Geography

thumb|Tbilisi, especially Old Town, has a complex terrain, with hills and cliffs.

thumb|The [[National Botanical Garden of Georgia in Tbilisi is concealed from view as it resides among the hills of the Sololaki Range.]]

Location

Tbilisi is located in the South Caucasus at 41° 43' North and 44° 47' East. The city lies in Eastern Georgia on both banks of the Kura River (locally known as Mtkvari). The elevation of the city ranges from and has 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 (subranges) of the Trialeti Range.

The relief of Tbilisi is complex. The part of the city which lies on the left bank of the Kura River extends for more than from the Avchala District to River Lochini. The part of the city which lies on the right side of the river, though, 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. The mountains, therefore, are a significant barrier to urban development on its right bank. 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.

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

Climate

thumb|[[Tbilisi Sea, the city's largest body of water located in the suburbs.]]

Tbilisi has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa) classified in the Trewartha climate classification as a temperate oceanic climate (Trewartha: Do) with considerable continental and semi-arid influences. The city experiences hot, humid summers and moderately cold dry winters. Like most other regions of Eastern Georgia, Tbilisi's precipitation maximum occurs in late spring and early summer, with a winter minimum in precipitation and a drought-like nadir in late summer. The city's climate is influenced both by dry (Central Asian/Siberian) air masses from the east and oceanic (Atlantic/Black Sea) air masses from the west. 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 Mountains Range (further to the north) blocks the intrusion of cold air masses from Russia, Tbilisi has a relatively mild microclimate compared to other cities that possess a similar climate along the same latitudes.

The average annual temperature in Tbilisi is . January is the coldest month with an average temperature of . July is the hottest month with an average temperature of . Daytime high temperatures reach or exceed on an average of 22 days during a typical year. The absolute minimum recorded temperature is in January 1883 and the absolute maximum is on 17 July 1882. The average annual precipitation for the most recent period ranging from 2000-2024 was . May is the wettest month (averaging of precipitation) while January is the driest (averaging of precipitation). Snow falls on average 15–25 days per year. Maximum snow depth in the city center never exceeds , although snow depths in the adjacent foothills and suburbs can surpass . 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.

Demographics

{| class="wikitable floatmiddle"

|+Main ethnic groups of Tbilisi

|- style="background:#c9c9c9;"

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Georgians

! scope="col" | %

! scope="col" | Armenians

! scope="col" | %

! scope="col" | Russians

! scope="col" | %

! scope="col" | Total

|-

| 1780

| 50,000

| 66.7%

| 10,000

| 13.3%

|

|

! 75,000

|-

|-

| 1790

| 44,000

| 61.1%

| 12,000

| 16.7%

|

|

! 72,000

|-

|-

| 1801–1803

| 4,300

| 21.5%

| 14,860

| 74.3%

|

|

! 20,000

|-

| 1864/65 <small>winter</small>

| 14,878

| 24.8%

| 28,404

| 47.3%

| 12,462

| 20.7%

! 60,085

|-

| 1864/65 <small>summer</small>

| 22,156

| 21.3%

| 37,610

| 36.1%

| 30,813

| 29.6%

! 104,024

|}

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Year

! Kartvelian speakers

! %

! Armenian speakers

! %

! Russian speakers

! %

! Total population

|-

| 1897

| 42,206

| 26.4%

| 47,133

| 29.5%

| 44,823

| 28.1%

! 159,590

|-

| 1916

| 37,584

| 10.8%

| 149,294

| 43.1%

| 91,997

| 26.5%

! 346,766

|-

| 1926

| 824,412

| 66.1%

| 150,138

| 12.0%

| 124,867

| 10.0%

! 1,246,936

|-

| 2002

| 910,712

| 84.2%

| 82,586

| 7.6%

| 32,580

| 3.0%

! 1,081,679

|-

| 2014

| 996,804

| 89.9%

| 53,409

| 4.8%

| 13,350

| 1.2%

! 1,108,717

|}

As a multiethnic city, Tbilisi is home to more than 100 ethnic groups. Around 90% of the population consists of ethnic Georgians, with significant populations of Armenians, Russians, and Azerbaijanis. Along with the above-mentioned groups, Tbilisi is home to other ethnic groups including Ossetians, Abkhazians, Ukrainians, Greeks, Jews, Assyrians, Yazidis, and others. The city is also home to a Roman Catholic community and a Yazidi minority, who worship at the Sultan Ezid Temple.

Sports

thumb|Preparations for the [[2015 UEFA Super Cup at the Dinamo Arena in Tbilisi]]

The largest stadium is the Dinamo Arena (capacity 55,000), followed by the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium (capacity 24,680). The Sports Palace hosts basketball games and tennis tournaments, with a seating capacity of about 11,000. Vere Basketball Hall is a smaller indoor sports arena seating 2,500.

