# Bridge of Peace, Tbilisi

> The Bridge of Peace is a glass-and-steel footbridge over the Mtkvari (Kura) River, linking Old Tbilisi with Rike Park. It is free and open 24/7, with no tickets. Crossing takes five minutes; allow 20 with photos. Come after dark, when thousands of LEDs ripple across the wavy canopy and Metekhi Church and Narikala Fortress glow above the river.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/bridge-of-peace

- City: [Tbilisi](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi), Georgia
- YesGo score: 64/100 (Yes, go)
- Time on site: 20 min
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entry: Free — no tickets or booking
- Hours: 24/7, every day
- Light show: From dusk until morning; four programmes rotate every hour
- Where: Between Erekle II Street in the Old Town and Rike Park
- Nearest metro: Avlabari or Liberty Square (Tavisuplebis Moedani), then a 10–12 min walk
- Time needed: About 20 minutes, longer at night
- Coordinates: 41.69361, 44.80833
- Facts checked: 30.10.2026

## Key facts

- **6 May 2010** — official opening (source: Wikidata Q27574; English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **Michele De Lucchi** — the Italian architect who designed it (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti)
- **150–156 m** — long — sources give different figures (source: English Wikipedia: 150 m; Russian Wikipedia, Wikidata and Orexca: 156 m)
- **Philippe Martinaud** — the French lighting designer behind the LED show (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti)
- **240 sensors** — light up the railings as people walk across (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti)
- **Morse code** — every hour the parapet lights spell out the periodic table (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti)
- **≈ 200 trucks** — carried the bridge in sections from Italy, where it was made (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **5 m** — wide walkway (source: Russian Wikipedia; Orexca)
- **Mtkvari (Kura)** — the river below, between the Baratashvili and Metekhi bridges (source: Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti)
- **Steel and glass** — a wavy canopy on a tubular steel frame (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Orexca)

## Is the Bridge of Peace worth visiting?

Yes — at night. By day it is a striking glass canopy you cross in five minutes on the way between the Old Town and [Rike Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/rike-park). After dark it becomes one of Tbilisi's best free shows: the canopy shimmers, the railings light up under your hands, and Metekhi Church and the walls of [Narikala Fortress](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/narikala-fortress) glow across the river.

Don't make a special daytime trip for it. Plan it as part of an evening walk instead — the bridge, the park and the cable car up to Narikala fit easily into two hours.

## Bridge of Peace light show: when and what to watch

- **When.** The LEDs come on around sunset and stay on through the night, according to encyclopaedias. There is no published timetable — just come once it's dark.
- **Four programmes.** Every hour the canopy cycles through waves rolling across the river, light gathering at the centre, the roofline tracing itself, and a star-like twinkle.
- **Lights that follow you.** 240 motion sensors in the railings switch on the lights next to you as you walk. It works best when the bridge is quiet.
- **A hidden message.** Once an hour, Morse code runs along the parapets, spelling out the elements of the periodic table — Martinaud's nod to “life and peace between people”.
- **The reflection.** The best view of the show is not from the bridge but from the embankment just downstream, where the glowing canopy mirrors in the water.

> **Time it with the cable car** Cross the bridge just after dusk, walk through Rike Park and ride the cable car up to Narikala. From the fortress walls you see the whole lit bridge curving over the river — the shot most people come to Tbilisi for. The cable car is paid separately; check fares and hours at the station.

## Where is the Bridge of Peace?

Right in the centre, on a bend of the Mtkvari. The west end meets **Erekle II Street**, the café lane by Sioni Cathedral in the Old Town. The east end drops into **Rike Park** on the Avlabari side.

Upstream is the Baratashvili Bridge; downstream is the Metekhi Bridge by Meidan Square and the [Abanotubani sulphur baths](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/abanotubani). You can walk on from Erekle II Street, the park paths or either riverside promenade. There's no street address — search “Bridge of Peace” in your map app.

## How to get to the Bridge of Peace

1. From Meidan (Gorgasali) Square, walk upstream along the river or through the Old Town lanes — 7–8 minutes.
2. By metro to Liberty Square (Tavisuplebis Moedani): walk down Kote Apkhazi Street to Erekle II Street and the bridge — 12–15 minutes.
3. Or take the metro to Avlabari on the other bank: walk down past Metekhi to Europe Square and Rike Park — about 10 minutes — and cross from the park side.
4. Metro and buses take contactless bank cards or a Metromoney card — no cash on board. From the airport, bus 337 runs to Liberty Square.
5. Heading back late? Bolt, the ride-hailing app, works across Tbilisi; meet your car on Erekle II Street or at Europe Square.

## A short history

Tbilisi City Hall commissioned the bridge to link the Old Town with the new district across the river; the idea, according to encyclopaedias, followed the August 2008 war — hence the name. Italian architect **Michele De Lucchi** designed it, and French lighting designer Philippe Martinaud created the light show. It was built in Italy, shipped in sections on around 200 trucks, assembled on site and opened on 6 May 2010.

The canopy is a mesh of steel tubes and glass that people compare to a shell or a wave. Sources give its length as 150 or 156 metres; the walkway is about five metres wide. Architects and opposition politicians criticised it for overshadowing the historic skyline — yet it soon became a symbol of modern Tbilisi.

## What you see from the bridge

- Downstream: **Metekhi Church** on its cliff and the equestrian statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, the city's founder.
- Above the Old Town: the walls of Narikala Fortress, with cable car cabins gliding up from Rike Park.
- On the hill behind the park: the glass-domed presidential palace and the two long white tubes of an unfinished concert hall.
- Upstream: the Baratashvili Bridge and old houses with wooden balconies on the cliff edge.
- At night: the TV tower on Mount Mtatsminda lit up on the skyline.

