Nestled on the side of Mtatsminda Mountain is a 120-year-old mountain cable train, whose creation marked the development of the city of Tbilisi into the plateaus of its surrounding mountains.
Plans for building the Funicular began in 1900, city planners began ruminating on the construction of “Upper Tbilisi” on the Mtatsminda Plateau, but had not yet conceived an idea of transportation up the mountain. The mountain tram was proposed by Belgian engineer, Alphonse Robb. The architect of the project was Aleksander Szymkiewicz.
The Funicular opened on March 27, 1905. Marking its opening, famous Georgian artist, Niko Pirosmani, painted his “Tbilisi Funicular,” encouraging guests to experience the tramway for themselves.
Over the course of its existence, the Funicular was renovated several times: first in 1936 to 1938, and then in 1968 to 1969. In 2000, the Funicular was closed once again, this time for reconstruction, and did not reopen until 2012.
Riding the Funicular is an exciting venture. The Funicular tram is covered in windows on all sides. As the tram travels up its 501-meter-long track at an angle of inclination of 30 degrees, a breathtaking panoramic view of the Old City becomes visible. I would recommend this experience for anyone visiting Tbilisi.
