Baratashvili Street

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Shavteli Street runs into Baratashvili Street, which follows the original north wall of the Old Town down to the Mtkvari River. Baratashvili Street combines old and new Tbilisi; on the south side, incorporated into the remains of the city wall, are shops, cafes and houses with balconies in a variety of styles, while on the north side are apartment houses and multi- storied office blocks built in the 1950s and 1960s. Some of the older buildings near or on the wall are from the 19th century but many more are reconstructions of period buildings that were done in 1979 under the guidance of the architect Shota Kavlashvili. Discovering ancient cellars forming a part of the foundation of the walls, he utilized the space to house cafes, wine cellars and shops that evoke old Tbilisi in every respect.

At the corner of Shavteli and Baratashvili streets is the Tbilisi State Marionette Theatre, 26 Shavteli Street. Next door is the wonderful Mukhrantubani Restaurant-one of Tbilisi's best, with superb 19th-century decor, Georgian minstrels, and excellent food. Closer to the river are the Museum of Children's Art and the Children's Toy Museum, both at 17a Shavteli Street. In front of the Museum of Children's Art is the beloved Berikaoba sculpture by Avtandil Monselidze, unveiled in 1981. The sculpture is of berikebi (merrymakers) dancing in a carnival procession.