# White Bridge, Kutaisi > The White Bridge (Tetri Khidi) is a 19th-century footbridge over the Rioni in Kutaisi’s old town, a 5–7 minute walk from the Colchis Fountain. It’s free and open 24/7. Give it 15–20 minutes for the bronze “Picasso boy” on the railing, the glass panels and the rocky riverbed. Not worth a special trip — it’s a stop on your walk through the centre. Web page: https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/kutaisi-white-bridge - City: [Kutaisi](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi), Georgia - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 20 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Hours: 24/7 — it’s an open pedestrian street - Time needed: 15–20 minutes, up to 30 with the riverside - Address: Joseb Grishashvili Street, Old Town - From the Colchis Fountain: 5–7 min on foot via Pushkin Street - Traffic: Pedestrians only - Cable car nearby: Lower station by the bridge; unofficially 12:00–20:00 - Paying nearby: Most cafés take Visa and Mastercard; keep a few lari in cash for small purchases - Coordinates: 42.26873, 42.70039 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **1872** — the current iron bridge opened, replacing a ruined predecessor (source: Eurasia.travel; Madloba; Georgia.travel — Georgian National Tourism Administration) - **2019** — renovation: a new deck with some glass panels over the river (source: Georgia.travel; Madloba) - **An Unusual Exhibition** — Eldar Shengelaia’s 1968 film — the bronze boy on the railing is one of its characters (source: Georgia.travel; Eurasia.travel; Madloba) - **1850–1852** — the first bridge on the site, designed by military engineer Witte (source: Eurasia.travel; Madloba; kutaisi.travel (gives 1850)) - **1860** — the first bridge was destroyed (source: Eurasia.travel; Madloba; Georgia.to) - **3 spans** — on stone piers (source: Eurasia.travel; Madloba) - **Tetri Khidi** — the Georgian name — literally “white bridge” (source: OpenStreetMap; kutaisi.travel) - **Poetry** — lines by Georgian poets are engraved on the deck plates, in Georgian script only (source: Georgia.travel; Madloba) - **Pedestrian** — no cars on the bridge (source: Madloba; OpenStreetMap) - **Rioni** — Kutaisi’s main river, crossed here in the old town (source: Georgia.travel; Eurasia.travel) ## Is the White Bridge worth visiting? **Yes, as part of a walk — not as a destination.** The bridge is free, always open and sits between the Colchis Fountain and the river, so you’ll likely cross it anyway. Slow down for 15 minutes: the bronze boy with two hats, the glass panels in the deck and the view down the rocky Rioni are the point. If you only have a day in Kutaisi, put [Bagrati Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/bagrati-cathedral) and [Gelati Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/gelati-monastery) first. The White Bridge is the pleasant five-minute detour that makes the old town feel like a river town. > **Don’t jump off the bridge** Leaping into the Rioni from the White Bridge is a local joke-tradition — a “Kutaisi baptism” — and the bronze boy celebrates it. Don’t try it: the current and depth are unpredictable, especially during the spring floods, and there are rocks below. Sit next to the boy for a photo instead. ## Who is the Picasso boy statue? It’s a **bronze boy sitting on the railing, holding two hats**. Locals call him the Picasso boy, but he has nothing to do with the painter — it’s just a nickname. He comes from Eldar Shengelaia’s 1968 Georgian film **An Unusual Exhibition**, in which a boy grabs two hats and jumps from the bridge into the Rioni. The sculpture nods to the old habit of jumping from here as a rite of passage for true Kutaisians. He faces the river, and he’s the most photographed spot on the bridge. In the daytime there can be a short queue for photos; it moves quickly. ## White Bridge history The first bridge here was built in **1850–1852** to a design by military engineer Witte and destroyed in 1860. Its iron replacement was started in 1870 and opened in **1872**; the metal parts were ordered from abroad — from France, according to the Georgian National Tourism Administration. The railings were painted white, and the name stuck. The nearby Red Bridge got its name the same way. A full renovation in **2019** gave the bridge a new deck of metal plates, some of them replaced with glass, and engraved lines of Georgian poetry into the metal. The text is in Georgian only — beautiful script even if you can’t read it. ## What to see on and around the bridge - **The Picasso boy** on the railing — shoot from the side so the riverbed is behind him. - **The glass panels** in the deck: stand on one and look down at the rocks and fast water. - Georgian poetry engraved on the deck plates — the alphabet alone is worth a look. - Old houses with wooden balconies hanging over the Rioni, upstream and down. - The lower station of the **Kutaisi cable car** right by the bridge — gondolas climb to a hilltop park with city views. - The Red Bridge and the Chain Bridge — 5–10 minutes along the river; all three take about an hour. - The [Colchis Fountain](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/colchis-fountain) on the main square, where most walks start. ## How to get to the White Bridge from the Colchis Fountain 1. Start at the Colchis Fountain on David the Builder Square — city minibuses and taxis stop here, and the airport shuttle drops you a few minutes’ walk away. 2. Walk down **Pushkin Street** towards the river — about 5 minutes. 3. The street brings you to the Rioni: white railings ahead, the cable car’s lower station at the end of the bridge. 4. Walk to the middle of the bridge to find the bronze boy — 5–7 minutes from the fountain in total. 5. Head back along the river to the Red Bridge, or call a car with Bolt, the ride-hailing app that works in Kutaisi. ## White Bridge at night or by day? **Evening is best.