Freedom Square Tbilisi: History, Landmarks, and Things to Do

Freedom Square Tbilisi at a Glance

• Erivan Square during the Russian imperial period
• Lenin Square during the Soviet era
• Freedom Square after Georgia moved towards independence

The St. George Monument

The April 9, 1989 Tragedy

How to Reach Freedom Square Tbilisi

• By Metro: The Freedom Square metro station is directly beneath the square and is the easiest way to reach it from any part of the city. The Tbilisi Metro runs two lines, and the Freedom Square station is on the Akhmeteli-Varketili line. A single journey costs one lari, and the metro operates from approximately six in the morning until midnight.
• On Foot from the Old Town: From the Abanotubani district and the old town, Freedom Square is about a fifteen- to twenty-minute walk heading north through the old town streets. The walk passes through some of the most interesting parts of the city.
• By Taxi or Bolt: From Tbilisi Airport, a taxi or Bolt ride to Freedom Square takes twenty to forty minutes depending on traffic and costs between fifteen and twenty-five lari by app. Bolt is the most reliable option for consistent pricing.

Where Is Freedom Square Located?

• Rustaveli Avenue: Theatres, museums and Soviet-era architecture, starting at the square's western edge
• Georgian National Museum: 5 minutes along the avenue
• Old town: 15 minutes southeast, for the wooden balcony houses and Metekhi Church
• Narikala Fortress: 30 minutes on foot, or a short cable car ride from the old town

Best Time to Visit Freedom Square Tbilisi

• Summer in Tbilisi, particularly July and August, is hot, reaching thirty-five degrees on the warmest days, and the square itself offers no shade. If you are visiting in summer, the early morning and evening are the best times to be on Rustaveli Avenue and in the old town. The sulfur baths are particularly worth doing in the heat of summer, since they are underground and cool. Most Georgia tour packages in summer build the outdoor walking into these cooler hours for exactly this reason. 
• Winter in Tbilisi: Cold but manageable, and the city stays busy through December because of Christmas and New Year departures from India. The square and the surrounding streets are at their quietest in January and February, which suits anyone who wants the old town without the tourist crowd.

Places to Visit Near Freedom Square Tbilisi

1. Rustaveli Avenue: The main boulevard of the city, beginning at the square and running west through the cultural and institutional heart of nineteenth and twentieth-century Tbilisi. The architecture along the avenue is worth seeing, even if you don't enter any buildings.
2. Georgian National Museum: On Rustaveli Avenue, ten minutes from the square. The permanent collection covers Georgian history from the Bronze Age to the Soviet period, and the treasury downstairs is exceptional.
3. Metekhi Church: On a cliff above the Mtkvari River, visible from the Freedom Square area on a clear day and about twenty minutes on foot through the old town. The church dates to the thirteenth century, and the cliff setting is the reason to go as much as the building itself.
4. Narikala Fortress: The fourth-century fortress on the ridge above the old town, reached by cable car from the Abanotubani district or by foot on a path that climbs through the fortress walls. The views from the top cover the full sweep of the old city.
5. Abanotubani Sulfur Bath District: Below Narikala, the oldest continuously operating part of the city. The domed bathhouses, the Legvtakhevi waterfall, and the winding lanes of the district make it the most atmospheric quarter in Tbilisi.
6. Sioni Cathedral: In the old town, about fifteen minutes on foot from Freedom Square. The cathedral dates to the sixth century in its original form and holds the cross of St. Nino, the figure credited with bringing Christianity to Georgia. It is smaller and quieter than Sameba, which makes it easier to spend time in.

Things to Do Around Freedom Square Tbilisi