On the History of the Second Building of the Georgian National Library

Second building of the Georgian National Library is considered to be a valuable sample of the 20th c. Neo-Classicism style, but up to now it was not the subject of the special research; such a study was undertaken in connection with its restoration and adaptive reuse. Monumental, three-storied building of Γ-shaped plan is located on the crossing of the L. Gudiashvili (former – Loris-Melikov, L. Ketskhoveli street) and A. Purtseladze (former– Baron street) streets. Its main facade is provided with the projection and main entrance in the arch. The latter is leading to the two-storied vestibule, which (on the first floor level) is perpendicularly adjoined by the hall with double lighting; a network of passages and suites of rooms is arranged around this core; a monogram on the corner bears the date of construction – 1915 and the name of the owner – Tbilisi Branch of the Volga-Kama Commercial Bank. The author of the building is G. A. Kosyakov, academician of architecture, an architect from St. Petersburg (his project design is lost; the design of the transformation undertaken in
1953-55 is preserved). The building is in concert with the traits widespread in the construction of banks all over the Russian empire (ferro-concrete roofing, central heating system, lifts, Neo-Classicistic style, proportions, symmetric arrangement, grey stone for facing, main entrance in the arch, etc.; these features are also seen in the buildings of two neighbouring banks – at present, first and third buildings of the Georgian National Library). Construction of Volga-Kama Bank and Georgian Nobility Estate Bank next to it, was undertaken in 1912-1915, simultaneously, and both were opened in 1916 (one – in June, second – in May); both banks (as well as all others, in Tbilisi) ceased functioning in 1920. During the Soviet times, the building housed offices of various state bodies (Industrial Bank, Ministry of the Dairy and Meat Products Industry, Research Institute of Wine-making and Viticulture) and private flats, while from 1953 – it was given to the Library. As seen from the drawings, before the intervention of 1950s, the building was of Π-shaped plan and together with the neighbouring Nobility Bank, formed a single composition (back wing and adjoining houses were demolished in 1970s, during the construction of the high book-depository of the Library; the former creates a considerable dissonance in the extant urban fabric; second alteration of the building was also undertaken in the same period). Despite the transformations, the building had, on the whole, preserved its initial
aspect (number of stories, facing with basalt – below the brick masonry, with grey stone and cast rustics – above, roofing, design of the painted vestibule and main hall), although certain elements are lost (old clock of the hall, painted frieze of the ambulatory, crystal glassing of the ceiling aperture). More extensive are changes in other compartments (e.g. shape of the former depositories is altered, painted decoration in other entrance halls is almost totally vanished, on the ground floor, in 1950s, a columned room was arranged and partitions were added, later was the alteration of the part, connecting with the demolished back wing and replacement of the majority of balusters). Despite all these, the building still bears the personal style of G. Kosyakov and characteristic traits of the late Classicism