10 Things to Do in Zestafoni, Georgia: Soviet Mosaics & More (original) (raw)
A complete guide to visiting Zestafoni, the ultimate off-the-beaten-path destination for industrial tourism in Western Georgia.
While most people know it as a place to stop for coffee and khachapuri on the drive from Tbilisi to Batumi, there’s a whole lot more to Zestafoni than just its highway cafes.
The Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant – which started processing ore from the mines in nearby Chiatura in October 1933 and hasn’t skipped a day of work since – has recently opened its doors to the public for the first time.
Aside from tours of the factory, Zestafoni has several spectacular Soviet-era mosaics, some great examples of Brutalist architecture, and one of the most impressive modern bazaars in Georgia.
A Soviet-era mosaic, ‘New Khalibs’ by Demur Basheleishvili, picturing workers from the Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant.
This complete Zestafoni Travel Guide includes all the best things to see and do, plus a look at two exciting initiatives, the ‘New Industrial Tourist Route’ and ‘Path of Mosaics’, that aim to put Zestafoni on Georgia’s tourism map and create more opportunities for local families.
A big thank-you to project leaders Solidarity Fund PL in Georgia for supporting me to visit Zestafoni and create this travel guide.
I am extremely excited about the tourism potential of Zestafoni and other cities like it – and I sincerely hope I can convince you to spend a night or two here for an off-the-beaten-path travel experience!
If you have any questions about visiting Zestafoni, please leave a comment below or get in touch with me via email.
Note: There are several alternative spellings – Zestafoni, Zestaphoni and Zestaponi. This is because the Georgian character pari (ფ) is either transliterated as ‘f’ or ‘ph’. In Georgian, the name is usually pronounced Zesta-phoni (as in telephone). For ease, I use the spelling Zestafoni.
Please note: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). Learn more.
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Briefly about Zestafoni
Located in the western part of Georgia, roughly halfway between Khashuri and Kutaisi, Zestafoni is an industrial city with a population of around 20,000 people.
The country’s main east-west highway, the E60, and its main railway line both pass directly through Zestafoni, meaning you are likely to cross paths with the city at least once when travelling around Georgia.
The railway station in Zestafoni, Georgia.
For most tourists and locals, Zestafoni is just that: A place to pass through, or perhaps a place to stop off for a quick coffee and a snack. Roadside cafes are a huge business in Zestafoni – the entire length of the highway through town is lined with dozens of coffee franchises and family bakeries.
As one of Georgia’s major industrial cities, Zestafoni was invested in throughout the Soviet period as part of a policy to boost heavy industry and steel-production. The metallurgist plant came first, then more factories for electrical equipment, fruit juice and wine were opened.
In 1946, the first cable car in the Soviet Union opened in Zestafoni (sadly it is long gone now). Most of the city’s development took place between 1955 and 1973, thus much of the architecture dates to this period.
But the area is, of course, much, much older than that.
Zestafoni was settled from as early as 600 BC when it was part of Argveti (Margveti), a frontier region caught between the Kingdom of Colchis in the west and the Kingdom of Kartli in the east. By the Middle Ages it had gained the status of princedom (samtavro) and governed itself as a semi-independent princedom before being incorporated into a unified Georgia.
Zestafoni sits on the Kvirila River and was known by the name ‘Kvirila’ for much of its history. Arched stone Tamara Bridges, medieval monasteries and several important fortresses – chief among them Shorapani Fortress, which was designed by King Parnavaz I of Kartli in the 3rd century BC and documented by Strabo – are among the area’s archaeological treasures.
The New Industrial Tourist Route & Path of Mosaics
With Georgia’s new highway set to finally open in the coming years, the main route across the country will bypass Zestafoni – meaning less traffic and fewer visitors.
The city that has banked on catering to passers-through faces an uncertain future (as does Shrosha with its ceramics stores, and Surami with its nazuki sweet bread).
