A Top 10 Guide to Soviet Georgian Brutalist & Modernist Architecture

The Sovereign state of the Caucasus – and Stalin’s home nation – Georgia was a critical part of the USSR. In the 1970s, it stepped out from its Soviet shadow and into a new architectural age. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the ambitious and otherworldly designs became an explicit rebuke of Communism and a sign of Georgia’s struggle towards self-actualisation.

Central to this transformation was the vision of President Mikheil Saakashvili. He saw architecture as a tool for national rejuvenation, a way to project Georgia onto the world stage. The country became a canvas for architects, and a bold architectural movement was born which blended modernity with Georgian heritage.

Yet, this architectural renaissance was not without its challenges. The rapid pace of development often clashed with the country's economic realities. The juxtaposition of soaring, modern structures against the backdrop of older, Soviet-era buildings created a stark contrast. Here are ten of my favourite Soviet Brutalist & Modernist buildings in Georgia.

1. Bank of Georgia Headquarters, Tbilisi

Bank of Georgia Headquarters. Architect: George Chakhava and Zurab Jalaghania, 1975. Credit: Frederic Chaubin

The Bank of Georgia Headquarters in Tbilisi stands as a striking embodiment of late Soviet Modernist architecture. Completed in 1975, this remarkable structure was originally built to house the Ministry of Highway Construction. Rising 18 stories above the banks of the Vere River, the building's most distinctive feature is its composition of five interlocking concrete blocks. These massive volumes appear to be precariously balanced, creating a dynamic visual effect that challenges conventional notions of architectural stability. Three of these blocks are oriented on an east-west axis, while two follow a north-south alignment, resulting in a complex spatial arrangement.

The design draws inspiration from various architectural movements, including Russian Constructivism, Brutalism, and Japanese Metabolist theories. Chakhava, who served as both architect and client in his role as deputy Minister of Highway Construction, implemented the "Space City" method. This approach elevates significant portions of the building above ground level, allowing the natural landscape to flourish beneath and around the structure.

Structurally, the building is a marvel of engineering. Three towers, each measuring 12x12 metres, are interconnected by two-story horizontal consoles spanning an impressive 28 metres. These hovering elements are supported by triangular metal frames, creating a complex geometric form that seems to defy gravity. Remarkably, while the building boasts 16,000 m² of floor space, it occupies only 450 m² of its 1.6-hectare site, fulfilling Chakhava's vision of minimal ground impact.

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the building stood abandoned for years until its purchase by the Bank of Georgia in 2006. An extensive renovation ensued, including the addition of a modern glass cube entrance. In 2007, it received Immovable Monument status, cementing its importance in Georgia's architectural heritage.

2. The House of Parliament, Kutaisi

The House of Parliament. Architect: CMD Ingenieros, 2012. Credit: Berdo Maghularia

The Parliament Building in Kutaisi stands as a striking yet controversial symbol of Georgia's post-Soviet aspirations. Completed in 2012, this monumental 6-storey structure features a 40-metre high glass dome topped by a massive concrete eyelid, rising dramatically from the landscape of Georgia's second-largest city.

The relocation of Parliament from Tbilisi to Kutaisi was intended to boost the economy of the struggling industrial city and promote political decentralisation. However, critics argued that separating the legislature from other government branches in Tbilisi was inefficient and impractical, given the 230-kilometre journey between the cities. The parliament was marred by controversy from the very beginning. Constructed on the site of a WWII memorial to Soviet soldiers; the monument was blown up in order to free up space for construction. A mother and a daughter were killed when the explosives went off.

The building's design is unabashedly modernist, with its 100-metre by 150-metre glass and steel dome intended to symbolise the openness and transparency of a democratic Georgia. This architectural metaphor extends to the interior, where the transparent shell allows natural light to flood the legislative chambers. The glass exterior, while visually striking, created greenhouse-like conditions inside, overwhelming the air conditioning systems. In a surprising turn of events, the Parliament moved back to Tbilisi in late 2018, leaving the Kutaisi building largely abandoned. Today, the once-gleaming glass panels are dulled by dust.

3. Palace of Rituals, Tbilisi

Palace of Rituals. Architect: Victor Jordenadze, 1984. Credit: Roman Geber

The Palace of Rituals in Tbilisi, designed by Victor Jordenadze and completed in 1984, stands as a bold and controversial example of late Soviet architecture. Originally conceived as a secular alternative to traditional church weddings, the building incorporates elements of both religious and modernist design in a striking and sometimes provocative manner.

Jordenadze's design draws on diverse influences, including 1920s expressionism, mediaeval Georgian church architecture, and even human anatomy. The building's floor plan is said to resemble a cross-section of the female reproductive system, with the entrance symbolising a vagina and side chapels representing ovaries. From a distance, its silhouette against Tbilisi's skyline has been likened to male genitalia, adding to its notoriety.

