Exploring Tbilisi’s Abandoned Apollo Cinema, Soviet Bunker, and Derelict Bathhouse

leocook21
Nov 6
2 min read

The Apollo Cinema in Tbilisi is one of the city’s oldest surviving theatres, built in 1909 in a beautiful Art Nouveau style and later renamed “October” during the Soviet period. Now abandoned, its grand facade stands as a reminder of its past life as one of Georgia’s grandest cinemas.

Ornate, abandoned theater cinema with decorative golden ceiling. Dusty atmosphere with soft light. Apollo Cinema in Tbilisi, Georgia. — *Built in 1909 and lit up by flood lights; the magnificent main hall of Tbilisi's Apollo Cinema*

Last year, we tried to get inside but couldn’t find a way in. This time, we reached out to a couple of local urbex guides who run tours around the city. They’ve arranged agreements with some of the property owners, giving them access to a handful of incredible sites.

An empty, decaying room with a decorative staircase and a mural of the building. Sunlight casts dramatic shadows on the tiled floor. Apollo Cinema in Tbilisi, Georgia. — *Mural of the cinema's exterior*

“@UrbexToursGeorgia” is the Instagram account I came across. They provide exciting, informative urban exploration tours across the country. I’d highly recommend just dropping them a message about any of the locations they provide if you’re interested in exploring with trusted, reliable members of Georgia’s urbex community.

Thanks to them, we finally stepped inside the Apollo Cinema, as well as an abandoned war bunker hidden beneath Tbilisi.

An abandoned control room with a dusty control panel and chair. Walls are green and beige, with old documents on a blue board. Dim lighting. Soviet-era war bunker in Tbilisi, Georgia. — *An abandoned control room underground Tbilisi*

Whilst in the city, away from the tour, we also explored the abandoned Gogilo Bathhouse in Tbilisi. This will also be pictured in the gallery towards the bottom of the page.

Abandoned graffiti-covered room with arched windows. Sunlight filters in, illuminating colorful tags on walls. Debris litters the ground. Gogilo Bathhouse in Tbilisi, Georgia. — *Inside the abandoned bathhouse*

Each time I visit Georgia, I get the chance to explore more of its forgotten spaces. The Apollo Cinema, the bunker, and Gogilo Bathhouse just scratched the surface. Tbilisi has a vast underground network. Something I wish to come back to one day and explore in depth.

Dimly lit room by a torch with open doors, one black with red Russian text. Green and beige walls, scattered crates. Eerie, mysterious atmosphere. Abandoned underground Soviet war bunker in Tbilisi, Georgia. — *Underneath Tbilisi*

(Excuse the noise in the cinema shots. My flash batteries died, so I had to improvise until I could buy replacements.)

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