Mtatsminda

Mount Mtatsminda

Mtatsminda is a 740 meter high mountain in Tbilisi, belonging to the Trialeti Range. Mtatsminda is located on the right bank of the Kura River. “Holy Mountain” is how the name of the peak is translated from the Georgian language. It is often compared to the holy mountain Athos. Mtatsminda is sung by Tamara Gverdtsiteli in the song “Tbiliso.”

Video: Mtatsminda

• General information
• Legends of Mtatsminda
• Mtatsminda Park
• Historical Sights
• Funicular
• Funicular Restaurant
• How to get to Mtatsminda

General Information

Mount Mtatsminda is a popular and favorite place among tourists and residents, couples in love love love to walk here. The mountain peak attracts an abundance of greenery, ancient history, the presence of infrastructure for entertainment and recreation. Travelers will see observation decks with a view of Tbilisi, amusement park, Ferris wheel, restaurant. At Mtatsminda it is worth visiting St. David’s Church and the Pantheon, where Georgian national heroes, writers and artists are buried.

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When you come to Tbilisi, include a visit to Mtatsminda in your sightseeing program – a lot of positive emotions will be waiting for you!

Legends of Mtatsminda

Mount Mtatsminda became known as “holy” thanks to the Church of St. David, built among the evergreen vegetation of the hill in the VI century. The temple was erected on the place of residence of David of Gareji, one of the Assyrian fathers belonging to the saints of the Orthodox Church, the founders of Georgian monasticism.

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David settled in a cave outside the city. Once a week he went to the Tbilisi market, traveling 2.4 kilometers. The path along which he traveled later became Mtatsminda Street. At that time Tbilisi was occupied by the Persians, and two faiths coexisted here – Christianity and Zoroastrianism.

David’s detractors spread a rumor that he was cohabiting with a woman and she was expecting a child from him. A continuation of the legend exists in two versions.

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1. The church version states: the slander was refuted by a child who spoke before the birth. After that, people stoned the woman, and David returned to the cave. His prayers contributed to the formation of a miraculous spring, which exists to this day. Women with complicated pregnancies or infertility seek to drink the healing water.

2. According to the folk interpretation, a woman cursed by David gave birth to a stone, and he withdrew to an almost inaccessible wilderness and established a monastery there. That stone was laid in the foundation of the temple of Kashveti. This is evidenced by the very name of the church, which translates as “She who gave birth to the stone.”

In the period from 1985 to 1990, much was written about anomalous phenomena occurring in the Mtatsminda area – the appearance of UFOs during the filming of Maya Jabua’s speech and even the landing of a flying saucer. Ufologists conducted research work related to the extraordinary phenomena, but the civil war diverted their attention from Georgia’s extraterrestrial objects.

Mtatsminda Park

At the top of Mount Mtatsminda is a park with the same name. At first, it was a typical picnic spot where people rested from the city heat in the fresh air in the shade of trees.

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Since the 19th century, Mtatsminda began to be actively built up with restaurants and kebab houses. It is this era that is reflected in the novel “The Twelve Chairs” by Ilf and Petrov. Ostap Bender and Kislyarsky climbed the “restaurant mountain”, “straight to the stars”.

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In the 30s of the XIX century, on the instructions of Beria began the reconstruction of Mtatsminda and the creation of the Stalin Park. The official date of its opening is 1938. During the period 2001-2008, at the initiative of Georgian billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili, a global restructuring was carried out to create a modern park.

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Mtatsminda Park occupies an area of 100 hectares. Conditionally, it is divided into 3 zones.

• Children’s zone with rides: “Cars”, “Merry Carousel”, “Safari”, “Jumping Tower”, “Flying Bees”, “Little Pirates”. A free playground is also located there. In this part, stretching 300 meters forward, visitors get to this area immediately upon entering the park.
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• Family Zone – a section with a train riding through the park and attractions: “Autodrome”, “Dancing Tree”, “Fun Raft.”
• The extreme part of the park will appeal to fans of steep descents, high speed and ghosts. For them are presented: “roller coaster”, “Ghost Castle”, “Water Rafting.”

