Stalin's Rope Roads

The mining town of Chiatura, Georgia, surrounded by steep cliffs, is criss-crossed by a network of aging Soviet-era aerial tramways that are still in use today. In the early 20th century, after the U.S.S.R. annexed Georgia, Soviet authorities were intent on extracting the vast manganese deposits beneath Chiatura.

In the 1950s, planners began work on what locals call the 'rope road,' that still connects almost every corner of the town. Today, while some of the cars have rusted away, 17 of the aging tramways remain in service.