In the search for an alternative reason to visit Zestafoni (and potentially a new source of income for families that rely on the cafe industry), one group of locals have turned to an unlikely source.
Covering the entire north-western side of the city and dominating the view from the highway, the Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant is a vast complex of smoke stacks and coal-dusted workshops. For many, it’s an eye-sore – but for some, it’s a great opportunity.
The plant is the centrepiece of the ‘New Industrial Tourist Route’, a marked trail through Zestafoni and Shorapani that brings the area’s industrial heritage to life. It begins with a guided walk around the working factory – the first tour of its kind in Georgia.
Soviet-style mosaic panels that adorn the factory facade and other buildings in town are united under the ‘Path of Mosaics’, which has seen several pieces restored.
Led by Polish NGO Solidarity Fund PL in Georgia with support from the Polish Embassy in Tbilisi, these initiatives aim to promote sustainable tourism in Zestafoni and highlight the city’s ‘new face’ as a destination.
Lucky for me, I live right up the road from Zestafoni, so I’ve been able to visit a couple of times recently and experience parts of the New Industrial Tourist Route. I can see huge potential for Zestafoni in the future and I’m very excited to see where this new tourism venture leads.
I will be visiting Zestafoni more regularly this year and adding new items to list. For now, here are my top 10 things to do in the city.
1. Tour the Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant
Pouring briquettes at the Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant. These materials will later be exported and used for steel production.
Inaugurated in October 1933, the Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant processes ore from Chiatura, Tkibuli and elsewhere, transforming the raw material into silico-manganese and ferro-manganese briquettes that are exported around the world for use in steel production.
Remarkably, the factory has been operating continuously since the day it first opened without a single break. Much of the machinery is original.
Inside one of the workshops at the Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant.
Visiting the Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant is one of the most unique things you can do in Georgia. If you’re at all interested in industrial heritage or Soviet history, it’s well worth planning your trip to coincide with the factory’s public opening hours (at present, tours will be held once a month).
As part of the guided tour, visitors are allowed to wander the gangways and peer down at ladles pouring red-hot molten metal into briquette moulds. You also get a tour of the control room (quite the time capsule), and a full explanation of the process. The sheer scale of the operation is mind-blowing.
Urbexers and photographers will love this experience. The Ferroalloy Factory is linked to several other unique destinations in Imereti that should also be on your radar: Workers here process materials drawn from the mines in Chiatura, and in the past, factory staff would have sought respite in nearby Tskaltubo at the once-magnificent Sanatorium Metallurgist.
The plant will be open for tours starting from 2023, its 90th anniversary year. Read more details about touring the Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant.
2. Stop by Giorgi Nikoladze Memorial Square
On the side of the highway outside one of the plant’s side entrances you will see a manicured square with freshly painted white walls, a model ladle, and a giant bust.
This is Giorgi Nikoladze Memorial Square, dedicated to the founder of the Ferroalloy Plant and the man who first developed the furnace technology it uses.
A mathematician and metallurgist, Nikoladze was born in Didi Jikhaishi in Imereti and studied and worked in Tbilisi. His father, Niko Nikoladze, was a famous industrialist who spearheaded the port at Poti on the Black Sea Coast.
Poti and Zestafoni both have ties to the Nikoladze family – and interestingly, Georgia’s first railway line, established in 1871, linked these two cities.
3. Walk the ‘Path of Mosaics’
Having been a major centre of industry during the Soviet era, Zestafoni was unsurprisingly endowed with a number of impressive mosaics. Several are associated with one artist, Demur Basheleishvili.
At least one of the mosaics, Basheleishvili’s ‘Astronaut’ (1981), has been partly destroyed. The ‘Path of Mosaics’ initiative seeks to document, protect and restore the mosaics that are left, uniting them under a tourist-friendly walking route through Zestafoni. Restoration works are being performed by the non-profit Ribirabo Foundation.