Despite initial objections from municipal authorities over its ecclesiastical elements, the project was defended by the President of Georgia, Eduard Shevardnadze and completed in 1984. The structure features frescoes, a bell tower, and soaring interior spaces reminiscent of traditional churches, all executed in stone similar to that used in Georgia's mediaeval religious buildings.

The Palace of Rituals quickly became a landmark, hosting both local weddings and visiting dignitaries. Notable guests included Margaret Thatcher, who attended a Georgian dance performance there in 1987, and Deep Purple's Ian Gillan, who renewed his vows at the venue in 1990. In 2002, the building was purchased by the oligarch Badri Patarkatsishvili. He intended it to be his personal residence. He died suddenly in February 2008 without a will, sparking one of the largest estate battles in history. Ten years later, the government of Georgia officially accused former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, of ordering Patarkatsishvili's assassination.

4. Sarpi Border Checkpoint, Sarpi

Sarpi Border Checkpoint. Architect: J Mayer H Architects, 2011. Credit: Jesko Malkolm Johnsson-Zahn

Checkpoint buildings are typically uninspiring. With their high fences and watchtowers, most leave little to the imagination. But, border checkpoints serve a dual imperative. They must “communicate contradictory messages of welcoming and surveillance.” It’s a delicate balancing act. While international airports are often showcases of progression, national identity and/or abundant wealth, land borders are largely excluded from this trend.

Unlike its utilitarian counterparts, the Sarpi Border Checkpoint stands as a beacon of architectural ambition. Completed in 2011 by J. Mayer H. Architects, this futuristic structure marks the boundaries between Georgia and Turkey. Overlooking the Black Sea, the gleaming white futuristic structure has cantilevering terraces which can be used as an observation deck. Like the exterior, the interior is light and spacious. Instead of imposing a singular interpretation, the architect invites viewers to find their own meaning in the building's fluid form, whether a "frozen splash of seawater" or a "smoke signal," The result is a dynamic interplay of curves and pockets, which seamlessly blend into the coastline.

Mayer likens it to a "lighthouse for the city," a beacon guiding visitors to Georgia's future. The surrounding landscape reflects this future-oriented vision. Stretching southward from the checkpoint lies Lazika, a planned city envisioned to house 500,000 people. This ambitious project, announced alongside the checkpoint's construction, symbolised Georgia's aspiration for modernisation. However, the change of government in 2012 halted the development of Lazika, leaving the checkpoint as a solitary monument to a future once envisioned.

5. Nutsubidze Skybridge, Tbilisi

Nutsubidze Skybridge. Architect: Otar Kalandarishvili, Gizo Potskhishvili, 1974. Credit: Stephane Cornille

The Nutsubidze Skybridge apartments stand as a striking embodiment of late Soviet architectural ambition and utopian ideals. Designed by architects Otar 'Toni' Kalandarishvili and Gaioz 'Gizo' Potskhishvili in 1974 and completed in 1978, this complex consists of three concrete apartment blocks interconnected by dramatic metal bridges high above the ground.

Comprising 140 apartments, the complex was initially distributed to a mix of blue-and-white-collar workers as part of the USSR's urban housing expansion program. Their design incorporates both modernist principles and elements of traditional Georgian architecture. The façade features mahogany wood details and horseshoe-shaped elements, echoing the carved balconies and shushabandi glass galleries found in Tbilisi's old town. This fusion of styles set the complex apart from typical Soviet brutalist architecture of the era.

The most distinctive feature of the complex is its network of elevated bridges, designed to address the challenges posed by Tbilisi's hilly terrain. These skyways allow residents to move easily between buildings without descending to street level, embodying the Soviet ideal of connected communities. The architects' original vision was even more ambitious, envisioning a vast network of skybridges connecting entire neighbourhoods across the plateau district. However, funding constraints limited the project to its current three-building configuration.

6. McDonalds, Batumi

McDonalds. Architect: Giorgi Khmaladze, 2012. Credit: Giorgi Khmaladze

McDonalds is designed for efficiency. Beauty is not normally a consideration in the design of new fast food outlets. Yet, the McDonalds restaurant which opened in Batumi in 2012 combines both functionality and beauty, transforming fast food into an elevated dining experience. Designed by Giorgi Khmaladze, the structure challenges conventional fast-food design principles, earning the Best Commercial Building of 2014 award from ArchDaily.

Given the site's central location and significance, the decision was made to maximise recreational space for the city by limiting the building's footprint and vehicular circulation. Khmaladze's design uses a cantilevering glass shell that serves dual purposes: a fuel station below and an elevated outdoor dining area with a sloping garden oasis above, acting as an "ecological shield." The outdoor garden has a layer of vegetation and is enclosed from all sides to reduce noise and build ambience. This design physically and visually separates the restaurant from the gas station. The building’s futuristic appearance is softened by a reflective pool along its perimeter. The familiar golden arches of McDonald's seem almost incongruous against the backdrop of this architectural marvel.

