The Marshal's Palace — An Architectural Masterpiece in Georgia

History of the Palace

We are talking about the palace of Alexander Tarkhan-Mouravi. For some historical context: this magnificent palace was erected at the end of the 18th century by David Tarkhan-Mouravi (Mimbashi), a descendant of G. Saakadze. In the early 19th century, his sons—the Marshal of the Nobility, Prince Alexander Tarkhan-Mouravi, and his brother Konstantin—added a second floor. It is important to note that at that time, "Marshal" referred to the leader of the nobility, not a military rank.

The palace's illustrious fate continued: Alexander Tarkhan-Mouravi had a son, Vasily, who had three daughters. One married Irakli Machabeli; the second married Porokhovsky, who was the physician to Tsar Nicholas II; and the third married a German subject, Karl von Brandt.

The palace has almost entirely lost its original appearance. Its beautiful story was interrupted after the Revolution. Pieces of mirrors were pried from wall ornaments, murals were destroyed, painted wallpapers were torn down, and Red Army soldiers scratched their names into the walls. Even the oak floors were dismantled for firewood during the war.

In the past, there were five such palaces in the current village of Garikula, but four were completely destroyed. The unique Marshal's Palace survived only because the head of the Gori municipality, a painter by profession, refused to let it be demolished. The unique baths, built of brick and limestone before the 17th century, also miraculously survived; attempts to destroy them with simple tools failed, and even the dynamite brought in for the job was never used.

The palace did not return to its owners immediately. After the Revolution, the descendants of the Marshal from the Brandt and Porokhovsky lines moved to Brussels, while the descendants of the Machabeli family remained in Georgia.

Architecture and Decor

Let’s take a slow walk through the preserved rooms, restoring their splendor in our imagination. In the first room, where we were guided by Maya Surviladze (a descendant of the Machabeli line), old photographs hang that trace the family history. In the neighboring room, there are photos from the 20th and 21st centuries, including stills from the film The Legend of Suram Fortress starring Veriko Anjaparidze; parts of this film, directed by Sergei Parajanov, were shot right here. Several drawings left by anonymous artists during the house's decline complement this collection, creating an interesting contrast with the old photographs.

The Theater Hall

This is a place where the wall paintings were created by Persian artists. However, after the lead artist passed away, the work stopped, and they only managed to paint one wall and the ceiling. For the remaining walls, wallpaper in a European style was brought from Paris.

Performances were often held in this hall, including some of the first productions by the famous playwright and actor Giorgi Eristavi, Alexander Tarkhan-Mouravi's son-in-law. Guests of the palace included Grigol Orbeliani, Ilia Chavchavadze, Alexander Kazbegi, Ivan Machabeli, and other famous figures of that era. Akaki Tsereteli was a particularly frequent guest and a close friend of Alexander’s sons.

The Northern Hall

This hall is a shushabandi (glass gallery). It was here that the fountain stood, which flowed with water on ordinary days and with a choice of black or white Georgian wine on holidays. The carved panoramic windows were destroyed during difficult times and later restored by the modern descendants when they reclaimed their family home. Unfortunately, the local carpenter could not replicate the original elegance and lightness.

The Mirror Room

This served as a meeting room and originally featured stained-glass windows which, besides their beauty, protected the artwork from direct sunlight. Maya’s great-grandmother lived in this very room; during cleaning, she would invite a neighbor to help refresh the wall ornaments using a cloth dampened in a soap solution. Thanks to these efforts, gold patterns and hand-painted images of birds and monograms are still clearly visible on the walls today, though only fragments remain.

A well-preserved detail is the carved door, which the family managed to take with them when they left the house in 1968. The mirrored ceiling in this room is also perfectly preserved. An interesting fact: if you whisper in one corner of the room, you can be heard clearly in the opposite one.

The Chinese Hall

This room was set aside for Baryatinsky, the Tsar’s Viceroy in the Caucasus, who was a friend of Alexander and a frequent guest. Once, he gifted Alexander a box of Chinese tea with a specific design; one of the walls was then decorated to match that box, featuring butterflies, decorative mirrors, and other elements. However, the Communists hid all this beauty under a thick layer of paint, and the mirrors on the walls and ceiling were smashed. The Venetian glass window frame, set at an angle to create the impression of a painting with changing seasons, also did not survive.

Over time, the Tarkhan-Mouravi family attracted many artists from all over the world, as this part of Georgia was a renowned source of inspiration due to its beautiful nature. Famous artists such as Sergo Kobuladze, Piko, and Zura Nizharadze stayed here. In 1968, the palace was transferred to the Academy of Arts to be used as a summer camp, which ironically was the period when the palace suffered the most damage.

Currently, the palace remains the private property of the Tarkhan-Mouravi descendants and holds the status of a historical and cultural monument. In 2016, conservation work was carried out under the leadership of Nana Kuprashvili.

Thanks to the efforts of the descendants and their passion for restoring history, we can today embark on a unique journey and become part of the new story of this magnificent palace.