Land of Legends
Legend has it that when God was distributing portions of the world to all the people of the Earth, the Georgians were having a party and doing some serious drinking. As a result, they arrived late and were told by God that all the land had been distributed. When they replied that they were late only because they had been lifting their glasses in praise of Him, God was pleased, and gave the Georgians that part of Earth He had been reserving for Himself.
Old Town Tbilisi
Tbilisi is a very old city, in fact it was founded in the 5th century. However, it was burnt to the ground 200 years ago, so it is rare to encounter any architecture from before that. Most of the oldest buildings stands united in the center, where they are charmingly squeezed together as in a painting.
Tbilisian Courtyard
Courtyards in Tbilisi are pure magic. You can find them in the old town of Tbilisi squeezed in together between the already compact houses. They are known as “Italian yards”, but actually their style is rather influenced by Persian caravanserais. Both of the above named have in common that they are mainly square shaped and organized, but in Georgia, you can find them in all kinds of forms. They have many funny, unpredictable objects as renovation has been taken place sporadicly through the years - extra spiral staircases, a bridge from one house to another, some decoration cut into the wood above a door, a tree in the middle of the yard, other plants, loads of laundry hanging on strings connected from all over the yards, pipes everywhere etc.
To add to the fairy-tale atmosphere many of the surrounding houses are leaning to different sides - this is unfortunately because many of them are completely dilapidated and actually needs a very serious renovation.
To add to the fairy-tale atmosphere many of the surrounding houses are leaning to different sides - this is unfortunately because many of them are completely dilapidated and actually needs a very serious renovation.
Radisson Blu Iveria
There are many buildings in Tbilisi with quite an interesting history and the hotel Radisson Blu Iveria in the center is no exception.
It was built in 1967 as a luxury hotel and named Hotel Iveria after the ancient kingdom of Iveria. Back then, Georgia was a very hot tourist destination, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the tourism rate declined tremendously.
The country was in a civil war, and had to rehouse 200.000 refugees from Abkhazia - 800 of these found a new home at the Iveria, and so the building was turned into a vertical refugee camp. In 2004 it was taken over by the Radisson Group, who offered 7000 $ per room to the refugees. The building was stripped down to its steel and underwent a 5 year long repair to become the hotel it is today.
It was built in 1967 as a luxury hotel and named Hotel Iveria after the ancient kingdom of Iveria. Back then, Georgia was a very hot tourist destination, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the tourism rate declined tremendously.
The country was in a civil war, and had to rehouse 200.000 refugees from Abkhazia - 800 of these found a new home at the Iveria, and so the building was turned into a vertical refugee camp. In 2004 it was taken over by the Radisson Group, who offered 7000 $ per room to the refugees. The building was stripped down to its steel and underwent a 5 year long repair to become the hotel it is today.
Palace of Rituals
In the neighborhood Ortachala in Tbilisi stands the building Palace of Rituals tall and proudly.
As taken out of a science-fiction movie, it was built in 1985 as a wedding venue, designed by Georgian architect Victor Jorbenadze.
In the Soviet Union it was not exactly illegal to make buildings of worship, but for some reason that never happened. As a funny person I know states “you could make make plans of a church, but only if you had a very strong desire to be persecuted by the KGB and work for a few years in labour camps in Siberia”.
The building is remarkable for its bold resemblance of a church - in addition to that the floor plan is based on the anatomical cross-section of a female abdomen, and the facade speaks for itself.
As taken out of a science-fiction movie, it was built in 1985 as a wedding venue, designed by Georgian architect Victor Jorbenadze.
In the Soviet Union it was not exactly illegal to make buildings of worship, but for some reason that never happened. As a funny person I know states “you could make make plans of a church, but only if you had a very strong desire to be persecuted by the KGB and work for a few years in labour camps in Siberia”.
The building is remarkable for its bold resemblance of a church - in addition to that the floor plan is based on the anatomical cross-section of a female abdomen, and the facade speaks for itself.
You can read more about Palace of Rituals here.
Bassiani and Homophobia
In Georgia prejudice against LGBT people continues to exist. In 2013 there was an attempt to make a Georgian Pride, but it was met with a counter demonstration of twenty thousands people from the Georgian Orthodox church. A year after the Georgian Orthodox church established “Family Purity Day” on exactly 17th of May.
Queer people are met with homophobia in Georgian society, and this makes life very difficult for them in many different aspects - but in spite of that many nightclubs in Tbilisi are in favor of supporting them.
Most famously is the nightclub Bassiani. Located under the national stadium Dinamo Arena in the former swimming pool, Bassiani on regular hosts LGBT-related events with very restricted access due to avoidance of undesired guests.
Most famously is the nightclub Bassiani. Located under the national stadium Dinamo Arena in the former swimming pool, Bassiani on regular hosts LGBT-related events with very restricted access due to avoidance of undesired guests.
