Underground Printing House Museum: A Glimpse into Georgia's Revolutionary Past

Tucked away in Tbilisi's historic Avlabari district, the Underground Printing House Museum unveils a secret chapter of Georgia's revolutionary past. From 1903 to 1906, this underground location served as a clandestine hub for Mensheviks and Bolsheviks, printing and distributing illegal newspapers and proclamations in Georgian, Russian, and Armenian. The printing house was ingeniously designed with two plans: one depicting a normal residential house and the other revealing hidden basements and secret entrances. The heart of the operation was a high-speed printing machine smuggled from Baku. A concealed bell warned revolutionaries of impending danger. In 1906, the building became a fortress and bomb-making lab, but police discovered the tunnel in a well and set the house ablaze. Restored in 1937, the museum displays artifacts, photos, and letters from the revolutionary period. Visitors can explore the original printing equipment, Soviet-era memorabilia, and a map showing where the pamphlets were sent. The museum provides a unique glimpse into the history of Soviet Georgia and the monumental events of the early 20th century. Today, the museum belongs to the National Library of the Parliament of Georgia and stands as a monument to the revolutionary spirit.