
Category of Astronomical Heritage: tangible immovable
Tbilisi Observatory, Georgia
Multiple descriptions from different sources
Fig. 1. Tbilisi Physical Observatory with its absolute building and the land of Kukia (former Tiflisser Kolonie). View from the river Mtkvari. Photo by D. Yermakov. 1890s. © Georgian National Museum.
Fig. 2. Main building of the Kukia observatory with the moveable timber tower. Designed by the architect Otto Jacob Simonson and the engineer F. Lehmkul. 1860s. © The archives of the Museum of the History of Geophysics of Georgia.
Fig. 3. Layout plan of the Kukia observatory instrumentally surveyed and drawn by Heinrich Kiefer. 1866. © Tbilisi History Museum - Georgian National Museum.
Fig. 4. Kukia observatory. A plan of the central part and longitudinal section of the main building, cross section of the west wing. Measurement by Heinrich Kiefer. 1866. © Tbilisi History Museum - Georgian National Museum.
Fig. 5. Building of Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory in the late 1920s. Mikhael Nodia’s archives.
Fig. 6.1. Main building of the former Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory as it stands today. General view . Photo by Maia Mania. 2006.
Fig. 6.2. Main building of the former Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory as it stands today. General view . Photo by Maia Mania. 2009.
Fig. 6.3. Main building of the former Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory as it stands today. General view. Photo by Maia Mania. 2024.
Fig. 6.4. Main building of the former Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory as it stands today. General view. Photo by Maia Mania. 2024.
Fig. 7. Main building of the former Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory. Interior. Photo by Maia Mania. 2002.
Fig. 8. Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory. Seismic cellar with heavy pendula. From the publication by Eugen Büss, Seismometrische Beobachtungen in Tiflis in der Jaren 1921 und 1922. Band 1, Tiflis, 1923.
Fig. 9. Seismic cellar of the former main building of Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory. 2000. Photo by Maia Mania.
Fig. 10. General view. Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory and a meteorological platform. 15 December, 2002. Photo by Maia Mania.
Fig. 11. Tbilisi Physical Observatory. Absolute building and a platform for meteorological observations. 1890s. Photo by Konstantin Zanis (1864- 1947) . © The archives of the Museum of the History of Geophysics of Georgia.
Fig. 12. P. Fedulov, E. Büss, A. Didebulidze, M. Nodia and F. Weiss in front of absolute building of Tbilisi Geoghysical Observatory. 1920s.
Fig. 13. A. Didebulidze, P. Fedulov, F. Weiss and M. Nodia in front of absolute building of the Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory in 1920s.
Fig. 14. Main building of the former Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory. Fragment of the interior. 2014. Photo by Maia Mania.
Fig. 15. Main façade of the former Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory. 2022. Photo by Maia Mania.
Fig. 16. Main building of the former Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory. The tower designed by Leopold Bielfeld. Photo by Maia Mania. 2006.
Presentation
Location
150a Davit Aghmashenebeli Ave, Tbilisi, Georgia
General description
The Tbilisi Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory is one of the earliest scientific centres in the South Caucasus.
Fig. 1. Tbilisi Physical Observatory with its absolute building and the land of Kukia (former Tflisser Kolonie). View from the river Mtkvari. Photo by D. Yermakov. 1890s. © Georgian National Museum
Founded in the 1830s, the Tbilisi observatory was engaged in the common system of terrestrial studies and in 1844 was integrated into an international net of observatories together with the launch of regular absolute magnetic and meteorological observations. This created a foundation for starting climatic studies, which has now acquired particular relevance due to the recent concern with climate change. In December of 1899 the launching of a seismic station in Tbilisi Physical Observatory was held, which chronologically followed those founded in the Nikolaev, Kharkov and Jurjew (formerly Dorpat, now Tartu) seismic stations.
Like many other observatories across the world, the Tbilisi observatory covered a huge space encompassing the southern areas of the Russian Empire, the entire Caucasus and the adjacent Caspian, Black Sea and Azov Equatoria.
