Kalantarov House

Kalantarov House is one of the most unusual mansions in the Sololaki district and a striking example of Neo-Moorish architecture in Tbilisi. The building was erected in 1908 according to the design of architect Lazar Sarkisyan for merchant Mikhail Kalantarov. The mansion's facade blends Art Nouveau, Baroque, and oriental architectural elements. Particularly prominent are arched windows, decorative carving, and rich ornamentation, making the house resemble an oriental palace more than an early 20th-century city mansion.

At the beginning of the last century, Sololaki was one of the most prestigious districts of Tiflis, where the city elite built their mansions: merchants, industrialists, benefactors, and cultural figures. Gudiashvili Street (then Lermontovskaya) was lined with luxurious revenue houses in Art Nouveau, Neo-Gothic, Classicism, and Pseudo-Renaissance styles.

Following the establishment of Soviet power, the mansion was nationalized and divided into communal apartments. Despite the loss of some interior features, the building retained its unique exterior appearance. Moorish arches and decorative facade elements crafted from ganch, a mixture of gypsum and clay that allowed for exceptionally fine and detailed carving, attract special attention. The mansion is currently closed to visitors, but remains one of the most famous architectural landmarks of the Sololaki district.