Gabriadze Theatre and Clock Tower
Rezo Gabriadze's marionette theatre and its crooked clock tower beside Anchiskhati, where an angel rings the bell and puppets act out a tiny show.
The Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theatre is a small puppet theatre on Ioane Shavteli Street in the upper Old Town, next to Anchiskhati Basilica. It was founded in 1981 by Rezo Gabriadze, the painter, sculptor and screenwriter of much-loved Georgian films such as Mimino, and its plays for adults, including The Battle of Stalingrad and Autumn of My Springtime, have toured Europe and North America. Most passers-by know it for the leaning clock tower beside the entrance, which Gabriadze built himself in 2010 from old bricks, tiles and scraps of ironwork, decorated with painted ceramic panels.
Every hour a small angel comes out near the top of the tower and strikes the bell with a hammer, and twice a day a short puppet scene called The Circle of Life plays in a window: a boy and a girl meet, marry, have a child and grow old. A crowd gathers a few minutes beforehand. The auditorium inside is tiny, so book well ahead for a performance. Cafe Gabriadze next door is decorated with the artist's drawings.
History
Rezo Gabriadze (1936–2021), born in Kutaisi, opened the theatre in the Old Town in 1981 and made it famous for poetic, almost wordless puppet plays about war, love and loss. Its touring productions won prizes abroad and built a following far beyond Georgia. In 2010 he added the clock tower, designed to look as if it had stood and settled for centuries. Gabriadze died in 2021, and the theatre continues to stage his work.
What to see and do
- Watch the angel strike the bell on the hour
- See The Circle of Life puppet scene in the tower window
- Book a performance of The Battle of Stalingrad
- Have a coffee in Cafe Gabriadze among his drawings
- Visit Anchiskhati Basilica next door
How to visit
Getting there
The theatre is on Ioane Shavteli Street beside Anchiskhati Basilica, about 7 minutes' walk from Freedom Square.
When to go
Just before the hour, or at the twice-daily puppet scene. Plan 15 minutes for the tower; 1.5 hours for a show here.
- Book performances early; the hall is small and shows sell out.
- Ask at the theatre for the times of the daily Circle of Life scene and arrive early for a good view.
- The street is pedestrian, so taxis drop you at the nearest corner.
Gabriadze Theatre and Clock Tower: FAQ
What happens at the Tbilisi clock tower?
A small angel appears near the top every hour and strikes the bell. Twice a day, puppets in the tower window act out The Circle of Life, a short scene of love, marriage and old age.
Who built the leaning clock tower in Tbilisi?
The artist and puppeteer Rezo Gabriadze built it in 2010 beside his marionette theatre in the Old Town. It was made to look old and crooked on purpose.
Nearby places
Straight-line distance from Gabriadze Theatre and Clock Tower.
