Zestafoni: history, sights and housing

History and character

Zestafoni is first mentioned in the 1550s–1570s; the name is tied to a ford on the Kvirila ("zeda poni", the upper ford). The railway shaped it: a station opened in 1872 with the Poti–Tbilisi line (ka.wikipedia). The town then grew around its ferroalloy plant, built from 1931, with the first casting on 30 October 1933.

Two kilometres east stands the ancient Shorapani fortress, linked by legend to the Argonauts. The writer Boris Akunin comes from here, and the psychologist Dimitri Uznadze was born in the village of Sakara.

What to see

Sights are modest.

• Shorapani fortress: a view over town; excavation finds are in the museum.
• Local lore museum: founded in 1968, over 8,500 items, including a 12th-century mail shirt (Georgia Travel).
• Irine's Park: laid out in the early 20th century by the French architect Albert Jean, renovated in 2010–2011.
• Churches at Zeda Sakara (11th century) and Tabakini (6th century) nearby.
• The U. Chkheidze drama theatre in the centre.

Life and economy

The plant processes manganese ore from Chiatura and is described as Georgia's largest ferroalloy plant. It stopped in late 2024 on falling world prices and an ore shortage; Interfax reported on 20 March 2025 that one furnace had run since 1 March at 50–60% capacity. A cable plant and wineries also operate.

Zestafoni is a transport hub: a station on the Samtredia–Tbilisi line, a branch to Sachkhere and the S1 highway. Tbilisi is 180–197 km away (sources differ). Rainfall is about 1,260 mm a year (1991–2020 normals, en.wikipedia).

Housing: what is known and what is not

There are no public data on housing prices in Zestafoni: we found neither statistics nor reliable reviews. Rely on listings and a local agent. This is a working town: housing follows plant jobs, not tourism.

• Distance from the plot to the industrial zone and railway.
• Gas, water, sewage, roof and heating.
• 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): Zestaponi (Geostat 2024 population, climate, plant) · Wikipedia (ru): Zestafoni · Wikipedia (ka): Zestafoni · Georgia Travel: Zestaponi Museum of Local Lore · Georgia Travel: Irine's Park · History of Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant (company website) · Interfax: Zestaponi plant resumes production, 20 March 2025

Other Cities

Before you buy

Rules that apply across Georgia, whichever city you pick: