Tskhrajvari: The Clifftop Shrine Above Nakerala Pass

Perched precipitously on the white limestone cliffs of the Nakerala Ridge at 1,560 meters, Tskhrajvari (translated as “Nine Crosses”) is one of Western Georgia’s most awe-inspiring clifftop viewpoints. Serving as the dramatic geographic threshold between the rolling lowlands of Imereti and the pristine alpine valleys of Racha, this windswept vantage point commands 360-degree vistas stretching from Lake Tkibuli all the way to the glaciated peaks of the Greater Caucasus.

The Legend of the Nine Sons and the Sacred Vow

Local lore traces the shrine back to a mountain family whose nine sons were drafted into war. Desperate for their safety, their father climbed the treacherous Nakerala cliffs and vowed to erect an iron cross for every son who returned alive. Miraculously, every brother survived. The father fulfilled his sacred promise, laying the foundation for an enduring pilgrimage. Every year in late May during “Tskhrajvaroba,” locals still hike the steep trail to anchor handcrafted wooden and iron crosses into the stone.

Soviet Ruins and the Cliffside Trail

The ascent winds through tranquil beech woodlands before emerging at the haunting concrete shell of a 1980s Soviet cable car station. Built to transport industrial workers directly up the vertical cliff from the mining town of Tkibuli, the abandoned station now stands as a striking viewpoint frame. Beyond the ruins, the trail follows exposed limestone terraces equipped with safety handrails, leading straight out to the open cliff edge.

“Standing on the narrow limestone rim with the nine iron crosses silhouetted against the sky and clouds drifting hundreds of meters below, you realize just how wild this mountain gateway truly is.“