The Chain Bridge is the oldest bridge in Kutaisi across the Rioni River. Over the centuries it was known as the "Royal Bridge" and the "Stone Bridge", and earlier as "Archieli", after the nearby hill where traces of ancient settlements were found. By one account, the earliest Kutaisi stood there.
The current piers date to the 1870s, while the chains that gave the bridge its modern name were added back in the 1850s. Today it is a road bridge: it links the banks of the Rioni and leads toward the old town and the climb to the Bagrati hill.
📜 History and facts
- The oldest bridge in Kutaisi over the Rioni
- Historic names: the Royal, the Stone and Archieli bridge
- The current piers date to the 1870s
- The chains that gave its name appeared back in the 1850s
🧭 Where it is and how to get there
- Links the banks of the Rioni in the old part of the city
- Leads toward the climb to the Bagrati hill
- A handy starting point for a walk through old Kutaisi
📸 What to see and photograph
- The Rioni channel and the old-town panorama
- Wooden houses on the banks
- Neighboring bridges over the Rioni
