Over the past 78 years  cultural – educational center have  served  school age children and adolescents for reasonable use of  spare  time and contributes to get  additional extracurricular education. National Palace is the leader organization of non-formal education in Georgia. Nowadays in the circles of the National Youth and Children's Palace are united 4500 pupils.  Distinguished historical  building was constructed in the early 19th century. In the 50-60 years of the same century the Palace was reconstructed by the famous architect Otto Jacob Simonson. The building of the Palace is a cultural heritage monument.

National palace has a bicentennial history and it is one of the distinguished building not just history-wise, but also from architectural viewpoint. It is located at 6, Rustaveli Avenue and its main façade overlooks the avenue and in south, it is surrounded by the vast garden. As the Russian authority was established in Georgia, it was accompanied by appointment of Karl Knoring as the emissary of Russian Empire and it required a building where the emissary would live. many places were chose,, outskirts of Kalaubani and the gardens of the Georgian noble families, but in 1802 a small, poor quality building was erected, but 5 years later it was demolished and substituted the new one. This was an example of Russian classicism and carried a symbolic significance of the new power. Later the building was several times remodeled and in 1818 it was demolished and they built a new one according to the architect Braunmiller. We may see its façade on the Tbilisi panorama photo. Later the building was enlarged and the small rooms were substituted by the larger ones, private apartments of the emissary, studies, a pool-room, rooms for clerks, Winter Garden, etc.  Initial administrative house was changed to the residence of the emissary.

In 1844 when the Russian authority introduced the position of the emissary, the palace no more satisfied ambitions of the Russian Czar's aggressive and imperialistic whims. The more noble he was, the brighter the palace had to be. Therefore they commissioned architect Nikoloz Semionov who was a prominent person in Petersburg. During 1845-47 he drastically changed the outlook of the palace and actually he built an interesting and unique building in the style of classicism. As he changed the building, it acquired more attributes of classicism and there are some features proving it. Some sculptures of Heracles and Minerva emerged in the building and they indicated to the power and wisdom of the new government. A new garden and the water basin with fountains were built during those years. This park as a whole was referred as the "Palace Garden" and only the narrow group of the elite was admitted.

By the end of 1850 there was a strong desire to erect a new, even greater building for the emissary on the Gunib Square, where the present Government House stands, but realization of the project failed and they decided to remodel the old one. In 1865 the Swedish architect Otto Jacob Simonsson started to reconstruct drastically and completed within 4 years. In 1869 the Palace of the emissary took the final shape, the exact one we see today and were our young people study and have fun. Simonsson greatly enlarged the Semionovs version and gave a new look. He removed the pillars, sculptures and enlarged and added the palaces. he also changed the interior, a reception hall and put up the mirrors in the Great Hall. It was him who entirely changed the garden, added a beautiful stair and furnished the yard, where the beloved and popular Georgian movie ”Qeto” and ”Kote” was made. It is noteworthy that the interior of the palace as most palaces of Tbilisi carry some late Iranian architectural features along classicist order.

In this very building for many decades the fate of the country was discussed and decided: ever since 1917 the Sejm of Transcaucasia was located. On May 26, 1918 national banner of Georgia was flown a top of the palace as Noe Jordania's government declared the independence and just two days later  inthis very building Azerbaijan and Armenia followed Georgia on this track. Jordanias government functioned on this building and on February 21, 1921 they adopted the Constitution of Georgia.
After establishing the Sovier power in 1921 in the palace of the emissary Georgian government worked. By the way, during 1932-37 Stalin's mother Keke Geladze lived in this building and when she died in
1937 her body was taken from this palace t Mtatsminda pantheon. In 1937 Lavrenti Beria initiated handing the palace to children and it was called Pioneers and Childrens House. But officially the palace
opened on May 2, 1941 and this is a birthdate of the palace. As a great historian Ivane Javakhishvili remembered, "that was great deed for the coming generations as from this day on, this palace will
become the place where our young generation will study and learn.”

Non formal and amiable atmosphere, a changing form of teaching and an ability to make a choice independently make up a wonderful place for self-realization and self-establishment, one may and can evince abilities and accumulated knowledge at the best and remain motivated, with a sense of responsibility, goal-oriented and of high competence.

Today in the groups of the Palace 3200 young fellows are united. The palace is a multi-profile educational and study institution and by its elastic structure it serves young people of the school age in
many directions and  child of any hobby may come and learn how to exploit the time rationally and get extracurricular education.

ეროვნული სასახლე – კატალოგი

გამოცემულია ქალაქ თბილისის მუნიციპალიტეტის ა(ა)იპ „მოსწავლე-ახალგაზრდობის ეროვნული სასახლის“ დაკვეთით

Museum of the National Palace

Rich centuries-old history of the National  Palace, the presence of rare exhibits,  related to historical
events,  happened in the Palace created the possibility of establishment a  historical  Museum. Unique
exponents, pieces of art, portraits, furniture, jewellery, items of symbolic purpose, sculptures, sketches,

the museum stands are exhibited at the museum.The space also accommodates exhibits relating to nowadays activities of the Palace, awards in different years received by the students. Museum was opened  on  December 25,  2017. The  Project is  implemented in  partnership with the National Museum of Georgia.

There are 10 exhibition spaces at the National Palace, includes the following halls:

• The Marble Hall;
• The Mirror Hall;
• The White Hall;
• The R. Tabukashvili Hall

Exhibited in these halls are: Belongings of the Viceroy of Russian Empire to Georgia; Awards and gifts received since the establishment of the Palace; Copies of artworks by famous Georgian painter Lado Gudiashvili; Paintings, sketches and sculptures by graduates of the National Palace, as well as minerals collected by them.

The museum works every day except Mondays

Work hours: 11:00-17:00

• Address: 6 Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi.
• Tel: (995 32) 299 61 13
• E-mail: museum@youthpalace.ge