In addition, Mtatsminda Park has several shooting galleries, a parlor with video games, a children’s water park, a contact zoo, a laughing room, and a wax museum.

The cost of rides starts from 5 GEL.

On Mtatsminda it is impossible to ignore the huge Ferris wheel. On it everyone rises to a height of 65 meters. One revolution lasts for 10-12 minutes. Comfortable cabins are tightly closed.

The park area is decorated with unusual fairy-tale sculptures and statues of gnomes and wizards. Children are fascinated by the figures of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals moving their heads and making menacing sounds.

Grocery and souvenir stores, cafes, restaurants are everywhere on Mtatsminda. They are characterized by unusual design:

• in an upside-down house they offer fragrant tea, coffee, desserts;
• the mystery cave serves hearty meals.

The park has recreational areas with hammocks and benches. The abundance of greenery, flowerbeds with flowers, beautiful fountains is striking.

A map of Mtatsminda Park is offered at the entrance for 2 GEL. And you can enter the park, see the pantheon and the church for free.

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You should definitely visit the observation deck. It is free of charge. Binoculars are available for a fee.

When going to Mtatsminda Park, don’t forget to bring your camera or smartphone.

Interesting fact: Mtatsminda is home to the Marriage Palace.

Historical sights

Many tourists climb the mountain just to visit St. David’s Church and Mtatsminda Pantheon, the burial place of famous people of Georgia.

St. David’s Church

Believers tend to tour the Church of St. David, which was built from 1859 to 1871. Mamadavitoba, a church festival dedicated to David of Gareji, is celebrated here annually. The church is characterized by its modesty both inside and outside.

The northern wall of the temple is decorated with small pebbles left by worshippers who make wishes.

On the site of St. David’s cell is a small church of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and 3 sacred springs are also located nearby.

Mtatsminda Pantheon

The word “pantheon” means “temple to all the gods”. The necropolis is located at the middle station by the Cave of David. The Mtatsminda Pantheon of Writers and Public Figures of Georgia stretches south and north of St. David’s Shrine. Visitors can tour the burial grounds:

• Griboyedov and his wife;
• the writer Chavchavadze;
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• the painter Gudiashvili;
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• poets Tsereteli, Tabidze, Pshavel;
artists Zakariadze, Chabukiani;.
• President Gamsakhurdia;
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• Stalin’s mother Ekaterina Geladze and other famous personalities.

There are monuments, sculptures, bas-reliefs on the graves. One thing is frustrating: inscriptions are in Georgian, except for the tomb of Griboyedov. You need a special scheme to find out who is in this grave. The number of burials is approaching 50.

Literature lovers are especially attracted to the grave of A. S. Griboyedov – poet and writer, the smartest diplomat. He was buried on Mtatsminda in 1829.

The grave of A. S. Griboyedov, a poet and writer, and a clever diplomat.

In the last years of his life, Griboyedov worked in Tehran as an ambassador from Russia. During negotiations with Persia, he earned the nickname “iron heart” for his unyielding views. He was brutally murdered in Tehran during a raid on the embassy by religious fanatics. The body was discovered with great difficulty. The Russian Emperor received a large diamond from the Shah’s treasury as an apology for the ambassador’s death.

Griboyedov’s wife, Nina Chavchavadze, expressed her love in the words inscribed on the side of the tombstone: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but for what my love has outlived you!” Nina was left a widow at a young age, never married again. Her cherished wish was to be buried next to her husband. Her will was fulfilled: together with her husband she rests in a grotto made of stone. A bronze figure of a grieving woman is placed above the grave.

Funicular

The construction of the funicular on Mtatsminda was carried out by a Belgian transportation company in 1903-1905. Later works on the reconstruction of the road were carried out.

The departure station is located on Chonkadze Street. After restoration in 2013, it was returned to its original appearance of decoration in the Moorish architectural style. Arabian patterns, columns, lancet windows, turrets, simplicity and solemnity at the same time speak of its involvement.

There are 3 stations on the funicular:

• the lower one is the landing place;
• the middle one is the Pantheon. From it you can walk to the necropolis and the Church of St. David. From the stop to the church you have to descend a winding road and steps, and on the way back, you have to tackle the climb;
• The upper station will lead to a park, restaurant, and Ferris wheel.

