Tbilisi, Georgia

By itypemba | November 24, 2021

According to abbreviationfinder, Tbilisi (in Georgian, Tbilisi, in Russian Тифлис) is the capital and largest city of Georgia, it is located on the banks of the Kura River. During the Soviet Union it was the capital of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (RSS). The city has a registered population of 1,400,000 residents and an area of 726 km². Tbilisi has been known for the peaceful Rose Revolution, which took place in Liberty Square and nearby locations. As a result, the then president, Eduard Shevardnadze, was removed from power.

Name

The name “Tbilisi” (tbili- means hot), was given to the city because of the numerous sulphurous hot springs that the territory enjoyed and continues to have. In Spanish, it’s Tbilisi

History

Archaeological findings show that the territory of Tbilisi was inhabited since 4000 BC It is also known that the settlement of the area was during the second half of the 4th century AD when a fortress was built during the reign of Varaz-Bakur. Towards the end of the 4th century, the fortress fell to the Persians, then the area fell to the King of Kartli (Georgia) in the middle of the 5th century. King Vakhtang is primarily responsible for founding and building the city. The area in which ancient Tbilisi was built now corresponds to the districts of Metekhi and Abanotubani

At the beginning of the 6th century Vakhtang I Gorgasali was succeeded in power by King Dachi I Ujarmeli who transferred the capital from Mtskheta to Tbilisi. During his reign, Dachi completed the construction of the fortress wall and delimited the new borders of the city. At the beginning of the 6th century, Tbilisi began to notice a period of peace due to the favorable and strategic situation as a crossroads between Europe and Asia.

During the following centuries the city suffered frequent raids by Byzantines, Arabs, Persians, Mughals, Seljuk Turks, and tribes from the Caucasia region. It was the capital of the independent state of Georgia in the 12th and 13th centuries. The last major raid occurred in 1795, when Persian troops invaded and sacked the city. Tbilisi entered the Russian orbit in 1801 ; in 1936 it was named capital of the newly created Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (RSS).

During Soviet times the population of Tbilisi grew considerably, the city became quite industrialized and was an important political, social and cultural center of the Soviet Union. In 1991 it was designated the capital of independent Georgia after the collapse of the USSR,

From December 1991 to January of 1992 there was a brief civil war, Tbilisi was the scene of clashes between some mafia clans and illegal business entrepreneurs. During the Shevardnadze era (1993 – 2003) crime and corruption reached very high levels. Many strata of society became impoverished due to lack of employment due to the collapse of the economy. The citizens of Tbilisi began to be disappointed by the poor quality of life in the city. In November of 2003 Massive protests were carried out as a result of the falsified parliamentary elections that forced hundreds of thousands of people to take to the streets and that ended with the Rose Revolution as a result of which the then president, Eduard Shevardnadze, was displaced from power. Since 2003, Tbilisi has greatly increased stability, decreasing crime and increasing the economy.

In August of 2008, Russian planes bombed an airfield military located in Tbilisi, where Georgian aircraft were produced Skorpion, unreported victims in the context of the war in Ossetia South. The airfield suffered serious damage.

Geography

Location

It is located in the east of the country on the banks of the Kura River, in a valley sheltered by the Caucasus mountain range.

Climate

Its climate is continental, with cold winters and hot summers, although without reaching extreme temperatures.

Demography

The city has a registered population of 1,400,000 residents. Its demographics are diverse and historically it has been home to people of different ethnicities, religion and culture. There are many different ethnic groups in the city over 100. Approximately 80% of the population is ethnically Georgian, there are large populations of Russians, Armenians and Azerbaijanis, Ossetians, Abkhazians, Ukrainians, Greeks, Jews, Estonians, Germans and Kurds, among others, also live in the city. See population of Georgia.

Economic development

It is an important economic, industrial, social, cultural and transportation hub. It is an important passage route for global energy and trade as it is strategically located between Asia and Europe. The city has an international airport. Among the main industries include food and textile and machinery, railway equipment, printing materials, leather and elaboration of the wine

Sightseeing

Its main tourist places are Sameba Cathedral, Freedom Square, Sioni Cathedral, where there is a famous image of Jesus Christ as well as a very old cross, Metekhi, Narikala, the Parliament of Georgia, Rustaveli Avenue, the Opera and Ballet Theater, Anchiskhati Basilica, Mtatsminda Mountain, a holy mountain in which there is a church with a pantheon in which are the tombs of Georgian personalities. The Kashveti Church, near which are the National Museum, the Historical Museum and numerous art galleries. The statue of Saint George: This statue is in front of the town hall, killing the dragon. The statue has been the cause of a fight among the residents, as there are many people who are starving while the city puts expensive statues in its streets. The city was immortalized by painters Niko Pirosmani and Lado Gudiashvili.

Culture

It is distinguished by its ancient churches, among which the V-century Cathedral of Zion and the 6th-century Monastery of St. David stand out. Tbilisi is home to a university (1918) and the Georgian Academy of Sciences, as well as a number of theaters and museums.