Tbilisi Streets

As I mentioned in the last post, I spent most of my time on this trip in Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital. Though archeological evidence suggests the site of the present city has been occupied by humans for millenia, legend has it that it was founded in the mid-5th century AD by  King Vakhtang Gorgasali. The city’s name’s etymology comes from old Georgian “tpili”, meaning warm, a reference to the numerous hot springs in the area.

There are layers upon layers of history in Tbilisi. The country is at a geographical crossroads, and cultures ranging from Byzantine, Persian, Ottoman, and later Russian and Soviet have come and gone, each leaving their marks. We can imagine that might have been less than ideal for the Georgian residents, but it has made Tbilisi a stunning city to visit and photograph.