In many capitals of the world there are places where every tourist just needs to visit. They perfectly combine local flavor, really meet the echoes of the past and even find amazing, almost rare things. These are small and simply huge open-air museums where you can really buy anything. There are those in the capital of Georgia. In this case, we will talk about the “flea” market on the “Dry Bridge” in Tbilisi.
Brief historical background about the market
This unique market has its own history. It begins in early 1881. At that time, the legendary Dry Bridge was designed and built, on which the market itself subsequently arose.
Initially, the “Dry Bridge” in Tbilisi was conceived as a kind of crossing, helping local residents to get over from one bank of the Kura River to the side of Madatovsky Island. By the way, this piece of land once belonged to the princely family of Orbeliani.
Closer to 1933, the river flowing at the bottom of the structure was forced to drain. Instead of a reservoir at the bottom, they decided to lay asphalt and make a roadway in order to at least slightly relieve the city from vehicles. And after that, the building was called "Dry." There are many different bridges in the capital, but there is only one Sukhoi.
Who built the Tbilisi bridge?
The design and construction of the Dry Bridge in Tbilisi was undertaken by the famous Italian engineer Giovanni Skudieri. Together with Count Mikhail Vorontsov, he took an active part in the construction and controlled the project at all stages of its implementation.
In addition to the bridge, the talented Skudieri owns the construction of a military cathedral on the modern Rustaveli Avenue, the Tiflis Opera. However, up to now only the Dry Bridge has been perfectly preserved. The remaining creations of the engineer were destroyed to the ground.
The emergence of the "people's market"
The “flea market” on the “Dry Bridge” in Tbilisi arose in the early 90's. This period coincided with the development of commerce and the formation of Georgian independence. These were hard times. Everyone survived as he could. Therefore, many locals came here with the most valuable household utensils and hoped to earn some money for themselves and their families.
However, when difficult times sunk into oblivion, many residents returned to their immediate duties. Others, however, chose to stay here and expand their trade, attracting the attention of curious tourists and other souvenir hunters.
Modern flea market in the open air
Today, the market on the Dry Bridge in Tbilisi is a huge trading platform. Over time, the number of merchants and goods increased significantly. Moreover, there was a place for both true artisans who create various products with their own hands, and collectors who collect objects with Soviet themes.
According to local residents, the contingent among local sellers is very diverse. For example, on the bridge you can see real Georgian artists selling their miraculous creations. By the way, some of them will be happy to paint your portrait. They will do this promptly and in a non-standard manner. Of course, any whim for a separate reward.
There is still a place for ordinary people who want to sell their things at the popular city "flea market". The Dry Bridge in Tbilisi will gladly shelter traders in handicrafts, utensils and other goods.
Everything is debugged and put on stream
According to locals, only from afar it seems that the market is chaotic. Perfect order reigns here. Everything is debugged and put on stream. So, in addition to the masters themselves, artists and other creative personalities, there are ordinary sellers here.
In the average markets they are called "distributors." For those who are not in the know, they are not direct producers or owners of the goods. They just sell it, getting a certain percentage for it. It is interesting that many suppliers, for example, ceramic and clay products, have several such distributors at once. Such points are scattered throughout the market, which increases the likelihood and effectiveness of sales.
Entering the “Dry Bridge” in Tbilisi, one can notice the incredible scale of the assortment and layout of various goods. But don’t even think that traders wear all their values ​​themselves. Of course, there are such craftsmen. But most often, sales masters have their own movers. It is they who take out and take out things, sorting them into each place separately.
No stalls or counters
On the Dry Bridge, everything is simple. Merchants do not bother too much and lay out their goods directly on the ground. Therefore, on the paving slabs and even on the curbs, pyramids and garlands from a wide variety of types of products arise every now and then.
Sometimes a kind of hastily opened blanket or blanket serves as a kind of showcase. True, each seller lays out their products at a certain distance from each other. Therefore, tourists, collectors, just onlookers and other people can easily and easily walk between them. Some entrepreneurial sellers deploy trade directly from the trunk of their cars.
What to get in the market?
The “flea market” on the bridge is one of the most famous markets in the city and one of the most popular places for tourists. This is because here you can find almost everything your heart desires. The market itself begins long before entering the bridge. He welcomes guests with his windows of small souvenir shops and antique shops.
In the "flea market" you can find a lot of exclusive goods and rare things. The most common here are:
- Books in Russian and Georgian (some of them are very old and have not been published for a long time).
- Pottery and china items.
- Vinyl records.
- Badges, flags, emblems with Soviet symbols.
- Pictures, panels, icons.
- Medals, coins, stamps, cards.
- Georgian national souvenirs.
- Gramophone players.
- Cameras
All this and much more is quite possible to get on the "Dry Bridge" in Tbilisi. Market hours: 9:00 a.m. and until 5:00 p.m. It is open to all comers on weekdays. Admission is free. However, it is best to visit the market all the same on the weekend. At this time, the “flea market” and the choice is greater, and there are many people. There are chances to bargain successfully.
How to get to the “Dry bridge” in Tbilisi?
You can get to the market from anywhere in the city. For example, to make it real on an ordinary taxi. To do this, it is enough to name the final destination and the network in the car.
The second option is to go to the "flea market" using public transport. If you go from the city center, you should pay attention to the buses under the numbers: 20, 23 and 95. And, finally, the third option is to take the metro to the station called Victory Square. According to local residents, it’s just a 10-minute walk to the market.
In a word, no matter what route you choose, you can easily find the legendary bridge.