Bridge of Peace and Rike Park

The Bridge of Peace has a bow-shaped profile with a wave-like glass canopy on a steel frame. The walkway is 5 m wide at the center and up to 22 m at the supports. The structure rests on four columns on the riverbanks and weighs 500 tons of steel. Under the glass roof, 1,208 LED fixtures illuminate the bridge, while 240 motion sensors in the glass railing panels light up as pedestrians pass. The lighting activates 90 minutes before sunset and runs until 90 minutes after sunrise. Four different light programs cycle every hour, and a Morse code message spelling out the periodic table of elements runs across the parapets – a symbol of life and peace.

From the bridge, views extend in both directions: south toward Metekhi Church with the statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali and Narikala Fortress, north toward Baratashvili Bridge and the Presidential Palace. At night, the LED reflections in the Kura create one of Tbilisi's most recognizable views.

Rike Park is a landscaped green space with lawns, pathways, fountains, and flower beds. In summer evenings, the musical fountain runs a light-and-water show. At the park's southern edge, the cable car station sends glass-floor gondolas (8 passengers each) on a 500 m, 2–3 minute ride to Narikala. The park hosts festivals and concerts, including the annual Tbilisoba in October.

Bridge dimensions – 156 m long, canopy width 12–22 m, steel weight 500 tons

Lighting – 10,000+ LEDs, 4 light programs, Morse code periodic table every hour

Architect – Michele De Lucchi (Italy), lighting by Philippe Martinaud (France)

Construction – 269 days, frame built in Italy and delivered by 200 trucks

Cable car – from Rike Park to Narikala, 2.5 GEL (~$1) one-way, 7 gondolas seating 8

Rike Park – amphitheater, musical fountain, playgrounds, giant chess board and piano

The idea for the bridge emerged after the 2008 Russo-Georgian conflict. Commissioned by Tbilisi City Hall under President Mikheil Saakashvili, it was designed to symbolize peace and connect the historic center with the new districts on the left bank – at the very crossing where Silk Road caravans once forded the Kura. Construction took 269 days, and the bridge opened on May 6, 2010 – the feast day of Saint George, Georgia's patron saint.

Rike Park was built on the site of a former asphalt lot used as a driving school practice ground. The redevelopment was part of a larger waterfront modernization project. The two futuristic tube-shaped structures – a concert hall and exhibition center by architect Fuksas – were commissioned during the Saakashvili era, but funding dried up after the change of government, and the buildings remain unfinished. The cable car from the park to Narikala opened in 2012.

On foot from central Tbilisi:

– From Freedom Square – 10–15 minutes via Erekle II Street

– From Avlabari metro station – 7–10 minutes downhill to the riverbank

Public transport:

– Buses #341, 344, 345 to Europe Square

– Metro: nearest stations Avlabari (7 min walk) and Freedom Square (12 min walk)

By taxi:

– Bolt from anywhere in the center – 3–7 GEL (~$1–3)

On site:

The bridge is pedestrian-only. Street parking available near Europe Square.

Time of day: Evening (1 hour before sunset) – best for bridge lighting and the park's musical fountain. Before 10:00 AM – fewest visitors.

Season: Year-round. Summer evenings feature the lit musical fountain. Winter lighting stands out against the dark skyline.

Duration: 30–60 minutes for bridge and park. With a cable car ride and walk around Narikala – 2–3 hours.

Avoid: Summer weekends 12:00–4:00 PM – hot and crowded.