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Narikala Fortress, Tbilisi

The stone walls and towers of Narikala Fortress on a ridge above Old Tbilisi, with the domed St Nicholas Church inside the walls
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — no tickets or booking
Hours
Every day, open access
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Cable car fare
2.5 GEL one way
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Cable car hours
From 10:00; until 22:00 from 1 November, until midnight in summer
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Paying for the cable car
Metromoney card (2 GEL deposit), sold at the lower station
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
On foot
15–20 min uphill from Meidan Square
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Where
Sololaki ridge above the Old Town, between the sulphur baths and the Botanical Garden
Time needed
About 1 hour, more with the Mother of Georgia
Coordinates
41.68778, 44.80861YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

4th centuryfirst written records of the fortress — it is older than Tbilisi as a capital
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaNational Encyclopedia of Georgia
Freeentry to the fortress and the church, no tickets
2 sourcesTonkostiSputnik8
2 minutesby cable car from Rike Park
2 sourcesSputnik8Kupibilet
Shuris-tsikhethe fortress's original Georgian name
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaNational Encyclopedia of GeorgiaTonkosti
Narin Qala“little fortress” — the Mongol name that became Narikala
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
1827an explosion of stored gunpowder wrecked almost every building (English Wikipedia says an earthquake)
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaTonkostiNational Encyclopedia of Georgia — explosion, no year
1996–1997St Nicholas Church rebuilt on its old foundations
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaNational Encyclopedia of Georgia
David the Builderexpanded and strengthened the fortress
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaNational Encyclopedia of Georgia
16th–17th c.when most of the surviving walls were built
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaNational Encyclopedia of Georgia
2 walled sectionsan upper and a lower fortress
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaNational Encyclopedia of Georgia
20 mthe height of the Mother of Georgia statue on the same ridge
2 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia: Kartlis DedaTonkosti

Is Narikala Fortress free?

Yes. There is no ticket office and no booking: you walk in through the gate, and the church inside is free too. The only thing you pay for is the cable car from Rike Park — 2.5 GEL each way on the Tbilisi Transport Company tariff.

Don't expect a museum. Narikala is a ruin with rebuilt walls, a working church and a huge view. That view is the point: the brick domes of the sulphur baths below, the Mtkvari River, Metekhi Church on its cliff, the glass Bridge of Peace and, beyond, Sameba Cathedral and the TV tower on Mtatsminda.

How to get to Narikala Fortress

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On foot

More tips

  1. Walk up from Meidan (Gorgasali) Square: head past the Armenian Cathedral of St George (Surb Gevorg) and follow the lanes and stairs up to St Nicholas Church — 15–20 minutes, steep but paved.
  2. Or take the cable car: from Meidan cross the river by Metekhi Bridge or the Bridge of Peace into Rike Park — 7–10 minutes. The lower station is in the park; the ride takes about 2 minutes.
  3. From the upper station, walk along the ridge to the fortress gate. The Mother of Georgia is a few minutes the other way.
  4. By metro: Liberty Square (Tavisuplebis Moedani) is a 10-minute walk down to Meidan; Avlabari is about 10 minutes down to Rike Park and the cable car. From the airport, bus 337 runs to Liberty Square.
  5. Coming back, walk down to the Abanotubani baths in 10–15 minutes, or book a Bolt ride from Meidan.

Narikala cable car: price, hours and how to pay

The cable car runs from Rike Park on the east bank of the Mtkvari, over the river and the Old Town rooftops, to the ridge beside the fortress. A one-way ride is 2.5 GEL, and it is not included in the 90-minute fare that covers the metro and buses.

Pay with a Metromoney card: the ticket desk at the lower station and metro stations sell it for a refundable 2 GEL deposit, and you top it up with cash or a card. Some guides say contactless bank cards now work at the gate too, others say they don't — buy Metromoney and you won't be stuck. In Georgia, contactless Visa and Mastercard work on the metro and buses and in most cafés; carry some lari in cash for small shops and kiosks.

