Tbilisi is the capital and largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River. With around 1.2 million inhabitants, it contains almost one third of the country's population. Tbilisi was founded in the fifth century AD by Vakhtang I of Iberia and has since served as the capital of various Georgian kingdoms and republics. Between 1801 and 1917, then part of the Russian Empire, it was the seat of the Caucasus Viceroyalty, governing both the northern and the southern sides of the Caucasus.[8][9]Because of its location at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, and its proximity to the lucrative Silk Road, throughout history, Tbilisi has been a point of contention among various global powers. To this day, the city's location ensures its position as an important transit route for energy and trade projects. Tbilisi's history is reflected in its architecture, which is a mix of medieval, neoclassical, Beaux Arts, Art Nouveau, Stalinist, and Modern structures.Historically, Tbilisi has been home to people of diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, though its population is overwhelmingly Eastern Orthodox Christian. Notable tourist destinations include cathedrals Sameba and Sioni, Freedom Square, Rustaveli Avenue and Agmashenebeli Avenue, medieval Narikala Fortress, the pseudo-Moorish Opera Theater, and the Georgian National Museum. The climate in Tbilisi mostly ranges from 20 to 32 °C (68 to 90 °F) in summer and ?1 to 7 °C (30 to 45 °F) in winter.Names and etymologySee also: Names of Tbilisi in different languagesThe name "Tbilisi" derives from Old Georgian Tbilisi (Asomtavruli: ???????, Mkhedruli: ???????), and further from tpili (Modern Georgian: ?????, warm, itself from Old Georgian: ????? ?pili). The name Tbilisi (the place of warmth) was therefore given to the city because of the area's numerous sulfuric hot springs.Until 1936, the name of the city in English and most other languages followed the Persian pronunciation[10] Tiflis, while the Georgian name was ??????? (?pilisi).[11]On 17 August 1936, by order of the Soviet leadership, the official Russian names of various cities were changed to more closely match the local language.[11] In addition, the Georgian-language form ?pilisi was modernized on the basis of a proposal by Georgian linguists the ancient Georgian component ????? (?pili, 'warm') was replaced by the newer ????? (tbili).[11] That form was the basis for the new official Russian name (??????? Tbilisi). Most other languages have subsequently adopted the new name form, but some languages, such as Turkish, Persian, Greek, Spanish, and German, have retained a variation of Tiflis.On 20 September 2006, the Georgian parliament held a ceremony celebrating the 70th anniversary of the renaming.
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