IDEAS
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GEORGIA
WIZZ MAGAZINE / 63
of thecarshadnames like ‘Peace’ and
‘Pioneer’. Propaganda still plastered
across thewallsof thecablecar sta-
tionsdescribesChiaturaasa “Worker’s
Paradise”.
“In termsofhistory, this isavery
interestingcity,” saysBesa, abakerwho
makes localGeorgian flatbreads in the
shadowsof the rope road. “It’s suchan
important city for thewholecountry. It
supportseveryone.Youcan see the rich-
nesseverywhere.”
Palm treesandahandful ofornate
historicbuildingsdoofferadegree
of exoticness toChiatura.But among
Georgia’swealthofbeautiful townsand
cities, it is thecablecars that lend this
town somethingunique.Theyarealmost
aspopularas theyeverwere, despitea
decline inmining.
In total, over6kmof rope roadcarry
thousandsofpeopledaily,with two lines
reserved solely formanganese transpor-
tation. Somedon’t evenhavewindows,
leavingpassengers todanglewithno
senseofdirection.Oneof the tramways
spansagorge, 150mabove theground.
Operators sit at aperfunctoryunit
thatdoesnot includebrakes: if acable
snapped, thecarwouldcareenbackdown
toearth.Amazingly, though, therehave
beennocable-car fatalities inChiatura,
ever.Theonlyemergencyphone stopped
working in1994.Thereareno tickets,
andno timetables.Operatorswait for
enoughpeople tobewaiting fora lift,
before ringingabell,which is the signal
to jumpaboard.
History teacherMagarNioradze
doesn’tmind thecars, but she still
