Look for each house’s visual language
After Freedom Square, begin with the Writers’ House and notice how an individual mansion fits into a continuous street. At Kalantarov House, select a few façade elements: a window outline, ornament around an opening or a balcony shape. Examine them separately, then step back to see the whole again. This prevents rich decoration from becoming visual overload
At the Seylanov House, separate the entrance hall’s reputation for painting from the possibility of seeing it. Continue outside if access is not permitted; an open door is not automatically an invitation. When entry is agreed, keep the stairs clear, move quietly and ask about photography. Residents use these spaces as part of their everyday homes
Compare houses along Chonkadze Street
Continue with attention to Anna Madatova’s house and the Bozardjiants mansion. Compare how their façades work on a sloping street: cornice lines, entrance positions and details visible from the pavement. Tumanyan’s house adds a literary strand. Plan a cultural-centre visit only after checking its programme and whether the museum area can be visited
Pick two houses for longer pauses and use the others as comparisons along the way. Trying every doorway makes the day depend on chance and disrupts the rhythm of the neighbourhood. Sloping streets, cobbles and occasional steps call for comfortable shoes. On an incline, stop in a stable position before looking up at the upper façade
Map and stops
The numbered markers match the stops below. A marker does not guarantee an open entrance
Freedom Square
The central square and its Saint George monument connect Rustaveli Avenue with the Old Town
Use the square as a starting point for a walk through Sololaki
Show on the city map ↗Writers' House of Georgia
A literary and cultural space in a historic Sololaki house
Check the events programme and whether the interiors are open to visitors
Show on the city map ↗Kalantarov House
A historic Sololaki house with a Moorish Revival facade
Study the ornament from the pavement; the building remains residential
Show on the city map ↗Seylanov House
The house at 18 Tabidze Street is known for its early 20th-century entrance-hall murals
Viewing the murals depends on access to the residential building
Show on the city map ↗Anna Madatova House
This 1902 house on Chonkadze Street is an example of Tbilisi Art Nouveau
Compare its facade with other mansions along Chonkadze Street
Show on the city map ↗Hovhannes Tumanyan House
A research and cultural centre in the Armenian poet's historic home
Ask about museum access and the events schedule before visiting
Show on the city map ↗Bozardjiants House
A 1915 mansion on Chonkadze Street and a striking example of Tbilisi Art Nouveau
View the facade from the street; enter residential stairwells only with permission
Show on the city map ↗
Before the walk
- Compare the same element across houses: a window, doorway or balcony
- Enter residential halls only when permission has been given
- Check Writers’ House and Tumanyan House programmes separately
- Enter residential halls and courtyards only with permission. The route provides a street approach only
- Check opening hours and exhibition access separately for Tumanyan House and the Writers' House
Check hours, tickets and access with each venue. Barriers may change the track and queues may add time. Accessibility has not been surveyed on site
Questions before the walk
Does the route guarantee access to entrance halls?
No. It links approaches along public streets. Residential interiors depend on permission and may be unavailable on the visiting day
Is the Kaleidoscope House included?
No. It belongs to the Betlemi walk, where it is also an exterior stop: renewed access to its entrance hall has not been confirmed
Sources and verification
Written by walkymap from remotely checked sources. No on-site walk is claimed
Georgia Travel — Georgian National Tourism Administration — Tbilisi, Sololaki District ·
© OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL. Track geometry and distance are from the route dataset
Elevation estimate: Mapterhorn. Terrain model; stairs and small changes in level may be missed
