættæ are an Iranic Ethnic group indigenous to Ossetia, a region that spans the Caucasus Mountains The Abkhazians or Abkhaz ( Abkhaz: Аҧсуа Apswa; Georgian: აფხაზი Aphkhazi) are a Caucasian Ukrainians (Українці Ukrayintsi,) are an East Slavic Ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly— Citizens The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Estonians ( Estonian: eestlased, previously maarahvas) are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting primarily the country The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as The Assyrians are an Ethnic group whose origins lie in what is today Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. In recent years, the Turkish and Chinese populations of the city have experienced the fastest rates of growth. The Turkish people (Türk Halkı also known as " Turks " ( Türkler) are defined mainly as being speakers of Turkish as a First language Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world.

Religion

More than 85% of the residents of Tbilisi practice various forms of Christianity (the most predominant of which is the Georgian Orthodox Church). Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Christianity in ancient and feudal Georgia According to tradition when the Apostles were sent out to preach the Gospel to the nations of the world the Apostle The Russian Orthodox Church as well as the Armenian Apostolic Church have significant following within the city as well. See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists, and other Christian denominations also make up the city's Christian minority. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth A large minority of the population (around 8%) practises Islam (mainly Sunni Islam). For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Judaism is also common, but to a lesser extent (about 2% of Tbilisi's population practices Judaism). Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Tbilisi has been historically known for religious tolerance. Religious toleration is the condition of accepting or permitting others' religious beliefs and practices which disagree with one's own This is especially evident in the city's Old Town, where a Mosque, Synagogue, and Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches can all be found within less than 500 meters from each other. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of Families of churches Eastern Christians have a shared tradition but they became divided ( Schism) during the early centuries of Christianity in disputes about

Sports

Tbilisi has a fairly rich sports history. Like many other towns of the Near East with strong Asian cultural influences, Tbilisi historically had a special area of town that was designated for sports competitions. B Syria - Belka Woman from Damascus Arab from Baghdadjpg|thumb|Inhabitants of the Near East late nineteenth century The present-day districts of Saburtalo and Didube were the most common areas where such competitions were held. Up until the beginning of the 19th century, sports such as horse-riding (polo in particular), wrestling, boxing, and marksmanship were the most popular city sports. Polo is a team sport played outdoors on Horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team Wrestling is the act of physical engagement between two people in which each wrestler strives to get an advantage over or control of the opponent Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, Shooting is the act or process of firing Rifles Shotguns or other projectile Weapons such as bows or Crossbows Even the firing of As Tbilisi started to develop socially and economically and integrate more with the West, new sports from Europe were introduced. The Soviet period brought an increased popularization of sports that were common in Europe and to a certain extent, the United States. A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the At the same time, Tbilisi developed the necessary sports infrastructure for various professional sports. By 1978, the city had around 250 large and small sports facilities, including among others, four indoor and six outdoor Olympic sized pools, 185 basketball courts and halls, 192 volleyball facilities, 82 handball arenas, 19 tennis courts, 31 football (soccer) fields, and five stadiums. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of 6 active players (5 normal players and one 'libero' are separated by a net that is usually four feet Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, or Olympic handball) is a Team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered At present, the largest stadium in Tbilisi is the Boris Paichadze Stadium (55,000 seats) and the second largest is the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium (24,680 seats). The Boris Paichadze National Stadium (ბორის პაიჭაძის სახელობის ეროვნული სტადიონი also known The Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, also known as the Lokomotivi Stadium, is a multi-purpose Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia named after the famous The Sports Palace which usually hosts basketball games with high attendance and tennis tournaments can seat up to approximately 11,000 people. Tbilisi Sport Palace is an Indoor sports arena situated in Tbilisi, Georgia. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Vere Basketball Hall is a smaller indoor sports arena with a 2,5000 seating capacity. The following is a list of indoor Arenas. Africa Asia Europe Seating capacity refers to the number

