Rustaveli Avenue (Shota Rustaveli Avenue)

Shota Rustaveli Avenue is the principal boulevard of central Tbilisi, Georgia, running from Freedom Square to Rustaveli Square. It is named for the 12th-century poet Shota Rustaveli, author of the national epic The Knight in the Panther's Skin. The avenue took shape in the 19th century under the Russian Empire, when Tbilisi was expanded as the administrative centre of the Caucasus, and it was previously named after a Russian governor. Over the following decades it was lined with theatres, banks, government buildings and hotels. Notable landmarks include the Rustaveli Theatre, built in 1887 in a Moorish-influenced style, the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre, completed in the 1890s with an eclectic Moorish and Italianate design, the Georgian National Museum, the National Gallery, and the Parliament of Georgia. The Kashveti Church of St George and the memorials to the 9 April 1989 killings are also on or beside the avenue. Plane trees shade the pavement, and the street is used for demonstrations, parades and public celebrations. The avenue has been renovated several times, including repaving and facade restoration, and conservation of historic buildings continues. Walking its length takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes without stops, but most visitors stop at the museum, theatre exteriors and cafes. The area is also a commercial and cultural hub, with shops, bookstores and cafes. It makes a good starting point for exploring the Sololaki and Old Tbilisi districts, which are reached by a short walk or by the metro from Freedom Square and Rustaveli stations.