Football is the most popular sport in Tbilisi, followed by rugby union and basketball. Other popular sports include wrestling, tennis, swimming, and water polo.

Tbilisi has several professional football and rugby teams, as well as wrestling clubs. Two U.S. National Basketball Association players, Zaza Pachulia and Nikoloz Tskitishvili, are Tbilisi natives.

Tbilisi's signature football club, Dinamo Tbilisi, won the 1980–81 European Cup Winners' Cup, becoming the easternmost team to win a major European football tournament. The basketball club Dinamo Tbilisi also won the 1962 EuroLeague title.

Tbilisi co-hosted Group A matches of the EuroBasket 2022 tournament at the new 10,000-seat Tbilisi Arena, along with Czech Republic (Prague), Germany (Berlin, Cologne), and Italy (Milan).

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Club

! Sport

! Stadium

|-

| Lelo Saracens

| Rugby Union

| Lelo Sport Centre

|-

| RC Armazi Tbilisi

| Rugby Union

| Shevardeni Stadium

|-

| RC Locomotive Tbilisi

| Rugby Union

| Avchala Stadium

|-

| RC Army Tbilisi

| Rugby Union

| Avchala Stadium

|-

| FC Dinamo Tbilisi

| Football

| Boris Paichadze Stadium

|-

| FC Lokomotivi Tbilisi

| Football

| Mikheil Meskhi Stadium

|-

| FC Saburtalo Tbilisi

| Football

| Bendela Stadium

|-

| FC WIT Georgia

| Football

| Mikheil Meskhi Stadium #2

|-

| BC Dinamo Tbilisi

| Basketball

| Tbilisi Sports Palace

|-

| BC TSU Tbilisi

| Basketball

| Tbilisi Sports Palace

|-

| BC MIA Academy

| Basketball

| Tbilisi Sports Palace

|-

| BC Armia

| Basketball

| Tbilisi Sports Palace

|-

| Maccabi Brinkford Tbilisi

| Basketball

| Tbilisi Sports Palace

|-

| B.C. VITA Tbilisi

| Basketball

| Tbilisi Sports Palace

|}

Media

The majority of Georgia's media companies (including television, newspapers, and radio) are headquartered in Tbilisi. The city is home to major television channels such as Rustavi 2, Imedi, TV Pirveli, Mtavari Arkhi, Formula, Maestro, and the Public Broadcasting Channel, among others.

Since 2019, Tbilisi's television market has undergone notable changes, particularly following ownership changes at Rustavi 2, which led to the creation of new television channels like Mtavari Arkhi and TV Formula.

Tbilisi has numerous newspaper publishing houses. Prominent newspapers include the daily 24 Saati ("24 Hours"), Rezonansi ("Resonance"), Alia, the English-language daily The Messenger, weekly publications like FINANCIAL, Georgia Today, and The Georgian Times.

Culture

Architecture

The architecture of Tbilisi is a blend of Georgian, Byzantine, Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, Beaux-Arts, Middle Eastern, and Soviet modern influences. Few buildings survived the 1795 destruction of the city, so most historic structures date to the Russian Imperial period (1801–1917).

Tbilisi's old quarters (Kala, Abanotubani, Avlabari) were largely rebuilt following their medieval street plans. Downtown areas developed by Russian authorities, like Sololaki, Rustaveli Avenue, and Vera, show a European-style layout with Beaux-Arts, Orientalist, and revivalist architecture.

Tbilisi is particularly noted for its Art Nouveau buildings, especially in Sololaki and Chughureti, which flourished from the 1890s until the early Soviet era. Stalinist architecture, such as the 1938 Marx-Engels-Lenin Institute building (now the Biltmore Hotel Tbilisi), also left a mark on the city's landscape.

Post-World War II architecture introduced mass housing blocks in neighbourhoods like Saburtalo and Dighomi. Notable Soviet-era landmarks include the 1975 Ministry of Roads building and the 1984 Wedding Palace.

Brutalist architecture from the Soviet era is also a notable and distinctive feature of the city, including the former Ministry of Highway Construction building, now the headquarters of the Bank of Georgia in Tbilisi.

Since independence, Tbilisi has experienced both rapid skyscraper development (e.g., Axis Towers, Holiday Inn Tbilisi, King David Residences) and challenges with unregulated construction.

thumb|[[Rustaveli Theatre on Rustaveli Avenue]]

thumb|upright|Cafés in [[Old Tbilisi]]

Art museums and galleries

Tbilisi is home to several important museums and art spaces:

  • The Georgian National Museum network, including the Art Museum of Georgia.
  • The Museum of Modern Art Tbilisi, opened in 2012.

Other cultural institutions include the Giorgi Leonidze State Museum of Literature and the Writer's House of Georgia.

