Tbilisi's Old City

Because of its location on the crossroads between Europe and Asia, Tbilisi is a city that has endured more than most.

Destroyed and rebuilt 29 times over the years (whether by occupation and war, earthquakes or a surprisingly large number of fires), the layout of the Old Town luckily remains largely intact with narrow alleys and crooked houses overlooking the river.

Its geographic location and history has resulted in Georgia being a blend of East and West, historical and modern. Throughout the city, you find classical buildings steeped with history right next to modern architecture with an eye to the future.

At the centre of the old city is Freedom Square, formerly known as Lenin Square when Russia occupied the territory. It is a main artery to reach all other areas of the city. In 1991, the statue of Lenin that towered above the square was replaced with a monument of St. George slaying the dragon.

One of the offshoots from Freedom Square is Rustaveli Avenue, which is one of the most beautiful and central streets in the city, and also the one where we were lucky enough to be staying. The street houses many of the government buildings, museums and theatres, including the historic Marriott hotel and the new Biltmore Hotel, which redesigned a 1938 Marx-Engels-Lenin Institute and now offers accommodation with some of the best views of the city.

The Georgian Parliament Buildings

The historic Marriott Hotel

The Georgian National Museum

Perhaps the most notable recent architectural constructs are the Bridge of Peace - a bow shaped pedestrian bridge that crosses the Kura River - and the Exhibition and Concert Hall in Rika Park.

And each is not without controversy.

The Bridge of Peace and the cable car

The Concert and Exhbition Hall (which many claim looks like two dismembered legs)

The entrance to the Bridge of Peace

Both the striking bridge and the unusual concert hall have left many residents angry that their modern designs corrupt the beauty of the classical architecture surrounding them.

Even more, both have become political, with sparring politicians using the constructs to aid in their conflict. The current ruling party is threatening to bulldoze the bridge in order to get back at the politician responsible for its construction and the dominating concert hall, although constructed, has never been outfitted nor opened to the public as it was built by the previous regime.

Towering above all of this is Mother Georgia, an enormous statue that overlooks and protects the city. Different than similar statues in many other cities in the region, Mother Georgia carries both a sword AND a glass of wine. The glass of wine is a nod to Georgia's welcoming culture and heritage - with Georgians claiming that they are the first country to have discovered wine - and the sword is to protect against any visitors who become hostile or try to hurt them.

Georgians are an incredibly welcoming people. who love to toast and celebrate with friends. In the heart of the old town is the statue of the Toast Master. He holds a horn for his drink - chosen so he cannot put it down until its empty - and welcomes all who pass by. They say it is easy to get invited to a local toast and celebration should you wish, but that you must be prepared to stay the full night (which can last until the morning) and that foreigners often suffer from an alcohol tolerance that is a far cry from local abilities.

Scattered throughout the city are a large number of Orthodox churches. Georgia remains one of the most religious countries in the region with over 90% of residents practicing religion. Many of the Orthodox churches were surprisingly spared when the Russians occupied the country and were instead put to other uses, mostly serving as storage facilities.

The Churches, however, saw a resurgence after the downfall of communism in Georgia, and artworks of Saint George and Saint Nino (complete with her cross made of wine branches) the patron saints of the religion, are now fully painted throughout the churches. A word of caution to future travellers - Georgian Orthodox are expected to sign the cross on their chest every time they pass a church (which are common around the city) and this applies to taxi drivers...so choose your driving routes carefully!

Supposedly the chains that held Prometheus

Finally, in the heart of the Old Town, we were surprised to stumble upon a waterfall which cascades down into a creek for visitors to sit by, wander around and enjoy. Even better, they have water fountains scattered throughout the city to keep people hydrated and clean.