Great Synagogue of Tbilisi
Georgia's largest synagogue on Kote Abkhazi Street — a red-brick temple built by Akhaltsikhe Jews in 1904–1911.
- Time needed
- 0.5 h
- From Tbilisi
- 1 km · 0:05
- Road
- Paved
- Car needed
- Economy class
- Season
- All year
- Entry
- free
The Great Synagogue is the liveliest proof of Old Tbilisi's religious mosaic — it stands on Kote Abkhazi Street (formerly Leselidze), where within a few hundred metres a synagogue, a mosque, Armenian and Georgian churches all coexist.
It was built in 1904–1911 by Jews from Akhaltsikhe who had settled in the Kvemo Kala quarter in the late 19th century — hence its other name, the Akhaltsikhe Synagogue. The two-storey red-brick building is eclectic in style, mixing Moorish and Romanesque motifs; the interior is richly painted, with the main prayer hall and a mikveh on the ground floor. Restored in 2011–2012, it remains the central house of worship for the city's Jewish community — a community whose Georgian history is counted at some 26 centuries.
Worth seeing:
- The painted blue-and-gold prayer hall
- The brick facade with its Moorish arches
- The David Baazov Museum of Georgian Jewish history, a few streets away
The synagogue is active: services are held on Friday evening and Saturday morning; at other times visitors are quietly welcomed.
Practical advice
Entry is free and the door is usually open in daytime. Men should cover their heads — kippot are available at the entrance. Skip the tourist visit on Saturday morning, or attend the service quietly. Ask before photographing, and never on Shabbat. Kote Abkhazi Street itself deserves a slow walk: souvenir shops, bakeries, matsoni and churchkhela all along the way.
How to get there from Tbilisi
The synagogue sits in the heart of the Old Town; from Freedom Square it's a ten-minute walk down Kote Abkhazi Street — a car is more hindrance than help here. The street is narrow, partly pedestrianised, and stopping is banned; leave the car at the paid lots by Gorgasali Square or Europe Square and walk up. It's 1 km from the centre, five minutes' drive. An economy car is entirely sufficient — though in Old Tbilisi walking beats driving every time.
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Nearby places
Sioni Cathedral
The old cathedral on the bank of the Mtkvari, where the grapevine cross of St Nino is kept.
Anchiskhati Basilica
The oldest surviving church in Tbilisi — a sixth-century three-nave basilica on Shavteli Street.
Abanotubani and the Sulphur Baths
The birthplace of Tbilisi — brick-domed sulphur bathhouses in the heart of the Old Town.
Betlemi Quarter and the Stairs
A pedestrian quarter climbing the ridge below Narikala, with stone stairs, two churches and an old fire temple.
Best car for this trip
Guides
- Driving in Georgia: What the Distances Actually Cost You Georgia is a small country with slow roads. Here is what 267 measured drives from Tbilisi say about how long y
Pickup locations
Car Rental in Tbilisi — 1 km (straight line)