# Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi > Rustaveli Avenue is Tbilisi's main boulevard: about 1.5 km from Freedom Square to Rustaveli metro, lined with Parliament, Kashveti Church, the Georgian National Museum, the opera house and the Rustaveli Theatre. It's free and open 24/7 — you only pay to go inside museums and theatres. End to end takes 20 minutes; with stops, allow an hour. Until the end of November 2026 the avenue is being rebuilt. Web page: https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/rustaveli-avenue - City: [Tbilisi](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi), Georgia - YesGo score: 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - Opening hours: Open street, 24/7 and free; museums and theatres keep their own hours - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free, 24/7 — it's a city street - Length: About 1.5 km, Freedom Square to Rustaveli metro - Walking time: 20 min non-stop, about 1 hour with stops - Metro: Liberty Square and Rustaveli, neighbouring stations, 1 GEL - Roadworks: Full rebuild since July 2026, closed to cars; due to finish by the end of November - Cable car to Mtatsminda: Lower station by the Academy of Sciences, no. 52; fare and hours unofficial - Paying: Contactless Visa and Mastercard work on the metro and in most cafés; carry some lari in cash - Coordinates: 41.69846, 44.79826 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 1.5 km** — length of the avenue, from Freedom Square to Rustaveli station (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Free** — to walk, at any hour; only museums and theatres charge (source: public street; English Wikipedia) - **1918** — Golovin Avenue renamed after the poet Shota Rustaveli (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1840s** — Viceroy Mikhail Vorontsov had a wide avenue laid along the old Digomi road (source: English Wikipedia; Russian Wikipedia — mid-19th century) - **1946–1953** — main Parliament building (no. 8) built, architect Viktor Kokorin (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1896** — Moorish Revival opera house (no. 25) by Viktor Schröter (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1904–1910** — Kashveti Church built opposite Parliament, architect Leopold Bielfeld (source: English Wikipedia: Kashveti Church; Russian Wikipedia) - **2006** — St George column by Zurab Tsereteli unveiled on Freedom Square (source: English Wikipedia: Freedom Square, Tbilisi) - **9 April 1989** — Soviet troops broke up a rally outside the House of Government, now Parliament (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1959 and 2024** — the cable car from the avenue to Mtatsminda opened, closed after a 1990 accident, then reopened (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; 1TV) - **1868** — Vorontsov Palace (no. 6) by Otto Simonson, now the Youth Palace (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) ## Is Rustaveli Avenue worth it? Yes, especially on a first visit. In an hour you see the 19th- and 20th-century capital — Parliament, grand theatres, museums, old hotels — which feels nothing like the crooked lanes around the sulphur baths. It costs nothing, needs no booking and links the Old Town with Mtatsminda and the metro. Be realistic, though: it's a busy city street, not a pedestrian promenade, and in 2026 it's also a construction site. If you only have one day, walk the stretch from **Freedom Square** to the opera house, step into Kashveti Church and then drop into the backstreets of Sololaki or down to the river. > **Rustaveli Avenue is being rebuilt** Since 23 July 2026 Tbilisi City Hall has closed the avenue to all traffic to replace pipes and cables, the road surface, pavements and street lights and to plant new trees. Completion is promised by the end of November, with sections reopening one by one. You can still walk it, but expect fenced-off pavements and temporary crossings. ## What to see on Rustaveli Avenue - **Freedom Square** — Zurab Tsereteli's gilded St George slaying the dragon on a tall column (2006), where a Lenin statue stood until 1991. - **Georgian National Museum** (no. 3) — the old Caucasian Museum building of 1913–1917, home of the Colchian gold. Paid entry; unofficial sources say it's closed on Mondays. - **Vorontsov Palace** (no. 6) — the viceroys' residence of 1868, now the Youth Palace; Georgian independence was declared here in May 1918. - **Parliament of Georgia** (no. 8) — the arcaded giant of 1946–1953, built where a military cathedral was pulled down. A memorial outside recalls 9 April 1989. - **Kashveti Church** (no. 9) — a stone church of 1904–1910 modelled on medieval Samtavisi, with 1947 murals by Lado Gudiashvili. - **The Blue Gallery** (no. 11) — the National Gallery in an 1888 building, next to the quiet April 9 Park. - **Rustaveli Theatre** (no. 17) and the **Opera and Ballet Theatre** (no. 25) — the opera house is the 1896 Moorish Revival one with horseshoe arches and a striped facade. - **Academy of Sciences** (no. 52) — a Stalin-era tower modelled on Stockholm City Hall, beside the cable car up to Mtatsminda. ## How long does it take to walk Rustaveli Avenue? About **20 minutes** non-stop — it's roughly 1.5 km from Freedom Square to Rustaveli station. With a look inside Kashveti, photos at Parliament and the opera, and a coffee, allow **about an hour**. A museum or the gallery adds another one and a half to two hours. Walk it downhill: take the metro to Rustaveli and stroll down to Freedom Square. You finish at the edge of the Old Town, ten minutes from the baths and the river. After dark the facades are lit, there are more people about and cafés stay open late. ## How to get to Rustaveli Avenue 1. On foot from the Old Town: from Meidan (Gorgasali) Square walk up Kote Afkhazi Street (formerly Leselidze) to Freedom Square — about 10 minutes uphill. The avenue starts there. 