Mtskheta

city

13km

Alaverdi

home of UNESCO World Heritage site Sanahin Monastery and nearby Haghpat Monastery

53km

David Gareja Monastery Complex

monastery

69km

Georgian Military Highway

road

76km

Gori

fifth largest city of Georgia

78km

Stepantsminda

Stepantsminda (Georgian: სტეფანწმინდა; formerly Kazbegi, Georgian: ყაზბეგი) is a town in the north of Georgia, popular for the trekking opportunities in the visually spectacular surrounding mountains, its views of the mighty Mount Kazbeg, and for the beautiful view from the town of the Holy Trinity Church outlined against Mount Kazbeg itself.

79km

Telavi

human settlement

79km

Tsaghkadzor

Armenia's ski destination.

99km

Kakheti

mkhare

103km

Sighnaghi

human settlement

126km

Gyumri

Armenia's 2nd largest city which once dwarfed Yerevan. Small old town area still shows earthquake damage from 1988.

129km

Yerevan

the capital, and by far the largest city

132km

Borjomi

town in Georgia (country)

155km

Vardzia

cave city complex in Georgia

171km

Ganja

Azerbaijani town

195km

Kutaisi

city in Georgia

235km

Qax

city

239km

Batumi

second largest city of Georgia

349km

Tbilisi City Hall

Before City Hall stay the Monument of St. George

1.2km

Mtatsminda Pantheon

Many famous writers, and the mother of Joseph Stalin, are buried here.

1.8km

Kashveti Church

A copy of 11th-century Samtavisi church. The Kashveti church was constructed between 1904 and 1910 by the architect L. Bilfeldt, who based his design on the medieval Samtavisi Cathedral. The construction was sponsored by the Georgian nobility and bourgeoisie. Kashveti was built on the site of a damaged church built of brick at the request of the Amilakhvari family in 1753. Significant contributions to the current church’s ornate design were made by N. Agladze. Kashveti’s frescoes were painted by the influential Georgian painter, Lado Gudiashvili, in 1947. The name "Kashveti" is derived from Georgian words kva for a "stone" and shva "to give birth." Legend has it the prominent 6th century monk David of Gareja of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers was accused by a woman of making her a pregnant in Tbilisi. David prophesied his denial would be proved when she gave birth to a stone. She did, and the place received the name of "kashveti."

2.4km

Georgian National Youth Palace

2.5km

National Parliamentary Library of Georgia

2.5km

Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia

Part of the Georgian National Museum, the Museum of Georgia houses Caucasian artefacts of archaeology and ethnography. A permanent exposition follows developments from the Bronze Age to the early 20th century. Gold was mined and worked here from a very early date - it was probably the origin of the "Golden Fleece" legend - so the area developed its own style, which influenced Achaemenid and Hellenistic jewellery. The most valuable exhibits include Homo ergaster fossils discovered at Dmanisi; the Akhalgori hoard of the 5th century BC; a collection of 80,000 coins chiefly of Georgian minting; medieval icons and goldsmith pieces collected from various sites in Georgia; and a lapidary with a rich collection of Urartian inscriptions. Nominally a separate Museum of Soviet Occupation, but simply the 4th floor of the same building, depicts Georgia's treatment at the hands of its neighbour, from 19th-century tsarist expansion through Soviet times to the conflict over Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

2.6km

Museum of Soviet Occupation (Tbilisi)

stadium

2.6km

Anchiskhati Basilica

Constructed began at the time of king Dachi Ujarmeli in the 6th century. This is the oldest church in town. Anchiskhati Basilica is a three-span basilica, divided by two abutments forming horseshoe shaped conches, which indicates the antiquity of its construction. Originally constructed of blocks of yellow tuff stone, the 1958–1964 restoration made extensive use of brick. The structure has entrances on three sides, but today only the western entrance is in use. Aside from the altarpiece, which was painted in 1683 by order of Catholicos Nikoloz Amilakhvari, all of the remaining paintings in the church date from the 19th century.