The path includes three mosaics created for the Ferroalloy Plant and its ancillary services:
‘New Khalibs’ by Demur Basheleishvili (1983)
This colourful mosaic panel once adorned the old entrance to the Ferroalloy Plant and was specifically designed to inspire the hundreds of workers who arrived here for their shift each morning.
‘New Khalibs’ by Demur Basheleishvili (1983).
The central figures are Khalibs (Chalybes), an ancient peoples who dwelled along the Black Sea Coast from the 8th Century BC. Poignantly, the Khalibs are considered the first ironsmith nation (the name is derived from the Ancient Greek word for ‘tempered steel’) and are even credited with inventing iron smelting.
Two more pairs of figures, modern metal workers dressed in protective gear – a direct reference to Zestafoni factory staff – work with chains and smelting equipment.
I first saw this mosaic a few summers ago. It has since been restored and relocated from its original location – find it in Giorgi Nikoladze Memorial Square, right on the highway.
‘Land of Winegrowers and Metallurgists’ by Demur Basheleishvili (1983)
The second mosaic, ‘Land of Winegrowers and Metallurgists’, was created by the same artist in the same year to embellish a courtyard wall at the Ferroalloy Plant Hotel.
‘Land of Winegrowers and Metallurgists’ by Demur Basheleishvili (1983).
In the centre of the triptych, a woman dressed in traditional costume with a flowing white sash is said by the author to embody motherhood and femininity. Khalibs with iron-smelting gear, musicians playing salamuri, Georgian wind instruments, and figures holding bunches of grapes, a nod to Imereti region’s rich heritage of winemaking.
The colours in this mosaic are more muted. Unfortunately, some cracks have started to appear, prompting the Ribirabo Foundation to flag it for future restoration.
The former Ferroalloy Hotel itself, now an apartment block, is a lovely modernist building with grand vertical leading lines on its front facade.
The former Ferroalloy Plant Hotel in Zestafoni.
‘Kapremont’ mosaic (author & date unknown)
This ensemble of eight mosaic panels was created in the late 1980s by an unknown author. Each references themes from Georgian folklore and mythology interwoven with contemporary themes of the day: Space exploration, heavy industry, agriculture.
The panels sit at the main entrance to the Kapremont Office Block in Kveda Sakara village, behind the Ferroalloy Plant. It is too far away to walk from Zestafoni, but you can see it if you take the back road out of the city towards Sazano (if you’re in the area, be sure to stop at this historic bridge as well).
I still don’t know exactly what Kapremont was/is, but as far as I can tell it is a Soviet or Russian renovation company. You can see a glimmering gold statue of Joseph Stalin standing in the same location.
4. Find the former swimming pool mosaic
Zestafoni former swimming pool mosaics by Nugzar Medzmariashvili (1980s).
My favourite mosaic in Zestafoni is hidden away behind David Abashidze Stadium. The building is locked, so to see the mosaic, you will need to ask the security guard at the stadium’s main entrance to let you in.
Note: As of summer 2023 there are some construction works taking place at the stadium so entry might not be permitted.
Created in the early 1980s by Nugzar Medzmariashvili with input from Demur Basheleishvili, this mosaic (or rather, mosaics) is without doubt the most I’ve encountered anywhere in Georgia. (Previously that title went to the swimming pool mosaic in Chiatura that references Jason and the Argonauts, but honestly this one is even more impressive!)
Set around an indoor swimming pool, the composition includes six separate panels. As you enter, you are met with a floor-to-ceiling depiction of Poseidon with his trident in hand, flanked by floating mermaids and seahorses. The same seabed and waves wrap around the two panels to the left and right, both depicting men in flippers and mermaids with long blonde hair drifting amongst different sea creatures.
The image of Poseidon symbolically references Georgia’s connection to Greek mythology.
On the opposite wall, the mosaic over the deep end, behind the diving platform, is synchronous in its colour palette and style but quite distinct in its imagery. It pictures a man and woman at its centre holding a baby aloft against a shimmering sun.
