This monument to King Vakhtang Gorgasali is one of the most famous landmarks in the city, as this king is attributed to the founding of the city of Tbilisi. The true date of this foundation is not known, but scholars estimate that it was in the years between 447-522. Many legends are associated with this king, including that the city's hot springs fascinated him and founded the city around it. Vakhtang also reorganized the Georgian Orthodox Church, and therefore was canonized by the church.