About Sights – The Bridge of Peace
The Bridge of Peace (Georgian: მშვიდობის ხიდი) is a bow-shaped pedestrian bridge over the Mtkvari River in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. The 150 metre (490 ft) bridge was designed by the Italian architect Michele De Lucchi and was officially opened on May 6, 2010. The wavy steel and glass canopy is fitted with thousands of LED lights that are switched on 90 … Continue reading
About Sights – Aerial Tramway in Tbilisi
On 23 June 2012 a new aerial tramway opened in Tbilisi. It connects the newly constructed Rike Park, that sits just across the Mtkvari river from the Old Town, with Narikala, the fortress that overlooks the city. The terminus at Rike Park with the Bridge Of Peace in the Background A one-way journey costs 1 GEL. … Continue reading
About Food – Mchadi (Georgian Cornbread)
Mchadi is a very popular cornbread traditionally eaten with lobio (beans) and cheese. Ingredients (for 6 servings). 400 grams of stone-ground cornmeal (preferably white), 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 cup of cold water (may need more depending on the cornmeal). Stone-ground white cornmeal Preparation. Add water to the cornmeal little by little so that the cornmeal becomes … Continue reading
About Development – Tbilisi Trams
In 2004 the Tbilisi electric tram network celebrated its 100-year anniversary but just two years later it was closed due to its declining popularity and the prohibitive cost of overhaul. The story of the tramway began in 1883 with the first horse-drawn tramcar. These were replaced in 1904 by an electrified tramway line. One of the first electric … Continue reading
About Shopping – Traditional Carpets and Rugs
The history of carpet weaving in the Caucasus region dates back to the Middle Ages. Pieces of knotted pile carpet from the 13th and 14th centuries have been found in cave complexes in Georgia. Over the centuries, traders from Istanbul to Athens traveled to Tbilisi, Georgia, to trade in hand woven carpets at bazaars known … Continue reading
About Wine – Introduction to Traditional Wine-Making
Thousands of years ago the ancient people of the South Caucasus Region discovered how to transform wild grape juice into wine by leaving it to ferment in clay vessels called Kvevri, which they buried in the ground. It was from Georgia that the method of wine-making in Kvevri spread to Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and the rest … Continue reading
About Sights – Ananuri Fortress
Ananuri (Georgian: ანანური) is a fortress situated on the foreland by the Aragvi River, not far from Zhinvali water reservoir and about 70 km from Tbilisi, Georgia. It was built by the Dukes of Aragvi and its earliest parts date from the 13th century. The fortress is on the UNESCO Tentative list. The fortress consist of two fortifications joined by a crenellated curtain … Continue reading
About Food – Georgian Lobiani
We recently returned to our bakery, Trepezi, in our neighborhood in Tbilisi to see how our baker, Zaur Skhirtladze, makes Lobiani (boiled bean bread). Lobiani is enjoyed all year round and especially eaten on the Georgian holiday of Barbaroba, or St. Barbara’s Day (December 17). The main ingredient of Lobiani is boiled kidney beans. Zaur … Continue reading
About Sights – Abanotubani Sulphur Baths
The “Abanotubani” is the name given to the district in the Old Town of Tbilisi where there is a whole street (Abanos kucha) of public bathhouses that use the sulphurous waters of the many hot springs in this area. Abanotubani is the place, where according to legend, King Vakhtang Gorgasali’s falcon fell, leading to the discovery of the hot springs … Continue reading
About Food – Georgian Bread (Part 1)
In Georgia, bread is called puri (pronounced “poo-ree”) and is traditionally baked in a deep circular clay oven called a tone (pronounced “ton-AY”). Traditional bread, especially the long pointed bread called shotis puri, is very popular and usually served with every meal. Most streets in Georgia have at least one traditional bakery. We went behind the scenes at … Continue reading
About Sights – Mtatsminda Park, Tbilisi
Mtatsminda is the mountain topped by the 210m-high TV mast that overlooks central Tbilisi. Located 800-metres above the city Mtatsminda Park (known as Bombora) spreads over more than 1 sq km and has been a popular fun spot for generations. In the days of the Soviet Union, Mtatsminda Park was the third most visited public park in the USSR, Gorky … Continue reading
About Culture – Georgian Dance
Two beautiful bronze statues were recently erected at the entrance to the Djansug Kakhidze Garden, which is situated just off the Agmashenebli Avenue in Tbilisi. The statues are of Iliko Sukhishvili and his wife Nino Ramishvili, founders of the Georgian National Ballet. It is due to their efforts that Georgian national dancing and music has become … Continue reading
About Travel – Tbilisi Metro
When it opened in 1966 the Tbilisi Metro was the fourth Metro system in the former Soviet Union (after Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Kiev). It consists of two lines with 22 stations on 26.4 kilometres of track. The Metro is a great way to get around the city and avoid traffic jams. It is also … Continue reading
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