Brief inventory
The design for the observatory was made in 1859, while the construction was carried out between 1860 and 1861. It started functioning in a newly constructed building at 0 o’clock astronomical time, 1 May, 1862. The chief of the Caucasian Triangulation Ioseph Khodzko was entrusted with the writing of a charter of the main observatory of the Caucasus. It was he who named the observatory as the Main Observatory of the Caucasus, defined its goals and objectives and set up physical and astronomical departments within the observatory assigning respective functions to each.
Fig. 2. Main building of the Kukia observatory with the moveable timber tower. Designed by the architect Otto Jacob Simonson and the engineer F. Lehmkul. 1860s. © The archives of the Museum of the History of Geophysics of Georgia
Fig. 3. Layout plan of the Kukia observatory instrumentally surveyed and drawn by Heinrich Kiefer. 1866. © Tbilisi History Museum - Georgian National Museum.
Bielfeld removed the moveable timber tower of the main building of the observatory constructed by Lehmkul and replaced it by the brick one. The reconstruction was planned for the participation of the Tbilisi observatory in the first International Polar Year held between 1882 and 1883, which involved fifteen countries. In addition to several Russian observatories, the Tbilisi observatory was engaged in the International Polar Year.
According to a layout plan dating from the time when Moritz was active (Situations Plan des Magnet. & Meteorolog. Observatoriums zu Tiflis (Transkaukasien), the complex included several buildings, namely a double-storey plain brick dwelling (Wohngebäude), which stretched along Michael Street and bordered the observatory gardens in the east, a single storey longitudinal ‘mechanics wing’, which adjoined the observatory grounds to the north and contained flats for mechanics (Wohnhaus des Mechanikers), a room for instruments (Instrumente), a storage for physical instruments and a laboratory (Chemisches Laboratorium) among others.
Opposite the mechanics’ wing was to be found a single-storey ‘ice cellar’.To the extreme east of the area, expanding deeper into the quarter and near the Mtkvari, stood an octagonal absolute timber building (Absolutes magnetisches Observatorium). Of these structures making up the complex, the most remarkable was a circular building of modest size containing a small moveable tower, which served for making geodesic observations and housing instruments needed for this purpose (Kleiner drehthurm).
Provided with a tall wooden tower rotating around an axis in the centre and with widely extended arms, the main building of the observatory (Hauptgebaude) still stands in the eastern half of a narrow strip of land between former Michael Street and the Mtkvari. Dominating the entire complex, it served to organise the extremely spacious observatory grounds. The building was enclosed by a deep ditch (Isolir. Graben), which outlined an oblong section forming a triangle to the east. The north side of the triangle once had a wooden bridge which was later replaced by one of stone.
The south and north contour of the ditch formed a straight line along the Mtkvari, merging into the low terrain of the left bank. The pavilion of absolute observations and the aforementioned tower standing to the south-east of the main building of the observatory were built within the contour.
The Tbilisi Magnetic Observatory boasted an exceptionally rich stock of instruments. Thanks to its accuracy and to the relevance of its studies, the observatory ranked among the leading observatories of the world.
Fig. 4. Kukia observatory. A plan of the central part and longitudinal section of the main building, cross section of the west wing. Measurement by Heinrich Kiefer. 1866. © Tbilisi History Museum - Georgian National Museum.
Fig. 5. Building of Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory in the late 1920s. Mikhael Nodia’s archives.
Management and use
Present use
Today the former Kukia Observatory main building houses the Museum of the History of Geophysical Science and the Hydrometeorological Institute of Georgia.
The site is managed by the former Tbilisi Geophysical observatory which has been integrated into the M. Nodia Institute of Geophysics (Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University). The Institution has an extremely limited budget and no means for the proper maintenance and conservation.
Fig. 7. Main building of the former Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory. Interior. Photo by Maia Mania. 2002.
State of conservation
The site is listed in 2000, comprehensive professional documentation exists, and various studies and fundamental research on the building have been done.
During the decades the main building of the former Kukia Observatory was heavily damaged. Of particular note was the earthquake of 25th April of 2002 as a result of which the original part of the building (the tower-like structure ....) was cracked on the axis. The building requires structural reinforcement, and restoration works.