3.2km

Old Tbilisi

Perhaps one of the most distinctive pleasures of walking through the Old City, with its old-style balconies, ancient churches, winding streets, and charming shops. Be prepared to see a number of eclectic sights, from the abandoned streetcar near Erekle Street to the art galleries of Chardini Street to the stunning modern art lining Sioni Street. Sub-neighborhoods include Sololaki, with its elegant restaurants and art nouveau architecture, Old Tbilisi proper — with sites ranging from churches to mosques to sulfur baths, Betlemi — housing two of the city's oldest churches and the stunning vistas of the Narikala Fortress — and Mtsasminda, just up the mountain from Rustaveli Avenues, a more sedate, "livable" district filled with charming old houses and a number of families. A large section has been refurbished in recent years turning parts into a sterile, tourist-trade and therefore purely overly consumption attuned quarter. Bars and restaurants largely overpriced. Even Segway rental is available — given the state of Tbilisi pavements, a ridiculous proposition.

3.2km

Kartlis Deda

A 20-metre aluminium figure of a woman in Georgian national dress, erected on the Sololaki hill in 1958, Tbilisi's 1,500th birthday and designed by Elguja Amashukeli.

3.4km

Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral

3.4km

Ceremonial Palace of Georgia

Inaugurated in summer 2009, an architectural monstrosity above the river, designed by Italian architect Michele De Luki. Guided tours may be booked seven work days in advance.

3.6km

Vake Park

This is one of Tbilisi's posher districts, home to many expats and nouveaux riches. While not quite as atmospheric as Old Tbilisi, Vake is home to some lovely parks, pleasant nineteenth-century architecture, and some of the city's most high-end shopping, including luxury furniture store Missioni. There are also plenty of elegant, if understated, bars and restaurants in this area. In Vake there are two buildings of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi state university. The university is founded by Ivane Javakhishvili in 1918 and is one of the historical buildings in Tbilisi.

3.6km

Ejmiatsin Church, Tbilisi

Built in 1805, and later renovated.

3.9km

Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi

Constructed between 1995 and 2004, it is the third-tallest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the world. Sameba is a synthesis of traditional styles dominating the Georgian church architecture at various stages in history and has some Byzantine undertones. The Sameba Cathedral was erected on the Elia Hill, which rises above the left bank of the Kura River (Mtkvari) in the historic neighborhood of Avlabari in Old Tbilisi on the grounds of what was once a park, and before that the largest Armenian cemetery in Tbilisi, a tiny portion of that cemetery now forms the Armenian Pantheon. Designed in a traditional Georgian style but with an exaggerated vertical emphasis, and regarded as an eyesore by many and venerated by as many others, the Sameba Cathedral has a cruciform plan with a dome over a crossing which rests on eight columns. At the same time, the parameters of the dome are independent from the apses, imparting a more monumental look to the dome and the church in general. The dome is surmounted by a 7.5-m-tall cross covered with gold. The cathedral consists of nine chapels (chapels of the Archangels, John the Baptist, Saint Nino, Saint George, Saint Nicholas, the Twelve Apostles, and All Saints); five of them are situated in a large, underground compartment. The overall area of the cathedral, including its large narthex, is 0.5 ha and the volume it occupies is 137 m³. The interior of the church measures 56 m × 44 m, with an interior area of 2,380 m². The height of the cathedral from the ground to the top of the cross is 105.5 m. The underground chapel occupies 35,550 m³. The height is 13 m. Natural materials are used for construction. The floor is made of marble tiles and the altar will also be decorated with mosaic. The painting of the murals is being executed by a group of artists guided by Amiran Goglidze. The Sameba complex consists of the main cathedral church, a free-standing bell-tower, the residence of the Patriarch, a monastery, a clerical seminary and theological academy, several workshops, places for rest, etc.

4.0km

Tbilisi Open Air Museum of Ethnography

Part of the Georgian National Museum. "Skansen"-type museum with 70 houses and other buildings characteristic of the various parts of Georgia, plus household gadgetry and craft tools. The houses are in variable states of repair, some are tumbledown but especially those near the entry gate are okay and with helpful docents. Allow a half day for a visit, a quiet escape from the city.

4.6km

Rustavi

city

28km

Khujabi Monastery

If you make it to Khorakert, you should be able to make it to this soaring, majestic and lost work of architecture, further along the border.

49km

Haghpat

village in Lori Province of Armenia

52km

Tusheti

geographic region

102km