Batumi Archaeological Museum
Batumi, Ilia Chavchavadze Street N77
Brief Description of the Building:
The building was constructed in 1960 as the House of Culture of the Trade Unions of Adjara. It regularly hosted concerts, film screenings, and cultural events. Built in a style characteristic of the socialist era, the structure was repurposed in 1994 by decree of the Supreme Council of Adjara to house the Archaeological Museum of Southwest Georgia. The museum preserves artifacts uncovered by the archaeological expedition of Southwest Georgia in the Adjara and Batumi regions, ranging from the Bronze Age to the 18th century.
The building is made of stone and plastered, and decorated in a Classicist style. Both the plinth and the main façade are rusticated. The façade is marked by large arches supported by massive columns. These arches are adorned with plasterwork and decorative elements, including vegetal motifs repeated across the façade.
The building features wide openings, and beneath the cornice are pairs of circular windows framed by ornamental surrounds. The corners of the building have oval-shaped openings. A continuous ornamental frieze runs along the top of the façade, capped with a profiled cornice supported by decorative brackets.
The side elevations are designed similarly to the front, with arched forms that house windows and small balconies with ornate railings. The rear façade is much simpler and lacks decorative detailing.
In summary, this structure is a notable example of Soviet architecture, distinguished by its monumentality, proportional design, elegant façade decoration, and high-quality construction.
