Chiatura
ჭიათურა
A manganese mining town in a gorge, known as the 'cable car city' for the aerial ropeways built throughout the Soviet era, where new and old cable cars coexist with a strong industrial atmosphere.
Chiatura lies in the Qvirila River gorge, about 55 km east of Kutaisi. During the Soviet period, dozens of cable cars were built to carry miners, earning the town the nickname 'City of Steel Ropes.' Modern cable cars opened in 2021 with inexpensive fares, while the old stations and car remnants can still be visited and photographed. The town itself is fairly simple, so most visitors hire a car for a day trip combining it with the Katskhi Pillar, which takes about half a day.
Opening hours
New cable car approx. 07:00–23:00
Nearby sights
- Katskhi Pillar
- Ubisa Monastery
- Nikortsminda Cathedral
- Gelati Monastery
- Motsameta Monastery
- Kutaisi Botanical Garden
- Colchis Fountain
- Bagrati Cathedral