History of Tbilisi and photos of the city by night

Tbilisi has a long, layered history that stretches back over 1,500 years and reflects the city’s unique position at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.

We were browsing in a gallery yesterday and I found a print depicting Tbilisi’s founding in the 5th century, when according to legend King Vakhtang I Gorgasali of Iberia (an ancient Georgian kingdom) founded Tbilisi after his falcon caught a pheasant in a hot spring and both died in the scalding sulphuric waters. The king was so impressed that he decided to build a city there — naming it “Tbilisi”, from the Old Georgian “tbili”, meaning “warm.”

During the Medieval Period (6th–8th centuries) Tbilisi grew into a regional center. It was captured multiple times — by the Persians, Byzantines, and Arabs. Tbilisi became an important emirate in the Caucasus under Arab control, while Georgian kings ruled from other cities. 11th century: Georgian King David IV “the Builder” recaptured Tbilisi in 1122, making it the capital of a unified Georgian kingdom. This began a Golden Age of culture, art, and learning.

The Mongols invaded during the 13th century. In later centuries, Persians and Ottomans fought over the region. By the 17th and 18th centuries, Tbilisi had been burned and rebuilt several times, notably after a devastating Persian invasion in 1795 led by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar.

Russian Empire Era (1801–1917): Russia annexed Georgia in 1801. Tbilisi became the administrative center of the Caucasus under Russian rule and underwent major modernization. European-style architecture, theaters, and boulevards were built laying the foundation for the beautiful city that it is today. By the late 19th century Georgians, Armenians, Russians, Jews, and others lived side by side in a multi ethnic environment.

Between 1918 and 1921 (after the Russian Revolution) Tbilisi became the capital of the short-lived Democratic Republic of Georgia, but in 1921 the Red Army invaded, and Georgia became part of the Soviet Union. Under Soviet rule, Tbilisi rapidly industrialized but dissent was always close to the surface. A peaceful pro-independence rally was held in 1989 but was violently suppressed by Soviet troops.

After the fall of the Soviet union in 1991 Georgia declared independence. The early 1990s brought civil unrest and economic hardship, but Tbilisi gradually stabilized. The Rose Revolution, a peaceful political movement in Georgia in November 2003 led to the resignation of President Eduard Shevardnadze; many Georgians were frustrated with corruption, poverty, and stagnation under his rule.  The change brought about major democratic and social reforms.

In the 21st century, Tbilisi has transformed into a vibrant, cosmopolitan city, blending medieval churches, Art Nouveau buildings, and modern glass architecture — symbolizing Georgia’s balance between tradition and modernity.

We took a boat ride on the Kura River just as it was getting dark.