State Palace of Ceremonies in Tbilisi: Avlabari Residence

Georgia's landmarks are full of futuristic structures like the Avlabari Residence. Avlabari is a grand ceremonial palace located on Malkhaz Abdushelishvili Street in the Avlabari district of Tbilisi's Old Town, where you can also see some of Georgia's most beautiful sights.

The Presidential Palace was built over a period of five years, from 2004 to 2009. The entire Avlabari residence covers 22,000 square meters, 1,500 of which are occupied by the Presidential Palace itself.

History

Following the inauguration of Georgia's third president, the decision was made to demolish the old building and build a new residence for Mikheil Saakashvili. The first section of the building was put into use in 2008, but the palace has not been in use for its intended purpose since 2019.

Batiashvili was the original designer, but in 2007, Michele de Lucchi was invited and made significant revisions to the design. Later, a scandal erupted on this basis, as Batiashvili pointed out the illegality of transferring authorship to Mikel.

The idea behind the new palace design was to present a completely new image of Georgia, so the traditional administrative building was enhanced with Renaissance and neoclassical elements. The residence has a clear form, emphasized by porticoes and rows of identical window openings.

The upper part of the hall is occupied by a domed space for ceremonies. A jeweled Bible is housed in the central part of the building, and a museum displaying gifts to the president is located on the ground floor. The dome adds volume and light to the structure—a joint idea between Georgian architect Vakhtang Zesashvili and Italian architect Franco Zagari.

The southeast left wing of the building houses the chancery of the President of Georgia, a conference room, and a library, while the right wing houses the presidential administration. The courtyard of the residence features greenery and a heart-shaped glass fountain, creating a tranquil atmosphere. In the backyard, there's an interesting mosaic depicting all periods of the country's history, created by N. Amirejibi.

Now you know what to see in Georgia, but it's worth noting that tours must be booked in advance by calling +995 32 28 27 36.

How to get there: The Avlabari Residence occupies a block between two streets – Lomauri and Tsutskiridze. The nearest bus stop is "Meskhishvili Street," number 44. It's a five-minute walk from there to the presidential palace. You can get to this stop on routes 91 and 122.