7. Treaty of Georgievsk Monument, Georgian Military Highway

Treaty of Georgievsk Monument. Architects: Giorgi Chakhava, Zurab Kapanadze, Nodar Malazonia & Zurab Lezhava, 1983. Credit: Egor Myznik

Along the Georgian Military Highway which connects Russia and Georgia is a monument which marks the 200th anniversary of a famous treaty. The Treaty of Georgievsk was signed in 1783, and saw Russia promise Georgia its own sovereignty and protection against enemies in return for allegiance to the Russian Empire. Just over a decade later, when the Persians invaded Georgia and Russia did very little to protect their southern neighbour.

The monument sits at the edge of a 600m cliff, and offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and valleys below. The monument consists of a large circular concrete structure supported by seven massive columns, symbolising seven centuries of purported Russian-Georgian friendship. The monument's most distinctive feature is its vibrant tiled mural, which wraps around the interior. This artwork is divided equally between stylized scenes from Russian and Georgian history, reflecting the official narrative of shared heritage. At its centre are a mother and child; their cultural background is intentionally ambiguous, symbolising unity, though this interpretation reportedly disappointed Soviet officials at the unveiling.

As one of the last monuments of its kind erected in Georgia before the Soviet Union's collapse, it stands as a symbol of a fraught relationship, contrasting sharply with the often-tumultuous reality of Russian-Georgian relations.

8. Rike Concert & Exhibition Hall, Tbilisi

Rike Concert Hall. Architect: Massimiliano & Doriana Fuksas, 2011. Credit: Mostafa Meraji

Consisting of two tubular metallic structures which are connected together at one end, the Rike Concert and Exhibition Hall in Tbilisi’s Old Town is hard to miss. With a dedicated 566-seat concert hall, the $33 million dollar building is a work in progress. More than a decade after construction began, the inside of the building is little more than a shell, and is yet to open to the public.

The building's distinctive form comprises two flared, tubular structures clad in a tessellated pattern of steel and glass panels. Its V-shaped plan points one section towards the nearby Peace Bridge, creating a dialogue with the city's modern urban elements. The north structure houses a 566-seat Musical Theatre Hall, while the south contains an Exhibition Hall. Despite its striking exterior, the building's interior remains largely unfinished more than a decade after construction began. Recently sold at auction for $3 million, the building will be repurposed as a museum of wine, digital art, and technology, with exhibition and conference spaces.

9. Tskaltubo Sanatoriums

Tskaltubo Sanatoriums. Architects: I. Zaalishvili & V. Kedia, 1950s. Credit: Stephane Cornille

In the USSR, a spa weekend wasn’t a pampered holiday. It was a requisite, prescribed by the Soviet state. In their heyday, millions of citizens across the Soviet Union visited sanatoriums each year, on an all expenses retreat paid for by the state.

In January 1950, Soviet architects I. Zaalishvili and V. Kedia created plans for a new sanatorium town in Tskaltubo, Georgia. The town would have 19 sanatoriums and 9 bathhouses, all surrounding a large park. More than 4,000 workers worked around the clock, almost 24 hours a day, to build the town. In December 1950, less than 12 months after construction first began, the first bathhouse opened to the public. Under the Soviet-mandated ‘right to rest’, Tskaltubo quickly became the most important sanatorium town in the USSR. Visitors came from all over the Soviet Union, with four trains arriving from Moscow each day. Joseph Stalin even had a dacha (summer residence) nearby.

Soviet sanatoriums were striking. Their vast size, neoclassical designs and intricate ornamentation were the peak of opulence and decadence. “Such buildings challenge the standard notion that architecture under communism was unsightly and drab. Today these icons of communism are crumbling, in varying states of decay, with just a few still welcoming guests. Read the rest of the story.

10. Shukura Tsikhisdziri Bar, Batumi

Shukura Tsikhisdziri Bar. Architect & date unknown. Credit: Stephane Cornille

The Tsikhisdziri archaeological site, perched on the rocky Black Sea coast, provides a window into centuries of human settlement. Excavations began in 1962, and have uncovered evidence of habitation dating back to the Late Bronze Age.

The site's most striking feature is its fortress, a coastal stronghold that once guarded the area. Within the 1.5-hectare citadel, the ruins of a 6th-century three-nave basilica can be found, complete with a narthex, projecting apse, and remnants of floor mosaics that highlight the region's early Christian heritage. The site also includes remains of two additional churches from different periods, illustrating the area's enduring religious significance.

Today, the ancient ruins coexist with modern structures, including the Shukura bar and restaurant in a deteriorating building nearby. The upstairs of the building is abandoned as it is obviously unsafe. If you're ever in Batumi, I would definitely recommend grabbing a delicious meal and a drink by the sea here with a beautiful woman named Laila.