As a response to neglect, The Tbilisi Observatory main building was officially granted listing by the Ministry of Culture of Georgia. Part of the historic measurements of the site and buildings is preserved, while professionally measured drawings from the 20th century are also available. The site has a rich historic and 20th-century database of photo recordings.
No conservation management plan for the site exists, and no professional conservation treatment or intervention has been ever performed. All changes and transformations happened without conservation supervision. Preserved tangible parts are still authentic, certain authentic movable objects are also preserved. Such attributes as planning system, design features and historic values are still preserved. However, the integrity of the Site has been compromised for decades due to the uncontrolled urban development of its surroundings. It should be noted that the site is located on the outskirts of the buffer zone of the historic district of Tbilisi, which means that once upon a time, it was almost on an open landscape.
Main threats or potential threats
Main threats include lack of maintenance during decades, non-existence of conservation management plan and funds for maintenance and adequate restoration.
Potential threats might be earthquake due to its vulnerable physical condition and inadequate intervention.
Protection
The site is listed, as all buildings are. Consequently, no demolition can happen, no remodeling is possible. Only restoration and rehabilitation are allowed. Surviving buildings of the former Observatory - Main Building, building for geodesic observations and the triangulation station are located within the protected area, namely a Buffer Zone of Tbilisi Historic District that give additional legal protection to the site.
References
Bibliography (books and published articles)
Moritz Arnold, Schreiben des Herrn Staatsraths Moritz, Direktors des magnetisch-meteorologischen Observatoriums in Tiflis an den Herausgeber. Astronomische Nachrichten, Altona, Deutschland, 1867.
Nodia, Geophysikalisches Observatorium Georgiens in Tiflis. Magnetische Abteilung in Karsani (bei Mzcheta), Magnetische Beobachtungen in Karsani, Tiflis, 1926.
Mikhael Nodia and Alexander Didebulidze reports in: SAHES und das magnetische Observatorium in Karssani, Tiflis, 1927
მიხეილ ნოდია, თბილისის მაგნიტური ობსერვატორია - მაგნიტურ ობსერვატორიათა მსოფლიო ქსელში, თბილისი 1500, საიუბილეო კრებული, თბილისი, 1958.
მიხეილ ნოდია, თბილისი ერთ-ერთი უძველესი ფუნდამენტური გეოფიზიკური ცენტრია სსსრკ-სა და მსოფლიოში. ბუნებისმეტყველებისა და ტექნიკის ისტორიკოსთა საბჭოს შრომების კრებული, 1-2, თბილისი, 1970.
А. Цхакая. Очерк развития сеисмологии в Грузии.50 лет Тбилисской центральной сеисмологичесской станции. Тбилиси, 1950.
Я. А. Цуцкиридзе, Организация Тифлисской геофизической обсерватории. Гидрометеорологические исследования в Грузии, Лениниград, 1982.
გოჩა ჯაფარიძე, მუსლიმი მოღვაწეები ათ-თიფლისის ნისბით VIII-XIV საუკუნეებში, „მაცნე“, ენისა და ლიტერატურის სერია, N1, თბილისი, 1990.
გოჩა ჯაფარიძე, XIII საუკუნის თბილელი მეცნიერი მარაღის ობსერვატორიაში, „მაცნე“, ისტორიის, არქეოლოგიის, ეთნოგრაფიისა და ხელოვნების ისტორიის სერია, N2, თბილისი, 1984.
В.Л. Ченакал, Воспитанник Тартуского университета П.Г.А. Мориц – директор Тифлисской обсерватории. Роль Тартуского университета в развитии отечественной науки и в подготовке в научно-педагогических кадров (Тезисы докладов XI Прибалтийской конференции по истории науки и техники, Тарту, 1977.
В. А. Бронштэн, И. А. Симониа, Из истории Тифлисской Обсерватории в XIX в. (1834_1880 гг.), Историко _ Астрономические Исследования, Вып. XXV, 2000.
Maia Mania, The European Builders of the Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory and Genetic Roots of its Architecture. Conference material of the Department of Control of Preservation of Monuments of Georgia. Tbilisi, 2001.
Maia Mania, Tbilisi Geophysical Observatory – History and Architecture, Goethe-Institut Georgien, Tbilisi, 2010.
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