To the left, three polo players are engaged in a match, and to the right, a pair of scuba divers duck and dive through breaking waves.
Nugzar Medzmariashvili created several other mosaics in Georgia, including the decorative panel at the National Science Library reading room in Tbilisi, which is inspired by Shota Rustaveli’s Knight in the Panther’s Skin.
The swimming pool is no longer in use. Emptied out years ago, it sits dry and disused.
Rallying cries painted in Georgian letters along the walls of the bleachers, an old pair of scales and discarded flippers, are all that’s left to remind us of the raucous, joyful sporting events that undoubtedly took place here.
5. Learn about Zestafoni’s industrial heritage at the Local Museum
Photographs of the Ferroalloy Factory under construction in the 1930s at the Zestafoni Museum.
Located in the centre of town behind the theatre, Zestafoni’s regional museum is nestled inside a single-storey pink building, a former aristocratic residence with original tiled floors, ceramic fireplaces and ceiling roses throughout.
Set over six or more rooms, the museum is quite extensive and covers much of Zestafoni’s recent history, from the era of Margveti up until the Soviet period.
The most interesting exhibits, in my opinion, are related to the Ferroalloy Plant. The museum has a great collection of archival photographs, drawings and artefacts from the 1930s when the facility was under construction.
Didactic panels identical to those held in the Chiatura Museum illustrate the volume of production through to the 1940s and the different countries where briquettes were exported to.
A map of Zestafoni’s ferroalloy exports during the Soviet era.
There is also a section on Shorapani Fortress, a bit about Imeretian wine from Zestafoni and Terjola, and a whole room dedicated to Zestafoni’s Drama Theatre, which was established in 1939 (staff were particularly proud of this section when they showed me around).
Also part of the museum collection, an acoustic guitar and other accoutrements belonging to Zestafoni-born musician Varinka Tsereteli, who in 1895 put Akaki Tsereteli’s love poem, Suliko, to music. Apparently it was one of Stalin’s favourite songs. Despite this, Zestafonians are very proud of their connection to the world-famous tune.
The museum staff are warm and inviting and will gladly walk you through the exhibition, even though they only speak a tiny bit of English. Most of the items on display are visual and speak for themselves.
Zestafoni Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am (closed on Mondays). Entrance is free.
6. Stop by Zestafoni Railway Station
Zestafoni Railway Station.
Zestafoni’s history is interwoven with that of Georgia’s railways. As mentioned, the country’s first train line, realised by Niko Nikoladze in 1871, connected Poti to Shorapani, passing through Zestafoni on its way.
When the first passenger train services commenced a year later, Zestafoni was a whistle stop en route from the Black Sea to Tbilisi.
Zestafoni Railway Station was built in 1956 and is one of the more distinct train stations in Georgia. The almost completely flat facade is quite austere, with the main entrance vestibule cut out and framed by four simple columns. The eight-stepped roofline topped with curved pieces of stone culminates with a central column bearing a clock.
It’s very much worth it to cross out to the platform and walk west along the tracks. There are several very beautiful old warehouses on the opposite side, including Stalinist Empire buildings such as this one.
There are lots of old train carriages and vintage locomotives parked here too, all of them from the Soviet era. If you hang around long enough, eventually one will surprise you by splattering its engines and lurching forward!
An old locomotive at the railway station in Zestafoni.
My favourite thing about this train station: There is a classic old-school barber shop right on the platform! I have tried many times to sneak a photo of the white-aproned barbers and their shears through the window, but I’m yet to get the perfect shot. I won’t rest until I do!
Directly opposite the train station, Zestafoni’s Central Square opens up with the Drama Theatre at its centre, and the museum and several other interesting buildings around its periphery.
7. Stroll through Irina’s Park
Irina’s Park in summer.
