Lado Asatiani Street

Going further along Machabeli street we find ourselves in Asatiani street. In the 19th century the princes Bebutovs' palace was located there. From here originates the former name of the street - Bebutov, before that it was called Sadovaia. At Asatiani 50 there is a famous public school #43, the former Mantashev trading school. It was built in 1910-1911 (architect Gazaros Sarkisian), its building was sponsored by a famous oil businessman Alexander Mantashev. The school was opened on the 1st of July in 1911. It is written on its copper plate: "This trading school was opened on the 1st of July in 1911 by Tiflis Merchants' Partnership during the ruling of his Majesty duke Vorontsov Da shkov and with the money of the honored guardian of the school - Mantashev". Un-fortunately, this plate was knocked together from the school's facade. The school was well equipped with studies, workshops, a sports hall. In 1913 Nicholas II of Russia visited the school. 

Until 1922 there was a bust to its founder and guardian in the vestibule and a service for the dead was annually arranged on the day of his death. At different times the pupils of the school were astrophysicist Victor Ambartsumian, a great American film-producer Rouben Mamoulian, a tennis-player Alexander Metreveli. A composer Michael Tariverdiev finished this school too. His first recognized composition was his hymn to the school, which is still remembered and sung by its school-leavers for so many years.