MUSÉE D'HISTOIRE CULTURELLE - PALAIS DES ARTS

A beautiful museum in Tbilisi, this is one of the most culturally rich in Georgia. The entrance fee is also very affordable, especially in comparison with many other Georgian museums, which differentiate between Georgians and foreigners, with the latter paying a relatively high rate.

The history of the building is highly original; its genesis dates back to 1882, when the German prince Constantine Oldenburg (1850-1906) met the beautiful Agraphina Japaridze in Koutaïssi. Their love affair was initially thwarted because Agraphina was married to a Georgian nobleman, but she initiated a divorce - obviously scandalous at the time - in order to marry the prince. As a symbol of his love, Prince Oldenburg ordered the construction of the palace in Tbilisi, and Paul Stern, a renowned architect of the time, supervised the work, which was completed in 1895. The palace's style is unique, blending Gothic and Oriental inspirations and resembling a beautiful 3-storey doll's house. The palace underwent several alterations during its history, and was repeatedly abandoned. In 2009, the museum's new administration took things in hand to offer a prestigious museum with over 300,000 pieces in a superb setting.

Don't miss a visit to the "Secret Room" upstairs, and admire the superb "Nymph" fireplace on the first floor, as well as the painted ceilings on the 1st floor.