What you need to know about the operation of the funicular

The modern funicular at Mtatsminda is a device that meets all current technical requirements. It works in two directions: up and down. It moves 2 carriages. The control panel with a display of each of them serves 2 drivers.

The length of the ascent is 501 meters. The streetcar covers this distance in 5 minutes. The carriages depart every 10 minutes. If the cable car is overloaded, it will not move.

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The carriage is divided into 3 sections. There are 3 entrances. Up to 60 people can be accommodated in the saloons at a time. Seats – 18. It is allowed to enter with strollers and bicycles. The cabins are equipped with air-conditioned systems to keep the inside cool in summer and warm in winter.

The glass roof and large panoramic windows offer beautiful views of the mountain and the capital city. If you want to admire the panorama of Tbilisi, you should sit in the last section of the carriage. It is better to look at Mtatsminda from the first seats.

Working schedule

Working hours: daily from 9.00 until 4.00 the next day. There is a break from 4.00 to 9.00. There are no weekends. There is no stop at the middle station after 19.00. The time of year does not affect the schedule of the funicular. Thanks to this schedule, tourists can admire the capital of Georgia at night.

Fare

The fare for the Mtatsminda funicular is 3 GEL (approximately 1.13 dollars). Between 0.00 and 4.00 hours, the ticket is more expensive. For children under 6 years old the fare is free. Prices are subject to change. It should be taken into account that you will have to pay each time you board. The best option is to first go upstairs, then walk down to the Pantheon.

You should have a special plastic card for payment in advance. You can buy it for 2 GEL at the lower stop at a kiosk. If you have not calculated the amount needed for travel and visiting attractions in the park, you can refill the card at the park ticket office. The money remaining on the account is not refundable. However, it is perpetual. It is not necessary to buy a separate card for each person, you can pay for any number of passengers with it. You can’t use a standard plastic card for the subway and buses on the funicular.

Funicular Restaurant

A bright attraction of Mtatsminda Mountain is the Funicular Restaurant. The establishment got its name due to the fact that the last funicular station was located inside it. The restaurant was popular during the years of Soviet power. The characters of Ilf and Petrov – Ostap Bender, Kisa and Kislyarsky – dined there. “Funicular” was visited by real celebrities: Margaret Thatcher, Fidel Castro, Alain Delon.

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For some time the restaurant was in disrepair. But after the reconstruction in 2013, its former glory returned to it. Now the restaurant on the top of Mtatsminda is a favorite place for lovers’ dates, with a relaxed romantic atmosphere.

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The lower floor of Funicular serves Georgian cuisine, while the second floor offers a European menu. The restaurant is famous for khinkali filled with vegetables and meat, khachapuri Adjarski, lamb chakapuli, shkmeruli and cream doughnuts.

The cost of dishes is higher than in establishments in other parts of the city. It starts at 1 p.m.

How to get to Mtatsminda

From the foot of Chonkadze Street the height of the ascent is 200-240 meters. How to overcome them? There are several ways to get to Mount Mtatsminda.

• There are buses #124 and 90 to the park at the top of the mountain, from Rustaveli metro and Liberty Square. You can order a cab – this method is more often preferred by locals.
• From Chonkadze Street you can go up to Mtatsminda by cable car. This way is chosen by most travelers.
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• There is a hiking trail from the Mikhail Tversky Temple from the same Chonkadze Street. This route, running between bushes and fir trees, will appeal to nature lovers. You can take a break and admire the surrounding views at the observation platforms. The ascent takes about an hour. Its disadvantage – the trail rests against the wall of the park, it will take time to get around it.
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• To the temple of Father David runs the road from Rustaveli Avenue.
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• To the top you can climb the stairs from the Church of the Ascension in Sololaki. The way is quite tiring – 2 km, but interesting.

Athletes use the mountain for training. They take morning jogs along the trekking trail starting from the Sololaki ridge.

The most common route chosen by tourists is to climb Mtatsminda by cable car, descend on foot to the middle station, and see the pantheon. Then travelers continue their descent on foot or by cable car.