Rustavi: Rustavi Kalakhoba, Part 1: Metallurgical Factory

Colleague Sandy came to Rustavi to stay with me at my hostess' house for Rustavi's kalakhoba, or fall festival. Or founding festival. Actually, it was for the entire region of Kvemo Kartli.

We took a hike within Rustavi. I wanted to show Sandy the ancient ruins (circa 1050) and to explore parts of Rustavi I hadn't seen yet.

We walked down Kostava Street, away from the direction of Tbilisi. Kostava Street is the same long, long, long boulevard that runs the course of Rustavi, but which has three different names, depending on location: Shatava (New Rustavi), Megobroba (New Rustavi), and Kostava (Old Rustavi).

Rustavi, Georgia

Rustavi, Georgia

We walked by what at first appeared to be new construction. Or maybe reconstruction of a really old place or .... we kept walking ... and discovered it was an expansion of an existing restaurant complex called Kikabidze. Gorgeous place. Statues. Fountains. Hide-and-seek patios. Private rooms (dining) off the patios. Castle-like large banquet rooms. Definitely must go back here to eat or drink.

Rustavi, Georgia

Rustavi, Georgia

Rustavi, Georgia

Then we found ourselves at the end of Kostava, which is capped by the grand Rustavi Metallurgical Factory.

The Metallurgical Factory was what reincarnated Rustavi from its old, dead ashes. Stalin brought in workers from all over the Soviet Union to work the factory and to build houses, hospitals, and government buildings in what is now called Old Rustavi. The street I live on is named, in fact, for workers from a particular town in the Ukraine.

Russians came to Rustavi with their families and in its day, Rustavi was more of a Russian city than a Georgian one.

My hostess' husband was, for many years, the chief economist at the Metallurgical Factory. At one point, 10,000 - 15,000 workers labored at the factory, which produced steel.  Materials were brought in from all over the Soviet Union to produce the steel.    

The factory shut down after the Rose Revolution in 2003, when Georgia and Russia broke off relations.

The factory has had a spotty history since then, being sold and bought and sold and bought. Sandy and I approached the building - which is immense and grand.

Rustavi, Georgia

Rustavi, Georgia

Rustavi, Georgia

My hostess told me that the factory within was so large, there was a trolley inside to carry worker from one point to another.

Just as I snapped the photo immediately above, and Sandy and I approached the steps to see if we could get inside, a man emerged from the building and walked toward us. We continued our approach and all of a sudden realized this guy was right in front of us. For a moment, I thought he was about to greet us smilingly. Then it hit me that he was blocking our path. Oh.

No photos. "Sure," we said, knowing we'd already taken them. Some dickering commenced, designed to get us in the building on the basis of we're tourists and, well, come on, please? A higher-up was consulted, the answer was no, and time to move on ladies.

So we did.

Next: Part 2, Pork and Ruins