** After sunset the bridge is lit up, the riverside glows, the heat goes and the crowd around the boy thins out. By day you see the riverbed clearly through the glass panels — so if you pass twice, look both times. In spring the Rioni runs high, muddy and loud under the bridge. In late summer the water drops and the rocky bed shows — a different but equally photogenic scene. ## Kutaisi bridges: White, Red, Chain or Rustaveli | | White | Red | Chain | Rustaveli | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | 1872 iron footbridge | 19th-century iron bridge | Old crossing on stone piers | Modern road bridge | | Who uses it | Pedestrians only | Pedestrians and cars | Pedestrians | Pedestrians and cars | | Why go | Picasso boy, glass deck | Red railings | Chains and old piers | View of the White Bridge | | Time needed | 15–20 min | 5 min | 5–10 min | 5 min | If you’ll see one bridge, make it the White. The three old ones — White, Red and Chain — make an easy one-hour riverside loop. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Going in the evening for the lights - [ ] Shoes with grip — metal and glass are slippery after rain - [ ] A few lari in cash for coffee and the cable car - [ ] Half an hour for the bridge and riverside - [ ] Kids held by the hand near the railing ## Kutaisi viewpoints compared Kutaisi places with the best views, rated by YesGo. - [White Bridge](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/kutaisi-white-bridge) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free - [Bagrati Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/bagrati-cathedral) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free - [Motsameta Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/motsameta-monastery) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free - [Gelati Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/gelati-monastery) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Sataplia Nature Reserve](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/sataplia) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 30 GEL, under-6s free - [Martvili Canyon](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/martvili-canyon) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Entry 40 GEL, boat ≈ 20 GEL - [Kinchkha Waterfall](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/kinchkha-waterfall) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 20 GEL for foreign visitors - [Okatse Canyon](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/okatse-canyon) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · 30 GEL for foreign visitors ## Central Kutaisi in half a day The fountain on the main square, the White Bridge over the Rioni and Bagrati Cathedral on its hill. 1. [Colchis Fountain](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/colchis-fountain) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free 2. [White Bridge](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/kutaisi-white-bridge) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free 3. [Bagrati Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/bagrati-cathedral) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free ## Good to know On maps the bridge may appear under its Georgian name, Tetri Khidi, or simply as part of Grishashvili Street. The Picasso boy is also tagged separately on most maps — searching for him is the fastest way to find the middle of the bridge. ## Tips - Start at the Colchis Fountain: the bridge is 5–7 minutes away, and the Red Bridge is a short riverside walk beyond. - Come after sunset — the lights are on and the boy has fewer visitors. - Stand on a glass panel and look down; kids love it, but keep a hand on them near the railing. - The cable car’s lower station is right by the bridge if you want a view of the old town from above. - Pair the bridge with Bagrati Cathedral for an easy half-day in the centre. ## Questions ### Where is the White Bridge in Kutaisi? In the old town, over the Rioni, on Joseb Grishashvili Street — a 5–7 minute walk from the Colchis Fountain via Pushkin Street. ### Is the White Bridge free? Yes. It’s an open pedestrian street — no ticket, no gate. ### What are the White Bridge opening hours? It’s open 24/7, every day. In the evening it’s lit up. ### What is the Picasso boy statue? A bronze boy holding two hats, sitting on the railing. He’s a character from Eldar Shengelaia’s 1968 film An Unusual Exhibition, who jumps from the bridge into the Rioni. The Picasso name is only a nickname. ### When was the White Bridge built? The current bridge opened in 1872. An earlier bridge stood here from 1852 until it was destroyed in 1860. It was renovated in 2019, when the glass panels were added. ### Does the White Bridge have a glass floor? Partly: some of the deck plates were replaced with glass in the 2019 renovation, so you can see the river below. ### Is the White Bridge worth it at night? Yes — it’s lit up, cooler and quieter. Daytime is better for seeing the riverbed through the glass. ### How long do you need at the White Bridge? 15–20 minutes for the bridge and photos; up to half an hour if you walk on to the Red Bridge. ### How do I get to the White Bridge from Kutaisi Airport? Take the airport shuttle bus or a taxi to the centre near the Colchis Fountain, then walk 5–7 minutes. ## How we checked There is no official page with hours: the bridge is an open pedestrian street, free and open 24/7, as every guide agrees. Dates and the renovation are checked against at least two sources. Sources differ: kutaisi.travel says the bridge was built in 1850 and painted white in 1860; the others say the first bridge of 1850–1852 was destroyed in 1860 and the current one opened in 1872. We show the first-bridge dates and the 1872 opening. The 2004 installation date for the boy sculpture appears in only one source, so we leave it out. The film is sometimes given as Don’t Grieve; three sources name An Unusual Exhibition. Cable car hours are unofficial and marked as being checked; we don’t quote its fare because sources disagree. Walking times are measured on OpenStreetMap. ## Sources - Georgian National Tourism Administration (Georgia.travel): The White Bridge - Kutaisi tourism portal kutaisi.travel: White Bridge - Eurasia.travel: White Bridge, Kutaisi; Cable Car, Kutaisi - Madloba: White Bridge in Kutaisi; Bridges of Kutaisi - Georgia.to: White Bridge - OpenStreetMap: streets of old Kutaisi; Wikidata Q42691138 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.