Tbilisi is the largest city and capital of Georgia, with a population of
more than 1.5 million people. Situated at the boundary between Europe
and Asia, this fiercely independent city is home to different ethnic
groups and languages, having been fought over by rival empires and
powers for centuries. This complex history of foreign dominance and
independence struggles, its mixture of orthodox Christianity with Arabic
and Turkish influences, and its completely unique language and script,
are all reflected in the literary voices emerging from the city, just as
its architecture displays an enigmatic mix of Middle Eastern, Art
Nouveau, Stalinist ambition and Modernism.