Rustaveli (Tbilisi Metro)

Rustaveli რუსთაველი
Tbilisi Metrostation
Entrance vestibule to the metro station
General information
Location	2, Merab Kostava Str.,Tbilisi,Georgia
Coordinates	41°42′13″N44°47′24″E
Platforms	Island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Depth	60 m (197 ft)
Platform levels	1
History
Opened	11 January 1966(1966-01-11)
Electrified	Yes
Services
Preceding station Tbilisi Metro Following station Marjanishvili towardsAkhmetelis Teatri Akhmeteli–Varketili Line Tavisuplebis Moedani towardsVarketili

Rustaveli(Georgian:რუსთაველი) is a station of theTbilisi Metroon theAkhmeteli–Varketili Line (First Line).It is located at Rustaveli Square at the northern end ofRustaveli Avenuenext to the Shota Rustaveli statue. The station was opened on 11 January 1966 as part of the original metro line with six stations, which include stations fromDidubeto Rustaveli.

The metro station is named afterShota Rustaveli,a greatGeorgianpoet and thinker of the12th century,the author ofThe Knight in the Panther's Skin,aGeorgiannational epic poem.

Located betweenTavisuplebis MoedaniandMarjanishvilistations, Rustaveli is 60 metres underground,and with anescalatorlength of 120 meters or 394 feet,making the station the deepest of theTbilisi metrosystem and one of the deepest inEurope.Because of this, per some sources, the Rustaveli metro station has the world's 6th longest escalator.

Other attractions and sightseeing near the station include theGeorgian National Academy of Sciences,First Republic Square,Rustaveli Avenue,and Tbilisi Concert Hall.

Architecture

The walls and columns of the station are covered with red marble. The metro station is decorated with relief images and depictions of the theme ofShota Rustaveli's epic poem.A frieze on the theme ofShota RustaveliandThe Knight in the Panther's Skinis placed above the entrance of the metro station, the sculptor of which isElguja Amashukeli.Overall, Rustaveli station can be described as an example of themonumentaliststyle of the 1960s, with a scent ofGeorgianminimalism.

The construction was carried out according to the project by O. Kalandarishvili and L. Janelidze.

In 2019, some citizens expressed concern that within the regular maintenance and rehabilitation process of the station, the golden-coloured fragments of the tiger on columns of the station made of copper were removed and replaced by its copies. Tbilisi Transport Company explains that the allegations are not true. During the works, the protective netting was replaced, and the aluminum structure itself was cleaned and repainted. The restoration of the tiger image was carried out according to the original project.

A stylized image of a tiger was connected to the frame by a special minimalistic ornamental decor, which made it possible for the whole structure to be firmly attached to the columns with a simple mechanical insertion of the grill, of which mechanical design was allegedly altered.

Gallery

• 
  Station hall
• 
  Escalator (Such lamps are currently not used)
• 
  Platform

Third Line (Rustaveli-Vazisubani Line)

According to the plan of the third line of theTbilisi Metro,Rustaveli station was supposed to become a transfer station, tentatively referred to as the Rustaveli-2 station, the connecting staircase and passage of which exist in the current station. According to the plan, the Rustaveli-2 station of the third line of the Tbilisi Metro would connect the stations in the western direction toVakeand Didi Dighomi, and in the eastern direction to Saarbrücken Square towards Vazisubani and other south-eastern districts ofTbilisi.The first section of the third metro line was supposed to be built from Rustaveli in the direction of Vazisubani (with stations Rustaveli-2, Saarbrücken Square, Kvemo Elia, Zemo Elia (Metromsheni) and Vazisubani). Nowadays, construction works are frozen.

See also

• List of Tbilisi metro stations

External links

• (in German and English)Metro station Rustaveli on ostarchitektur
• (in English)Rustaveli metro station page at Tbilisi Municipal Portal (Archived)