The entrance to Zestafoni’s main park is marked with a ring of alabaster and gold colonnades, similar to Central Park in Kutaisi. Apparently the park was designed by a French architect in the early 20th century and named in honour of his Georgian wife, Irene.
The small green space has a couple of walking paths, children’s playgrounds and a cafe. It’s a convenient shortcut to get to the riverside and the former Pioneers’ Palace, item 9 on this list.
Look out for a very unusual statue inside the park (read more below).
8. Photograph Zestafoni’s Soviet-era statues & bas-reliefs
This impressive bas-relief sculpture is located on the main avenue in Zestafoni.
There are several notable statues and bas-reliefs in Zestafoni that date to the Soviet period. The first is located inside Irina’s Park.
Created by Elguja Amashukeli in 1970, the statue named ‘Wounded Eagle’ is quite unusual because it lies horizontally on its plinth. It was erected ‘in honour of fallen heroes’. Behind this statue, a full-sized figure of Stalin stood in the park until at least 2009.
‘Wounded Eagle’ by Elguja Amashukeli (1970).
On the opposite side of Aghmashenebeli Street, next to the Railway Station, there is a small memorial park with several components.
The wall of bas-relief sculptures (pictured above) was clearly created during the Soviet period, with panels depicting metallurgists, and women harvesting grapes and corn. (There is a very similar panel at the entrance to Tkibuli, a mining town in Upper Imereti.)
The second component, the metal memorial with the flame cut-out, is more recent. A commemorative plaque indicates that it is dedicated to Gia Abesadze, a cardiologist from Zestafoni who lost his life during protests in Tbilisi in 1991.
Finally, this monument of three female dancers dressed in traditional garb and draped in grapevines is located outside the Aversi pharmacy near the bus station.
Sculpture of three women in Zestafoni.
I haven’t been able to find any information about this sculpture or the identity of the women – if you know, please leave me a comment.
9. Find the former Young Pioneers Palace
The Former Young Pioneers Palace in Zestafoni.
Photographed by Italian photographers Roberto Conte and Stefano Perego as part of their series on Soviet architecture in Georgia, this wonderful building on Zestafoni’s riverside was the House of Young Pioneers during the Soviet period. Today, it is a working art school.
Young Pioneer Palaces were dotted around Georgia and the former Soviet Union as spaces where young people could participate in creative pursuits, sports training, and other extracurricular activities of the revolutionary kind. Zestafoni’s Pioneer Palace is quite unlike anything I’ve seen before – I might have mistaken it for an office block had I not known its original purpose.
It bears a striking resemblance to the Musical School on Sairme Street in Tbilisi’s Saburtalo neighbourhood, built in 1978. I bet the same architects, V. Abramishvili and E. Vartanova, are responsible for this design too.
Directly opposite, you will see the Palace of Sports, which is still in use today.
I found a few more interesting pieces of architecture on my walk around Zestafoni, including this pharmacy with a wonderful curved concrete archway, and this disused and boarded-up hotel.
Brutalist-style pharmacy building in Zestafoni.
The former Hotel Imereti.
The former Hotel Imereti, it is located opposite the Cathedral of the Dormition and Zestafoni’s new Justice House, which is currently under construction.
10. Peruse the incredible Zestafoni Market
Zestafoni Bazaar, one of the most impressive undercover markets I’ve encountered in Georgia.
Zestafoni Central Bazaar is the odd item out on this list, having been completed very recently in 2015. The covered hall is absolutely gigantic, stretching over several city blocks on the riverside, not far from the main bus station.
Also known as Central Shopping Centre, it is both an agricultural market and a department store of sorts selling linens, haberdashery, clothing, shoes, and plenty else. The food part is a standard mix of Georgian goods: Fresh fruit and veg, homemade wine, spices and seasonings, legumes, etc.
The produce section.
I visited in the days before Christmas/New Year which is why some of the stalls are decked in tinsel.
I count this among my favourite markets in Georgia – not that the produce is particularly impressive, but the combination of light filtering into the hall and the fact that you can go up for a bird’s eye view make it extremely photogenic.
