Meidan Square and King Vakhtang Gorgasali Monument
Why is it significant?
Step into the vibrant open space of Meidan Square, historically known as the Tatar Bazaar and the Great Bazaar of Tiflis. For centuries, this strategic crossroads at the bridgehead of the Mtkvari River functioned as the bustling economic hub of the entire South Caucasus.
Key Facts
| Place | Meidan Square and King Vakhtang Gorgasali Monument |
|---|---|
| Address | Vakhtang Gorgasali Square, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia |
| Geo Coordinates | 41.69080, 44.80780 |
| Part of Walk | Old Tbilisi: Sulphur Baths of Abanotubani, Narikala Fortress, and Kala |
| Generated | Generated |
Step into the vibrant open space of Meidan Square, historically known as the Tatar Bazaar and the Great Bazaar of Tiflis. For centuries, this strategic crossroads at the bridgehead of the Mtkvari River functioned as the bustling economic hub of the entire South Caucasus. Merchants from Persia, the Ottoman Empire, Russia, India, and Venice converged here with long camel caravans to trade silks, spices, Caucasian carpets, artisanal weapons, and Kakhetian wines in open-air merchant stalls.
Look across the river toward the sheer rocky cliff of Metekhi, where the bronze equestrian monument of King Vakhtang Gorgasali gazes resolutely across the capital. Erected in 1967 by master sculptor Elguja Amashukeli, the majestic monarch sits astride his battle charger with his right hand raised in greeting and blessing. Beneath the square, historic vaulted brick cellars that once stored wine barrels and dry goods have been transformed into atmospheric underground craft shops, tasting rooms, and traditional Georgian restaurants.
Historical accounts describe the nineteenth-century Meidan as a deafening cauldron of sights, smells, and languages. Kinto water-sellers and street performers in wide velvet trousers danced through the crowds, balancing trays of sweets and wine decanters on their heads to amuse onlookers. Artisans hammered copper cauldrons, silversmiths engraved niello daggers, and carpet weavers displayed rich geometric patterns, turning the square into a daily theater of multicultural commerce.
Today, Meidan Square remains the energetic social heart of Old Tbilisi, filled with outdoor terraces, lively wine taverns, and wandering musicians. Standing here with the Metekhi cliff towering on one side and the fortress battlements of Narikala on the other, one feels the timeless commercial pulse of the Silk Road. This iconic crossroads continues to welcome travelers from around the world with irresistible warmth.
Walk north along the paved cobbles of Sioni Street toward the venerable dome of Sioni Cathedral.