Freedom Square (Tavisuplebis Moedani)

Freedom Square, called Tavisuplebis Moedani in Georgian, is the central public square of Tbilisi, located at the head of Rustaveli Avenue and at the edge of the Old Town. It has served as the city's main civic space since the nineteenth century, when it was known as Yerevan Square and later Lenin Square in the Soviet era. After independence it took its present name, and the Soviet Lenin statue was replaced by the Freedom Monument, a tall column topped by a gilded figure of Saint George slaying a dragon, unveiled in 2006. The square is surrounded by notable buildings, including the neoclassical City Hall, once a caravanserai and later a Soviet-era city administration building, and the former Hotel Tbilisi, whose facade faces the circle. Streets lead from the square toward the Old Town, the sulfur baths district and the Rustaveli Avenue museums, and the metro station underneath connects the Red and Green lines nearby. Visitors typically use the square as an orientation point rather than as a destination, spending about 20 minutes taking in the monument, the City Hall and the surrounding architecture before walking on. Tour groups often gather at the monument to start walks through the Old Town. The square is open 24 hours and free to visit. Crowds are busiest at midday and in the early evening, when commuters, tourists and street vendors fill the area, while early morning is quiet and good for photography of the monument against the sky. In the evening, the monument and City Hall are lit and the surrounding cafes fill. The square is also a gathering place for public events, concerts and demonstrations, which may close parts of the area temporarily. From here, a five-minute walk leads to the Gabriadze Theatre and Anchiskhati Basilica, and ten minutes to the Abanotubani baths.