Soviet Architecture Tbilisi – Strange, remarkable, unique

The architectural landscape of Tbilisi is getting more and more varied, with highly modern trends. But it doesn’t mean that the city has lots its past, which has always been full of particularities.

We are in 2018 and everyone affirms that Georgia is definitely a Europe-oriented country. But if we look a bit back, we’ll remember those Soviet years. In Tbilisi there are many traces of Soviet Era, especially in its suburbs.

In this former republic of the USSR there still exist some strange, extraordinary and unique examples of Soviet architecture. The USSR does not exist anymore, but it left many traces behind. While walking in the city you have to pay attention to some very special monuments, like the former Georgian Parliament, the headquarters of the Bank of Georgia, the former Institute of Marx and Engels, the Tbilisi Metro stations etc.

If you want an exaggerated dose of Soviet architecture, just visit some districts of Tbilisi, like Nutsubidze, Gldani, Varketili and others. Here you’ll find a huge number of tall grey buildings that seem ugly, dirty, neglected and embarrassing enough. It’s not easy to describe the feelings I have when I look at them from this point of view. They look like benumbed stones, transformed into shelters for most of the city’s population. Yes, these are the buildings where the largest part of the population lives. Their facades are awkward but perfect to get some idea about the former republics of the USSR.