Tiflis

Russian control

In 1801, the Russian Empire annexed the Georgian Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, of which Tbilisi was one of the most significant urban centers. Within Tsarist Russia, Tbilisi (known then as Tiflis) was included within the Tiflis Uyezd county in 1801, part of what was initially the Georgia Governorate. Following the establishment of the Tiflis Governorate (Gubernia) in 1846, Tbilisi became its capital. Russian Imperial administrators implemented a new Western-style city plan and commissioned new buildings and infrastructure, including roads and railroads connecting Tbilisi to other important cities in the Russian Empire, such as Batumi and Poti. By the 1850s, Tbilisi once again emerged as a major trade and cultural center, with many foreign, including Western European, entrepreneurs operating.