Tbilisi Concert Hall (Philharmonic) and Kostava Avenue

Why is it significant?

Conclude your journey before the spectacular circular glass-and-steel rotunda of the Tbilisi Concert Hall, popularly known as the Philharmonic.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Conclude your journey before the spectacular circular glass-and-steel rotunda of the Tbilisi Concert Hall, popularly known as the Philharmonic. Inaugurated in 1971 and designed by prominent architect Ivan Chkhenkeli with engineer Shalva Gazashvili, this striking structure is considered one of the foremost masterworks of Soviet modernist architecture in the Caucasus. Perched at the grand junction of Rustaveli Avenue, Kostava Street, and Melikishvili Avenue, the rotunda serves as the triumphant architectural finale to the capital's premier boulevard.

Look up at the soaring cantilevered roof canopy that appears to float weightlessly above the continuous cylindrical glass curtain wall. In front of the grand entrance stands the bronze sculpture of the Muse of Music, created in 1971 by master sculptor Merab Berdzenishvili. The expressive, elongated female figure holds a traditional Georgian lyre aloft with lyrical grace, her flowing bronze drapery conveying the transcendent joy of musical inspiration.

The main concert auditorium seats two thousand five hundred spectators and is engineered with state-of-the-art acoustic shell panels that provide flawless sound distribution. Over the decades, this legendary stage has hosted international symphony orchestras, world-famous jazz virtuosos, and celebrated Georgian multi-part polyphonic choirs. On the plaza surrounding the hall, the Walk of Fame features brass stars honoring legendary Georgian composers, vocalists, and conductors whose music has moved audiences worldwide. Its innovative engineering earned the architectural design team national honors and international acclaim for progressive modernist architecture.

Sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling glass vitrines, illuminating the spacious terrazzo lobbies where concertgoers gather before evening performances. Standing beneath the bronze Muse, you look back down the sweeping boulevard of Rustaveli Avenue, tracing the magnificent urban journey you have completed. This iconic modern rotunda provides a celebratory, inspiring finale to your exploration of Georgia's grandest avenue.

Relax at the plaza cafes or explore the trendy boutiques and restaurants of the adjacent Vera district.