Inside Tbilisi - One Of The World's Oldest Cities

While the sun was shining on Tbilisi this morning Routes Silk Road delegates were given the opportunity to enjoy an escorted walking tour around the Georgian capital to learn more about its history and recent development. The excursion, sponsored by the Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA), took the airline and airport delegates to the historic part of the city as well as to the modern Bridge of Peace, allowing them to take in Tbilisi’s full history.

Previously known as Tiflis, Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mtkvari River and home to a population of roughly 1.5 million inhabitants. Founded in the 5th century by the monarch of Georgia's ancient precursor Kingdom of Iberia, Tbilisi has since served, with intermissions, as the Georgian capital.

Formerly, the city had also served as the seat of the Imperial administration of the Caucasus during the Russian rule from 1801 to 1917, the capital of the short-lived Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic in 1918, of the Democratic Republic of Georgia from 1918 to 1921, of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1921 to 1991, and the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic from 1922 to 1936.

Located on the southeastern edge of Europe, Tbilisi's proximity to lucrative east-west trade routes often made the city a point of contention between various rival empires throughout history and the city's location to this day ensures its position as an important transit route for global energy and trade projects. Tbilisi's varied history is reflected in its architecture, which is a mix of medieval, classical, and Soviet structures.

Historically, Tbilisi has been home to people of diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, though it is overwhelmingly Eastern Orthodox Christian. Notable tourist destinations include cathedrals like Sameba and Sioni, classical Freedom Square and Rustaveli Avenue, medieval Narikala Fortress, pseudo-Moorish Opera Theatre, and the Georgian National Museum.

Here’s some images from this morning’s tour.

Tbilisi Tour

Tbilisi Tour

Tbilisi Tour

Tbilisi Tour

Tbilisi Tour

Tbilisi Tour

Tbilisi Tour

Tbilisi Tour

Tbilisi Tour

Tbilisi Tour

Tbilisi Tour

Tbilisi Tour

Richard Maslen

Richard Maslen has travelled across the globe to report on developments in the aviation sector as airlines and airports have continued to evolve and…