15 Things to Do in Chiatura + Comprehensive Chiatura Travel Guide for 2024

Planning a side trip from Kutaisi and wondering what to do in Chiatura? Looking for up-to-date information on whether the Chiatura cable cars are closed or open? My 2024 guide has everything you need to know – including detailed info about the new cable cars and other exciting things to do in Chiatura.

Known for its extensive network of Soviet-era cable cars, Chiatura is a favourite destination in Georgia for urbexers and photographers. But for the past three years, the Chiatura cable cars have been closed.

Now, ‘Air Venice’ (as one person recently described it to me) finally has her wings back. In September 2021, a brand new set of French-built ropeways opened in Chiatura, replacing some of the old lines.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit Chiatura multiple times now: Including once in 2017 when the old cable cars were still running, and again a few weeks after the new cable cars opened. This guide draws on both experiences.

While it’s true that Chiatura will never be exactly the same again, it’s wonderful to see this new infrastructure making life a lot easier (and safer) for the people who rely on the cable cars to get around.

Chiatura still remains one of my favourite side trips from Kutaisi and is absolutely worth including on your Georgia itinerary, especially if you’re interested in Soviet history and architecture.

This Chiatura travel guide is the most comprehensive resource currently available online. It covers the new cable cars, the old ropeways and stations, plus all the best things to do in Chiatura and nearby (including Katskhi Column).

At the end, you’ll find detailed transport instructions for getting to Chiatura from Kutaisi or Tbilisi, food and hotel recommendations, and everything else you need to plan a trip.

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About Chiatura

The story of Chiatura starts with manganese, a mineral used to manufacture iron and steel. If not for this mineral, the town wouldn’t exist.

Chiatura was founded when Georgian poet Akaki Tsereteli discovered manganese and iron ore deposits in the area during a 1879 expedition. Heavy investment followed, and by 1905, Chiatura’s mines accounted for 60% of global output.

Some 4,000 workers toiled for up to 18 hours a day in mines set along the sheer cliffs that rise above the city. But it wasn’t enough.

In 1954-56 – apparently according to the wishes of Joseph Stalin, who favoured Chiatura (one of the few Bolshevik strongholds in Georgia) – a kanatnaya doroga (rope road) was launched to shorten the miners’ daily commute, thus boosting productivity.

In its heyday, up to 20 passenger ropeways and two cargo lines totalling more than 6,000 metres in length plied Chiatura’s skyline. This included the first heavy reversible bi-cable cable car in the Soviet Union (with the first simple reversible mono-cable having been built down the road in Zestafoni a decade earlier in 1946).

The network ferried miners and commuters alike up and down the valley, and was vital for connecting the mines with the city centre and Chiatura’s upper neighbourhoods, now dominated by Soviet-style apartment blocks.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, most of Chiatura’s mines were decommissioned. Only a couple are still in use today. Many families lost their source of livelihood and moved away as a result.

At the time of our first visit to Chiatura in 2017, only a handful of the precariously strung, rusted cable cars remained operational. There were rumours that all of Chiatura’s ‘iron coffins’ would be retired by the end of the year.

Now that the new lines are running, Chiatura almost feels like a different city. There are lots of construction projects going on, including a new sidewalk along the river, new gardens in front of the museum, and the restoration of some facades in the downtown area.

Now Chiatura even has its own Ferris Wheel, perched high above the city on one of the many hills.

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15 things to do in Chiatura: Old rope roads, the new cable cars & more

Aside from the famous ropeways, Chiatura is a cornucopia of Soviet throwbacks, stunning architecture, mosaics, and abandoned buildings. There are several notable monasteries and churches in the vicinity, too.

Here are my recommendations for what to do in Chiatura.

1. Ride the new Chiatura cable cars

There are four new cableways in Chiatura with a total length of almost 3,500 metres. All of them depart from a new, modern lower station building called Central Cable Car Station. It’s located in the centre of town, near the museum.

Built by French company Poma, these are reversible cable cars with new twin gondolas that seat 8-10 people comfortably. One of the biggest contrasts to the old cable cars (apart from the obvious) is the addition of supporting poles: Each line has 2-4. Having recently ridden the Khulo-Tago cable car, one of the longest single-line cable cars in Europe, these new ones are much smoother and feel a lot safer.

