Tkibuli: history, sights and housing

History and character

The name Tkibuli appears in a source from 1259–1293. A coal deposit was found in 1825, mining began in 1846 and the Kutaisi–Tkibuli railway was built in 1887. The town was formed on 20 September 1939 by merging a village and a settlement (ka.wikipedia).

Output peaked in the 1950s and the population reached 23,153 in 1970. After the Soviet collapse mining nearly stopped; two mines reopened in 2006 (other sources say 2008). A series of fatal accidents in 2017–2018 led to a halt in late 2018, and mining resumed in 2019.

What to see

Most sights are natural and lie outside the town.

• Tkibuli Reservoir: fishing, picnics and camping (Kutaisi Travel).
• Mukhura waterfall and the Tskaltsitela valley: hiking routes (Georgia Travel).
• Tsutskhvati Cave: thirteen levels, a nature preserve since 1974 (regional administration).
• The Nine Crosses (St George) church at 1,570 m, with only parts of its walls left.
• Gelati (UNESCO) and Motsameta monasteries near Kutaisi, which the regional administration places in Tkibuli municipality.

Life and economy

Coal is the main industry: en.wikipedia estimates the mines are the only income for about 2,000 people and their families. The district also grows tea and maize; hydropower plants are nearby.

Kutaisi is about 50 minutes away and Tbilisi about 3 h 10 min (Georgia Travel); Tkibuli is the end of the Kutaisi–Tkibuli rail line. Rain is heavy: about 2,140 mm a year (ka.wikipedia).

Housing: what is known and what is not

There are no public data on housing prices in Tkibuli: we found neither statistics nor reliable reviews. Rely on listings and a local agent. Demand is probably tied to mining jobs, which stopped and restarted in 2006–2019. The population fell from 23,000 in 1970 to 8,000 in 2024.

• Whether old mine workings are nearby, and the plot's slope and drainage.
• Signs of damp and the state of the roof.
• The plot's status in the public register and the seller's documents; the buying process and taxes are covered on the pages "How buying works" and "Property taxes".

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: Wikipedia (en): Tkibuli (Geostat 2024 population, mines) · Wikipedia (ka): Tkibuli · Wikipedia (ru): Tkibuli · Imereti Regional Administration: Tkibuli Municipality · Georgia Travel: Tkibuli · Kutaisi Travel: Tkibuli Reservoir

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