Georgian Military Road

  1. The Zhinvali Reservoir near the hydroelectric dam on the banks of the Aragvi River. Renowned for its impressive depth and incredible colour.
  2. Little-known but charming medieval fortress of Mere eight stories high, perched on a picturesque hillside.
  3. On the banks of two Aragvi.
  4. Turkish snails meditate.
  5. The 23rd bureau of the construction company China Railway Group. The Middle Kingdom is actively working to improve Georgian infrastructure.
  6. The town of Kanobi.
  7. A little off the Military Road there’s the village of Sno, with the impregnable 16th-century Gudushauri Fortress.
  8. Clippety-clop.
  9. Vakhtang Gorgasali, the founder of Tiflis.
  10. Caucasus frogs are busy.
  11. Incredible stone heads by Merab Piranashvili (Christ and Georgian poets) just steps from the fortress.
  12. The final destination of the long journey is the townlet of Stepantsminda at the foot of Mount Kazbek.
  13. Some water would be nice.
  14. For a short drive to Gergeti Trinity Church, local rip-off artists ask more than a taxi driver would charge for a 6-hour round trip from Tbilisi.
  15. In good weather, the views are quite impressive, but you can never tell in advance.
  16. I was a little luckier on the way back with the Friendship Arch, whose main advantage is its well-chosen location and 2,384 m altitude.
  17. Up close, it’s quite monstrous, like almost all the works of the gigantomaniac Tsereteli. The mosaic frescoes, however, weren’t created by him.
  18. But what views it offers, wow!
  19. What spaces!
  20. What gorges!
  21. Under the arch, there are cosy nooks where one can calmly enjoy the majesty of nature while tourists at the top take selfies.
  22. And if you fancy a snowmobile ride in April, don’t deny yourself anything.
  23. The Gudauri Tunnel has been under construction by Chinese since 2021 and promises to one day solve the problem of days-long traffic jams.
  24. A love heart to the heroic workers.
  25. The Aranuri Castle long served as a stronghold for the Aragvi eristavis, and from the 19th century, for Russian troops. There’re three churches here.
  26. Interior of the Round Tower. The ceilings have long since collapsed, and the geometry is questionable, but the view is amazing.
  27. The fortress’s bell tower overlooks the shallow part of the Zhinvali Reservoir.
  28. Mexican standoff.
  29. A memorial to the 300 Aragvians who heroically fell in battle with the Persians so that king Heraclius II could heroically bail.
  30. Rose Revolution at Freedom Square station.