2. By metro: Liberty Square (Tavisuplebis Moedani) is at the start of the avenue and Rustaveli at the far end — they're neighbouring stations on the same line. From the Avlabari side, it's one stop from Avlabari to Liberty Square. 3. A ride is 1 GEL for 90 minutes on the metro and buses. Tap a contactless bank card or a Metromoney card at the gate; no ticket needed. 4. From the airport, bus 337 runs to Liberty Square, and the avenue begins right by the stop. 5. Coming back late, Bolt and other ride-hailing apps work well; Freedom Square and Rustaveli metro are easy pickup points. ## The cable car from Rustaveli Avenue to Mtatsminda A cable car once again runs from the avenue up to Mount Mtatsminda. The lower station is **next to the Academy of Sciences at no. 52**, two minutes from Rustaveli metro. The first line opened in 1959 and was dismantled after a 1990 accident that killed 19 people; the new one opened in October 2024 and the ride takes about four minutes. At the top is [Mtatsminda Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/mtatsminda-park), with a view over the whole city. The Tbilisi Transport Company doesn't list this line on its fares page. Unofficial sources put the foreigner fare at 12 GEL and the hours at noon to 21:00 — check at the station. > **Is Rustaveli Avenue safe?** Yes — it's well lit, busy and patrolled. But the steps and road outside Parliament are Georgia's traditional protest site, and evening rallies can close the road. They are usually peaceful; still, keep children out of crowds and go round any police cordon on a parallel street. For Kashveti Church, cover shoulders and knees, and women should bring a headscarf. ## A short history The avenue follows the old **Digomi road**, which ran outside the city wall towards the North Caucasus. In the 1840s Viceroy Mikhail Vorontsov had it widened into a European-style boulevard, and it filled with the viceroy's palace, a gymnasium, the city's first museum and its first opera house. Until 1918 it was Golovin Avenue, named after an earlier Russian viceroy. When Georgia declared independence in 1918, the street was renamed after **Shota Rustaveli**, the medieval poet of *The Knight in the Panther's Skin*. In the Soviet years it was widened and lined with the vast Government House, now Parliament. On 9 April 1989 Soviet troops broke up a rally there; the day is now a national holiday, and the avenue has been the stage for every big protest since. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Checked City Hall news for which sections are open - [ ] Contactless card for the metro and cable car - [ ] A scarf for Kashveti Church - [ ] Picked one museum or gallery to go inside - [ ] Starting at Rustaveli metro and walking downhill - [ ] An evening free for the opera or theatre ## Rustaveli Avenue vs Abanotubani vs Dry Bridge | | Rustaveli Avenue | Abanotubani | Dry Bridge | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Grand 19th–20th-century boulevard | Old bath district under the fortress | Open-air flea market by the river | | Cost | Free, 24/7 | Free to wander; baths are paid | Free, daytime | | Time needed | About 1 h | About 1 h, more with a soak | About 1 h | | Feel | Museums, theatres, cafés, politics | Domes, sulphur springs, lanes | Soviet bric-a-brac and haggling | | Getting there | Liberty Square or Rustaveli metro | Walk from Meidan | 15 min downhill from Freedom Square | Three sides of one city, all within walking distance. Start on the avenue, drop down to [Dry Bridge Market](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/dry-bridge-market) and save the evening for [Abanotubani](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/abanotubani). ## Historic places in Tbilisi compared Tbilisi's historic sights, rated by YesGo. - [Narikala Fortress](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/narikala-fortress) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free; cable car 2.5 GEL - [Abanotubani Sulphur Baths](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/abanotubani) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Private room ≈ 50–250 GEL/hour - [Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba)](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/sameba-cathedral) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Free - [Dry Bridge Market](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/dry-bridge-market) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free to browse - [Chronicle of Georgia](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/chronicle-of-georgia) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Mtatsminda Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/mtatsminda-park) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free entry, funicular ≈ 10–12 GEL - [Rustaveli Avenue](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/rustaveli-avenue) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free, 24/7 - [Open Air Museum of Ethnography](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/tbilisi-ethnographic-museum) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ 20 GEL (unofficial) ## Modern Tbilisi in half a day Up by cable car from the avenue, down the avenue to Freedom Square, then the flea market and the river — hardly any climbing. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Mtatsminda Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/mtatsminda-park) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free entry, funicular ≈ 10–12 GEL 2. [Rustaveli Avenue](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/rustaveli-avenue) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free, 24/7 3. [Dry Bridge Market](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/dry-bridge-market) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free to browse 4. [Bridge of Peace](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/bridge-of-peace) — YesGo score 64/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free ## Not to be confused with Batumi and many other cities also have a Rustaveli Avenue or Street; this page is about the one in Tbilisi. The Rustaveli Theatre and Rustaveli metro station are separate places on this avenue, and Rustaveli Square sits at its northern end. ## Tips - Start at Rustaveli metro and walk downhill to Freedom Square — easier on the legs, and you finish by the Old Town. - Go inside just one place — the museum, the gallery or Kashveti — or a one-hour walk turns into half a day. - Book the opera ahead: a night in the Moorish Revival hall is one of the best evenings in Tbilisi. - From Freedom Square it's 15 minutes down to Dry Bridge Market; go in daylight, when the stalls are out. - While the works last, stay on the side with fewer fences and cross only at the temporary crossings. ## Questions ### How long is Rustaveli Avenue? About 1.5 km, from Freedom Square to Rustaveli metro station, where it becomes Kostava Street. Walking it non-stop takes around 20 minutes. ### How much time do you need for Rustaveli Avenue? About an hour with stops at Kashveti Church, Parliament and the opera house; add one and a half to two hours if you visit the National Museum or the gallery. ### What is there to do on Rustaveli Avenue? See Freedom Square and the St George column, Parliament, Kashveti Church, the Georgian National Museum, the Blue Gallery, the opera house and the Rustaveli Theatre, then ride the cable car up to Mtatsminda. ### Is Rustaveli Avenue open during the renovation? Yes, to pedestrians. Since July 2026 it's closed to cars while utilities, paving and lighting are replaced; City Hall aims to finish by the end of November, with fenced sections along the way. ### How do I get to Rustaveli Avenue? Take the metro to Liberty Square (Tavisuplebis Moedani) or Rustaveli — the two ends of the avenue. From Meidan Square in the Old Town it's a 10-minute walk uphill; airport bus 337 stops at Liberty Square. ### Where is the cable car on Rustaveli Avenue? The lower station is beside the Academy of Sciences at 52 Rustaveli Avenue, near Rustaveli metro. It climbs to Mtatsminda Park in about four minutes; the fare and hours are unofficial, so check on site. ### Is Rustaveli Avenue safe at night? Generally yes — it's lit and busy. Rallies outside Parliament can close the road in the evening; avoid crowds and police lines, especially with children. ### Can I pay by card around Rustaveli Avenue? Mostly. Contactless Visa and Mastercard work on the metro (1 GEL per 90 minutes) and in most cafés and shops; keep some lari in cash for kiosks and the flea market. ### Why is it called Rustaveli Avenue? It was renamed in 1918, when Georgia declared independence, after Shota Rustaveli, the medieval poet who wrote The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Before that it was Golovin Avenue. ## How we checked Length, history, buildings and dates were checked against English and Russian Wikipedia; where they disagree (the Rustaveli Theatre's date, the poet's statue), we leave the year out. The metro fare comes from the Tbilisi Transport Company. The roadworks are described from City Hall announcements reported by SOVA, Georgia Today and 1TV; we found no October update, so the works status is marked as checking. The Mtatsminda cable car fare and hours come from travel guides — there is no official tariff online. The National Museum's closing day comes from several guides; we couldn't open the official page. Card payment is from the transport company's fare page and travel guides. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Rustaveli Avenue; Freedom Square, Tbilisi; Kashveti Church; Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre; April 9 tragedy - Russian Wikipedia: Rustaveli Avenue (Tbilisi) - Wikidata Q1754726 - Tbilisi Transport Company: standard metro and bus fare - Tbilisi City Hall via SOVA, Georgia Today and 1TV: Rustaveli Avenue rehabilitation - 1TV and CBW: opening of the Rustaveli–Mtatsminda cable car - Georgian Holidays and Homo Faber guides: National Museum closing day --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.