Stop right there and look up! Meet Kartlis Deda-known to the locals as the Mother of Georgians. She’s twenty meters tall, made of aluminum, and quite literally keeping a close eye on the whole city from Sololaki Hill. Picture 1958: Tbilisi’s throwing a massive 1,500th birthday bash, and they decide, “Hey, let’s build a giant mom on the hill!” Originally, she was a wooden party decoration, but, like any mom with a good hairdo, she was just too fabulous to take down. So, they gave her a shiny aluminum outfit in the sixties and replaced her with an upgrade in the nineties.
Her two hands say it all-wine bowl on the left, to welcome friends; sword on the right, for enemies who might get too cheeky. The sculptor, Elguja Amashukeli, scored a big state prize in 1966 for this. It’s a bit like your grandma-she’ll feed you first, then smack you if you act out. That’s Tbilisi’s spirit in a nutshell.
When you’re ready for more sweeping views and dramatic tales, head east for about eight minutes to reach Narikala. Let’s keep going!
