Mother of Georgia (Kartlis Deda)

Mother of Georgia, known in Georgian as Kartlis Deda, is a 20-metre aluminium statue standing on Sololaki Ridge above Old Tbilisi, Georgia. Sculpted by Elguja Amashukeli and erected in 1958 to mark the city's 1,500th anniversary, it depicts a woman in traditional Georgian dress holding a bowl of wine in her left hand for friends and a sword in her right for enemies, a compact symbol of the national character of hospitality and defence. The statue replaced an earlier wooden figure and has become one of the defining emblems of Tbilisi. The monument is an outdoor site open 24 hours with free entry. Visitors reach it by walking about 10 minutes along the ridge path from Narikala Fortress, or by climbing steep stepped lanes from Betlemi Street in around 20 minutes. There is little to do at the monument beyond looking at the statue, which is best seen from the small terrace at its base, but the setting is the main draw. From the ridge, the view stretches over the old town rooftops, the Mtkvari River, the Sioni Cathedral and the Bridge of Peace, and on clear days the hills beyond the city. A visit takes around 30 minutes, longer if combined with Narikala and the botanical garden. Late afternoon offers warm light for photographs of the city, while evening visits show the statue lit against the sky. The walk is quietest early in the morning and on weekdays, whereas sunset and weekends bring more visitors along the ridge path. Facilities are minimal: there are no ticket offices, and drinks are best bought at the cable car area or in town beforehand. Wind can pick up on the ridge, so a light layer is useful outside summer. The path is mostly paved but includes slopes and steps, and some sections run close to drop-offs, so children need supervision.