Rustaveli Avenue

Rustaveli Theatre and Hotel Marriott Tbilisi

Rustaveli Avenue, then called Golovin Avenue, in the 19th century

Rustaveli Avenue (Georgian: რუსთაველის გამზირი, Rust'avelis Gamziri), formerly known as Golovin Street, is the central avenue in Tbilisi named after the medieval Georgian poet, Shota Rustaveli. The avenue starts at Freedom Square and extends for about 1.5 km in length, before it turns into an extension of Kostavas Kucha (Kostava Street). Rustaveli is often considered the main thoroughfare of Tbilisi due to a large number of governmental, public, cultural, and business buildings that are located along or near the avenue. The former Parliament of Georgia building, Kashveti Church, the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia (part of the Georgian National Museum), the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Rustaveli State Academic Theater, the Rustaveli Museum, and the Georgian Academy of Sciences, among others, are all located on Rustaveli. The thoroughfare is served by the Tbilisi Metro and buses.

In 1989, tens of thousands of Georgians gathered before the House of Government on Rustaveli Avenue. An attack by the Soviet Spetsnaz forces killed many protesters in the April 9 tragedy.

In 2007 and 2011, the avenue was the site of anti-government protests.

Life on Rustaveli Avenue

Rustaveli Avenue starts at Freedom Square. The first building on Rustaveli Avenue is Rustaveli Cinema, the biggest cinema in Georgia. Opposite the cinema are the Youth Palace and former Parliament Building of Georgia. Kashveti Church is located between the Art House of Tbilisi and the Art Museum. There are many beautiful buildings on Rustaveli Avenue; among them are the Tbilisi Opera House and the Rustaveli Theatre. The avenue is full of various cafes, shops, restaurants and other entertainment places. Rustaveli Avenue is a mix of modern and 20th-century architecture. Rustaveli Avenue is a place of many public protests, but it's also the place of many outdoor exhibitions, performances, etc. The avenue is one of the best architectural and tourist centers of Tbilisi.