Cloisonné enamel — minankari — is one of Georgia's oldest and most exquisite crafts, and Ornament is where locals send you to understand it properly. Opened in 2000 by enamel artist Tea Gurgenidze alongside Marina and Khatuna Babunashvili, it is a specialist gallery devoted entirely to reviving a tradition that flourished in Georgia between the 8th and 15th centuries and was very nearly lost.
Inside you will find both classic religious icons and contemporary pieces — jewellery, decorative ornaments and small artworks — each built up from fine metal cloisons filled with glowing coloured enamel. The gallery doubles as a working school, passing the painstaking technique on to students from Georgia and abroad, so there is usually work in progress to see.
Local tip: Enamel makes a genuinely local souvenir that packs flat — a pendant or a small icon is easy to carry home. If you are curious how the pieces are made, ask about the workshop side, or try the craft yourself at a hands-on enamel masterclass in the old town.
Try it yourself: a Georgian enamel jewellery workshop
Good to know
- City: Tbilisi