Batumi, Memed Abashidze Street No. 41
Brief description of the monument:
This building, constructed in the early 20th century, originally housed commercial shops on its ground floor. On the second floor was the luxurious photo studio of German photographer Michael Glaudan, adorned with a glass ceiling, opulent furnishings, and black sculptures.
The two-story building integrates seamlessly into the dense urban fabric of the street. Its plastered and whitewashed façade incorporates decorative elements characteristic of the Art Nouveau style. A central risalit defines the vertical axis of the façade, culminating in a parapet area with a pediment richly adorned with palmettes and rosettes. The main entrance is situated within this central risalit, while the passageway to the courtyard is located at the building’s edge.
The façade features an intriguing decorative composition. The ground floor, relatively simple, is divided by openings situated between pilaster-like projections, with ornamentation only above the entrance doorway, expressed in Art Nouveau stylistic motifs. The second floor showcases a rhythmic sequence of deep vertical grooves running its entire length, interspersed with flat half-pilasters positioned above simple rectangular windows. The significantly protruding cornice of the building is supported by decorative brackets, with its visible underside ornamented by rosettes. The structure includes a high parapet featuring decorative curved protrusions both at its edges and central portion. Metal-railed balconies project from the second floor overlooking the street.
This building represents an excellent example of urban heritage, notable for its individually articulated façade. Its proportions and decorative elements are distinguished by refined taste, architectural tactfulness, and high-quality craftsmanship.
