Tskhemlara Stone Arch Bridge

Bridges

Description

Location: Khelvachauri Municipality, Machakhela River Gorge.
34 km from Batumi.

History: The bridge was built in the Middle Ages. Restoration was carried out in 2012.

The bridge is built of quarried and fluted stone on a lime kiln. The right end of the bridge with an open semicircular arch is embedded in the rock, and the left end rests on a specially built pier. The length of the bridge from pier to pier is 19.6 m. The travel surface is 22 m. The height from the water level to the arch is 5.3 m. The bridge is built of quarried and fluted stone on a lime kiln. The surface is covered with stone slabs. Two rows of fluted stone were used in the construction of the side arches on both sides of the bridge. There is lime mortar between them. Over the centuries, some of the original stones on the upper second row of the side arch have been lost. In their place, relatively small stones of completely different sizes and shapes have been added, which changes the monument's original appearance.