The most popular sports in Tbilisi today are football, rugby union, basketball, and wrestling. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Wrestling is the act of physical engagement between two people in which each wrestler strives to get an advantage over or control of the opponent Also popular sports include tennis, swimming and water polo. There are several professional football and rugby teams as well as wrestling clubs. NBA players Zaza Pachulia and Nikoloz Tskitishvili are Tbilisi natives. Zaza Pachulia, born Zaur Pachulia (ზაზა ფაჩულია (born February 10 1984 in Tbilisi, Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, Nikoloz Tskitishvili ( Georgian: ნიკოლოზ ცქიტიშვილი; born April 14 1983 in Tbilisi, Georgian Outside of professional sports, the city has a number of inter-collegiate and amateur sports teams and clubs.

Tbilisi's signature football team, Dinamo Tbilisi, has not won a major European championship since 1981, when it won the European Cup Winners' Cup and became the easternmost team in Europe to achieve the feat. Dinamo Tbilisi is a Sports club from Tbilisi, Georgia. It was founded in 1926 The basketball club Dinamo Tbilisi won the Euroleague in 1962 but also never repeated any such feat. EuroLeague WomenThe Euroleague (EL is one of the professional Basketball competitions in Europe, with teams from thirteen different European countries The 1961 - 62 season and fifth of the FIBA European Champions Cup was won by Dinamo Tbilisi after beating Real Madrid in the first ever single

Club	Sport	Stadium
FC Dinamo Tbilisi	Football (soccer)	Boris Paichadze Stadium
FC Lokomotivi Tbilisi	Football (soccer)	Mikheil Meskhi Stadium
FC Ameri Tbilisi	Football (soccer)	Ameri Stadium
FC WIT Georgia	Football (soccer)	Wit Georgia Stadium
BC Dinamo Tbilisi	Basketball	Vere Basketball Hall
Tbilisi State University Basketball Team	Basketball	Vere Basketball Hall
Georgian Technical University Basketball Team	Basketball	Vere Basketball Hall

Media

The large majority of Georgia’s media companies (including television, newspaper and radio) are headquartered in Tbilisi. Dinamo Tbilisi redirect here For the basketball club see BC Dinamo Tbilisi FC Dinamo Tbilisi (დინამო თბილისი is the Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The Boris Paichadze National Stadium (ბორის პაიჭაძის სახელობის ეროვნული სტადიონი also known FC Lokomotivi Tbilisi is a Georgian football club from the capital Tbilisi. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, also known as the Lokomotivi Stadium, is a multi-purpose Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia named after the famous FC Ameri Tbilisi is a Georgian football club based in Tbilisi. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered FC WIT Georgia is a Georgian football team playing in the capital Tbilisi. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between The city is home to the popular Rustavi 2 television channel which gained considerable fame after its coverage of the Rose Revolution. Rustavi 2 Broadcasting Company (რუსთავი 2 better known as Rustavi 2, is the most successful private television broadcasting company in Georgia The "Revolution of Roses quot (often translated into English as the Rose Revolution) (ვარდების რევოლუცია - vardebis In addition to Rustavi 2, the remaining three out of the four major public television channels of Georgia (including Imedi TV Mze and the Public Broadcasting Channel) are based in the city as well. Imedi Media Holding is a private television and Radio Company in Georgia. Tbilisi’s television market has experienced notable changes since the second half of 2005 when Rustavi 2 successfully bought out the Mze TV Company and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation became a shareholder of Imedi Media Holding at the beginning of 2006. is gay Bold text' Keith Rupert Murdoch', AC, KCSG (born Melbourne, March 11 1931 usually known as Rupert Murdoch, is an Australian-American News Corporation (often abbreviated to News Corp) (,,) is one of the world's largest media conglomerate companies by Market capitalisation By taking over the Imedi Media Holding Group, News Corporation entered the Post-Soviet media market for the first time in the company's history. The post-Soviet states, also commonly known as former Soviet republics, are the 15 independent nations that split off from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Tbilisi has a number of newspaper publishing houses. Some of the most noteworthy newspapers include the daily 24 Saati (24 Hours), Rezonansi (Resonance), Alia, the English-language daily The Messenger, weekly FINANCIAL, Georgia Today, and the English-language weekly The Georgian Times. Out of the city’s radio stations Imedi Radio (105. 9FM), Fortuna, and Radio 105 are some of the more influential competitors with large national audiences.

Architecture

The architecture in the city is a mixture of local (Georgian), with strong influences of Byzantine, European/Russian (neo-classical), and Middle Eastern architectural styles. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation The oldest parts of town, including the Abanot-Ubani, Avlabari, and to a certain extent the Sololaki districts clearly have a traditional Georgian architectural look with Middle Eastern influences. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The areas of Tbilisi which were built up mainly in the 19th century (Rustaveli Avenue, Vera district, etc. ) have a contrasting European/Russian (neoclassical) look. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century both as a reaction against the Rococo

The turn of the 20th century was marked with an architectural revival, notably, with an art nouveau style. Art Nouveau ( nu vo anglicised /ˈɑːt nuːvəu/ ( French for 'new art' also known as Jugendstil ( German for 'youth style' is an international With the establishment of the communist government the style was decreed as bourgeois and largely neglected. Architecture of the later 20th century can mainly be identified with the type of building style that was common during the Soviet Era throughout the Soviet Union. A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

This included building large, concrete apartment blocks as well as social, cultural, and office facilities which did not particularly fit Tbilisi's landscape. Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Tbilisi has been the site of uncontrolled/unsanctioned building projects. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Since 2004, the city government has taken new initiatives to curb uncontrolled construction projects with mixed success. In the near future, Tbilisi will have two skyscraper complexes. A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable Building. There is no official definition or a precise cutoff height above which a building may clearly be classified as a skyscraper The Axis Towers and the new Ajaria Hotel/Business Complex (under construction) will be the tallest buildings/skyscrapers in the Caucasus. A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable Building. There is no official definition or a precise cutoff height above which a building may clearly be classified as a skyscraper The Caucasus ( also referred to as North Caucasus) is a geopolitical region located between Europe Asia & Middle East

Periodic events

Tbilisoba (Day of Tbilisi) is the largest annual celebration in the city, commemorating the foundation of Tbilisi. It is held towards the end of October each year and attracts many tourists. The festival was established in 1979 and reintroduced in 1994 after having been suspended for six years due to political unrest.

Landmarks

Tbilisi has a number of important landmarks and sightseeing locations. The parliament and the government (State Chancellery) buildings of Georgia, as well as the Supreme Court of Georgia, are all located in Tbilisi. TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. This article refers to the highest court of the country of Georgia for the highest court of the U The city also has important cultural landmarks such as the Tbilisi State Conservatoire, Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre ,Shota Rustaveli State Academic Theatre, Marjanishvili State Academic Theatre, the Sameba Cathedral, the Vorontsov's Palace (also known as the Children's Palace today), many state museums, the National Public Library of the Parliament of Georgia, the National Bank of Georgia and other important institutions. Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic Tbilisi State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre is situated on Rustaveli Avenue, in the center of Tbilisi, Georgia. The Tbilisi Holy Trinity Cathedral commonly known as Sameba (სამება for Trinity) is the main Georgian Orthodox Christian Cathedral Vorontsov, also Woronzow, Woroncow (Воронцо́в is a celebrated Russian family which attained the dignity of Counts of the Holy Roman Empire The National Bank of Georgia (საქართველოს ეროვნული ბანკი is the Central bank of the European state Georgia. During the Soviet times, Tbilisi continuously ranked in the top 4 cities in the Soviet Union for the number of museums. A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

