Modern Style in Tbilisi

Introduction

Art Nouveau arrived to Tbilisi in 1901, when a pavilion in this style was built for an agricultural exhibition organised to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the unification of Georgia with the Russian Empire. The style unleashed the creative energy of local artists and became widely popular all over Georgia. Tbilisi came to be one of its notable centres.

Art Nouveau is said to have come to Georgia in two ways, through Russia and directly from Western Europe, culminating in a unique local version of the style. The Modern Style, as Art Nouveau is called here, is visibly more improvisational than in other European cities that I have visited. It seems to rely less on architectural norms, offering surprises at each turn. In addition to new structures constructed in Modern Style, several older buildings got a new look at the time, such as a number of 19th-century apartment houses, especially when it comes to their balconies. The most original feature of Georgian Modern Style is said to be the backyard balcony, which replaces the typical wooden balconies on the façades, showing a harmonious blend of European architecture and Georgian traditions.

Today, many Modern Style buildings in Tbilisi are in a poor state of repair, up to the point that the World Monuments Fund has listed them among the most important endangered monuments in the world. This is largely due to the decades-long neglect imposed on these buildings in the Soviet era. Another problem is poor renovation culture. Structures have lost their original decorative elements and some have suffered from severe modifications which altered their entire character.

Also, not much systematic research has been carried out on the Art Nouveau heritage of Tbilisi, resulting in a lack of information about the buildings. All this could, however, change for the better soon, as indicated by the increasing number of materials for tourists about the style (such as suggestions for walking tours) as well as by the visible interest of visitors in it.

Sites

Below are photos of 57 notable Modern Style structures in Tbilisi. They are arranged geographically. I will first list the buildings on and around the David Agmashenebeli Avenue in the old German neighbourhood on the east bank of the Kura (Mtkvari) River. Then I will proceed to the west bank of the river, where the old town of Tbilisi and the Sololaki, Mtatsminda and Vera neighbourhoods can be found.

1. Rome Street 4 | Simon Kldiashvili, 1902
2. David Agmashenebeli Avenue 36 | 1903
3. David Agmashenebeli Avenue 27 | Ghazar Sarkisyan, 1905
4. Mikheil Tsinamdzghvrishvili Street 7 & Mose Gogiberidze Street 7
5. Ivane Javakhishvili Street 6
6. Maksim Gorki Street 1
7. Ivane Javakhishvili Street
8. Mikheil Tsinamdzghvrishvili Street 39 | Pavel Zurabyan
9. Giorgi Mazniashvili Street 16 | 1906
10. Egnate Ninoshvili Street 19
11. Egnate Ninoshvili Street 28 | Grigol Kurdiani, 1904
12. Ia Kargareteli Street 3a | 1903
13. Ia Kargareteli Street 3b | 1903
14. Apollo Cinema | David Agmashenebeli Avenue 135 | 1909
15. David Agmashenebeli Avenue 133
16. Palace Cinema (Kakhidze Music Center) | David Agmashenebeli Avenue 125-127 | 1909, 1914
17. David Agmashenebeli Avenue 130 | 1912
18. Jansughi Kakhidze Street 10 | Johann Dietzmann
19. Ushangi Chkheidze Street 8 | Mikhail Neprintsev, 1913
20. Constantine Zubalashvili’s Public House (Marjanishvili Theatre) | Kote Marjanishvili Street 8 | Stepan Krichinsky, 1902-1907
21. Pavilion next to Marjanishvili Theatre | Kote Marjanishvili Street 8
22. Arch next to Marjanishvili Theatre | Dimitri Uznadze Street
23. Caucasian Officers’ Economic Society | Kote Marjanishvili Street 7 | Aleksander Rogojski, 1912-1913
24. Pavilion on Kote Marjanishvili Square | David Agmashenebeli Avenue 89 & Kote Marjanisvhili Street 24
25. David Agmashenebeli Avenue 91b
26. David Agmashenebeli Avenue 93
27. David Agmashenebeli Avenue 95
28. Vashlovani Street 6
29. Tamar Chovelidze Street
30. House of Alexander Melik-Azaryants | Shota Rustaveli Avenue 37 | Nikolai Obolensky, 1912-1915
31. Shota Rustaveli Avenue 42
32. Dzmebi Zubalashvilebi Street 48/52 | Mikhail Ohanjanov, 1902-1906
33. Alexander Chavchavadze I Dead End 1 | Mikhail Neprintsev, 1913
34. Shota Rustaveli Avenue 23
35. Vaso Abashidze Street 1
36. Shota Rustaveli Avenue 18
37. Shota Rustaveli Avenue 14
38. Atoneli Street 27
39. Besik Street 25
40. Pavle Ingorokva Street 20 | Mikhail Neprintsev, 1914
41. Daniel Chonkadze Street 12 | Mikhail Ohanjanov, 1914
42. Amaghleba Street 9
43. Amaghleba Street 7
44. Kojori Street 3 | Pavel Zurabyan, 1905
45. Geronti Kikodze Street 4
46. Giorgi Leonidze Street 7 | 1902
47. Tbilisi Mutual Credit Society | Giorgi Leonidze Street 3 | Mikhail Ohanjanov, 1910-1913
48. Tbilisi City Credit Society | Alexander Pushkin Street 3 | Simon Kldiashvili, 1902-1903
49. Shalva Dadiani Street 24
50. Galaktion Tabidze Street 17
51. Lado Asatiani Street 38
52. House of David Sarajishvili (Writers’ House of Georgia) | Ivane Machabeli Street 13 | Carl Zaar – project; Alexander Ozerov & Korneli Tatishev – realisation, 1903-1905
53. Beglar Akhospireli Lane 3/7
54. Arzruni Caravanserai (Tbilisi History Museum) | Sioni Street 8 | 1912
55. Mantashev Rows | Bambis Rigi Street 7 | Ghazar Sarkisyan, 1903-1905
56. Kote Abkhazi Street 42
57. Vakhtang Gorgasali Street 3

Map

See the mentioned sites on the map.

Portfolio 1: East Bank

Portfolio 2: West Bank

Photos

Taken in December 2018, August and September 2019, and July 2023

Portfolios > Art Nouveau