Tbilisi's Old Town

Monday, November 19

We had a lovely breakfast with friends before we headed out into the city.  One thing that has always charmed us is the way Georgians protect their grapevines.  Even in Tbilisi, grapes get harvested and therefore the vines must be protected.  In this photo you can see the fencing that has been carefully erected to protect the vine. Neighborhoods even tolerate the fact that the sidewalk becomes blocked, thus is the Georgians' love of grapevines.

We walked part way down Rustaveli Avenue and noticed that the gates to the park or garden beside the Pioneer Palace were open.  We had noticed this several days ago, but today decided to go in and walk through if possible, otherwise just walk around.  The side entrance to the Palace has a wonderful curving staircase, which makes that side of the building quite charming.  The garden park has lovely stone paved walkways along with new benches and flowers and is a lovely place in which to escape the faster life of the city.

Today we have walked around more in the old town and seen even more changes since our last visit just 13 months ago.  Change in a city is always something that will cause us to reeflect on what that change has brought or may appear to take away.

Let's start with Baratashvili and Pushkin streets.  Down from Freedom Square there are some dramatic changes as Pushkin Street is now only two lanes wide and is restricted to being just one way coming up toward the square.  Then at the point where Pushkin ends and Baratashvili begins there is a large wide sidewalk leading toward an excavation where additional sections of the ancient city walls have been exposed; one walks down stairs and is able to be right beside this ancient structure.

Walkway down to the old city walls

Stepping stones from old city wall up to sidewalk area.

We then walked down past the GES building where David had worked and found that the Children's Museum by the river has been razed.  We don't know if this is done to reveal another part of the city wall, or if something else is in mind.  Continuing past the Hanger Bar and into the Old Town, it is clear that the city government intends to eventually renovate the entire Old Town area.  We consider ourselves lucky to have known and photographed this historic area while it was still in its post-soviet condition of benign neglect.

Sculpture still stands, but the lovely building is now gone.

Is it a new facade on an old building?  Or is it a new building.  Currently empty.  Where did the people go who lived in the original buildings?

We have walked these streets for nearly 13 years and marveled at the architectural details of many of the buildings.  The area has always been filled with fine iron work in the gates and yards, lovely gardens and ornate balconies overhanging the streets, however, they were showing the effects of both earthquakes and insurrection of the 90's.  We questioned if restoration could be undertaken due to structural weakness or would it be inevitable that some buildings would be destroyed and something new put in their place.  Now we see that it is a combination of the two.  And knowing what was inevitable, it still makes us sad that no restoration could been undertaken earlier to save what was here.

Some buildings gone, some about to go.  What will they put here?  Replicate the old?  Who knows.

Needless to say, nearly all our friends have differing opinions about the changes.  In the end we will just have to decide for ourselves what we think, as will any of you who have ever visited or lived in this fascinating and beautiful city.

So far this carpet shop stays the same.