Mtatsminda Park and Funicular

Mtatsminda is the roof of Tbilisi. From the ridge at 727 metres the whole city unfolds: the line of the Mtkvari, Narikala, the Sameba cathedral and the Trialeti mountains on the far horizon. It is the one place where the actual scale of Tbilisi becomes obvious.

The funicular opened in 1905 to a Belgian design and still runs on its original alignment. There are three stations: the lower one on Chonkadze Street, an intermediate stop at the Mtatsminda Pantheon, where Ilia Chavchavadze, Akaki Tsereteli, Niko Pirosmani and the Russian writer Griboyedov are buried, and the upper station inside the park.

The park itself is several things at once:

• A Ferris wheel built right on the edge of the ridge, which puts the view underneath you
• Rides and carousels for children, plus small themed zones
• Restaurant terraces that are the best sunset seats in the city
• Woodland paths for anyone who wants to escape the noise of the fairground
• The television tower, floodlit at night and used by locals as a navigation point

In winter part of the park keeps working, though some rides close. The view, on the other hand, is far sharper in cold air than in the summer haze.