## Best photo spots

You can't fit the bridge in one frame while standing on it. For the classic shot, go **down to the embankment just downstream**: the glass wave, the park and the palace hill behind, plus the reflection after dark.

For the view from above, shoot from **Narikala or a cable car cabin** — the bridge reads as a pale arc across the city. And for the inside view, stand at one end early in the morning and frame the steel lattice converging down the empty walkway.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Going after sunset to catch the lights
- [ ] Contactless card or Metromoney for the metro
- [ ] Comfortable shoes — stairs and slopes on both ends
- [ ] Time for Rike Park and the cable car to Narikala
- [ ] Phone charged for night photos
- [ ] A light jacket — it gets breezy over the river

## Bridge of Peace vs Narikala vs Mtatsminda for Tbilisi at night

|  | Bridge of Peace | Narikala Fortress | Mtatsminda Park |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | Glass footbridge over the river | Fortress above the Old Town | Park on the mountain above the city |
| View | River, Metekhi and the fortress from below | The Old Town and the bridge from above | All of Tbilisi from the highest point |
| Cost | Free | Free; cable car extra | Park free; funicular and rides extra |
| Time needed | About 20 min | 1–1.5 h | 2–3 h |
| Getting there | Central, on foot | Uphill walk or cable car from Rike Park | Funicular or taxi |

One evening? Pair the bridge with Narikala — they're 15 minutes apart and you get the lights from below and above. Save Mtatsminda for another night.

## Tbilisi after dark compared

Tbilisi places that shine after sunset, rated by YesGo.

- [Bridge of Peace](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/bridge-of-peace) — YesGo score 64/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free
- [Rike Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/rike-park) — YesGo score 61/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free; cable car 2.5 GEL
- [Narikala Fortress](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/narikala-fortress) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free; cable car 2.5 GEL
- [Abanotubani Sulphur Baths](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/abanotubani) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Private room ≈ 50–250 GEL/hour
- [Mtatsminda Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/mtatsminda-park) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free entry, funicular ≈ 10–12 GEL
- [Rustaveli Avenue](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/rustaveli-avenue) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free, 24/7

## An evening in Old Tbilisi

Sulphur baths, the lit-up bridge, the riverside park and the fortress above — all on foot plus one cable car ride. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

1. [Abanotubani Sulphur Baths](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/abanotubani) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Private room ≈ 50–250 GEL/hour
2. [Bridge of Peace](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/bridge-of-peace) — YesGo score 64/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free
3. [Rike Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/rike-park) — YesGo score 61/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free; cable car 2.5 GEL
4. [Narikala Fortress](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/narikala-fortress) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free; cable car 2.5 GEL

## Not to be confused with

Other cities have a Peace Bridge too — Santiago Calatrava's footbridge in Calgary, the one in Derry, and the road bridge between Buffalo and Fort Erie. This page is about Tbilisi's bridge over the Mtkvari. Nearby “Dry Bridge” is not a bridge walk at all but a [flea market](https://yesgo.io/georgia/tbilisi/dry-bridge-market) in a riverside square.

## Tips

- Start at Abanotubani and walk upstream along the river — the lit canopy reveals itself as you go.
- After crossing, take the cable car up to Narikala for the full view of the bridge.
- Early morning is almost empty — the best time for the symmetrical shot down the walkway.
- Easy with kids: it's car-free, and Rike Park at the far end has playgrounds.
- Skip a dedicated daytime trip — just cross it on your way between the Old Town and the park.

## Questions

### Is the Bridge of Peace free?

Yes. There are no tickets or booking; the bridge is open 24 hours a day, every day.

### What time does the Bridge of Peace light up?

Once it gets dark, and the lights stay on until morning. There is no official timetable; encyclopaedias say the LEDs switch on around sunset, and the canopy programmes rotate every hour.

### How do I get to the Bridge of Peace?

On foot: 7–8 minutes from Meidan Square, 12–15 minutes from Liberty Square metro, or about 10 minutes from Avlabari metro via Rike Park.

### Is the Bridge of Peace worth it?

At night, definitely — the light show is free and pairs well with Rike Park and Narikala. By day it's worth crossing on your way, not a special trip.

### How long do you need at the Bridge of Peace?

Five minutes to cross, about 20 with photos. An evening with Rike Park and the cable car to Narikala takes 1.5–2 hours.

### Who designed the Bridge of Peace?

Italian architect Michele De Lucchi; the lighting is by French designer Philippe Martinaud. It was made in Italy and opened on 6 May 2010.

### Where is the cable car to Narikala?

Its lower station is in Rike Park, a short walk from the east end of the bridge. It's paid separately — check the fare at the station.

### What is the Morse code on the Bridge of Peace?

Once an hour, lights along the parapets flash Morse code spelling out the periodic table of elements, which the designer framed as a message of peace between people.

### Why is it called the Bridge of Peace?

According to encyclopaedias, the idea came after the August 2008 war, and the name stands for reconciliation and Georgia's path forward.

## How we checked

The bridge has no official page: every reference agrees it is free and open around the clock. Construction and lighting facts are checked against at least two sources. The length differs — English Wikipedia says 150 m; Russian Wikipedia, Wikidata and Orexca say 156 m — so we show both. LED counts vary wildly between sources (from 1,208 canopy fixtures to 30,000 diodes), so we don't quote one. The switch-on time is unofficial and marked as checking. Walking times are measured on the map.

## Sources

- English Wikipedia: Bridge of Peace
- Russian Wikipedia: Most Mira (Tbilisi)
- Wikidata Q27574 — opening date, length
- Tonkosti: Bridge of Peace — lighting, sensors, access
- Orexca: Bridge of Peace, Tbilisi
- Madloba: Tbilisi public transport fares and payment
- Tbilisi International Airport: bus 337

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