Avlabari Explained

Avlabari
Native Name:	ავლაბარი
Native Name Lang:	ka
Settlement Type:	Neighborhood of Isani District
Pushpin Map:	Georgia Tbilisi
Coordinates:	41.6931°N 44.8158°W
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Name:	Georgia
Subdivision Type1:	City
Subdivision Name1:	Tbilisi
Subdivision Type2:	Raioni
Subdivision Name2:	Old Tbilisi
Timezone:	Georgian Time
Utc Offset:	+4

Avlabari (Georgian: ავლაბარი Avlabari, Armenian: Հավլաբար Havlabar) is a neighborhood of Old Tbilisi on the left bank (east side) of the Mtkvari River. The 11th-13th century chronicles mention it as Isani, which is now one of the larger municipal regions of Tbilisi. Nowadays one of the upcoming hip neighborhoods of the city, Avlabari is being extensively gentrified.

The Armenian community

See also: Armenians in Georgia. Avlabari (Armenian: Հավլաբար Havlabar) was long known as the center of Armenian life of Tbilisi.^[1] The Armenian Pantheon of Tbilisi is located in Avlabari. Until recently Avlabari was populated heavily by Armenians, but recently their number have diminished.

Churches

The churches in the Avlabari district include:

• The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi - the third-tallest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the world
• The Metekhi Church - the oldest church in Avlabari
• Church of the Red Gospel, Tbilisi, a ruined 18th century Armenian Apostolic Church
• Ejmiatsin Church, Tbilisi, an 18th-century Armenian church near Avlabari Square

Transportation

The neighborhood is served by the Avlabari metro station.

Notable residents

• Arshak Ter-Gukasov, Russian-Armenian general (1819-1881)
• Nikol Aghbalian, Armenian public figure and historian (1875-1947)

Notes and References

1. Arus Harutyunyan, Contesting national identities in an ethnically homogeneous state, Western Michigan University, p.184