or TIFLIS, a town of Russia, capital of Georgia and of all the Transcaucasian provinces, on the Kur, 280 miles E. by N. of Trebizond. The river here flows through a narrow valley with lofty mountains on each side, and the appearance of the town is somewhat gloomy, as it is overhung by dark and barren cliffs broken by deep clefts and caverns. The city proper stands on the right or west side of the river, and consists of an old town, whose limits are marked by the remains of the ancient walls, and a new town extending to the north and west of the former. The suburb of Avlabar stands on the other side of the Kur, and is connected with the town by an old bridge of a single arch. In the new town stands the governor's residence, and several other handsome buildings in the European style; but in the older portions everything is of an Asiatic character. The streets are narrow, and covered with deep mud or dust according as the weather is wet or dry; the houses are low, flat-roofed, and built of brick mingled with stones and mud; their doors and windows are very small, and the latter are frequently filled with paper instead of glass. The citadel is circular in form, and stands at the point where the valley is most contracted, the mountains approaching very near to the river. There are in Tefza several fine churches of various sects, that of the Roman Catholics being the finest. The Armenian cathedral is also a large and imposing edifice, and there are two Protestant churches and two mosques in the town. The caravansaries, which rise in a double tier of piazzas, are but ill supplied with goods; but the bazaar, though narrow and generally crowded, is well stocked with fruits and various kinds of merchandise. Near it stand the baths, built over sulphurous springs from 75° to 115° in temperature. In the neighbourhood there are a botanic garden, and a large public garden laid out with fine shady walks. Among the articles manufactured here the most important are shawls, carpets, and silk goods. The situation of the town is very favourable to trade, and it is the centre of an extensive commerce between Europe and Asia. But the restrictive duties imposed by the Russian government prevent the full development of its commerce, and many European articles which were formerly conveyed to Tabriz and other Persian towns by way of Redout-Kaleh and Tefza, are now carried direct from Trebizond through the Turkish territory. The trade with Persia and Turkey is, however, still very important, and is almost entirely in the hands of Armenians, who form about half of the population of Tefza. While some branches of trade have suffered under the Russian government, the commerce of the town has much increased since it came into their possession in 1801. It was founded about the middle of the fifth century, by a powerful monarch called Waktang; and afterwards rose to great importance. In 1723 it was taken by the Turks, in 1734 by Kouli Khan, and it was destroyed by Aga Mohammed in 1795. Pop. (1820) 15,000, (1857) 47,304.