There are not many places where the main road is called Stalin Avenue. Even fewer where this leads to Stalin Park. And probably only one where a photograph of Stalin adorns the exterior of a supermarket on the edge of the park. Welcome to Gori: the birthplace of Joseph Stalin.
We found out about this place on Atlas Obscura back when we were planning our travels in the Caucasus. We thought it sounded intriguing, and decided to check it out. Gori can be reached by public transport from Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. However, due to time constraints, we opted to visit on a day-tour to Gori booked through Garmajoba Tours.
Inside the Stalin Museum in Gori
Gori is under 90 minutes by car from Tbilisi. Once there, the number one ‘tourist attraction’ is the Stalin Museum, located in the central square of the town. Constructed in 1957, the museum has apparently changed very little in the intervening decades. Indeed, it looks disconcertingly like a palace and feels uncomfortably like a shrine to the Soviet leader.
Stepping into the atrium, visitors are confronted by a dramatic marble staircase with a Stalin statue peering at them from the landing. It starts at it means to go on.
For the price of 15 lari (roughly £4), you can explore the main exhibition space: a series of rooms filled with Stalin paraphernalia. Countless portraits and photographs line the walls, and the display cabinets contain everything from furniture which he reportedly used, to cigars he reportedly smoked. Conspicuous only in its absence is any mention of the atrocities Stalin committed. This is a place where Gori remembers its most (in)famous son with a certain fondness.
Finally, the exhibition culminates in visitors gingerly entering a dimly lit circular room. Beneath the red star emblazoned upon the ceiling lies Stalin’s death mask, carefully displayed in the centre of the room. It’s really quite shrine-like.
Stalin’s childhood home
Then it’s time to descend the aforementioned dramatic marble staircase, strolling past the Stalin statue (I will never get over how surreal this place is) and move on to the outside exhibits. Behind the palatial museum is a pavilion, rivalling the museum for grandeur.
Beneath this is a small wooden dwelling.
This unassuming structure is the house where Stalin was born and lived as a young boy. Ignoring how over the top this pavilion is – we’re taking Greco Roman column levels of over the top – the hut itself is rather interesting. After all, this is a preserved dwelling from the 1870s and once belonged to a line of homes. Stalin’s father was a shoemaker who rented the left hand of the two rooms and used the basement as his workshop.
Outside the museum – Stalin’s railway carriage
But the tour isn’t over yet – to the side of the museum is Stalin’s personal railway carriage. The door to the carriage was locked, but when a staff member noticed us loitering she rushed over to unlock the door and allow us to board. The carriage is undoubtedly impressive – just as grand as you would expect and a fitting way to end the museum experience.
So, is the Stalin Museum in Gori worth a visit?
In a word, yes. Do not go to this museum expecting a comprehensive biography of Stalin’s life – this is very much an unbalanced, Party-approved version. However, that’s not to say it isn’t interesting to visit – it is, exceedingly so. But perhaps the real exhibit is not the portraits or cigars, rather a glimpse into how this museum and – to an extent – city continues to portray Stalin.
Visits to the Stalin museum can be combined with trips to other sights in the city, such as the Gori Fortress, or further afield. The ancient Uplistsikhe cave complex is particularly popular among travellers.
How to get to Gori from Tbilisi
Gori is located right in the centre of Georgia, just off the main road linking East and West. This means that it’s a perfect stopping point for those travelling across the country. It’s relatively straightforward to get from Tbilisi to Gori.
Bus from Tbilisi to Gori (marshrutkas) – many marshrutkas run each day between Tbilisi and Gori, leaving from Tbilisi’s Didube market.
Train from Tbilisi to Gori – there is a train station in Gori, with multiple trains a day to and from Tbilisi. You can buy tickets in advance using the Georgian Railway website.
Private Tour to Gori – plenty of tour companies and guides will offer tours which include a visit to Gori. We used Garmajoba Tours and would highly recommend then – they gave us a brilliant day-tour from Tbilisi.
Read next
For more Georgia travel inspiration check out:
And for travel inspiration further afield in the Caucasus region, try: