It’s a very short ride – and often longer wait – to take the cable car from Europe Square to Narikala Fortress, the highest point overlooking Old Tbilisi. The ride offers views onto the city – and into the Botanical Gardens along the deep valley behind the ridge – that are well worth the wait (and 80 cent cost). It was fun to become just tourists again for a while, along with so many others from around the world.
Through the slightly murky window of the cable car, we catch the iconic view uphill toward Narikala Fortress, which has loomed over the town since the Middle Ages. The cascade of multi-story terraced houses beneath the fort is featured on posters, brochures, souvenir trinkets and such as the distinctive look of old Tbilisi. Apparently, it’s even better at night as lights color the homes, but we haven’t had that experience yet.
Panorama of the city from the ridgeline of Narikala and the cable car station at some 80 to 100 meters up (300 feet). Churches dot the landscape, notably the huge new one across the river toward the right of the picture. It’s golden crown gleams brightly and quite noticeably wherever you are in the city. Just downhill from it along the river is the renovated Rike Park, with its big white balloon and the two shiny tubes of the Rike Music Theatre and Exhibition Center (designed by Studio Fuksas). Those tubes point to the equally sinuous Peace Bridge, a pedestrian passage over the river from the old town.
The highlight of the ridge visit is gathering at the foot of the 20-meter tall (70 feet) Mother of Georgia statue from the late 1950s. Kartlis Deda (Mother of Kartvel) is lighter on her feet than she looks because she’s made of aluminum. And you cannot see what she’s holding from this angle, but she has a cup of wine in her left hand symbolizing hospitality to friends and a sword in her right hand warning off enemies. We chose the wine.
The walk down from the ridge passes several churches and the old porticoed houses of charming Betlemi Street, ending at the still active sulfur baths. During our descent, we craned our necks to see Narikala from Betlemi Street with its charming verandahs. Unfortunately the fortress is closed for repairs now.
The sulfur baths look ancient with their distinctive rounded hemispheres and vents, but after several thousand years they still offer odorous, yet healthful cleansing to visitors.
Perched over this small canyon just upstream of the baths are several enticing hotels with Persian-style decoration, though one detects the distinct smell of sulfur when the wind kicks up.
(To enlarge any picture above, click on it. Also, for more pictures from Georgia, CLICK HERE to view the slideshow at the end of the itinerary page.)
