The Polish Legacy in Tbilisi’s Architecture
- mukhrang
- May 6
- 3 min read
Tbilisi is such a magical city. It is not only a blend of different architectural styles(Persian, European Art Nouveau, Soviet, and modern glass) but its central avenues also reflect a mix of architects from various European countries. I have already written blog posts about Italians and Germans architectural contributions, which brought many brilliant buildings to the capital.
In this blog, I want to focus on Polish architects who created several outstanding buildings in the city—structures that still impress both locals and visitors today. I do not intend to present completely new information, as there is already rich literature on this topic in both Georgian and Polish. Instead, my goal is to summarize and organize it in a way that is easy to read for ordinary tourists. It may also be one of the few texts available in English.
Before moving on to the main subject of architecture, I would like to share some historical context that makes the story even more interesting.
A natural question is: how did Polish people come to Tbilisi? There were several reasons. During the Russian Empire, (1801-1917 )some Polish officers were exiled to the region. The first major wave arrived after the 1831 uprising, and another after the 1863 uprising. Many of them initially settled in Lagodekhi, where some of their descendants still live today. Others came voluntarily.
One interesting fact is that in the mid-19th century, when the total population of the Tbilisi was about 25,000, around 8,000 were Polish migrants.
It is also noteworthy that Władysław Raczkiewicz, President of the Second Polish Republic (1939–1947), was born in Kutaisi. There is a square named after him in Kutaisi since 2010.
Another astonishing fact for me is that the Lagodekhi National Park was founded thanks to the work of the Polish naturalist Ludwik Młokosiewicz (1831–1909)
There is much more to say, but let’s move on to the main topic—architecture.
The first prominent Polish architect is Aleksander Szymkiewicz
He is responsible for several remarkable buildings on and around Rustaveli Avenue, including the Rustaveli Theatre, 1901 #17 shota Rustaveli avenue Tbilisi
Tbilisi's State Conservatoire building ,1904
#10 Griboedovi street Tbilisi
modern supreme court building (1894) #32 Zubalashvili street Tbilisi
Aleksander Szymkiewicz born in 1858 in Saint Petersburg into a Polish aristocratic family. From 1885 to 1891, he served as the chief architect of Tbilisi, appointed by the Russian administration. From 1897 to 1901, he was also a member of the Tbilisi City Council. In addition, he taught at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts. His grave is located in Kukia Cemetery, and his descendants still live in Tbilisi. There is also a street named after him in the Samgori district.
The second architect, is Henryk Hryniewski (1869–1938). He was born in Kutaisi to a Polish migrant family and later studied in Italy. In 1898, he returned to Georgia. His most famous work is associated with the current National Library building, #7 Lado gudiashvili street Tbilisi including its interior paintings. Since 2018 One of the halls in the building is named after him. Unfortunately, he was executed by the Soviet regime in 1938 after being accused of being an agent of several Western countries.
Another architect I find particularly fascinating is Nikolai Obolonsky. He designed one of Tbilisi’s most remarkable buildings—the house of Alexander Melik-Azaryants. #37 Rustaveli avenue
The story of this building is especially interesting. It was constructed between 1912 and 1915. Alexander Melik-Azaryants was a first-guild merchant who owned shares in copper and oil fields and also established Tbilisi’s first telephone network. In 1904, at the age of 25, his daughter passed away, and he dedicated the house to her memory. The façade is decorated with mourning wreaths and ribbons, while the corner windows resemble tears.
During construction, the city authorities cut off his water supply. As a result, he reportedly used wine instead of water, as it was cheaper at the time. According to legend, the building was constructed using half water and half wine.
Melik-Azaryants himself had a tragic fate. After the Sovietization of Georgia, all his property was confiscated, including this house. He was left with only a single room in the basement. He died there in poverty, and neighbors collected money for his burial.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the Soviet government made several attempts to demolish the building in order to widen Rustaveli Avenue and Republic Square. However, due to its strong foundation and complex construction, these plans were never realized.
Finally, another notable architect associated with prominent buildings in Tbilisi is Alexander Rogoisky. Although born in Saint Petersburg, he worked extensively in Tbilisi. Among his most famous works are the Marjanishvili Theatre #8 Kote marjanishvili street Tbilisi
all Those buildings have itself interesting stories which i can tell you in case you accompany me for Tbilisi city tour especially for Polish tourists
Mukhran Guliashvili
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