In Abkhazia, former Council of Ministers building destroyed in the war to be restored
Former Council of Ministers building in Sukhum
In Abkhazia, the former Council of Ministers building is to be restored. The government complex in central Sukhum, gutted by fire, has stood for more than 30 years as one of the main symbols of the 1992–93 Georgian–Abkhaz war.
Abkhazia’s president, Badra Gunba, has instructed the mayor of Sukhum, Timur Agrba, to launch a competition for the best design for a building on the site of the former Council of Ministers. The main condition is that the two side wings of the complex, which are listed as cultural heritage monuments, must be preserved.
“For more than 30 years this building has been in a deplorable state and has spoiled the appearance of the capital,” the president said. He added that restoring the structure, or building a new one in its place, should become a symbol of revival not only for the capital but for all of Abkhazia.
The government complex in central Sukhum was built in stages during the Soviet era.
- In 1935, two three-storey side wings were constructed, designed by the renowned Soviet architects Vladimir Shchuko and Vladimir Gelfreikh. Much later, in the early 1980s, a 12-storey high-rise was added between them.
- At the very end of the 1992–93 Georgian–Abkhaz war, the complex was at the centre of the fighting and was burned down on 27 September 1993.
After the fire, the new Abkhaz government moved into the former regional Communist party headquarters. The government complex, meanwhile, stood burned out for decades, with no funds for its restoration. Now, it seems, the money has finally been found.
What role the “building risen from the ashes” will play remains unclear.
Toponyms, terminology, views and opinions expressed by the author are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of JAMnews or any employees thereof. JAMnews reserves the right to delete comments it considers to be offensive, inflammatory, threatening or otherwise unacceptable.
News in Abkhazia
