Dry Bridge Flea Market

History of Dry Bridge

The bridge itself was built between 1857 and 1851, but the funny nickname appeared only in the 1940s, once the branch of the Mtkvari flowing under the bridge was redirected to the main part of the river, and a large road was built instead of it.

The market at the Dry Bridge has existed in its current form since the 1950s when locals began bringing their old items there to sell. What started as a small market has since grown into a daily market where more than a hundred vendors gather to barter with locals and tourists alike who come seeking a unique treasure to take home with them.

The Dry Bridge Market Today

People of all ages and walks of life come to the Dry Bridge Market looking for a bargain. Items of Soviet-era kitsch are especially popular at the market, with people selling household items and treasured antiquities that harken back to a different time in Georgia’s history. For this reason, Dry Bridge Market is sometimes called “the market of memories”.

Offerings at the Dry Bridge Market include medals from the Second World War, symbolic Soviet items, enamel engravings, silver jewelry, antique dishware, radio sets, ornate swords, and more. So if you’re looking for a truly unique souvenir to take home, this is the perfect place to do a little shopping.

Local artists display their work at an open-air exhibition in the nearby park. If you’re looking for a unique painting, beautiful scarf, or piece of Georgian history to take home with you, you’ll find ample opportunities to not only browse and barter, but chat with the elderly craftsmen who still ply their trade making hand-crafted goods for sale.