Establishment of Tbilisi. According to legend the area of modern Tbilisi once was covered by deep forest. Georgian King Vakhtang I Gorgasali wounded a deer while hunting. The deer entered a hot stream, wetted itself all over in the stream and, cured, it escaped the hunters. According to another version, the King's falcon caught a pheasant, the birds fell into hot water and were scalded. Because of the curable features of the water and favourable location of the place the King decided to cut down the forest and build a town. The town was called Tbilisi - "Tbili" ("Tpili" in old Georgian) because of mineral springs running through the territory. Archaeological excavations showed that the territory of Tbilisi had been already settled in the 4th millennium BC. The oldest source when it is mentioned is the second half of the 4th century AD, when in this place during the reign of Varaz-Bakuri a fortress was built. At the end of the 4th century Tbilisi became the residence of Persian official - Vicegerent. From the middle of the 5th century Tbilisi went into the hands of Kartli kings. Vakhtang Gorgasali restored Tbilisi and rebuilt it, that is why he is considered to be the founder of the town. At the beginning of the 6th century his successor Dachi I from Ujarma finished the construction of the city walls and, in accordance with his father's will, Mtskheta -royal city of the kingdom was moved to Tbilisi.

The oldest inhabitants of Tbilisi appeared in the districts with sulphur springs, the territory adjoining the present Gorgasali square. The city boundaries were: from south-east - the areas of "Ortachala" garden, from north-east it was bordered by the Mtkvari river, from south-east - Tabori Range and from north-west - by Tsavkisistskali. In the 4th century another district of Tbilisi - "Kala" appeared together with its fortress. Later the town began to grow beyond the limits of Tbilisi itself and Kala, upstream the Mtkvari river. The growth was stimulated by its favourable geographical location: here passed important roads for trade and merchants to the south-east areas of Asia. Little by little Tbilisi became an important centre of the Middle East. Military, strategic and economic interests of the adjoining states contributed to the growth of interest towards the town. 

Invasion of Persians and Arabs (VII-XI cent.). From the end of the 6th century a hundred-years long battle began for Tbilisi. The stability of the state and culture was directly dependent on the fate of the capital. In 570-580s the city was ruled by Persians. In 627 Tbilisi was invaded and destroyed by Byzantine and Turk hordes; in 736-738s - Arab military leader Marvan II Ibn Mohammed invaded the city. The Arab invasion had dire results for Tbilisi which in the thirties of the 8th century became the residence of the Arab emir. In 764 Tbilisi was sacked by nomad Turks. In 853 in order to strengthen the caliph rule in Tbilisi the city was invaded by Arab military leader - Buga Turk. In 1037-51s King Bagrat IV tried several times to occupy Tbilisi, but due to unstable political situation existing in the country by that time, it became impossible. In 1045 the ruling power came into the hands of the city aristocracy - Council of Elders, Tbilisi monks. In 1068 Tbilisi was invaded and occupied by the Turkish Seljuks under the military leadership of Alp-Arsland. From 80s of the 11the century the city was once again ruled by the Elders' Council.

Tbilisi during the Georgian Renaissance (XI-XIII cent.). In 1122 King David IV (the Builder) led the Georgians to victory against a formidable Muslim force and Tbilisi became the capital of a united Georgia and was given the status of a royal city. In 12 -13th centuries Tbilisi economically was very strong, it was one of the largest and attractive, well laid out and rich towns of its day. The population of the town amounted to 80 thousand people. Trade and handicraft flourished, guilds (corporations) and trading credit companies "Ortagi" were founded, a certain social category - citizens - was formed.

The city grew beyond its borders. Some think that by that time the city included Kashveti church and Blue church. Beyond its walls there was one of the most beautiful outskirts of the town - Didube. It was a versatile city. Georgian kings, through their loyal policy, contributed and supported the coexistence in the city of the people of different nationalities and religious faith. This stabilised the economic and social life of the city

During the very first years of the reign of Queen Tamara (1184 -1207) the representatives of the upper social stratum showed their strive for acquiring broader power. For this purpose they demanded a new Royal Council (Darbazi), so called "Camp" be established.

Foreigners conquered Tbilisi in the Middle Ages ( XIII-XV cent.). In 1226 Tbilisi was invaded by the Khorezms under the leadership of Djala-Ledin. The city was destroyed to the ground, a big part of the population was killed. In 40s of the 13th century the city was invaded by the Mongols. They did not break down the state system of Georgia. Georgia became a country dependent on the Mongols, Tbilisi still remained the centre of the country. In 1259 the inhabitants of Tbilisi rebelled against the Mongols under the leadership of David VI Narini. In 1260 King David VII Ulu rebelled.. Both rebellions were suppressed with great difficulty. From 20s of the 14th century, after gaining freedom from the Mongols rule, Tbilisi is again the capital of whole Georgia. In 1366 plague spread in Tbilisi taking the lives of the half population of the city. In 1386 Tbilisi was taken by Tamerlane. He invaded Georgia eight times, out of it destroying Tbilisi twice. After these invasions the international importance of Tbilisi significantly fell.

During the reign of Alexander I Great (1412 - 43) the restoration works of towns were begun, but the authorities could not fully implement their plan. Stormed by the hordes of the foreign invaders - Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, the Persians and Turks, the economic life of the city declined. The city was pillaged and burned.