Out of the city's historic landmarks, the most notable locations are the Narikala fortress (4th century-17th century AD), Anchiskhati Church (6th century, built up in the 16th century), Sioni Cathedral (8th century, later rebuilt), Church of Metekhi (13th century), etc. Narikala is an ancient fortress overlooking Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, and the Kura river The Anchiskhati Basilica of St Mary (ანჩისხატი is the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi, Georgia. The "Sioni" Cathedral of the Dormition (სიონი (ტაძარი is a Georgian Orthodox Cathedral in Tbilisi, the capital Metekhi (Metechi Georgian: მეტეხი is a historic district of Tbilisi, Georgia, located on the elevated cliff that overlooks the Mtkvari

Miscellaneous

Pronunciation

Georgians pronounce Tbilisi with a barely-spoken 't', so that it almost sounds like /bɪˈlisi/, or "bill-EE-see"; English speakers often mispronounce it like /tɪbˈlisi/, or "tib-LEE-see", but that is incorrect. The correct pronunciation is /ˌtbiˈliːsi/, or "tbee-LEE-see", with no vowel between the T and B, but both pronounced nonetheless.

Education

Universities in Tbilisi include:

• Tbilisi State University
• Georgian Technical University
• Ilia Chavchavadze State University
• Tbilisi State Conservatory
• Tbilisi State Medical University
• Georgian Agrarian University

Sister cities

Tbilisi's sister cities are:

• Saarbrücken, Germany (1975)
• Nantes, France (1979)
• Ljubljana, Slovenia (1979)
• Innsbruck, Austria (1982)
• Yerevan, Armenia (1996)
• Atlanta, United States (1987)
• Palermo, Italy (1987)
• Bristol, United Kingdom (1988)
• Bilbao, Spain (1989)
• Ankara, Turkey
• Kiev, Ukraine (1999)
• Astana, Kazakhstan (2005)

See also

• Abo Tbileli, the patron saint of Tbilisi
• Seal of Tbilisi
• Flag of Tbilisi
• Tbilisi City Hall
• List of Famous Tbilisians
• Tbilisi Metro
• Tbilisi International Airport
• Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline
• Georgia Tbilisi TV Broadcasting Tower
• Tbilisi Botanical Garden
• List of Georgian companies
• Names of Asian cities in different languages

References

• Georgian State (Soviet) Encyclopedia. 1983. Book 4. pp. 595-604.
• Minorsky, V. Vladimir Fedorovich Minorsky (Владимир Фёдорович Минорский February 5 1877 - March 25 1966 was a highly respected Russian Orientalist , Tiflis in Encyclopaedia of Islam

External links

• Official Web Page of the Tourism Department of Georgia
• Tbilisi city guide, includes daily events calendar
• The Messenger, Georgia's English-language daily newspaper
• Official website of the City of Tbilisi
• Tbilisi Hotels Guide
• The first hotel reservation service in Tbilisi
• History, geography and climate of Tbilisi
• Pictures of Tbilisi
• Aerial photo of the city center, April 2000
• Tranquil Tbilisi
• Maps of Tbilisi
• Tbilisi photo guide
• Tbilisi History Museum
• TbilisiThisWeek.com, city guide
• Macalester College Tbilisi Website
• Photo gallery of Tbilisi
• Tbilisi.info - Your Guide to Tbilisi, Georgia
• Your Tbilisi Guide - InTbilisi
• guidebook Tbilisi 1913
• Tbilisi - info, photo in Swedish, English, Italian, Russian

	Historic capitals of Georgia
Mtskheta · Tbilisi · Kutaisi

The Encyclopaedia of Islam ( EI) is the standard Encyclopaedia of the Academic discipline of Islamic studies. Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Mtskheta (მცხეთა one of the oldest cities of the country of Georgia (in Kartli province of Eastern Georgia is located approximately 20 kilometers northeast Kutaisi (ქუთაისი ancient names Aea / Aia, Kutatisi, Kutaïssi) is Georgia 's second largest city and the capital of the

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