Sanatorium Iveria, Tskaltubo, Georgia

Sanatorium Iveria is a ruin in the old spa town of Tskaltubo, Georgia. Originally built during the Soviet era as part of a state wellness program, it was once a resort for state-sponsored rest and vacations. Today, the sanatorium lies derelict, its architecture bearing the marks of time, looting, and abandonment. Alongside the other ruins in the town, it stands as a crumbling reminder of the days when Georgia was part of the USSR.

I visited Sanatorium Iveria during my 2022 Georgia and Armenia Tour. One of the highlights of the tour was exploring the many abandoned spas and hotels of Tskaltubo, including this one!

Soviet-Era Tskaltubo: Short History of USSR Spa Tourism in Georgia

Tskaltubo is blessed with natural radon-carbonate springs were believed to have healing properties. Specifically, the springs were believed to soothe circulatory, nervous, and musculoskeletal conditions. Starting in the 1930s, the Soviet government designated the town a balneotherapy centre. Over the following decades, it grew into a large-scale health destination. Workers from across the Soviet Union flocked to the town on state-subsidised package holidays. At its peak, Tskaltubo received an estimated 125,000 visitors annually.

Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the spa town began to fade. Most sanatoria and bathhouses closed. Then, in the early 1990s, conflict in the nearby Abkhazia region displaced many ethnic Georgians. Empty spa buildings, including Iveria, temporarily housed thousands of these refugees. Many never left, subsequently making permanent homes in many of the former resort buildings.

History of Sanatorium Iveria

Sanatorium Iveria was constructed in the post-war Soviet period. Records suggest construction began in the early 1950s and finished around 1962. The building was designed to accommodate approximately 300 guests and operated as one of the larger and more prominent sanatoria in the town. For decades, Iveria hosted guests under the state’s health programme, offering rest, therapy, and organised leisure. Like other sanatoria in Tskaltubo, it included sleeping quarters, treatment rooms, social spaces, and staff areas.

Early 1990s saw the building’s closure, along with many in the town. A private investor purchased the building around 2017, with plans for conversion into a hotel. As of now, the site remains abandoned, with scarce evidence these plans will come to fruition.

Architecture and Layout of Sanatorium Iveria

Sanatorium Iveria is large and symmetrical in form. Its layout features a central block with two main wings forming a C-shaped plan view. The structure is concrete-framed, with simple classical detailing, representing a blend of late Stalinist and early Soviet modernist influences.

The main entrance opens into a two-storey hall. The space includes a now-damaged circular void, once encircled by an internal balcony. This design allowed daylight to reach the ground floor and gave the entrance a sense of height and scale.

A series of grand staircases connect the floors. Some internal ceilings retain decorative plasterwork, some beauty inside what is essentially an empty building. One wing includes the remains of a performance space, possibly a small theatre or assembly hall.