Struggle against Turks and Persians (XVI-XVIII cent.). In 1490, after Georgia had split into separate kingdoms and principalities, Tbilisi remained the political and administrative centre of Kartli kingdom only.In 1522 the Persians took Tbilisi in their hands. In 1524 it was freed by King David X. In 1524-41s the city developed peacefully. The old houses were restored and new ones were built, the population of the city grew. Trading and handicraft industry revived. In 1541 the city was attacked and destroyed by the Persian Shah Tamaz I. After the battle of Childiri when the Persians won, Transcaucasian territories became influenced by Osman Turks. Tbilisi was again in the hands of conquerors. The king of Kartli Simon I tried to free the city first from the Persians and then from the Osman conquerors, but in vain.

In 1609 the ruler (Mouravi) of Tbilisi became Georgi Saakadze. In the 1st quarter of the 17th century under the continuous aggression of Iran the city was significantly destroyed. From 1632, after the appointment of Rostom as an administrator, the city began to revive again, economic and cultural life were revitalised. The authorities allocated certain sums for organising public services and amenities. In 1700 there were about 20 thousand inhabitants in Tbilisi. The upper stratum of the inhabitants was created by feudal aristocracy, big merchants and wholesellers; the second was the so called citizens category. The majority of the inhabitants were the servants who were bought, donated or the servants by their own will, migrants (who had had to leave their homes and come to the town) and beggars. The highest authorities of Tbilisi were represented by the Ruler (Mouravi) and an administrator appointed by the king.

Certain entertaining events, characterised by their specific dressing and costumes, emerged in Tbilisi such as Keenoba, Berikaoba, Kabakhi. In addition, the peculiarities of Tbilisi life were enriched by markets and sulphur baths. Besides their direct purposes, these were the places were the inhabitants of the city could gather and exchange the news, talk, etc.

In 1723 the city was conquered by the Osmans, and in 1735 it was taken by Nadir, the Iranian Shah. In 1755 a Philosophical Seminary was founded in the city. In 1709 a publishing house was founded were, for the first time "The Knight in the Tiger's Skin" was published.In 1762 Tbilisi became the capital of the united Kartli and Kakheti kingdom. In the 70s of the 18th century in Tbilisi there were an arsenal (an armoury), an office where the money could be exchanged or loaned, a dye-house for fabric, enterprises for making salt and earthenware dishes. By the end of the 18th century there emerged manufactory enterprises. But small artisan economy still was dominant in the city economic life. In 1795 Tbilisi was taken and destroyed by the hordes of the Iranian Shah - Aga-Mahmad-han.

Tbilisi while dominion of Russian Empire (1801-1917). In 1801, after the Eastern Georgia was incorporated into the Russian Empire, Tbilisi became the centre of the newly created Georgian province. Tbilisi was not only the administrative centre of the province but also the seat of the commander-in-chief of the Russian forces in the Caucasus and from 1845 the Tsar's plenipotentiary also resided here. The town expanded in a rapid but orderly way. The city territory significantly grew. Its central districts became planned, the number of the buildings of European style increased.

In the first quarter of the 19th century Tbilisi was once more an active, thriving merchant town and cultural centre. Little by little local domestic production capital was replaced by industrial capital. In 1866 the abolishment of serfdom and the laying of railroads between Tbilisi-Poti (1872), Bbilisi-Batumi and Tbilisi-Baku (1883) Tbilisi gained new impetus to the further economic rise and development. The number of the plants and factories and trading workshops increased, also the number of workers became significantly larger. In 1850 Georgian theatre was restored and began functioning. In the second half of the 19th century in Tbilisi there were a tannery, a tobacco-plant and other industrial enterprises. The biggest one out of them - the main workshops of the Transcaucasian Railroad in 1883 was moved to Tbilisi from the station of Mikhilovo (Khashuri). Still the share of production of the factories and plants of Tbilisi was rather small. Small shops significantly prevailed in number. In 1864 before the "Peasants Reform", 138 industrial enterprises of Tbilisi yearly produced the production of 507 thousand roubles and in 1883 228 enterprises produced the production of 3,5 mln. roubles. In 1897 the population of the city constituted 160 thousand people. The city considerably expanded, the central streets: Golovini (present Rustaveli Avenue) and Mikheili (present Agmashenebeli Avenue) became comfortable. In Tbilisi there were many local, Russian and foreign commercial agencies, insurance companies, transport companies, banking and credit entities, consulates of Persia, Ottoman Empire, France, Switzerland and Belgium states.

From the second half of the 19th century the city was lighted by photogenic lamps, from 1897 it was lighted with electricity. In 1861 the first water-line was laid in Tbilisi, but was not enough and could not meet the demand of the population. In 1887 from Avchala a new bigger water-line was laid.

Short independence period and Soviet era (1918-1991). In the beginning of the 19th century in Tbilisi began national liberation movement against the Russian tsarism, which continued until 1917. In 1918 (February 23) Transcaucasian Seim was declared the centre of which became Tbilisi. On May 26, 1918 Transcaucasian Seim was abolished and due to its dismantle there emerged three independent states: Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Tbilisi was declared the capital of Georgia. On February 25, 1921 Tbilisi was occupied by the Red Army. The Soviet Government declared Tbilisi the centre of the newly formed Transcaucasian Soviet Federal Socialist Republic. In 1935 (December 5) the Republic was abolished and Tbilisi was declared the capital of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Tbilisi after restoration of the independence (1991-2000). In 80s of the 20th century the Georgian national liberation movement spread broadly in Tbilisi, anti-Soviet actions of the masses became frequent which reached the peak in April 1989. In December 1991, in Belovez, three soviet republics Russia, the Ukraine and Belo-Russia agreed on the abolishment of the Soviet Union. Tbilisi became the capital of independent Georgia. The city suffered significant damage in 1991-92 during the civil war which was going on in Georgia that time. A lot of residential, as well as administrative buildings were destroyed.

Since 1994 there have been carried out restoration works in the capital.