Batonis Tsikhe feudal complex in Georgia’s east reopens with new museum

One of Georgia’s most important feudal-era monuments, the Batonis Tsikhe castle in the country’s east, has been renovated and reopened with a brand-new museum for locals and international visitors.

Located in the city of Telavi, the administrative centre of the winemaking Kakheti province, the castle served as the residence of kings of the province between the 17th-18th centuries.

The complex is comprised of a Persian-style palace of King Erekle II (also known as Heraclius II) — one of Georgia’s last monarchs — as well as remains of a bathhouse and two church buildings.

Exhibits in the newly opened museum at the Batonis Tsikhe complex. Photo: Prime Minister of Georgia press office.

Now it has undergone a major project of rehabilitation which has also included the construction of a new museum and the renovation of the palace.

The infrastructural works on the location included setting up a main exhibition space in the new museum to house archaeological and ethnographic exhibits, manuscripts, rare publications and military equipment.

Around 65000 exhibits can be found at the museum venue, where a gallery for temporary exhibitions was also established for displays of paintings from around the world, including works by 17th-19th century European artists.

Paintings exhibited in a new gallery space for visual art. Photo: Prime Minister of Georgia press office.

The yard of both the museum and the palace buildings was also developed to complement the renovated spaces within the complex.

The 14 million GEL (about 5.76 million USD/4.89 million EUR*) project for the site, located at 1 Erekle II Avenue in Telavi, was supported by World Bank and carried out by the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia.

* Currency conversions reflect National Bank of Georgia values as of today.