According to the legend, the area of present-day Tbilisi was covered with lush forests without any inhabitants as late as 458 AD. This is the date old Georgian records indicate as the establishment of the city by King Vakhtang I Gorgasali of Iberia.
The King went hunting in that heavily wooded area with a falcon. The falcon caught a pheasant, but struggled and both birds fell into the nearby water. When the King and his army looked for the birds, they discovered the water was hot, and the birds had boiled. He was so impressed with the discovery that he decided to build a city.
The name of the capital comes from the old Georgian word, Tpili meaning ‘warm’. The whole name Tbilisi (თბილისი) translates to ‘warm location’ in English. This is due to the various sulfuric hot springs in the Abanotubani district.