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A town of abandoned Soviet sanatoria

Tskaltubo

The Spa Paradise of the Entire Soviet Union

The name Tskaltubo was synonymous with a solid and respectable sanatorium in the Soviet Union.


It was considered very prestigious to receive a voucher to one of the sanatoriums in this small Georgian town.

One of the oldest resorts in the world

The first mentions of Tskaltubo date back to the 7th century. According to legend, the healing properties of the local water were discovered by an ordinary shepherd.

He was able to cure severe leg pain by dipping them into the warm waters of the springs.

From there, the fame of Tskaltubo’s mineral springs began to spread.

VII Century

History

How It Became Part of the USSR

In 1920, the construction of the first balneological sanatorium began. In 1931, Stalin himself visited Tskaltubo for treatment, and impressed by the place, immediately ordered the planning of a large resort town.

1920

1931

Starting in the 1930s, Tskaltubo thrived solely on spa tourism and, by the standards of the rest of the country, lived quite well.

Ruins of Soviet Grandeur

But it all ended suddenly. When the USSR dissolved, the paradise in Tskaltubo also came to an end. The flow of vacationers to the region stopped. The health resorts almost ceased to function.

1991

Medeya

One of the most striking sanatoriums in Tskaltubo. It was a vacation spot for employees of Tsentrosoyuz—an organization that provided food supplies to the population of the USSR. Construction began in 1954 and was completed in 1962. A true fairy-tale palace, surpassing all other buildings in the city.

Sanatoriums

Iveria

A four-story building, like most others, in the Stalinist Empire style. The luxurious Iveria, with 300 rooms, was opened in 1962.

Rotunda — a popular spot for photoshoots

a prime example of Stalinist Empire architecture

Metallurg

This complex was built around 1955-1957 and was overseen by the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry of the USSR. To this day, you can find many Soviet postcards or envelopes featuring views of this palace from Tskaltubo.

Images of this sanatorium were widely circulated in the USSR

Tbilisi

Winged griffins at the entrance, a picturesque inner courtyard, and rooftop access are the highlights of the Tbilisi sanatorium. One of the earliest, built in 1951, it was once owned by the Ministry of Communications of the USSR.

It is easily recognizable by the winged griffin sculptures

The future of these buildings is uncertain

The main misconception about Tskaltubo is that the city is completely abandoned. While many of the sanatoriums are indeed unused, there are still modern ones that operate today.

Here, you can still take those same radon baths

However, radon therapy is no longer in fashion, and it’s unlikely that the city will regain its former popularity.

Nowadays

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