Looking down onto the market floor.
The main floor is split into two halves. There are staircases on either side of the building – climb up to the second-level gangway to look down on the main floor.
Zestafoni map
Click here to open a Google Map of Zestafoni, with all the above points of interest marked out for your convenience.
Where to stay in Zestafoni
Zestafoni is not a place many tourists visit. There are no hotels in town. Of the few guesthouses available, Guest House Zedafoni has the best location and the highest number of positive reviews. There are five guest rooms. A home-cooked breakfast is available.
Check prices & availability here on Booking.com.
Sign for the former Hotel Imereti.
How to get to Zestafoni
Thanks to its location on the E60 highway (which is still the main route between Eastern and Western Georgia), Zestafoni is very easy to reach by marshrutka van.
Zestafoni has a railway station, with daily train connections from Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and the Black Sea Coast.
If you’re planning a Zestafoni day trip, the most convenient departure point is Kutaisi, which is less than an hour away by road.
If you’re planning to visit Chiatura from Kutaisi, Zestafoni is on the way and is a convenient place to break the journey. You can also book a private driver on GoTrip to do this route as a day trip for around 45 USD per car return.
Kutaisi to Zestafoni
Marshrutka vans depart from Kutaisi Central Bus Station (location here) throughout the day starting from 7am. Travel time is approximately 60 minutes, and the fare is 3-5 GEL per person. On my recent visit I paid 3.50 GEL.
In Zestafoni, vans terminate at the main intersection outside the Carrefour supermarket (location here) or nearby. The market is very close, and the railway station, museum and other points of interest are around 20 minutes by foot.
Alternatively, a taxi to Zestafoni from Kutaisi booked with the Bolt app costs around 30 GEL. I took a Bolt taxi on my last visit.
East-bound trains from Rioni Railway Station stop at Zestafoni on their way to Tbilisi, but getting to Rioni from Kutaisi involves a taxi ride and the trains are infrequent, making road travel more convenient.
To get back to Kutaisi from Zestafoni, you can either head to the carpark in front of Carrefour and ask around for a driver, or preferably, wait at this intersection for a passing van to stop after it rounds the corner. If you can’t read the sign on the dashboard, just ask the driver if he’s going to ‘Kutaisi kalaki’ (Kutaisi city).
Tbilisi to Zestafoni
West-bound trains travelling from Tbilisi to Zugdidi, Ozurgeti and Poti all stop at Zestafoni. Faster trains make the journey in 3 hours, while slower trains take four hours. Fares range from 9-14 GEL depending on the train and class.
Alternatively, marshrutka vans depart from Didube Bus Station (see this Didube Guide for more details) throughout the day. The fare is approximately 15 GEL, and travel time is around 3.5 hours.
A two-way private transfer booked through GoTrip takes under 3 hours and costs around 80 USD per car.
Batumi to Zestafoni
Marshrutka vans depart from Batumi’s Intercity Bus Station (location here). Check the schedule locally. Journey time is approximately 3.5-4 hours, and the fare is around 15 GEL.
A return private transfer from Batumi to Zestafoni booked through GoTrip takes around 3 hours and costs around 85 USD per car.
More resources for Soviet tourism in Georgia
- Guide to Tskaltubo, Georgia’s semi-abandoned spa town
- Guide to Chiatura, Georgia’s famous mining town
- Guide to Zestafoni and the 1930s Ferroalloy Factory
- Guide to Gurjaani and the 1920s Red Cellar
- Guide to Dedoplistskaro and the Big Shiraki airfield
- The best things to do in Gori, including the Gori Soviet Tour
- Visiting Stalin’s Underground Printing House in Tbilisi
- Travelling the Soviet-era tea route in Guria
- Soviet-era mosaics & sanatoriums in Kobuleti
- Visiting the UAZ ambulance graveyard in Zugdidi
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