Old Tbilisi

Architecturally my first impressions of old houses in Tbilisi was, of all places, New Orleans. Small, two or three storey houses with upper story balconies and verandas, line narrow cobbled streets, while the more grand buildings are influenced by Art Noveau.  However, right up till 1920, Tbilisi was 75% Armenian, so the older districts of the city are in fact Armenian and not Georgian.

While many of these fine old houses are restored, many more are desperately dilapidated and literally falling apart. The steep hillsides and cliffs have created beautiful urban landscapes and in particular grand houses overhang cliffs along the river and the inland gorges.