Performing arts

Tbilisi hosts major cultural institutions such as:

  • Tbilisi State Conservatoire
  • Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre
  • Shota Rustaveli State Academic Theatre
  • Marjanishvili State Academic Theatre
  • Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theater
  • Royal District Theatre

thumb|[[Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre]]

Film Festival

The Tbilisi International Film Festival (TIFF) is organized annually by the Cinema Art Center Prometheus. It began in 2000 as part of a larger "Gift" festival, then became an independent event in 2002. The main venue is located at 164 Agmashenebeli Avenue.

World Book Capital

Tbilisi was designated as World Book Capital for 2021 by UNESCO, recognizing the city's efforts to promote books and reading.

Tourism

Georgia's rising popularity as a travel destination has positioned Tbilisi as a major regional tourism hub. In 2019, the country welcomed over 9 million international visitors, significantly boosting Tbilisi's hospitality and service sectors.

thumb|[[Tbilisi Art Gallery]]

Main sights

Notable landmarks and attractions include:

  • Narikala fortress (4th–17th century)
  • Anchiskhati Basilica (6th century)
  • Sioni Cathedral (8th century)
  • Church of Metekhi
  • Sameba Cathedral (Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi)
  • Bridge of Peace
  • Abanotubani sulfur baths
  • Open Air Museum of Ethnography
  • Tbilisi Old Town
  • Parliament of Georgia
  • Supreme Court of Georgia
  • National Bank of Georgia
  • Tbilisi Circus

During Soviet times, Tbilisi was ranked among the top cities for the number of museums within the USSR.

thumb|[[Abanotubani]]

Nightlife

Tbilisi has developed a thriving and internationally recognized nightlife scene since the 2010s. Notable clubs include:

  • Bassiani
  • Mtkvarze
  • Khidi
  • Café Gallery

These venues attract world-renowned DJs and have helped position Tbilisi on the global electronic music map. The city also hosts a growing underground queer nightlife scene, gaining international media attention.

Economy

thumb|High-rise residential and office buildings in [[Vake, Tbilisi|Vake]]

With a nominal GDP of 32&nbsp;billion Georgian lari (€10&nbsp;billion) as of 2022, Tbilisi is Georgia's economic powerhouse, generating more than half of the country's total GDP.

Transport

thumb|[[Tbilisi International Airport]]

Tbilisi's public transport system is managed by the Transport and Urban Development Agency. After years of prioritizing private vehicles, the city has invested heavily in developing a green, accessible, and extensive public transit network since the 2010s. Today, the city is served by an international airport, metro, national rail, municipal buses, minibuses, cabs, aerial tramways, bike lanes, and a funicular railway.

Airport

Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport is the city's only international airport, located about southeast of the city centre. Handling nearly 3 million passengers in 2022, it is the busiest airport in Georgia and a regional hub. It is a hub for Georgian Airways and other international carriers, offering direct flights to Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

A secondary domestic airport at Natakhtari Airfield connects Tbilisi with Batumi, Mestia, and Ambrolauri.

Metro

thumb|[[Tbilisi Metro station]]

The Tbilisi Metro operates two lines — the Akhmeteli–Varketili Line and the Saburtalo Line — with 23 stations and around 400,000 daily rides. Opened in 1966, it was the fourth metro system in the former Soviet Union. The system is known for its depth and ornate station designs.

The metro is undergoing major upgrades, including full station renovations, better accessibility for people with disabilities, and new rolling stock acquisitions.

A third overground metro line connecting central Tbilisi to Tbilisi International Airport and Rustavi is under planning.

Rail

Tbilisi is the main hub of Georgian Railways, with inter-city trains connecting it to Batumi, Zugdidi, Poti, Kutaisi, and other cities from Tbilisi Central Railway Station.

Buses and Bus Rapid Transit

thumb|Tbilisi's municipal bus fleet

Tbilisi's bus network forms the backbone of urban transit. A major reorganisation launched in 2020 introduced Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors (TBT lines 300–310) served by articulated 18-metre-long buses, alongside more than 200 other city and local routes.

New environmentally friendly buses — including MAN Lion's City CNG and ISUZU models — have replaced the ageing fleet since 2017.

Cycling

Cycling is gaining popularity, supported by a growing network of bike lanes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, temporary cycle lanes were introduced, increasing the city's cycling network to over 20&nbsp;km. The long-term plan aims to expand it to 350&nbsp;km.

Trams

Tbilisi had an electric tram network from 1904 until 2006, when it was dismantled. For over two decades there had been some talks about restoring trams, however, it was too expensive and instead the governments mainly focused on expanding the bus network. Recent push towards trams started in 2021, the file of Sustainable Development Projects in Tbilisi included trams as one of the key points of future plans. Tbilisi Transport Company had concluded the tender for the 7.5 kilometer of tram line and depot construction. The new tram line will be 7.5 kilometers long, run between Didube-Digomi, have 11 stops and each tram will be able to carry at least 300 passengers.

