Rezo Gabriadze Puppet Theatre

Whimsical puppet theatre with a famous leaning clock tower in the old town

The Rezo Gabriadze Puppet Theatre in the old town is famous both for its performances and for the charmingly eccentric architecture of its building. The theatre was established in 1981 by the Georgian film director and artist Rezo Gabriadze, and specialises in elaborate marionette performances for adults — its most famous production tells the story of the Battle of Stalingrad through the eyes of two young soldiers in love.

Next to the theatre stands the Leaning Tower, a brick clock tower that tilts at a slight angle and features an angel mechanism that performs on the hour. The building's decorated facade, with its mosaics and painted reliefs, is one of the most photographed corners of the old town. Tickets for performances sell out; book ahead if you can.

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A story
The leaning clock tower beside the theatre was designed by Rezo Gabriadze himself and completed in 2010. Every hour on the hour, a small door opens and an angel appears; at noon and 7pm, the angel rings a bell and a short figurative performance plays out on the tower's face. Gabriadze, who is also a film director, painter, and writer, created the tower as a meditation on the passage of time.