While the old cable cars were free to ride, the new ones are ticketed. The cost is 50 tetri per person one-way. Paper tickets can be purchased from the cashier booth underneath Central Station.

Tip: Although there are cash desks at the upper stations, at the time of our visit you couldn’t buy a ticket at the top. I recommend buying as many tickets as you need at the bottom (at least two if you’re going up and back). Locals seemed to be buying tickets in bulk.

The cable cars run everyday between 8am-10pm. The times are written in erasable marker, so I assume they will change with the seasons.

Visiting Chiatura a few weeks after the new lines had opened, it was busy with daily commuters and joyriders alike. We decided to ride all four to compare.

Here’s a quick run-down of the different lines: Sanatorium, Mukhadze, Lezhubani and Naguti. Some of the upper stations are not on Google Maps yet – you can see the locations on my Chiatura Map.

Sanatorium Cable Car

The Sanatorium line also runs south-east and replaces the old line of the same name. It now departs from the top floor of the Central Station building.

This line is 862 metres and terminates at an upper station adjacent to the Former Pioneer Palace.

Mukhadze Cable Car

At 640 metres, this is the shortest of the new lines.

Departing Central Station in a south-easterly direction, the gondola sails directly over the train station, giving you a great view of the railway tracks.

After a few short minutes you reach the upper station, located in a residential area close to Central Hospital and in the shadow of some impressive apartment blocks. Off to the east you can see the Sanatorium line upper station on a nearby hill.

Lezhubani Cable Car

Spanning 845 metres, the line is roughly the same duration as Sanatorium but runs in a north-westerly direction to the opposite side of the river valley.

The highlight is passing over the top of one of the old cable car stations near the market. You can see the cantilevered arms and the green sprigs emerging from cracks in the concrete roof.

Lezhubani upper station, a royal blue metal structure, is the most striking of the smaller station buildings.

Naguti Cable Car

Finally, this line runs almost directly west into upper Chiatura’s Naguti residential district. At 1,081 metres, it’s the longest of the four. It also replaces an old line of the same name.

Gondolas depart from a small annex station that’s accessible by pedestrian bridge from the main Central Station building. The upper station is close to the highway that brings you into Chiatura. 

Nearby, you’ll find the Church of the Annunciation in Naguti and the Chiatura Memorial.

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If you only have time to ride one of the cable cars, I recommend either Sanatorium or Naguti. Sanatorium is the highest station with nice views on the way up and the Former Pioneer’s Palace at the top (see more details below).

Naguti is also fun because it’s the longest. The memorial is very much worth visiting too (see more details below).

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2. Photograph the old Chiatura cable car stations

Even though the new cable cars now reign supreme, you can still see and photograph some of Chiatura’s now abandoned Soviet-era infrastructure.

Having visited in 2017 when the old lines were still operating, I can tell you it’s not quite the same with no passengers about and none of the wagons running. But the pros of having new tramways far outweigh the cons – so make the most of it.

At least one station building has been demolished – the old three-way cable car station (designed by Otar Turkia in 1973) that used to sit where Central Station is now located. Other abandoned stations are in various states of disrepair.

As I mentioned, these are classed as heritage monuments and will eventually be restored. Work has already started on the lemon-coloured station building (it’s undergoing a colour change to purple-grey). The Stalin-Lenin insignia on the outside is still visible from the footpath between the scaffolding, but the entry is barricaded so you can’t get inside to see the Dr. Love mural.

Sadly the gold-coloured carriages that used to run over the river are no longer on their lines. (They were dismantled a few weeks after my visit.) The adjacent line’s twin blue wagons are suspended at either end but are difficult to spot.

The other lower stations in town are similarly abandoned but still have their de-commissioned wagons floating mid-air. The operator booths have been emptied out, but there are no barricades or signs, so you can still scale the stairs. The exact locations for these are plotted on my map.

There are dozens of upper stations scattered in the forest around Chiatura. If you have a car, you can try scouting more of them out.

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3. Go inside a preserved station building

Of all the abandoned cable car station buildings in Chiatura, this one is probably the best-preserved. It looks like whoever operated this particular line just stood up and walked out one day, leaving their books and pillows strewn around.

The tiny calendar fixed to the wall with a safety pin is for 2019/2020 – a reminder that these ropeways were somehow still in service until very recently.

The control desk used to work the cable cars is completely in tact, and there is a rather charming (Chinese manufactured, apparently) landline telephone on the wall.

Standing out on the platforms at this station, you can see a few carriages hanging limply on their rusty ropes in the far distance. This station is double-sided, with lines running up the hills in both directions.

Labelled ‘Telesférico histórico de Chiatura’ on Google Maps (thanks to the Portuguese traveller who apparently pinned it!), the station is located on the main road just past Mgvimevi Convent. You can walk from the centre of town – just watch out for cars.

A stone bas-relief on the front of the building has been covered over with orange paint.

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4. Chiatura Regional Museum

Established in 1962, Chiatura’s local museum is located in a stately collonaded building on the main road, next door to the new Central Cable Car Station.

Work is currently underway on the building and the gardens. The front door was ajar when we arrived, and a security guard kindly led us upstairs to the museum entrance where a staff member met us and after turning the lights on, showed us through the small, single-room exhibit.

The first part is pretty standard: Archaeological items displayed in glass cases, costumes, musical instruments, clay Qvevri and artworks by local painters. There are two impressive paintings in the stairwell outside, so don’t forget to look up as you’re walking in.

The most interesting displays are at the front of the museum: Archival photographs from the 1920s that show Chiatura’s miners at work, original oil lanterns and equipment, and an old-school map showing the extent of Chiatura’s manganese exports around Europe and Asia.

After a very detailed narration (in Georgian, mind you – I only understood about 10% of what was being said), I felt bad lingering on the one part of the museum that wasn’t included in the tour: The two massive murals at either end of the hall.

Created by artist Koko Ignatov, they are spectacular and very Soviet-style. At first I thought they were mosaics, but they appear to be painted onto a thick canvas-like material.

There are signs saying no photography inside, but after asking permission our guide was happy for me to take photos.

The museum is officially open from Tuesday to Saturday (closed Sundays and Mondays) between 10am and 6pm. When we left, the security guard had to unlock the door for us, and when we returned later it was still shut – so I’m not sure if the museum is technically open at the moment or if it was just closed that day and we got lucky.

The ticket price noted on the door was 1.5 GEL per person, but it’s more of a donation that you place inside a wooden box. We left a bit extra as a thanks to our guide and signed the guest book on the way out.

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5. Temur Maghradze Stadium & swimming pool mosaic

This is a semi-abandoned sports stadium on the south-western side of town. I say semi-abandoned because the grandstands are well past their prime and missing most of their wooden benches, but the playing field and the adjacent gymnasium are still very much in use.

This the homeground of FC Chiatura, 1975 Georgian Soviet Champions and Liga finalists in 2020. As I later read, the club used to be known as Magaroeli (‘miner’), a tribute to the town’s main industry.

The main gates were open when we arrived so we strolled in, following a group of kids through the arched passageway underneath the southern stands. The bleachers once held 11,650 spectators. You can still see the concrete VIP boxes.

To get onto the nicely clipped playing field, you need to go through the adjacent building. As we walked through we heard the sound of people running and jumping in the gymnasium above. The outlines of what I assume were a clock and a scoreboard can be seen on the front part of the building facing the field. I noticed sunflower seeds scattered around some of the stands, but I’m not sure if these were left by spectators or people just hanging out.

The next building in the complex houses an indoor pool. Having seen photos online, I was very eager to pop in for a peek. We sheepishly walked into the front room where four women were sitting behind desks signing kids in for their swimming lessons and uttered the magic word, ‘Mosaika?’ Without a second thought, one of the women led us through to the back room, smiling and laughing. 

There are Soviet-style mosaics at both ends of the indoor pool: The eastern end has a simple geometric design with a red sun, while the shallow end has an extremely detailed wall-to-wall panorama depicting two figures seated in an underwater seascape.

I can’t find any information about the mosaic online but judging from the 10-oared ship, I’m guessing it’s a reference to Jason and the Argonauts.

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6. Soviet-era mosaics in Chiatura

Speaking of mosaics – there are several more in the centre of Chiatura, all walking distance from each other and all in dulcet blue tones.

The first is on the front of the Metallurgy-Mining Institute, on the southern side of the riverside near Liberty Bank. It depicts three students with unfurled plans in hand (above left).

On the opposite side of the river at the next intersection, there is a beautiful Rustaveli mosaic on the front of the First Public School. It shows the poet holding a book (I assume a copy of his epic), with a panther at his feet. The light wasn’t quite right for a photo so it’s not pictured here.

The third mosaic is uphill on the next street. The largest and most impressive of the trio, it decorates the front of a kindergarten (above right). This is still a kindergarten, so be mindful when taking photos. Part of the mosaic is obscured by a tree but you can still get a good look at the central figure and pairs of mothers and their babes.

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7. Former Pioneer Palace

Update: The Pioneer Palace is now closed off with a new metal fence as the surrounding area has been developed into a park. It might be difficult (or impossible) to enter the palace ruins.

Set very high up on the southern side of Chiatura, the Former Pioneer Palace is an abandoned building that was used as a children’s camp. Purpose-built in the early 1960s, it was designed by Georgian architect Konstantine Chkheidze and mirrors similar structures in Tkibuli (another mining town in Imereti region) and Tkvarcheli (a former industrial town in Abkhazia).

The front facade – a small part of the once monumental structure – features a ring of colonnades and a beautiful staircase.

The Pioneers organisation was the Soviet equivalent of the Scouts (but with a political edge). Art classes and various events were held here, and there was also a museum.

Amazingly, it was still in use right up until 2007 when it was abandoned and left to ruin. Plans to demolish the Palace in 2014 were thwarted by local activists, and although there have been various schemes to restore the building, it remains completely abandoned and falling apart at the seams. Murals inside have been stripped but you can just make out part of a brightly coloured illustration that must have wrapped around the entire atrium.

There is a new carousel in the park in front of the palace, and we noticed a group of men working on construction nearby. With the new Sanatorium cable car station just footsteps away, this might be the start of a long-awaited opportunity for the building to receive some TLC.

The Pioneer Palace is a bit tricky to locate if you’re on foot or driving – find the cable car station first, then follow the dirt path immediately to the left. There were plenty of people around when we visited, and there are no barricades or signs to indicate you can’t go inside. Just be careful where you step.

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8. Chiatura Memorial

As you enter Chiatura on the main highway from Zesafoni, there is a brand new ‘Welcome to Tchiatura’ sign and lookout deck being built. We got out of the car for a look and the construction workers greeted us with a handful of lollies – it was very sweet and the perfect introduction to a town where everyone seems to be exceedingly friendly and helpful, even by Georgia standards.

The next structure you encounter, just at the entrance to the town, is the Chiatura Memorial. Officially called the Memorial to the Great Patriotic War, this is a typical Soviet-style WWII memorial like others you see around the country. It shows a solitary soldier in his combat helmet and boots overshadowed by a second figure with its arms raised overhead.

The monument sits on a grassy hill. The backdrop of apartment buildings is very striking and adds to the scene. You can either stop here on the way in or out of Chiatura, or take the cable car to Naguti upper station and walk for 15 minutes.

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9. Chiatura Railway Station

In 1895, a narrow-gauge railway was constructed to connect Chiatura and Shorapani, a small town just outside Zestafoni in the lowlands of Imereti. Trains ferried manganese from the mines down to Zestafoni, where a huge plant was built in 1933 to process the raw materials.

At the end of 2022, I was lucky enough to tour the Ferroalloy Plant in Zestafoni and see what becomes of the materials extracted from the earth in Chiatura.

Later, the train line was converted into a standard-gauge and began transporting passenger wagons as well. In 1976, a new railway station was built in the centre of Chiatura to accommodate passengers.

When the Chiatura-Shorapani train ceased, the two-story station building was virtually abandoned. It’s in a terrible state of disrepair, but there are details that hint at its former glory. I especially love the shape of the shelter that runs the length of the platform.

We had a quick walk and a look at the old carriages parked on the lines. You can see more photos of the station interior here.

The Kutaisi-Sachkhere train (which just recommenced in summer 2021) is the only service that passes through here now.

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10. Chiatura Theatre

Built in 1949, the Akaki Tsereteli State Drama Theatre of Chiatura is named for the Georgian poet who first discovered mineral deposits in this region. It’s still functioning today.

Located directly opposite the Railway Station, you can’t miss its imposing facade of tall arches and ornate iron detailing. A statue of Tsereteli is perched on the front. If you look up, you’ll see a very Soviet-style stone frieze of Stalin in profile surrounded by seven workers and children.

The inscription reads ‘Didi Stalins Didebi’, meaning ‘Stalin the Glorious’ or something to that effect.

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11. Downtown architecture & apartment buildings

There are tons of interesting architectural styles in Chiatura, ranging from colourful Soviet-style apartment blocks to Brutalist cable car stations, modernist civic buildings and Empire-style facades.

Chiatura is laid out over different elevations so just walking up the alleyways and pathways can turn up different, interesting vantage points.

Don’t miss the long, curved arcade that runs along the main street or the round kiosk with a pinched roof on the riverside. I also love the set of cafes and shops with curved roofs that line the river, the contemporary concrete City Hall building, and the Empire-style building with a belvedere and clock tower (walk along the arcade and spot the initials marked at the entryway in terrazzo).

If you stand on the opposite side of the bridge looking at the clock tower, you can see the other Chiatura Clock up on the cliff – a digital clock that displays the time and air temperature in LED lights.

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12. Chiatura Jvari

Chiatura Jvari or Chiatura Cross, a lookout point marked by a huge metal cross. It’s high up on the southern bank of the river, close to one of the disused upper stations.

We started making our way up for sunset only to find the last part of the road closed for construction. Workers pointed out an alternative long way round to get to the cross, but it was too late so we turned back.

The views along the road were breathtaking, so I can only imagine what the panorama is like from the top. There is one point where you can see an old cab car suspended between the cliff and a rock formation – picture perfect, even in silhouette.

This road also takes you past a working mine and a second abandoned mine, so you can get a closer look at the mechanics of the operation.

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Things to do near Chiatura

13. Katskhi Column & Monastery

Katskhi Column (Katskhi Pillar) is a 45 metre-tall limestone pillar with an Orthodox monastery perched on top. Located just off the highway between Kutaisi and Chiatura, it’s ideally positioned as a place to stop on the way up or down the mountain.

Ascending the pillar is strictly prohibited, but it is possible to walk right up to the base of the column to visit the Church of Simeon Stylites and the old wall and belfry.

To appreciate the scale of the pillar, it’s better to view it from afar. There is a designated viewing point for exactly this purpose, linked to the highway by an unpaved road. You can either walk (~20 minutes) or drive (5 minutes) to the viewpoint. The road to the pillar is newly paved and easy to navigate.

The start of the road opens up on the left-hand side of the highway as you are heading towards Chiatura. It finishes at a small car park, where you’ll find an information placard and a view of Katskhi in the near distance.

The path continues off to the right of the car park, presumably to the base of the column. Like the sign says, the cloister is open between 10.30am and 6pm.

The first time we visited Katskhi, it was so foggy we could barely see a thing. We stood at the placard waiting for the clouds to part and managed to get a very quick glimpse – literally only one minute – before the monastery was enveloped in mist once again. Second time around we had perfect weather and decided to send our drone up.

There is a small construction site at the viewpoint location but I’m not sure exactly what works are underway.

Katskhi Monastery is located a little further up the highway towards Chiatura. Commissioned in 1032 by the King of Bagrat, it was used as a burial place and library for precious theological books, all of which were pillaged over the years. The church design is very striking and one-of-a-kind in Georgia.

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14. Mgvimevi Convent

A 20-minute walk or 2-minute drive from City Hall, Mgvimevi Convent is a working nunnery and church embedded in the side of a rocky cliff. We parked our car at the small petrol station on the opposite side of the road then found the entrance – the staircase starts on the highway next to the small shop (there is a sign with a picture of a church, but it’s easy to miss).

It takes around 15 minutes to scale the stairs. Once you reach the entrance, you’re immediately plunged into a cool, dark cave – absolute reprieve after walking uphill in the sun. Water trickling down the rock walls makes it even cooler.

Much like the churches at Vardzia and David Gareja, Mgvimevi features cloisters hewn from rock, dressed with icons and lit by beeswax candles. There are beautiful stone engravings, a glass box displaying three human skulls and other relics, and a small chapel with beautiful frescoes and a wooden iconoclast. Outside, there is a lookout point that gives you a view of the church hugging the cliff face.

Mgvimevi is open daily from 11am until 4pm. The dress code is strictly enforced by the nuns: Long pants for men and a headscarf plus skirt for women (no pants). There are scarves and wrap-skirts available to borrow at the entrance. Be very careful when exiting, very dark in contrast to the sunlight.

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15. Sachkhere

The town of Sachkhere is located further north into the mountains of Upper Imereti, around 20 minutes by road from Chiatura. It’s home to Modinakhe Castle, the Akaki Tsereteli Museum, and several mosaics.

The main reason I wanted to visit Sachkhere was to see the Railway Station, a gorgeous 1904-built stone building. As I discovered, there are lots of other Soviet-era treasures in town, including bas-reliefs and Brutalist architecture.

Find more things to do in Sachkhere, including the wonderful Modinakhe Fortress, here in my Sachkhere Travel Guide.

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Where to eat in Chiatura

There are limited food options in Chiatura. We ended up eating at Gazapkhuli 2007, a small restaurant with a strange vibe but delicious food. There’s no English menu but they have all the essentials (Khinkali, Khachapuri, Mtsvadi, Salati, etc.).

Another option is Lunch at Lia, a new restaurant set in a family home near the Lezhubani cable car station. It’s open for lunch and dinner daily, and caters to tour groups from Tbilisi and Kutaisi. Independent travellers are also welcome – if you want to drop in for a home-cooked meal and a glass of Imeretian wine, send the hosts a Whatsapp message a day or two in advance on +995 557 744 765.

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Where to stay in Chiatura

We stayed at Hotel Newland on the main road next to City Hall. It’s perfectly located walking distance from everything and features a huge outdoor terrace overlooking the Rustaveli monument and old cable car station.

The owner speaks perfect English and is very kind and helpful. Parking is available right out front. Rooms are clean and comfortable. They also serve breakfast and other meals on request.

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Chiatura map

Click here to open my Chiatura map and see the exact locations for the old cable car stations plus the other points of interest covered in this guide.

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How to get to Chiatura from Kutaisi

Kutaisi to Chiatura marshrutka

The cheapest way to travel between Kutaisi and Chiatura is by marshrutka. Vans depart from Kutaisi’s Central Bus Station roughly every hour between 7.20am and 4.30pm. Tickets cost 10 GEL per person. The journey takes around 2 hours with a short stop in Zestafoni on the way.

To get to the bus station in Kutaisi, take city bus #1 from the Colchis Fountain. I recommend taking one of the first vans from Kutaisi to make the most of your day. When you get to Chiatura, the driver will let you out on the main street. Double check times locally at the bus station or at Tourism Info.

Stopping off at Katskhi Column

You can easily add a stop at the pillar to your itinerary simply by changing marshrutka on the road. Vans are frequent enough that you shouldn’t get stuck waiting too long.

You’ll be taking two separate vans, so you’ll need two separate tickets. We asked the first driver (departing Kutaisi) to drop us off at Katskhi Pillar (all drivers should know it, but it’s a good idea to have a picture on your phone just in case). The 64km journey from Kutaisi to the Column took us 1.5 hours (including a short rest stop in Zestafoni).

After you’ve seen the column, return to the same road and hail any passing Chiatura-bound marshrutka. The next leg of the journey is much shorter, around 10km or 30 minutes to the centre of Chiatura. At the time of our visit it cost us an additional 5 GEL each.

Tip: It’s best to stop off at the pillar on the way to Chiatura (as opposed to the way back). That way if the van is full, you’re more likely to get a seat for the longer journey down to Kutaisi.

Chiatura to Kutaisi by marshrutka (return trip)

The last marshrutka back to Kutaisi leaves Chiatura at around 3pm – but in summer there might be later vans passing through Kutaisi on their way to Batumi and other destinations on the coast. On our first visit, we ended up catching a Batumi-bound marshrutka back to Kutaisi.

Vans to Kutaisi depart from Chiatura Central Bus Station.

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How to get to Chiatura from Tbilisi

While it’s possible to do a day trip to Chiatura from Tbilisi using public transport, it does involve a lot of time on the road. You might not have as much time as you want or need to explore when you arrive.

Direct vans to Chiatura depart from Bus Station Nige (include Didube) every hour between 7am and 7pm. Tickets cost around 15 GEL, and the travel time is 2.5-3.5 hours depending on which road the driver takes.

Alternatively, you can take a van to Zestafoni from the same station (hourly from 6am; 15 GEL) then transfer to a Chiatura van. This takes longer, 3 hours to Zestafoni plus 75 minutes to Chiatura.

To save time and energy, I recommend either hiring a car and driver for the day or joining an organised day tour from Tbilisi. When booked through GoTrip , a private car and driver from Tbilisi to Chiatura and back, stopping at Katskhi Pillar on the way, costs as little as 220 GEL per car.

→ Check prices and build your day trip itinerary using GoTrip.

If you prefer to travel with a guide, I recommend joining this day tour organised by Friendly.ge. It covers as much as you could reasonably expect to see in a day (including Katskhi Pillar) and includes door-to-door transfers. Guides are friendly and extremely knowledgeable.

→ Book a day trip to Chiatura with Friendly.ge via Get Your Guide.

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More tips for visiting Chiatura

• Given our first experience at Katskhi Column, my first piece of advice is to visit this part of Georgia on a clear day if possible. If the weather is bad, you might not be able to see the pillar or the cable lines in Chiatura. A bit of rain is fine, but avoid going when it’s thick and foggy. See my tips for the best time to visit Georgia here.
• As I mentioned, there are limited food offerings in Chiatura so it’s a good idea to plan your meal ahead of time and phone ahead if possible.
• There are plenty of ATMs, banks and grocery shops in Chiatura so don’t worry about accessing cash or any essentials.

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Chiatura flashback: My experience riding the old Chiatura cable cars in spring 2017

“But why would you want to go there?” We were standing in the entryway of the Hotel California (the Georgian version, which is actually a guesthouse set on a suburban street in Kutaisi) talking with our hostess, Leila.

Over the past 24 hours, Leila and I had grown particularly close. Whenever we met in the hallway, she would pinch my cheeks, grab my hips and coo at me, calling me ‘a beautiful baby’. She’s a typical Georgian grandma, thickset with curly black hair and a firm grip. Her fondness for me was completely unjustified, but very sweet and amusing. Tonight, however, her disposition was grisly as she handed down her verdict on our plan to take a day trip from Kutaisi to Chiatura the following day.

Chiatura is not exactly a popular tourist spot. I had been infatuated with the town’s history and obsessed with visiting ever since I got a tip off from a friend on social media. Chiatura hadn’t been part of our original Caucasus itinerary , so we adjusted our plans to include one more full day in Kutaisi to squeeze it in.

Earlier that day, the helpful staff at the Kutaisi tourist information office had armed us with a map, a marshrutka schedule scribbled down on one corner. We proudly showed this to Leila, trying to illustrate to her how organised and well thought-out our plan was – but she just couldn’t believe two Australian tourists who had come all the way to Georgia would want to spend a day in Chiatura.

We made grand sweeping gestures with our hands as we told her about the old cable cars we were going to ride on. We told her how fascinating it was that the Stalinist government had ordered the 17 lines to be constructed in 1954, making the rope roads older than our parents.

We excitedly described Katskhi Pillar (or Katskhi Column), a stylite monastery just outside of Chiatura, and how we wanted to catch a glimpse of the famous hermit monk who lived on top of the impossibly high stone pillar.

But we couldn’t win Leila over.

Unperturbed, we woke up early the next morning and boarded a marshrutka bound for Chiatura. The day that unfolded was one of the most rewarding of our first 3-month journey across the Caucasus – and probably one of the coolest travel experiences we’ll ever have in our lives.

On a misty Sunday morning in May, we squeezed into a marshrutka van just as it was pulling out of Kutaisi’s bus station. The fog thickened during the one-and-a-half-hour journey through densely forested Imereti. When we finally pulled into Chiatura, the haze cleared to reveal a colourful little town alive with activity.

Chiatura is a relatively small town with one main street. The bus dropped us off in the heart of the action, close to a small open market. We didn’t really know where to go from here, so we walked west along the street until we found evidence of the cable car lines.

Along the main road, women sell neatly arranged bundles of herbs and bunches of roses. Bakers scramble to keep up with weekend trade, Ladas cruise up and down the streets, and people come and go from pastel-coloured buildings.

It’s not long before we catch our first glimpse of Chiatura’s cable car infrastructure: a hulking station building, remnants of rusted rope hanging limply from its cantilevered concrete arms.

The smashed windows and boarded-up doors reveal this is one of the lines that has ceased to operate. We search the grey skies for more cable car lines, eventually following a group of women as they make their way inside a lemon-coloured building. Just as we approach the station, a blue car arcs down the hill and docks in its station. A few people disembark and the women take their place.

After observing a few rotations, the station attendant gestures nonchalantly for us to board the next empty car. Without a moment’s hesitation we climb inside.

Another attendant is there waiting. It’s her job to ride with passengers and ensure no one accidentally pops the loosely fitted door.

A bell sounds; the first attendant pulls a lever and we’re off, sailing in our metal cage. This particular line hugs the contour of the hill, so we are never very far off the valley floor. Still, peering through the tiny wire-covered windows is thrilling.

We can’t communicate with words, but the attendant chuckles knowingly as we look to her for reassurance.

The most striking thing about the ride – which only lasts for a minute or so – is how silently and smoothly the carriage moves. Sixty-plus years later and these weather-worn ropes still do their job with efficiency and ease.

The view from the top – a full panorama of Chiatura – is breathtaking.

Back inside the main station, we admire the plaster work that decorates this once-grand building. A freshly painted mural pays homage to Chiatura’s miners.

Outside, we notice a mosaic cast above the entryway – forever immortalised in river stones, Stalin and Lenin gaze out towards the rope ways.

The cable cars in Chiatura are free to ride. There is no set schedule, they just go when there’s passengers waiting. There are attendants inside all stations (it’s their job to open the door for you and to pull the lever that sends the cars off), and there are also attendants inside the cars themselves. Most lines we saw have only two cars that interchange, bringing passengers up and down.

It goes without saying, but if you want to ride the cable cars, do so at your own risk. The machinery and equipment is ancient and not very well maintained. We made a judgement call and decided to ride up and down once. I don’t regret it at all – it was incredible.

Even if you don’t ride the cars, it’s worth visiting Chiatura to see the impressive concrete station buildings. The lemon-coloured building that I photographed has beautiful plaster cornices inside – you can just imagine what it would have looked like when it first opened.

The cable cars and concrete station buildings are Chiatura’s main draw card, but it’s worth having a stroll around the town as well.

We popped our heads into the big undercover market, which was rather dim and dusty. On the main street there’s a very retro barbershop and as mentioned, a collection of pastel-coloured civic buildings and apartment blocks.

Today, Chiatura is a quiet, peaceful place that only attracts the most intrepid tourists, drawn to visit and ride the cable cars. As with everywhere else in Georgia, we were greeted with nothing but kindness and warmth from the Chiatura locals.

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More places to go in Georgia for Soviet history

• Discover Soviet sanatoriums in Tskaltubo
• Visit Guria region and tour Georgia’s Tea Route
• Visit Zestafoni and the 1930s Ferroalloy Factory
• Visit Gurjaani in Kakheti and the 1920s Red Cellar
• Visit Dedoplistskaro in Kakheti and the Big Shiraki airfield
• Visit Rustavi and the Soviet-era steelworks
• Visit Gori and the Stalin Museum
• Explore Brutalist architecture in Tbilisi including the Nutsubidze Skybridge and the Chronicles of Georgia

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More Kutaisi tips

• My city guide for Kutaisi
• Restaurant recommendations for Kutaisi
• Alternative things to do in Kutaisi
• How to travel from Kutaisi to Tbilisi
• My Tskaltubo Abandoned Sanatoriums mega guide

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Are you planning to travel from Kutaisi to Chiatura and Katskhi Pillar? If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.

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