Minibuses

Private minibuses (marshrutka) continue to supplement the bus network, although their share is gradually decreasing following municipal reforms. In 2019, a new tender introduced modern minibuses with stricter safety and comfort standards.

Aerial Tramways

Tbilisi operates three gondola lift systems:

  • **Rike Park to Narikala Fortress** (opened 2012)
  • **Vake Park to Turtle Lake** (reopened 2016)
  • **State University to Bagebi** (reopened 2021)

The Soviet-era tram between Rustaveli Avenue and Mtatsminda was dismantled after the tragic 1990 Tbilisi aerial tramway accident, but reconstruction plans are underway.

Funicular

The Tbilisi Funicular, originally opened in 1905 and restored in 2012, connects Chonkadze Street to Mtatsminda Park at the highest point of the city. The line provides access to panoramic views, the Tbilisi TV Broadcasting Tower, and various recreational facilities.

Education

thumb|right|Public School Number 1 of Tbilisi, also known as the [[Gymnasium (school)|First Classical Gymnasium]]

thumb|[[Tbilisi State University, Building I]]

Tbilisi is the principal centre of higher education in Georgia and the Caucasus region. It hosts many major universities and research institutions, drawing both local and international students.

The largest and oldest university in the Caucasus is Tbilisi State University (TSU), founded on 8 February 1918. TSU has about 25,000 students and more than 5,000 faculty and staff.

Other prominent public institutions include:

  • Tbilisi State Medical University, the largest medical university in the Caucasus, established in 1918 as part of TSU and operating independently since 1992.
  • Georgian Technical University, founded in 1922 as a polytechnic faculty and now the country's leading technical university.
  • Ilia State University, established in 2006 through the merger of six institutions.

Several private universities are also notable:

  • The University of Georgia (Tbilisi), the largest private university with around 8,000 students.
  • Caucasus University, founded in 2004, which evolved from the Caucasus School of Business (established in 1998).
  • Free University of Tbilisi, established in 2007 through a merger of ESM-Tbilisi and the Tbilisi Institute of Asia and Africa.

Other significant institutions include:

  • Tbilisi State Conservatory
  • Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film University
  • Tbilisi State Academy of Arts
  • Caucasus International University
  • Tbilisi Medical Academy
  • Georgian American University
  • International Black Sea University
  • Georgian Institute of Public Affairs
  • Agricultural University of Georgia
  • International School of Economics at TSU (ISET)
  • New Vision University
  • Grigol Robakidze University

International relations

thumb|Tbilisi Platz in [[Saarbrücken, Germany.]]

Twin towns and sister cities

Tbilisi is twinned with:

{| class="wikitable"

|- valign="top"

|

  • Saarbrücken, Germany (1975)
  • Innsbruck, Austria (1982)
  • Bilbao, Spain (1989)
  • Kyiv, Ukraine (1999)
  • Cairo, Egypt (2012)
  • Doha, Qatar (2012)
  • Tehran, Iran (2015)
  • Minsk, Belarus (2015)
  • Istanbul, Turkey (2016)
  • Sofia, Bulgaria (2016)
  • Lima, Peru (2018)
  • Baku, Azerbaijan (2021)
  • Bucharest, Romania (2022)

|}

Partnerships

{| class="wikitable"

|- valign="top"

|

  • Odesa, Ukraine (1996)
  • Ankara, Turkey (1996)
  • Baku, Azerbaijan (1997)
  • Athens, Greece (1997)
  • Paris, France (1997)
  • Jerusalem, Israel (1998)
  • Riga, Latvia (2007)
  • Kraków, Poland (2009)
  • Warsaw, Poland (2010)

||

  • Budapest, Hungary (2011)
  • Kharkiv, Ukraine (2012)
  • Lviv, Ukraine (2013)
  • Lincoln, United States (2013)
  • Guangzhou, China (2014)
  • Lublin, Poland (2014)
  • Dublin, Ireland (2014)
  • Prague, Czech Republic

|}

See also

  • List of people from Tbilisi
  • List of cities and towns in Georgia (country)

Notes

References

Bibliography

Further reading

  • Postcard from the Silk Road – Georgia, TRAVELS – ESPECIALLY FOR "ZNAD WILII", Leonard Drożdżewicz, "Znad Wilii", Viešoji įstaiga "Znad Wilii" kultūros plėtros draugija, ISSN 1392-9712, No. 1 (57), 2014, pp. 87–98. (in Polish) [http://www.znadwiliiwilno.lt/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Znad-Wilii-57m.pdf]
  • Tbilisi's largely forgotten and neglected Armenian heritage
  • Official website of the City of Tbilisi