The cable car opens at 10:00. Tbilisi City Hall announced last autumn that from 1 November it closes at 22:00 instead of midnight, with summer hours back to midnight. No notice has been published for this season, so treat those times as unofficial. The queue is longest just before sunset — go up early and come down on foot.

Is Narikala Fortress worth it?

For a first visit to Tbilisi, yes. In one free hour you see how the whole Old Town fits together — baths, river, churches, balconies — and it makes the rest of your walk easier to read. Go up in the late afternoon and stay for sunset: the sun drops behind you towards Mtatsminda and lights the city in front of you.

If the climb puts you off, ride the cable car up and back — the view from the cabin is nearly as good. If you only have a single evening and want the highest panorama, Mtatsminda is higher, but it takes a separate trip; Narikala is in the centre and needs no planning.

What to see at Narikala

  • St Nicholas Church — a working church inside the walls, rebuilt in 1996–1997 on 12th–13th-century foundations, with murals of Bible scenes and Georgian history.
  • The upper walls and towers — the classic view over the Old Town, the river and Avlabari on the far bank.
  • The Mother of Georgia (Kartlis Deda) — a 20-metre aluminium statue from 1958 by Elguja Amashukeli, a few minutes along the ridge. She holds a bowl of wine for friends and a sword for enemies.
  • The sulphur bath domes of Abanotubani right under the walls, with the mosque and the waterfall gorge behind.
  • The National Botanical Garden in the valley on the other side of the ridge — separate entrance and ticket, worth its own hour.

A short history

The fortress first appears in written records in the 4th century AD as Shuris-tsikhe, before Tbilisi became Georgia's capital. Persians, Byzantines, Arab emirs and Ottomans all held it at some point. David the Builder won Tbilisi back for the Georgian kings in the early 12th century and expanded the defences.

The Mongols called it Narin Qala, “little fortress”, and the name stuck. Most of what survives dates from the 16th and 17th centuries, when the city was ruled under Persian control; a wall built under King Rostom split the citadel into upper and lower sections.

After Georgia was annexed by the Russian Empire, the fortress lost its military role. In 1827 stored gunpowder exploded and destroyed almost every building, including the old St Nicholas Church — English Wikipedia blames an earthquake, other references the gunpowder. Excavations and restoration followed from the 1960s to the 1980s, and the church was rebuilt in the 1990s.

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Narikala vs Mtatsminda vs Sameba for views

Narikalayou are here4th-century fortress above the Old TownOld Town, baths and river up closeFree; cable car 2.5 GELAbout 1 hWalk from Meidan or cable car from Rike Park
MtatsmindaPark on the mountain above the cityAll of Tbilisi from the highest pointPark free; funicular and rides extra2–3 hFunicular or taxi
SamebaGeorgia's main cathedral on a hillThe cathedral itself and AvlabariFreeAbout 40 minWalk from Avlabari metro

One evening? Make it Narikala — central, free, and you can see the other two from the walls. Save Mtatsminda for another night and pass Sameba on your way through Avlabari.

Tbilisi viewpoints compared

Tbilisi's best viewpoints, rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Bridge of Peace6420 minFree11 min walk
Rike Park6145 minFree10 min walk
Narikala Fortressyou are here601 hFree—
Abanotubani Sulphur Baths571 h 30 minPrivate room ≈ 50–250 GEL/hour4 min walk
Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba)5240 minFree22 min walk
Chronicle of Georgia481 hFree9.2 km
Mtatsminda Park462 h 30 minFree entry, funicular ≈ 10–12 GEL38 min walk
Open Air Museum of Ethnography292 h≈ 20 GEL (unofficial)5.6 km

Old Tbilisi in half a day

Up by cable car, down on foot to the sulphur baths, then along the river to the Bridge of Peace — no taxis and hardly any climbing. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Rike Park45 min · Free; cable car 2.5 GEL
  2. 10 min walk from the previous stopNarikala Fortressyou are here1 h · Free; cable car 2.5 GEL
  3. 4 min walk from the previous stopAbanotubani Sulphur Baths1 h 30 min · Private room ≈ 50–250 GEL/hour
  4. 12 min walk from the previous stopBridge of Peace20 min · Free

4 places · about 4 h 1 min with walks · 26 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Abanotubani Sulphur Baths

Tbilisi, Georgia

1 h 30 min · Private room ≈ 50–250 GEL/hour · 4 min walk

Rike Park

Tbilisi, Georgia

45 min · Free; cable car 2.5 GEL · 10 min walk

Bridge of Peace

Tbilisi, Georgia

20 min · Free · 11 min walk

How to do it right

  • Ride the cable car up and walk down to Abanotubani — less climbing and no second queue.
  • Arrive an hour before sunset to see the walls in daylight and the city lights coming on.
  • Buy your Metromoney card at the lower station — it also works on the metro and buses.
  • The Botanical Garden below needs its own hour and ticket; its entrance is on the baths side.
  • Not up for the climb? A return cable car ride gives you almost the same view.

Questions

Is Narikala Fortress free to visit?

Yes. Entry to the fortress and St Nicholas Church is free, with no tickets or booking. Only the cable car is paid — 2.5 GEL each way.

What are Narikala Fortress opening hours?

The fortress is open every day with free access. The cable car runs from 10:00; City Hall's winter schedule closes it at 22:00 from 1 November, and in summer it runs until midnight.

How do I get to Narikala Fortress?

Walk 15–20 minutes uphill from Meidan Square past the Armenian Cathedral of St George, or take the cable car from Rike Park — about 2 minutes. Liberty Square and Avlabari are the nearest metro stations.

How much is the Narikala cable car and how do I pay?

2.5 GEL one way. Pay with a Metromoney card, sold at the lower station in Rike Park for a 2 GEL refundable deposit; bank cards may not work at the gate.

Can you walk up to Narikala Fortress?

Yes — it's 15–20 minutes from Meidan Square on steep but paved lanes and stairs. Many people ride up and walk down to the sulphur baths instead.

Is Narikala Fortress worth it?

Yes, especially on a first visit and at sunset: it's free, central and gives the best close-up view of the Old Town. Expect ruins and a church, not a museum.

How long do you need at Narikala?

About an hour for the walls, church and views; 1.5–2 hours with the Mother of Georgia and the walk down to Abanotubani.

Is Narikala good at night?

The walls are floodlit and the view of the lit Bridge of Peace is excellent, but paths are uneven — use the lit road down and check the cable car's closing time.

How far is the Mother of Georgia from Narikala?

A few minutes' walk along the same Sololaki ridge, on the other side of the upper cable car station from the fortress.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • English Wikipedia: Narikala; Kartlis Deda
  • Russian Wikipedia: Narikala
  • Wikidata Q155453
  • National Encyclopedia of Georgia: Tbilisi Fortress (Narikala)
  • Tbilisi Transport Company: standard tariff, Rike–Narikala ropeway
  • Tbilisi City Hall via 1TV and Georgia Today: cable car winter schedule
  • Madloba: Tbilisi public transport fares and payment
  • Tonkosti and Sputnik8: Narikala Fortress
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedThe fortress has no official page; every reference agrees entry is free. Its hours are marked as checking: most sources describe open access at any time, while Sputnik8 lists 8:00–20:00. The cable car fare comes from the Tbilisi Transport Company tariff page. Cable car hours are from City Hall's announcement last autumn; nothing new has been published for this season. Payment sources disagree — most say Metromoney only, one says contactless bank cards work — so we recommend Metromoney. The cause of the 1827 destruction differs: Russian Wikipedia and Tonkosti say a gunpowder explosion, the National Encyclopedia of Georgia an explosion without a year, English Wikipedia an earthquake; we show both. Sources translate “Shuris-tsikhe” differently, so we don't translate it.

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