Chiatura & Katskhi Pillar
We ended up going to Chiatura completely by chance – in our guesthouse in Kutaisi, we asked the owner about the most interesting places in the area. Five minutes of Googling later, we realized that missing it was simply not an option. The next day, we were already speeding toward the Chiatura.
I share my experience visiting Chiatura — a town known for its Soviet-era cable cars and the unique Katskhi Pillar. From navigating the cable cars to exploring the monolithic limestone column with a church atop, this guide offers practical tips, historical context, and personal insights to help you plan your visit.
How to get to Chiatura
By car
I can’t help but remind you once again that in Georgia, renting a car is an absolute must. The best way to do it is through LocalRent.
- Car Rental in Georgia: Guide – everything you need to know in this amazing post.
Taxi
Of course you can ask on the street or reception of your hotel, but I know better way. I used this service – gotrip.ge for my Batumi – Kutaisi ride with stops at Prometheus Cave and Martvili Canyon. And loved it. It’s like a private transfer. You can make/customize your trip online with stops along the way. The driver waits at every stop, and you pay exactly what’s shown in cash at the end. Usually cheaper than a taxi, and much more flexible than a standard tour. Just check it. Highly recommend.
From Kutaisi to Chiatura, it’s 73 km via the town of Zestafoni. The road to Zestafoni is completely straight and boring. From Tbilisi, it’s 187 km, and I wouldn’t recommend going just for Chiatura. In that case, you’d need at least two days with an overnight stay to also see Kutaisi and the surrounding area.
By public transport
From Kutaisi. The main bus station in Kutaisi is at 67 Chavchavadze Street (next to the railway station, right behind McDonald’s). Daily minibuses to Chiatura depart from there – 07:20, 08:20, 09:20, 09:45, 10:45, 11:45, 12:45, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00. There’s nothing to do in Chiatura in the evening, so it’s best to leave in the morning to return by lunchtime.
From Tbilisi. Minibuses depart from Didube bus station as they fill up. But this will take a very long time. And again – I wouldn’t go just for Chiatura. It’s better to combine the trip with the sights of Kutaisi and its surroundings.
Guided Tours
Usually starts from Kutaisi. Check this one – Chiatura Tours.
Chiatura is a small town with a population of 14,000.
During the Soviet era, Chiatura’s manganese mining drove the city’s growth. The mining plant “Chiatura-Manganese” is still operating today, but after the collapse of the USSR and the drop in demand for manganese, development stalled and people started leaving.
However, the town has unexpectedly become very popular with independent travelers. And you need to go there soon, before it all changes – here’s why…
During the USSR, one of the development projects was the construction of “Line-25” – a passenger cable car. Chiatura was chosen as the first city to use a cable car as public transport.
The first line opened in 1954. Over the next ten years, from 1954 to 1965, another 16 lines were built in Chiatura, stretching over 6 km.
Today, more than 60 years later, you can travel from the city center to the residential districts perched on the cliffs using the same cable lines – the very same cabins that have been running since the late 1950s. In Chiatura, this is just regular public transport.
The main station is right in the center.
Rides are free of charge.
There’s no set schedule. You just go to the station and wait for the next cabin to depart.
The station and cabins look very intimidating – like a thriller set come to life.
Thrill-seekers can take comfort in the fact that all safety systems are constantly maintained, and despite their age, the cables have already been replaced this century (hmmmm…).
The longest cable line will take you to the far district. There’s a viewing platform at the upper station. The line stretches for several kilometers, and the ride takes about 10 minutes.
These will be the longest 10 minutes of your life – enough time to remember how naughty you’ve been, recall all your sins, get scared, pray, calm down, and then want to do it all over again.
The cabin rides along with a dedicated attendant, who communicates with the person in the oncoming cabin using an old device and manually starts the system.
Better hurry to Chiatura before it all gets closed down or banned. But don’t believe those silly stories online claiming it’s an abandoned city. Chiatura is just a regular, small, pleasant town. The center is very green. Everything up on the cliffs is just boring residential districts, like you’d find in any city.
A trip to Chiatura should definitely be combined with a visit to the Katskhi Pillar – that very rock with a monastery perched on top.
Getting there is very easy if you have a car. Drive back from Chiatura toward Kutaisi, and about 9 km in, you’ll see a subtle road on the right – here are the coordinates: 42.287306, 43.216153.
The Katskhi Pillar is a striking limestone monolith rising about 40 meters from the surrounding landscape. Its history goes back centuries, and it has long been a site of Christian monastic life. The pillar is believed to have been used by hermits and ascetics seeking isolation and spiritual devotion, with a small monastery built on its flat top.
Today, the pillar still hosts a small group of monks who maintain the site and continue the centuries-old tradition of solitary prayer. For visitors, climbing to the top is generally not allowed due to safety concerns, but you can admire the pillar from the base and appreciate the incredible feat of building a monastery in such an inaccessible place.
