Legend of Tbilisi
According to legend of Tbilisi, the king of the ancient Iberia, Vakhtang I Gorgasali, hunting in the forests near the first capital of the Georgia, Mtskheta, saw a pheasant, shot and killed the bird. The king sent his hawk to search for the prey. The falcon flew away so that the king lost sight of it. In search of these two birds, Vakhtang Gorgasali and his hunters came across a water source and saw that the hawk and the pheasant were entering these waters.
Apparently this water spring was hot. Astonished by this find, Vakhtang I decided to found the city there, making the best use of the advantages of this place.
In addition to the hot springs, the location carried advantages for building the city: a protected position between the mountains, location on a trade route, and strategically favorable factors. Thus, according to legend, the city of Tbilisi was founded on this place. The word “tbili” translated from Georgian as “hot”, Tbilisi became the city of hot springs.
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