The Palace of Queen Darejan (or the Palace of Sachino) is one of the most famous Georgian attractions. The palace was built in 1789 by order of King Irakli II of Kartli-Kakheti for his wife, Queen Darejan. The Sachino Palace is made in the fortress style because of the need to protect against enemy attacks.
All the buildings of the palace complex were built at one time on the ruins of a medieval fortress. After the death of Tsar Irakli, his wife Darejan lived in the palace of the same name for some time, but then in 1807 she moved to St. Petersburg. At that time, a theological seminary and a Sunday school were opened in the former royal residence. In 1824, the Sachino Palace was rebuilt, and a monastery named after the Transfiguration of the Lord was located inside it.
Since 1862, a children's parish school has been located on the territory of the palace. During the Bolshevik period, the Sachino Palace was abandoned. It was only in the 1970s that it was used again - first as the city museum named after 26 Baku commissars and the museum of the history of the Tbilisi district, and later as an ordinary warehouse for the needs of the city.
Towards the end of the XX century, a Theater of one actor opened in the building of the Darejan Palace, in which various performances and productions took place. This fact is interesting because the original inhabitants of the palace - King Heraclius and his wife - were ardent fans of theatrical art. Since 1991, the building has been placed under the control of the Patriarchate, and up to our time, the Monastery of the Transfiguration of God is located on the territory of the Darejan Palace.
Since 2003, the House of Mercy has been operating in the monastery, which includes a hospice, a charity canteen, a training department for the training of sisters of mercy and an outpatient clinic for residents in difficult life situations. Workshops for weaving carpets, making felt products and embroidery are also open on the territory of the monastery.
Also, since 2013, unique knighthood ceremonies have sometimes been held on the territory of the palace. The main decoration of the Darejan Palace is an elegant circular observation deck, which now offers an amazing view of the city. This delicate semicircular gazebo of pale blue color is the first thing that catches your eye when you look at it.
