Chiatura's rope road: Soviet cable cars vital to mining town

By Bunmi Adigun @Bunmi_Adigun

THE morning commute is stressful for most, but have sympathy for the residents of a small mining town who have to travel in rusted cable cars that are more than 60 years old

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The cable car network was built more than 60 years ago by the Soviet Union

Located in the town of Chiatura, Georgia, you would be forgiven for thinking you have been teleported back to the Cold War period.

Built in the 1950s by the Soviet Union to transport workers around the mining town quicker, the cable cars transport visitors to a bygone era.

The cable cars are still used by the town residents as it's the best way to get around

Photographer Ioanna Sakellaraki, 26, travelled to the old mining town to snap one of the world’s longest cable car networks - which boasts 17 functioning cabins and car lines that span more than 6,000 metres (3.7 miles).

Despite the conditions of the cable car the ride is surprisingly smooth for commuters

Ioanna said: “The mining town of Chiatura, with its post-Soviet identity, had always been one of the 'must-visit’' destinations on the top of my list, mostly due to its interesting historical and political background dating back to the late 1950s and the Stalin era. I finally found the time and courage to visit it during my stay there.”

The cable cars were used to take people to the mines during the height of the Soviet Union

Dubbed the ‘rope road’, the cable car network was built as a way to efficiently transport workers to and from the mines during the height of production in the 50s - and was needed due to the town’s rugged landscape.

“Six decades after their original construction, even if rusted away, they are considered the quickest way to get around,” added Ioanna.

Although outdated the cable cars are highly regarded by the people of Chitura and are a source of pride

At its height, Chiatura was responsible for 60 per cent of the world’s manganese production and was considered an important town in the Soviet Union.

Despite their condition, the cable cars are still in surprisingly good working order and are as important to the local residents today as they were 60 years ago.

At one point in history Chiatura was responsible for 60 per cent of the world's manganese production

Ioanna said: “The ride was relatively smooth, even if most of the cable cars have rusted away throughout the years and are crumbling during the ride through the valley.”

The fall of the Soviet Union brought an abrupt end to most industry in the area, with the cable car network acting as a time capsule.

Photographer Ioanna Sakellaraki,26, was in the country working with IDPs

Each of the powerful images helps to convey how important the network is to the locals and is seen as a source of pride as they remind them of the town’s rich history.

The cable car line spans more than 6,000 meters and has 17 working cabins

“The cable cars of Chiatura are a symbol of the city’s identity and a landmark of its past,” said Ioanna.

The greek born photographer, who currently resides in Brussels, Belgium, was in the region as part of a project working with Internally Displaced People (IDPs).

The cable cars act as a time capsule for visitors to the mining town

Ioanna explained: “I spent seven months working with Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in different regions of Georgia. The context was a European project on the subjects of culture, conflict and identity as a result of the 1990s and more recent 2007 wars that took place in the region.”