This is of course not without complications and last year in May the nightclub was raided by special forces with machine guns, which resulted in a 2 day long protest attended by ten thousand people. They demonstrated with the slogan "We dance together, we fight together".
Tbilisi Devil Houses
According to legends in Tbilisi there was once living a rich Armenian merchant who was a satanist. In his house on Ingorokva street no. 6 he was known for performing satanist rituals, and once a woman known to be his wife committed suicide in the garden of the house - till this date neighbors claim they hear noises from the house.
The rumors does not stop here - it is said that he made 10 houses in Tbilisi which on a map forms a pentagram and underground he built tunnels connecting all those houses.
So which are those other 10 houses? No one knows for sure, but there are some guesses.
- On Asatiani street you find a school built in neo-gothic style, which makes it similar to Hogwarts, it is called the 6th school.
- In the neighborhood Avlabari stands a mysterious Armenian church. It was once the tallest Armenian church in Tbilisi, but was destroyed under unclear circumstances in 1989, and is now in ruins with a missing cupola, and a huge crack in it.
Could these 2 houses possibly fill in some missing pieces in this puzzle?
The rumors does not stop here - it is said that he made 10 houses in Tbilisi which on a map forms a pentagram and underground he built tunnels connecting all those houses.
So which are those other 10 houses? No one knows for sure, but there are some guesses.
- On Asatiani street you find a school built in neo-gothic style, which makes it similar to Hogwarts, it is called the 6th school.
- In the neighborhood Avlabari stands a mysterious Armenian church. It was once the tallest Armenian church in Tbilisi, but was destroyed under unclear circumstances in 1989, and is now in ruins with a missing cupola, and a huge crack in it.
Could these 2 houses possibly fill in some missing pieces in this puzzle?
Batumi
To the very west of Georgia in the region of Adjara you find Georgia’s 2nd biggest city - Batumi. The city has the country’s best economy, especially because of its port industry, its overload by tourists in the summer, and also thanks to the many casinos - the city is close to Turkey, where gambling is forbidden.
Batumi’s surface is something that one may associate with a mixture of Dubai and an amusement park. This is mainly because of former president Saakashvili, who when he came into office in 2004 had a vision of turning Georgia into a developed European country - also architecture-wise, and this is very present in Batumi.
A tower that steals a lot of attention in the cityscape is the 200 meters tall Technological University (the one with the golden ferris wheel). It is the tallest tower in Caucasus and was finished in 2012, but remains empty till this date.
A tower that steals a lot of attention in the cityscape is the 200 meters tall Technological University (the one with the golden ferris wheel). It is the tallest tower in Caucasus and was finished in 2012, but remains empty till this date.
Sighnaghi
Sighnaghi, located in the easternmost of the wine region Kakheti, might be small, but is one of the most visited places in Georgia by tourists - especially for its mediterranean look, great view to the Caucasus Mountains and city wall. Sighnaghi is also known as the city of love in Georgia, and many fiancees go there, before they get married.
Katskhi Pillar
A 40 meters tall rock, with a tiny church on top of it, accessible only by an iron ladder, surrounded by nothing but forest. Sounds like something from a legend? This place is very real! Close to the mining town Chiatura you can find such a rock - it is called Katskhi Pillar, and has for centuries been an object for myths and worship.
Tbilisi TV-Tower
In soviet times it was quite common to built a gigantic TV-tower in major cities. Something that is visible from almost any part of Tbilisi is its 274.5 metres tall TV-tower, which is standing on top of a 400 metres tall mountain in the Mtatsminda amusement park. It it often lighted up at night in different colors, which makes it even more visible. It is a symbol of the city, despised by some, cherished by others.
Georgian National Opera Theater
One building that really sticks out in Tbilisi is the Georgian National Opera Theater, that with its extraordinary exterior and interior looks like an oriental palace.
Built in 1851 when Georgia was part of the Russian Empire, it actually played a very strategical role in integrating the Georgian aristocracy in the imperial social life, and also to distract them from making anti-Russian conspiracies, as the Georgians were very unhappy with the annexation to the empire.
The Russian authorities invited architects and designers from as far as Italy and France to design and decorate the opera, and a 1.200 kg chandelier was transported all the way from Marseille, to complete this marvelous building. A Parisian newspaper wrote that it was “doubtless one of the most elegant, beautiful and fascinating theatrical constructions, conceived by man.”
Sadly the entire opera burnt down in 1874. After several years of reconstruction it reopened in 1896.
In the 90ies the opera was highly affected by the unrest in the country, and it was not before after the Rose Revolution in 2004 it could start working properly again - in 2016 it finally underwent a 40 million $ renovation, and is now housing the State Ballet of Georgia.
Built in 1851 when Georgia was part of the Russian Empire, it actually played a very strategical role in integrating the Georgian aristocracy in the imperial social life, and also to distract them from making anti-Russian conspiracies, as the Georgians were very unhappy with the annexation to the empire.
The Russian authorities invited architects and designers from as far as Italy and France to design and decorate the opera, and a 1.200 kg chandelier was transported all the way from Marseille, to complete this marvelous building. A Parisian newspaper wrote that it was “doubtless one of the most elegant, beautiful and fascinating theatrical constructions, conceived by man.”
Sadly the entire opera burnt down in 1874. After several years of reconstruction it reopened in 1896.
In the 90ies the opera was highly affected by the unrest in the country, and it was not before after the Rose Revolution in 2004 it could start working properly again - in 2016 it finally underwent a 40 million $ renovation, and is now housing the State Ballet of Georgia.
Chiatura
2 hours drive from Georgia’s third biggest city Kutaisi, is located the mining town Chiatura.
The town is distinguished by the fact that the most common way of transportation is by cable cars, which is also for free. Even though they may lack maintenance, the transporting network has been operating successfully since 1954 and was originally installed to help miners get to work from the the down town to the mines up in the mountains.
Chiatura was founded in the end of the 19th century as a mining town, since huge deposits of manganese an iron were discovered in the area. The work in the mines is very dangerous and in the past 100 years more than 500 workers have perished inside the mines.
Chiatura was founded in the end of the 19th century as a mining town, since huge deposits of manganese an iron were discovered in the area. The work in the mines is very dangerous and in the past 100 years more than 500 workers have perished inside the mines.
A documentary about Chiatura named "City of the Sun" was released in 2017 by Rati Oneli.
Machabeli street 17
Once upon a time in Tbilisi a rich Armenian fell in love with a Georgian opera singer. However she would not marry him unless he would built something like an opera house for her - and so he did! That is how Machabeli no. 17 in the neighborhood Sololaki looks so much like the opera house in Tbilisi. The couple lived happily ever after until Georgia was annexed by the Soviet Union and they had to give up the house.
The houses’ story continues:
In the 90ies in Georgia it was quite common that if you had trash, you would just throw it out of the window. One day on this very address a woman living there threw trash out of the window, the balcony crashed from the pressure - she fell with it and died.
Today the address now hosts Untitled Gallery.
Rustaveli aerial tramway
On Rustaveli Avenue, hidden behind some houses stands a beautiful building, which used to be a cable car station. The aerial tramway line which it was housing was operating from 1905 till 1990.
In 1988 the line underwent a major reconstruction, and the engineers working on it made some rather risky decisions - for instance replacing the gondolas - the line was originally designed to carry 20 passengers, but were replaced with some that had the capability of 40 people.
In the 1990ies, on the 1st of June, an accident happened. The hauling rope broke, and the lower gondola slammed into the wall. The upper gondola generated a higher speed and collided with the lower support tower. The accident resulted in 19 deaths - many of them were children from the town Apkhaltsikhe visiting Tbilisi to celebrate Children’s Day.
The tramway has not been operating since then. The lower station was used as a photo gallery for some time, but is now completely abandoned, only occasionally visited by grafitti artists.
Vardzia
Located close to the town Apkhalsikhe, is the cave monastery Vardzia, which stretched 500 metres over the Erusheti Mountain.
Settlement may have started there already in the Bronze Age - however the place is distinguished by the church carved out inside the monastery in 1186, which contains a series of important wall paintings including a portrayal of Queen Tamar. A myth has it that when young Tamar and her uncle Giorgi was out hunting, she got lost in the caves, and when called for she replied “აქ ცარ ძია” [ak var dzia] giving the place its name.
Since the 16th century the place have remained empty due to the Ottoman Empire takeover.
The Wine House
Rustaveli no. 37 in Tbilisi might seem like a common building from its time, fitting its surroundings - but it is no ordinary house.
In the times of the Russian Empire the tsar decided to raise the prices of water a lot. An Armenian merchant was very dissatisfied with this, and as an act of protest he decided to make a house. This might not seem like such a protest-like thing to do - however the cement used for the making was not mixed with water - it was mixed with wine.
He did so to ridiculed the prices of water, as it had become the same as wine.
Nowadays the building hosts a very certain Drama Bar.
Africa
Sometimes it feels like there is endlessly many mysteries in Tbilisi, both legendary-wise but also regarding quite physical medium. For instance inside the neighborhood Samgori there is a smaller district known as “Africa” (აფრიკა).
Africa is one of the poorest and most uninhabited districts of Tbilisi. No one knows for sure why it is called so, but maybe it has something to do with the distance to the city center. In Soviet times the place was the main railway depot of Caucasus, where old trains were put.
Since the district is very isolated from the rest of Tbilisi, and it lost its industrial function after the collapse of the Soviet Union, not much is going on there, and the old trains stands and are getting more rusty each year.
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