17 Shota Rustaveli Avenue

The History of the Building

The building was constructed in 1898-1901 for the Artistic Society of Tbilisi, with the financial support of a group of patrons, the main of which was the merchant Isai Pitoev. 

In 1919, in the lower lobby of the building, a group of modernists opened the Kimerioni intellectual cafe - their place for the bohemians of Tbilisi. 

The Architecture of the Building 

The project of the building was elaborated by famous Tbilisi architects - Korneli Tatishchev and Alexander Shimkevich. On the eclectic facade, richly decorated with decor, and in the interior, elements of the rococo style predominate. 

The walls of the theater at different times were painted by artists Lado Gudiashvili, David Kakabadze, Zigmund Valishevsky, Alexander Zaltsman, Sergei Sudeikin, Kirill Zdanevich, Mose and Irakli Toidze.

The Building Today

On November 25, 1921, it became the Georgian Drama Theater named after Shota Rustaveli, which has been successfully operating to this day. In different periods, the entire building of the theater and a large part of the "Kimerioni" artwork were restored. Today, the cafe still welcomes guests - however, under the different name.