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Batumi, Vakhtang Gorgasali St. N21
Brief Description of the Building:
The residential building is located in the city center of Batumi (Old Batumi), at Vakhtang Gorgasali St. N21. The building is characterized by an asymmetric layout. Today, the northern facade of the building is a blank wall facing Gorgasali Street. However, as seen in a 19th-century photograph, initially, the building protruded entirely over the street, and its rough-hewn facade, built with river stones, had five small rectangular windows, with iron bars, neatly framed along the edges.
The main entrance and the rectangular window openings are located on the eastern facade, which is positioned within the yard section. On this side, there is a staircase leading to the basement, with doors and windows cut into the walls. Symmetrically placed, there are two rectangular windows on each side of the entrance door.
The buildings rear and side facades (on the western side) are presented with solid projecting volumes. The rear part of the yard also shows that the building is constructed with solid river stones, and the corner constructions feature flattened surface stone blocks. Narrow, differently colored stone windows with iron bars are set into the thick walls.
On this side, there is probably a brick wall built for a stove, with a vaulted opening likely leading into the basement. This brick wall could have been added later, during the late 19th-early 20th centuries. The southern side of the building has a small protruding volume, which is decorated with artistic details such as capitalized columns and two archways connected by arches. This part of the building currently has a separate entrance. The window decoration, with simple-profile pilasters and arches, attests to the buildings age.
Currently, three facades of the building have been plastered. Initially, the walls, built with stone and lime mortar, were left unplastered. The wooden-framed roof was covered with corrugated tiles, but now the building has a simple-profile cornice and is topped with a metal and asbestos-cement roofing material.
This building is a noteworthy example of 19th-century architecture, with its distinct stonework, simple yet elegant details, and historical significance in the city’s development.
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