About this experience
While strolling through Tbilisi, we will explore the city's history through architectural restoration and discover its examples. We will examine the remnants of fortress walls: which fragment is original, and which one is recent? We will find out how Soviet architects integrated the preserved bell tower of the demolished Vank Cathedral into an arch. We will also see the inner courtyards of caravanserais and talk about their layout. And that's just the beginning!
What to expect
The history of Tbilisi's ancient monuments is inseparable from the history of their restoration. The capital of Georgia has been destroyed by conquerors many times, and its inhabitants have rebuilt it from scratch. The city last rose from ruins after the Persian invasion in 1795.
During the excursion, you will see:
- The real fortress walls of Tbilisi and the tourist reconstruction
- The oldest temple in the city - Anchiskhati, whose walls contain layers from the 6th to the 20th century
- The internal structure of two preserved caravanserais
- Bethlemi Street-Stairs, built in the 19th century on the site of a medieval footpath
And you will learn:
- The difference between technical restoration and artistic restoration
- Why ancient buildings are often restored using different materials than the ones they were originally built with
- How artifacts from lost buildings become parts of other structures
- Why the Sioni Cathedral has two bell towers in different styles
Organizational details
- There will be a long climb up stairs on the route. Please consider your strength.
- Radioguides will be used during the excursion, to which headphones provided by the guide are connected. For your convenience, you can use your own wired headphones (mini jack 3.5 mm connector)
- End point: Viewing platform near the Bethlehem Church
- The tour will be conducted by one of the guides from our team
Alexandra
October 27, 2024
Wonderful walk, very informative!!
Dmitry
January 9, 2024
The excursion is perfect even for those who have been to Tbilisi multiple times or live here. Two main directions of architectural restoration - artistic and technical - are explained through examples. During the tour, we also learned to distinguish ancient buildings from modern ones. Very informati...
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Kirill
December 28, 2023
Wonderful tour! Learned a lot of new things about the city! The guide is a professional - the narrative is structured, answered all questions, even those not related to the tour. It's nice when the guide's 'eyes light up'. It's evident that this is not just a routine job for him.
