Over the past 16 years Tbilisi's main square has been the venue for most key events of local history. They include a brutal 1989 massacre of Georgian dissidents by KGB troops, a bloody post-Soviet civil war that devastated the ancient city's centre and, most recently, the euphoric 'Rose Revolution' that vaulted a young American-trained lawyer, Mikhail Saakashvili, into power.
But Freedom Square had never witnessed anything like the epic welcoming party laid on - partly at the expense of American taxpayers - for visiting President George W. Bush last Tuesday.
Nearly 250,000 people crammed into the vast circular space next to Georgia's parliament to greet Mr Bush, roaring chants of 'Bushi, Bushi' and waving thousands of American and red-and-white Georgian flags.
To thunderous cheers, Mr Saakashvili introduced his American guest as 'a freedom fighter'. Mr Bush returned the compliment, hailing the Georgian president 'who has shown such spirit, determination and leadership in the cause of freedom'.
At the height of the festivities someone, unseen in the crowd, tossed a Soviet army-issue hand grenade that landed within 100 metres of the two presidents. It failed to detonate, but left behind the unmistakable suggestion that all may not be well in Mr Saakashvili's Rose Kingdom.
Many regional experts say the democratic revolution orchestrated by Mr Saakashvili, which overthrew the incompetent and kleptocratic regime of Eduard Shevardnadze in November 2003, was largely political smoke and mirrors.
