Tbilisi: Sololaki from Above. Shifts in History. A tour with a visit to Anna Madatova's house

In the 19th century, the Tbilisi nobility chose the Sololaki district as their residence. Due to its complex terrain, this area had not been used for housing before and was home to royal gardens. The new era brought new technologies and architectural approaches that allowed buildings to be constructed on slopes and to make use of every piece of land. Architects of the Art Nouveau era, such as Mikhail Ogandjanov, Alexander Shimkevich, and Gavriil Ter-Mikelov, created masterpieces by drawing inspiration from each other's work. The gardens were cut down, the area was planned with straight streets, and grand mansions were built.

During the tour, we will visit the ceremonial house of Anna Madatova, one of Tbilisi’s most unique buildings. The architect highlighted a retaining wall, constructed a tunnel with a long staircase, and hid the house and garden from unwanted eyes.

We will walk through Sololaki in the opposite direction—from the funicular station down to Freedom Square, where the construction of the district began. We will talk about building on a challenging terrain and attempt to find a new perspective on one of the most popular areas of the city.